So last night we made it back to Whistler. Although this will be the fourth time I’ve been here, it’s the first time Mya and I have seen it without snow and we were really excited to see what it has to offer away from winter.
Accommodation
Whilst in Whistler we again stayed at the Aava Whistler Hotel. I’ve been staying there ever since I first visited Whistler in 2016 and love how pet friendly they are. Last time we were here I was speaking to a manager who told me at any one time they usually have about 40 pets staying at the property.
Things haven’t changed and when we checked in we received a special pet welcome pack including some Earth Rated environmental waste bags and a cool phone camera lens to play with. This trip Mya and I are lucky enough to have a suite with a kitchen, lounge and fireplace (this could be Mya’s new favourite spot). The hotel also has a pool, hot tub, fitness centre and bike storage.
Activities and Attractions
Gateway Bikes- Whistler Village
During our stay, we got a rental mountain bike from Gateway Bikes in the village and went for a ride out to and around the Lost Lake. It was actually really nice to get out there, we had tried finding it in winter and hadn’t been able to. Mya had lots of fun, as usual, chasing me and walking out into the water of the lake and creeks. I’m told they do have more challenging terrain that is dog-friendly, however, it was closed during our visit due to bear activity.
I also rented a Downhill bike to check out some of the downhill mountain biking trails. Whistler has an extensive downhill mountain biking trail network and there is something for all abilities. It was great to be able to go to areas of the resort that I hadn’t been to before and explore further.
RZR Tours – Adventure Group Whistler
Though RZR tours I also had the opportunity to go on a 2.5-hour RZR off-road tour around Cougar Mountain. If you’re a motorsports enthusiast you will love it, especially in the wain. I had a great time, but I also felt that maybe I could have gone with one of the shorter tours they have available.
Super fly Ziplines – Adventure Group Whistler
During our stay, I managed to go zip lining with the Adventure Group in Whistler. Out of the few zip lines we have been on in Canada, this one was by far the best. The zip lines were quite long, there were some great views and our guides were knowledgeable and a lot of fun.
Restaurants and Eating Out
The first time we came with Mya is was a real struggle to find places to eat having her. As pet-friendly as Whistler is, BC health regulations prohibited dogs from being in food service areas both inside and out. In saying that I think I’ve worked out the best places now with a few workarounds.
The Beacon Pub & Eatery
One of these is The Beacon Pub & Eatery in Whistler Village. Although they don’t have a dog-friendly patio due to the health regulations, they do have a few tables that your pup can be just on the other side of you. The food and service were fantastic. I had a steak with Brussel sprouts and fries which will be my go-to meal next time I am in town. Finally, don’t let Mya’s puppy eyes fool you, she was in the prime position to catch the one piece of steak that dropped off my plate.
La Bocca
Another great option for dinner is La Bocca located in the Whistler Village. They have delicious quality food and great service, but unlike many of the other restaurants, they have an area just outside of their patio that is under shelter, where you can have your pup on a leash whilst eating. This was a huge thing for me on our last visit as during winter when it’s dumping snow on the mountain you really want to have somewhere protected for your pup whilst you eat.
Doggy Daycare / Pet Minding
Once again Mya couldn’t join me on all my adventures so once again I arranged for Mya to go out with Alpine dogs. If you didn’t know, they offer doggy daycare with half day or full day adventure hikes.
The team at Alpine Dogs take them on off-leash hikes throughout the forest and use gps collars for that extra level of safety. Mya has joined them a few times now and she always comes back exhausted and happy.
I’m really glad we were able to check out Whistler in the summer / fall period, its a whole new experience from winter and we had an absolute blast. A big thanks to everyone below who helped make our trip possible. Please contact the links below for more information.
Mya’s Mates:
Tourism: Go Whistler| @GoWhistler
Stay: Aava Whistler Hotel| @AavaWhistlerHotel
Doggy Day Care: Alpine Dogs| @AlpineDogs
Play: Gateway Bikes| @GatewayBikes
Super Fly Zipline| @SuperFlyZiplines
Helpful links:
https://www.aavawhistlerhotel.com
https://alpinedogs.ca/
http://whistlersports.com/
https://www.superflyziplines.com/
https://tagwhistler.com/activity/rzr-tours/
http://whistlersports.com
