Just So You Know, Whistler Is The Wellness Capital of Canada
Updated: Jul. 16, 2019
Heading to Whistler for fun? Add a side of health and wellness to your itinerary. We list 10 ways you can enjoy the city without any guilt.
Healthy things to do in Whistler
If wellness is your game, Whistler, B.C. is the name. Just north of Vancouver, the bustling mountain town best known as one of Canada’s largest ski resorts is also a mecca for those seeking balance of mind, body and spirit. Chock full of delish and healthy eats, adventures galore, mindful options and views for days; it’s one of the country’s best spots for health conscious types.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Soak in the surroundings
The two-hour trip along the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler is one of Canada’s most beautiful drives. Start a journey into wellness by breathing in fresh mountain air and hitting reset. Then enjoy the visual feast of snowcapped peaks, cedar filled-hills and ocean views opposite lupine-lined ditches and rocky walls of trees reaching for the sky.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Retreat to the lake
Located five minutes from town in Creekside, Nita Lake Lodge is in the business of wellness offering a blissful seven-night, eight-day retreat. The only waterfront property in Whistler provides guests the opportunity to reboot and rejuvenate through revitalizing spa treatments, yoga, healthy food options, free SUP/kayak rentals, a pass to the baths at Scandinave Spa and more.
I recommend the 60-minute Moisture Restore Facial with new and exclusive spa line Naturopathica (ask for the carrot seed oil) or Nita’s 75-minute signature Kundalini massage.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Try a new age treatment
From detoxing and treating hangovers to boosting the immune system and clearing up skin, intravenous nutrient therapy, aka the Meyers cocktail, is no longer exclusive to the rich and famous. Leading the way with anti-aging regenerative injections is naturopath Dr. Dawn Gareau of Dr. Lauren Bramley and Partners, who says treatments leave people with “increased energy, less fatigue and more focus.”
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Refuel organically
Greens help nourish and detoxify, and in Whistler restos catering to this are easy to find. Start out in the hip area Function Junction, home to the vegan live food bar, The Green Moustache, where refreshing ginger kombucha and healthy bowls await. Nita Lake’s Chef Dean Hossack plucks microgreens from the rooftop garden for onsite restaurants Aura and Cure, while also “trying to get as much from the farm as possible.”
In town at Alta Bistro, don’t miss the delectably seasoned cauliflower pakora. Sip on the Doug Fir Sour, touted as the town’s best cocktail – made from locally foraged Douglas fir tips. And forget ski hill food, Raven’s Nest atop Whistler Mountain offers an all plant-based menu thanks to executive chef, Wolfgang Sterr.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Find zen almost everywhere
Enjoy inspiring artwork and architecture while holding mountain pose at Audain Art Gallery, or try SUP yoga at Lakeside Park on Whistler’s most scenic lake. For music loving yogis, hit up retreat/yoga festival, Wanderlust (August 3-6) where a wide range of yoga styles are blended with meditation workshops, outdoor activities, speakeasy’s, sustainable food and music. For a dose of restorative daily yoga, visit Loka Yoga Studio.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Destress in the most fun ways
It’s a fact. Throwing axes (safely) helps manage stress. It also works your core and arm muscles. The oddly addictive, “in a good way” activity, has taken the country by storm. Owners of newly opened Forged Axe Throwing, Brett Easton and James Anderson set up shop “to offer the community something engaging and fun.”
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Soak like a Scandinavian
Hot, cold, relax, repeat. Spend at least two or more hour’s zenning the day away at Scandinave Spa. A mix of traditional hydrotherapy – rejuvenate and detoxify by rotating between saunas, steams, water circuits and rest stations while enjoying glorious mountain views.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Feast on culture
Visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre to learn about Squamish and Lil’wat Nations art, history and culture. Come back on a Thursday or Sunday evening for “Hunters and Gatherers, A First Nations Feast,” where visitors can dine on dishes like west coast cedar plank salmon with maple glaze from an indigenous spread, while hearing stories of ancestors who traditionally inhabited sea to sky territory.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Zip, glide or hike
Ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola connecting Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains for the best views from above. For daring types, zip along the Sasquatch – the longest zip line in North America spanning two kilometres. Hiking trails are everywhere; however check out the Whistler Train Wreck Trail. Once a local’s only hotspot, this easy forested trail leads to Cheakamus River. From there a new suspension bridge transports hikers to a spot where nature meets wreckage meets art. If you are visiting between June and August, try alpine hiking among massive snow walls on Whistler Mountain.
Healthy things to do in Whistler: Embrace your inner athlete
Playing host to the Olympics in 2010 left Whistler with wonderful facilities for everyone to enjoy. Head out on a self-guided Olympic Legacies tour before trying an exhilarating summer bobsleigh run at the Whistler Sliding Centre where you can hit speeds of up to 90 mph. Competitive? Challenge your travel mates to a summer biathlon experience.
For more healthy travel ideas, check out these:
• How To Enjoy Your Vacation Without Gaining Weight
• 5 Of The Greatest Running Vacation Destinations On Earth
• What to Do in Paris – A Health Editor’s Guide
• Little Holiday on The Prairie: What to Do In Saskatchewan
• Why Orlando is on our Healthy Travel Hit List
• The Most Gorgeous Hiking Routes Across Canada
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