Whistler Creekside village 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 by 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, don’t you think? We’ve been visiting The Creek for 30 years, and this ultimate guide to Creekside Whistler will help your family discover the great restaurants, lodging, and shops that this family-friendly ski resort village has to offer.
Ultimate 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 high-speed 8-person Creekside Gondola replaced the older, smaller gondola, significantly improving wait times.
Why does this matter? Because, 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. It’s best to 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 if you want to ski home to the Creek, 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, the Dave Murray Run. This was the site of the 2010 Winter Whistler Olympic downhill races.
If skiing isn’t your thing, don’t worry. There’s plenty to enjoy in Whistler, off the slopes.
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There’s free day parking for skiers at Whistler Creekside
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 Creekside Gondola.
Shop Whistler Creekside village
Whistler Creekside Village has really grown over the years. There are many 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, gas station, ski fashion and gift shops, coffee shops like Tim Hortons and Starbucks, and Whistler Kids ski school.
Some of our favorite shops:
- Get the Goods Boutique – truly unique finds and products from around the world
- Abigail Lifestyle Boutique – hit the slopes in high fashion style with beautiful clothing and skiwear
- 122 West – embrace cabin chic with elegant houseware products and linens
- Twin Trees Pet Boutique – sustainable pet apparel and supplies for your fur baby
Enjoy 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.
While snow sports are high on the list of things to do in Whistler Creekside, summer means lakeside activities.
Enjoy a brisk walk on the beaches of Alta Lake, Whistler’s largest body of freshwater. Try ice-fishing on Nita Lake in winter or stand-up paddle boarding in summer. Or simply play and walk the dog in the park next to Alpha Lake.
Read more > The best places to stay in Whistler
Whistler Creekside restaurants
Whether you’re in search of a great cup of coffee or in need of après or dinner after an epic day of skiing and snowboarding, these Whistler Creekside restaurants offer lots of dining options.
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.
Tip: If you’re staying at any Whistler accommodation with a kitchen, pick up some frozen pizza dough to make your own dinner or après snack.
Mekong Fine Thai Cuisine
Authentic Thai food in Whistler village? You will find it at Mekong Fine Thai Cuisine. This jewel box of a restaurant inspired by Chef Angus An (Maenam, Popina) opened in summer 2023.
Its menu of traditional Thai favorites – Thom Kha Mussels, Pad Thai, Gaeng Gari Chicken – is absolutely delicious. Sharing plates are ideal for dinner out with family and friends. Mekong does take out, too.
Rockit Coffee
With great coffee, food and an interior decor that looks and sounds like the 1970s and 80s, Rockit Coffee is the funkiest coffee shop in town. It’s quickly become the newest place to meet and lounge in the Creek – don’t miss stopping in.
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.
Read more > Where to eat in Whistler, with or without the kids
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.
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.
Whistler Creekside accommodation
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.
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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 connect to the rest of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.
Nita Lake Lodge
A lovely slice of luxury on the lake at Creekside, Whistler hotel 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 or when attending Whistler Cornucopia.
The two-bedroom suites are great for two couples travelling together, and include a large balcony with partial lake views. The Lodge provides a courtesy shuttle to the base into Whistler Village, a seven minute ride away.
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 has selected the Lodge Spa as one of the top 25 spas in Canada.
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Photo Credits: Tourism Whistler, Mike Crane, Justa Jeskova
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