Spectator Information

Attending a concert, show or festival at Whistler Olympic Plaza is an experience you’ll be sure to remember. There’s no entertainment venue quite like The Plaza anywhere in North America, a state-of-the-art outdoor performance space set against a the spectacular natural backdrop of BC’s Coast Mountain range. To enhance your experience, here are a few things to know before you go:

Active Transportation

If you’re a local or staying outside the Whistler Village perimeter, consider walking, cycling or taking transit to Whistler Olympic Plaza.

The Valley Trail is a paved, 35-km/22-mi multi-use trail that begins at Cheakamus Crossing in the south, extends through Whistler Village, and ends at Emerald Estates in the north. The trail is open to all modes of non-motorized transportation. Scenic and easy, it's a great way to get to Whistler Village, whether on foot, bike or board. Bike racks are located throughout Whistler Village.

Click here for more information on how to get around Whistler by bicycle.

Transit

There are three bus stops within 400 metres of Whistler Olympic Plaza. All buses running on WAVE, Whistler’s transit, depart from the Gondola Transit Exchange on Blackcomb Way (beside the Blackcomb Gondola). Additional Village bus stops are located on Northlands and Village Gate boulevards and Lorimer Road.

Transit guides are available online at www.bctransit.com at the Whistler Visitor’s Centre on Northlands Blvd near the Greyhound bus loop. Fares are $2.50 for adults, $1.50 for students and seniors while kids five and under ride free.

Greyhound makes several round trips to Vancouver (via Squamish) and nearby Pemberton daily. Please check www.greyhound.ca for specific departure times and fares.

Click here for more information on transit in Whistler.

Visitor Parking

In addition to parking in the Day Lots adjacent to The Plaza, the municipality offers user pay parking in the following locations: Whistler Conference Centre (above ground and underground), Whistler Public Library (underground), Municipal Hall, On-street in various locations around Whistler Village (Main St., Sundial) with rates ranging from $1/hour to $85/month.

Marketplace businesses provide and maintain 2 hour parking at no charge. In addition, no charge parking is available in Blackcomb Lots 6, 7 and 8.

Whistler Village was built with underground parking for patrons, with more than 2,000 privately owned parking stalls below hotels and restaurants.

Click here for more information on pay parking in Whistler.

Weather in Whistler

Whistler’s quick to change weather is the stuff of local legend, however from the late spring to early fall the town is a snow-free zone.

Typical spring temperatures vary from 2°C (36°F) to 15°C (60°F) while in the summer months highs of 27°C (80°F) can be expected with lows seldom dropping below 10°C (50). Temperatures typically take a dip after Labour Day, with highs hitting the low-20s (70s) and lows as cool as 3°C (39°F).

Layer your clothing; add or remove as weather deems necessary.

Washroom Locations

Whistler Olympic Plaza accessible washrooms are located in the Performance Pavilion and at a freestanding building beside the inclusive playground.

Accessibility

Whistler Olympic Plaza is a fully accessible venue with a network of ramps with grades of less than five per cent running from one end of the site to the other. Raised platforms provide audience members using wheelchairs with safe viewing areas that have the added bonus of excellent sightlines. All buildings at the Plaza are fully accessible. A 4,000 sq m inclusive playground provides play opportunities for all children meeting the needs of children with disabilities (or children with parents with disabilities) to allow side-by-side play with their friends, families, and caregivers.

Click here for Whistler's Accessibility Map.

Food & Beverage

Food and beverage facilities at Whistler Olympic Plaza are limited to soft drinks and light snacks. There are several food and beverage outlets in the area, from full-service restaurants to ice-cream stands and coffee shops.

Accommodations

Accommodations in Whistler run the gamut from modest, comfortable hotel rooms to five-star hotels. However, the typical Whistler accommodation is a condo-style unit with kitchen facilities found in studio, one-bedroom and multi-bedroom layouts throughout Whistler Village.

Finding the ideal place at the right price can be challenging. To make things easier, Tourism Whistler offers an accommodations booking site with extensive property descriptions and photos at www.whistler.com. The site also offers regularly featured deals that can make your trip to Whistler more affordable.