When we want a break from skiing, Woolly’s Tube Park and Snow Play is a place for children to frolic in the snow without gearing up. The Magic Carpet takes riders to the top of the snow tube runs for thrilling rides. For wee ones, there’s a snow play area where children can ride merry-go-round tubes, ride a surf sled, and make a snowman.

We like to stop at Manzanar in Independence—a former concentration camp that imprisoned Japanese-American women, men, and children during World War II. Today, Manzanar is a world-class museum that gave my daughter a hands-on history lesson, allowing her to walk through bare bunkers when children her age were forced to live like prisoners. It’s a stark reminder to be grateful for our lives.

After a day on the slope, nothing beats a big, juicy burger. At the bottom of the mountain, across the street from the Village, we like to stop in this low-key, friendly eatery for a delicious burger with a whopping portion of crispy fries. Children can’t pass up the legendary milkshakes while parents can chill with a glass of wine.

After several runs on the slopes, we’re famished. We like to zigzag our way to the base of Chair 2 to find quick and convenient food. There’s an outdoor counter where we can easily walk up and order. We can look up at the majestic mountain while chowing down on favourites, like smoked tri-tip and steaming bowls of chili on a spacious sundeck.

With a kid in tow, staying somewhere close to the chairlifts becomes imperative for a smooth start on the slopes. Located almost at the top of the mountain, Mammoth Mountain Inn has chairlifts and the ski school right outside the lodge. Other options in Mammoth Village, like the Village Lodge, allow you to easily hop onto the free Village Gondola for a quick ride to the chairlifts.

With a kid in tow, staying somewhere close to the chairlifts becomes imperative for a smooth start on the slopes. Located almost at the top of the mountain, Mammoth Mountain Inn has chairlifts and the ski school right outside the lodge. Other options in Mammoth Village, like the Village Lodge, allow you to easily hop onto the free Village Gondola for a quick ride to the chairlifts.

Enjoy eating in peace? Make a res at KA-ZE Sushi and Beyond, which offers Japanese Hori-Gotatsu–style dining, complete with low tables and walls that can be closed off. I appreciated not having the people at the next table look on as I dug into tuna sashimi and pork gyoza.

Though it’s barely bigger than a tennis court, the Whistler Museum is packed with artifacts that tell the history of the mountain and the town. A personal favourite was a cluster of items—a teapot, kerosene lamp, tattered wooden chairs—from Rainbow Lodge, a log cabin along the railway line that has been converted into a resort on Alta Lake.

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre celebrates the culture of the Indigenous people who live on the land where Whistler was built. Rather than visiting on the hour when group tours begin, visit on the half hour and take a self-guided tour. Skip the crowded gift shop, and instead browse the centre’s online store, where I snagged blue fingerless gloves by the artist Allan Weir.

I’ve never had a better massage than the one I enjoyed at Scandinave Spa. But the whole experience went far beyond that: The spa cultivates a truly peaceful atmosphere where silence is mandatory and phones aren’t allowed. Immerse yourself in the hot and cold open-air baths, steam rooms, and sauna—it’s the ultimate in luxurious quietude.

There’s no way to get away from the crowds altogether on the slopes, but your best bet can be found midweek in the middle of the day on Blackcomb Mountain, when you’ll have a minimal waiting time for the lifts. Whistler Mountain, though better for less experienced skiers, is far more crowded.

Not one for skiing? There are plenty of trails where you can enjoy the great Whistler outdoors. While you will pass fellow hikers on the Train Wreck trail, the crunch of snow under your boots will be your main companion—that is, aside from the stunning landscape and abandoned graffitied railway carriages that make for great photo ops.

The half-mile Brandywine Falls trail, south of Whistler just off the Sea to Sky Highway, is an easy hike that leads to a 230-foot waterfall. The flow partially freezes, creating dramatic icicles. The car park is closed during the winter, but the trail can still be accessed (usually without snowshoes) if you park along the road.