5 Ways to Make the Best of a Girls Getaway in Whistler
byHere in Sea to Sky country, where we can literally climb a mountain and kayak in the same day, having a getaway resort that supports adventurous activities (and the relaxing spa and cocktail time that follows) is what makes Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler such a fun destination. I recently booked an action-packed 2 day experience in Whistler with John’s niece who was visiting from Chicago. With such a tight timeframe, but so much to see and do, we fit in so much without feeling rushed.
5 Ways to Make the Best of a Girls Getaway in Whistler
1. Peak2Peak + Hike
Driving straight up from Whistler and parking in the Day Lot off Village Gate we walked over to the Whistler Village Gondola to pick up our Peak2Peak 360 Experience tickets and start our ascent.
Tip: If you use Pay-By-Phone for parking do that, there’s usually a lineup for the machine at this lot and this saved us about 15 minutes.
Mountain bikers streaming on the dirt trails below and cottonwood drifting through the air to mimic the winter snow, we arrived at the Roundhouse Lodge. We took photos at the Olympic rings, with Whistler Bowl as the backdrop, and walked over to the Peak2Peak Gondola. This is the longest and highest lift in the world, stretching between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains and providing incomparable views of towering volcanic peaks to coastal rainforest.
Once on the other side (Blackcomb) there are several trail loop options, with clearly marked signs notifying you of the time it will take to walk the loop and what time the last download on the Peak2Peak or the Solar Coaster chair lift will take place. We went for the Alpine Walk (20 mins one way), connected to part of the Overlord Trail (for 20 mins), and up to the Blackcomb Lake loop (for 20 mins). Our round trip was about 2.5 hours but we stopped at Blackcomb Lake for a water break and to take some photos.
Tip: If you’re going to go beyond the Alpine Walk, which is a good stroll for all fitness levels and three generations of a family, be sure to have a trail map on you and do some research ahead of time.
2. Dinner by the Lake
After working up an appetite we checked into our loft at Nita Lake Lodge in Creekside, with floor to ceiling views of Whistler mountain, a small kitchen area with sink and fridge, and 2 king bedrooms, one of which was on the second level with its own adjoining bathroom.
We spruced up for dinner and walked down to Aura, one of Nita Lake’s 3 dining options. We sat on the patio, lakeside, and selected our mains and sides from the full service Aura menu.
We couldn’t decide which salad we liked best, they were both so delicious. Nita Lake Salad with shaved asparagus, spiced walnuts, goat cheese, honey citrus dressing / Pemberton Salad with potatoes, summer squash, local greens, herb vinaigrette. Both gluten free.
Roasted Chicken Breast, confit garlic cream, oven dried tomato.
Cider Brined Pork Chop, pan roasted apples, apple mustard, pan gravy.
Seared Scallops, sweet pea puree, butter braised baby kale, charcuterie vinaigrette.
We also ordered sides (pea risotto and roasted local vegatables). All of our entrees were gluten free.
My niece, having recently been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, didn’t even have to ask for a separate menu as icons showed which dishes were vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. 5 of the 6 main courses were all gluten free from the get-go, what I attribute to the fresh, local, all natural ingredients used by Executive Chef Dean Hossack and prepared in a pure and natural way to let the West Coast flavours shine on their own. The service was attentive and friendly (we had Leah on the patio both nights we dined at Aura and she was lovely) and there’s no rush to leave the warm summer patio even after the sky has gone dark and the bulbs of the NITA sign near the lakeside entrance start to glow.
3. Adventure! Ziplining
We popped down to the lobby bright and early the next day to take the complimentary Nita Lake Lodge guest shuttle to Blackcomb Base to try out the brand new Sasquatch Zipline from Ziptrek.
Tip: You can do just the Sasquatch Zipline if you like, it takes about an hour to get up, over, and down again, or you can add it on to your extended multi-line Ziptrek adventure.
This behemoth up this summer and is the longest zipline in Canada and the USA. Reaching speeds of over 100km/h and whipping down 2km of cable between two mountains, it was one heck of a way to wake up! It was absolutely terrifying but completely thrilling, especially since it’s a tandem line and you can “race” your friends or at least try to take photos of each other mid-flight.
Tip: We went for brunch at Stonesedge in Whistler Village following our zipline experience as they had some great gluten free brunch items like the Farmer’s Bowl (crispy herbed potatoes, roasted red peppers, balsamic, roasted tomatoes, smashed avocado, sprouts, scrambled eggs, sriracha crème fraîche).
4. Spa
Any tension from the previous day’s hike or the shot nerves from the morning’s zipline adventure was smoothed away at the Spa at Nita Lake. After calling the resort to have the guest shuttle collect us again from Whistler Village we donned our robes and walked over to the Spa at Nita Lake. Ranked as one of the Top 10 Organics Spas in the world, you can book a wide range of services, from body wraps to manicures, and enjoy a dip in the spa’s own outdoor hot tubs in the shadows of Whistler Mountain.
I had a relaxing and rejuvenating scrub — that felt amazing after our previous adventures in the rocks and dirt of the mountain — followed by a Swedish massage. With the right amount of pressure and focus on some troubled areas, I felt amazing following the massage — or “spa drunk” as John and I say, when you feel sleepy, silly, completely relaxed after a massage and you just want to float away on a cloud.
My one criticism would be that the locker room was fairly small so if you do have about 4 people in there, it can get cramped and you’ll be dancing around each other. Once you’re done in the locker room, simply head to the relaxation lounge with its fluffy-pillowed lounge chairs, natural sunlight, and refreshing cucumber water to wait for the rest of your party.
Tip: Check out the spa brochure and if you have the time, you can book a full Nita Spa Day that includes Swedish massage, facial, manicure, and pedicure.
5. Resort Perks
We ended the day on the Cure Lounge patio, as the sun ducked behind the mountains and cast an orange hue over the lake. We people-watched those kayaking on the lake or passing by on the Whistler Valley Trail, a smooth, 40km path that connects you to the entire region by foot, bike, rollerblade, or skateboard.
What I enjoy most about this resort is its perks, it makes you feel like you’re truly “away from it all”, supplying everything you might need to enjoy your time away from home. The complimentary guest shuttle into Whistler Village, multiple hot tubs, a splash pool, and complimentary bike, kayak, canoe, fishing rod and paddleboard rental for guests. In the winter there is complimentary snow shoe rental as well.
Your Girls Getaway in Whistler at Nita Lake
Available year-round from April, the Eat.Play.Love. – Ultimate Girls’ Getaway Package starts from $2309 for two guests and offers a complete West Coast luxury escape for friends or couples looking for an out-of-the-box Whistler experience that balances excitement and relaxation.
Choose from a range of activities including ATV or horseback ride in the summer, to snowmobiling or dog sledding in winter and ziplining is available year round. Relax with specially crafted cocktail and light bites in front of the fire or cozy up on the patio of Cure Lounge before sitting down to a gourmet meal at Aura Restaurant. Cap the night off in the hot tub as you relax underneath the stars.
- The Nita Lake Lodge Eat, Play, Love. Ultimate Girls’ Getaway package includes:
- 2 night stay at Nita Lake Lodge in a 2 bedroom lakeview suite
- Breakfast each morning at Aura Restaurant
- Welcome Girls Getaway cocktail and light bites at Cure Lounge
- Nita Spa Day (four hour package includes massage, facial and mani/pedi)
- A yoga class of your choice at Loka Yoga
- An outdoor adventure of your choice from Canadian Wilderness Adventures or ZipTrek from Ziptrek Ecotours
- Summer: ATV, horseback riding or River of Golden Dreams o Winter: Snowmobile, Snowshoe or Dog Sled
- Year Round: Ziptrek zipline or treetop tour
- Dinner at Aura with a bottle of wine
- Ila Body Treats spa gift
- A fresh smoothie or juice from Fix Café

Rates for the Nita Lake Lodge Girls’ Getaway Package start from $2309 plus taxes, based on two guests. Bookable now for stays year-round from April 6th, 2015 with blackout dates from December 18th to January 3rd and all Canadian and USA long weekends. Activities are based on availability and weather dependent. To book this package please call 1-888-755-6482 or visit the Nita Lake website.
