Seasons pass, $1999. New skis or board, $300+. Rent per month, $500+. Après fund per week $50+. The Whistler experience, priceless. When you lay it out on the table, your mountain lifestyle can seem pretty expensive. At Gibbons, we’ve been a part of the Whistler community for over 30 years, so we thought we’d share our insider tips of things to do in Whistler on a budget – highlighting five activities the locals love that won’t break the bank.
1. Free Film Screenings at the Library
Our first ‘Whistler on a Budget’ tip is to keep an eye on the Whistler Library events page as, along with free film screenings, they have workshops that are also free of charge, like their Cloud Technologies session, and even the odd self defense class.
On the screen tonight: Chef
Chef Carl Casper suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner, he is left to figure out what’s next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife, his friend and his son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen — and zest for life and love.
2. Cook up a Storm
From authentic Japanese cuisine to gluten free baking and raw tacos the Community Kitchen cooking classes are only $10 a pop (or you can buy a five time pass for $40). These are hands-on interactive cooking classes where you can learn to how to prepare healthy, delicious meals on a budget and have some fun while you’re at it.
Raw tacos could be on the menu of your next WCSS cooking class.
Classes are hosted by the Whistler Community Services Society and take part at 1519 Spring Creek Drive at 6:00pm.
Contact Sara at 604-935-7717 or email [email protected] to book your spot. These classes are popular so sign up before 10am on the day of the class to ensure your spot!
3. Get Bent at Lululemon
What better way to do Whistler on a budget than by taking part in free classes, especially since keeping healthy can seem expensive if you’re shopping round for a gym pass. Lululemon have got you covered with complimentary yoga classes every Sunday morning from 8:00 – 9:00 am. Don’t have a mat? All good – they’ll let you borrow one, those kind yogi types!
Get your stretch on at a Lululemon complimentary yoga class.
They also have a run group that meets at the store in the village at 5:15 pm every Tuesday for hill and interval training, and on Saturdays at 8:00 am for a trail run – everyone one is welcome, from beginners to advanced.
For lovers of outdoors and activity, Lululemon also host running groups.
4. Culture Fix
Keep an eye on the Performance Series that’s put on at Millennium Place by the Whistler Arts Council. We spotted the Shakespeare Social events that are $13 per showing or $30 for all three shows, which includes Macbeth, Midsummer Nights Dream and Twelfth Night. These are part of the Globe On Screen series, where they’ve recorded the plays live on screen in HD to be shared in cinemas around the world.
5. Olympic Legacy
Our final ‘Whistler on a Budget’ tip is to head up one of the windiest roads in Whistler for a free, self-guided tour of the Sliding Centre. This is where the luge, skeleton and bob sleigh action took place in the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and it’s a sight to behold.
The Whistler Sliding Centre is a perfect place to explore if you’re visiting Whistler on a budget.
Check the Whistler Sliding Centre training schedule ahead of time as you might be lucky enough to see some athletes on the track, but even if you’re not in luck you can always get your picture in a sled instead!
Visiting Whistler on a Budget
Whether you’re trying to be mindful of your money throughout your trip, or just trying to reel back on the spending after your on mountain expenses, there are plenty of activities to do in our beautiful resort town that don’t have to break the bank. If you need assistance in planning your next trip to Whistler, no matter the budget, our expert Whistler concierge services are here to help.
