The ski resort village of Whistler Creekside has an origin story that surprises even the most frequent visitor to Canada’s biggest and best ski resort. The ‘Creek’ is the original village base for Whistler Mountain and site of its first gondola. The village was built out of a forested wilderness by the intrepid outdoor pioneers who founded one of the premier ski resorts in the world. And made Whistler in winter the place to be.
That’s a pretty legit ski pedigree.
While Whistler Village has grown well-beyond its humble beginnings, Whistler Creekside doesn’t just have history cred on its side. It’s a bustling and family-friendly ski resort village in its own right. Discover the great restaurants, lodgings, shops and access to the slopes that Whistler Creekside has to offer.
Guide to Whistler Creekside Village
Whistler Creekside Skiing
The largest ski resort in Canada is all about snowsports of course, and Creekside is a big part of that. The newly installed high-speed 8-person Creekside Gondola has replaced the existing 6-person gondola, and significantly improved wait times.
Bottom line: You can get up to Whistler Peak faster from the Creekside base. Once you’re up the mountain, you have access to Whistler Blackcomb Resort’s 200 runs, 16 alpine bowls, and 3 glaciers. With over 8,000 acres of terrain, Whistler Blackcomb is big, so pace yourself. Map out your daily runs the night before, but be flexible to discover new parts of the mountain, or stick with favorites that hit that sweet ski spot.
Tired legs can download in the gondola at the end of the day, but save energy for the epic Peak to Creek run. It’s 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) down Whistler Peak to Creekside village base. If you’ve got mad ski skills, don’t miss the Creek’s other epic run, and ski like an Olympian on the Dave Murray Run, site of the 2010 Winter Whistler Olympic downhill races.
If skiing isn’t your thing, no worries. There’s plenty to enjoy in Whistler off the slopes.
Use the map below to search for hotel and short-term rental options
Free Day Skier Parking
It’s true, day skiers can access one of the 1,400 free parking spaces at Creekside. This is a BIG bonus, especially as the parking lot is just steps away from the gondola.
It Takes a Village
Whistler Creekside Village has various shops and services to keep you stocked up, fed and watered during your stay. Groceries and libations can be found at the Creekside Market grocery store and the BC Liquor Store. There’s a bank, ski fashion and gift shops, coffee shops like Tim Hortons and Starbucks, and Whistler Kids ski school.
Lake Life
Part of the appeal of Creekside as the original village base was its access to nearby lakes for recreation, swimming and fishing. Alpha, Nita, and Alta Lakes are all in or nearest to Creekside Whistler.
Things to do in Whistler Creekside include active snow sports, but also lakeside activities. Enjoy a brisk walk on the beaches of Alta Lake, Whistler’s largest. Try ice-fishing on Nita Lake in winter or stand-up paddle boarding in summer, or play in the park and walk the dog in the park next to Alpha Lake.
Check out our guide on where to have fun with kids in Whistler in winter
Where to Eat at Whistler Creekside
Whistler Creekside has a surprising number of delicious dining options to discover and enjoy. Whether you’re in search of a great cup of coffee of in need of après or dinner after an epic day of skiing and snowboarding, these Whistler Creekside restaurants offer lots of foodie choices.
Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
This is Whistler’s original watering hole, site of many epic après parties and memories going far back into the 50 year history of the village. The beer is cold, the BBQ ribs are tasty, and kids are welcome until 10 PM, so consider Dusty’s very family-friendly.
You can even score a delicious breakfast here before you hit the slopes. While it’s true that Dusty’s opens at 11:00 AM, Dusty’s Backside opens at 7:00 AM, perfect to grab coffee and a baked goodie to go.
Ed’s Breds
Organic, artisanal and vegan sourdough breads and baked goods made by Ed and his team are a must try. In addition to 100% organic sourdough loaves of seedy, rye and the dense mountain bread, pick up decadent cinnamon buns, cookies and oat milk cappuccinos to wash it all down. If you’re staying at Whistler accommodation with a kitchen, pick up some frozen pizza dough to make your own dinner or après snack.
Rimrock Café
The Rimrock has been a local favorite restaurant in Whistler for ages. Less a café than a fine dining restaurant that maintains a casual vibe, the Rimrock’s service and delicious menu is legendary.
Just a short hop from the main Creek village, this restaurant has been serving locals and lucky visitors since 1986. Be sure to make a reservation to enjoy a dinner of warm wild mushroom salad and perfectly cooked fish or steak.
Fix Café
This bright morning coffee spot is located at the Nita Lake Lodge, across the highway from Creek village. Fix Café serves an excellent café latte, made from Doi Chaang coffee beans grown in Thailand, as well as an impressive assortment of pastries, smoothies and bread. Take a flat lay shot of your coffee and upload to your Instagram via the café’s free WiFi.
Red Door Bistro
Another hidden gem hiding in plain sight, the Red Door Bistro serves a dinner menu of French-inspired cuisine with ‘west coast soul’. The room is intimate and cosy, but relaxed enough that your flannels and jeans fit right in. The menu is ‘meat-forward’ as they say, but the menu offers lots of other choices like duck, mussels and bouillabaisse.
Creekbread
This is the home of tasty wood-fired pizza, with an emphasis on local and organic (where possible) ingredients, and a value statement that includes education, authenticity, and community connection.
At Creekbread, food is sacred, and you can choose from flatbread pizzas with or without tomato sauce. Every Tuesday is benefit night, when a portion of each Creekbread sold is donated to a local non-profit group. Do good, and eat well. And if you want to avoid lines of hungry pizza peeps, get there by 5 PM.
Southside Diner
Thanks to reader and loyal Creekside booster Andrew, we’re pleased to include the Southside Diner in our list of recommended spots. From breakfast poutine (be still my heart) and bennies, to traditional diner faves of burgers, BLTs and meatloaf, this crowd-pleasing locals’ hangout is a great spot to start or end your day on the slopes.
Rolands Creekside Pub
If you’re looking for a casual pub dining or night out, check out Rolands, located next door to the Red Door Bistro. Rolands serves up fresh local ingredients, cold brews, and promotes sustainable Ocean Wise Seafood. Save room for dessert, order Mom’s apple pie, it’s made by Mrs. Roland.
Ready to nosh? Where to eat in Whistler, with or without the kids.
Whistler Creekside Hotels
If you’re wondering where to stay at Whistler Creekside, don’t worry, we’ve got suggestions. There are some great Whistler Creekside accommodation options and lodging deals, from luxury hotels with great spas to family-friendly condominium suites, Airbnbs and home rental options. Plan a perfect getaway to Whistler Creekside with our tips for where to enjoy and save on lodging packages in Whistler Creekside.
Evolution Whistler
Evolution is a resort home away from home, with fully kitted-out condominium style suites with kitchens, laundry facilities, and multiple bedrooms. There’s lots of room for families, including Fido as Evolution is pet-friendly (for an extra fee).
Evolution has secured ski storage so no shlepping equipment up elevators, which is always a bonus especially when travelling with kids. The lodge is slope side so you won’t have to travel far to get to the gondola either.
The interior courtyard features a pool, hot tub, sauna and steam room, all of which are open year round. If you haven’t gotten enough of a workout on the slopes, you can hit the resort’s fitness facility.
There’s a games room common area for kids and tweens to shoot pool or to make new friends while playing on the Nintendo Wii stations. In the summer months, the sun chairs appear and there’s a BBQ for grilling outdoors. On the day of the check-out, guests can obtain a day pass so they can refresh after a day of skiing before heading home.
Legends
Similar to its neighbor Evolution, Legends Hotel offers roomy condo-style suites with full kitchen and laundry facilities for families and larger groups. For example, its three-bedroom suite is 1,290 square feet and can accommodate eight people. In terms of mountain access, the lodge is right next door to the Creekside Express Gondola – fresh tracks here we come. You can check the kids into ski school here and then head up to the mountain to access Creekside’s runs and connect to the rest of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.
Nita Lake Lodge
A lovely slice of luxury on the lake, Nita Lake Lodge invites guests to check in and bliss out in their oversized suites overlooking glacier-fed Nita Lake. Suites feature king-sized beds, basalt fireplaces and double-soaker tubs, perfect for a romantic couples getaway. The two-bedroom suites are great for two couples travelling together, and include a large balcony with partial lake views.
There’s pampering to be had as well. The Lodge has a full-service organic spa offering facials, esthetics, massages and body treatments. The Spa Industry Association of Canada and Spa Inc Magazine selected the Lodge Spa as one of the top 25 spas in Canada in 2018. There’s a courtesy shuttle to the base of Whistler Mountain, or into Whistler Village, just 7 minutes away.
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Disclosure: The Travelling Mom thanks Tourism Whistler for hosting her stay in Whistler Creekside. As always, her opinions are honest and her own. This post contains affiliate links.
Photo Credits: Tourism Whistler, Mike Crane, Justa Jeskova
