GET CULTURALLY CONNECTED

Although a lot of Whistler’s activities are adrenaline-fuelled, there’s another side to this mountain resort that invites you to slow down, take a minute, and breathe in the beauty around you. If you calm the pace you’ll notice that Whistler has 55 public art pieces scattered around the valley, hidden in forested groves, decorating pathways, and adorning bridges and buildings. The complete list can be found at whistler.ca/publicart or you can explore Art Whistler’s Culture Maps for locally curated, self-guided walking routes in the Village, and art-filled bike ride or drive suggestions in the wider valley. You might also see yellow banners fluttering in the breeze, diamond-patterned crosswalks, and bright yellow chairs — these are the markers for the Cultural Connector, a pathway that links six of Whistler’s arts and culture venues. These include the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, PassivHaus, Audain Art Museum, Maury Young Arts Centre, Whistler Public Library and the Whistler Museum. Each venue has its own events calendar with the Maury Young Arts Centre, home of Arts Whistler, acting as a hub. All the arts and culture news in Whistler is then collated for the community in a free, seasonal publication called the Arts Scene. artswhistler.com Another fascinating way to learn about Whistler’s heritage is to join a long-time Whistler local on the Whistler Museum’s Valley of Dreams Walking Tour, which departs daily at 11 a.m. throughout June, July and August from the Whistler Visitor Centre. Hear tales of the pioneers, the mountains and Whistler stories from the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. All tours are by donation, are easy to walk and approximately one-hour long. whistlermuseum.org