Are you planning to take the family to Whistler, BC this winter? I’ve just returned with my family and can say that we fell in love with Whistler during the winter. I was so impressed with all the holiday lights in the village and the snow on the mountains.
One of my family’s favourite activities while in Whistler was the skating rink in the heart of the village at Whistler Olympic Plaza.
Every winter the city of Whistler transforms the Olympic Plaza stage into a FREE skating rink for everyone to enjoy. The skating rink is divided in three sections. One section is under cover, one section is for mini games of hockey and one section is out on the lawn of the Olympic Plaza. My kids loved the rink, especially the ramps to go up to and down from the top rink.
The skating rink is open daily and has no entry fee. If you don’t have your own skates you can rent skates for $5. Double blades (for little ones) and shoe grips are available free of charge. Helmets are also available at no extra charge. There are plenty push bars available for kids learning to skate.
There is always great music playing while you are skating and clean washrooms available right on site. If you need to warm up with a coffee or need a bite to eat you are just steps away from several coffee shops and restaurants.
We were at the skating rink during peek times but found there was plenty of room for everyone.
My family loved the skating rink so much that we returned a second time to enjoy it while on our Whistler winter vacation. My kids are still talking about it and can’t wait to go back.
Getting to the skating rink at the Olympic Plaza is very easy. I recommend parking in Lot 4 (Whistler village’s free parking lot). The skating rink is across the street from this lot.
To learn more about the skating rink at Whistler Olympic Plaza check out the Tourism Whistler website. Hours of operation are 11am – 9pm. The ice rink is closed for maintenance from 2pm – 3pm and from 5:30pm – 6:30pm.
I have never yet been to Whistler, BC. We love to skate as a family. It is such a great healthy activity to do together and so much fun (at least until some kid knocks you over and you smash your tailbone.OUCH!@!) We love it when special landmark community areas are transformed into skating zones. They do that here in my city with a special tourist hotspot called Storybook Gardens.
I haven’t been to Whistler, but would love to. This sure looks like fun.
It looks like a lot of fun! I love the walkers. It’s a safer way to learn skating.
We’re moving to Vancouver in January so I’ll have to check this out! I love skating but I grew up in Alberta where we just walked down to the pond to skate… I hate having to check out times at the local arena and then pay arena prices to take the girls skating. Great to know that this is a family-friendly location! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Oh wow, that looks like all kinds of fun! I’ve never seen shoe grips for skating before, that’s so cool! I’ve also never been to Whistler, but it’s on my list of places to go. Love all the pics I’ve seen of the area! 🙂
Whistler is such an amazing experience. I’m looking forward to when I can go back with my family and experience all these amazing things. I don’t think they had the skating when I was there last.
What an exciting adventure! I’d love to do that with the kids, EXCEPT, I don’t think DH could hold up all four of us!!! hee hee he is the only one who can skate!
I used to love to ice skate! Don’t know if I could anymore, I might need double blades.
Oh my goodness……one day I’ll get to Whistler. It’s on my list, but in the meantime I do need to find a place where my daughter could use those ice skating helpers!!
No matter how hard I try I just cannot master ice skating. I’m fine on roller skates or even roller blades, but ice just confounds me. I’ll take a set of those double-bladed ones!
So much fun on ice! Is it bad that I would want one of the push ramps to get around? I used to ice skate plenty when I was a young girl, but I fear my coordination has gotten away from me some!
Just look at that scenery especially the mountains, breathtaking! I have never been to Whistler but I know that it is somewhere that my husband has mentioned possibly visiting one day and if we ever did I think those push bars would be great for ME, not the kids lol.
That looks like fun. I really used to love ice skating when I was younger.