Big White as the ultimate Canadian home away from home for Aussie families

Why these Sydney families have Big White on repeat?

Two Northern Beaches Sydney families tell us what they love about interior Canada’s Big White and share a few insider tips for travelling and staying there.

The Coddington Family love Big White so much they bought a property there and mum, Jen, (originally from Canada), loves it so she spends as much time there as she possibly can. “I love it so much, it’s so peaceful, I wish I could live there. I love how there are no sidewalks too”.

Jen’s son Flynn, is in his early twenties now but considers Big White as pretty special “I grew up coming over regularly from Australia, loved it so much I ended up spending 4 winter seasons there after high school. It’s where I met so many great people who I’m still in contact with today”. 

Flynn recommends Aussie school leavers do a season in Big White,“You become so close with everyone and feel so at home quickly there. Developing great connections with peers definitely helps you feel more comfortable settling into a new environment, there are so many young people working up there”. 

Local Watering Holes?

Flynn recommends Snowshoe Sam’s. It’s the main place for staff to go for a drink and food, they host regular activities from Karaoke to local DJs every weekend. It’s a great way to meet people from other departments (working all over the ski resort)  and just meet with friends for drinks or a fun night out”.

Emma and Adam Gaukrodger loved the Big White village with their two primary school aged kids. “Big White was the mountain we took our kids for their first big snow trip (2024) that gave them a love for the snow life. So many fond memories, the outdoor skating rink was a highlight, so was the tube park (5 different speeds!), fireworks every Saturday evening and a lot in the central hub over Christmas and New Years to entertain the kids. It felt very festive compared to some other mountains we’ve visited. 

Tips for Holidaying With Young Kids

Restaurants are more spaced out, not a bad thing, but something to consider with small children (have grippy shoes, the right pram etc). Snowshoe Sam’s is a fun, relaxed bar where you can play a game of pool with family. The grocery store in town is well stocked with everything you need and we found the best hot chocs with toppings!

Emma and Adam considered the village safe and recommended it for families, “ Our kids were young so we were always with them, they didn’t ski by themselves and Big White has poor visibility days so we skied together. It’s perfect for families or friend groups wanting a ‘bit of everything’, good selection of places to eat out, great village vibe, a diverse mountain for all abilities, friendly ski instructors for lessons”. 

They liked access to both sides of the mountain, “Gem Lake, on other side, is really fun on a clear day. You have to try a Beaver Tail at the bottom of Gem Lake. Think deep fried, sugar, nutella, Canadian pastries, to keep you going for your next run.

Compared to other mountains, we did find we got more for our money in Big White in terms of accommodation (big 2 storey, 3 bedroom condo with hot tub & plenty of drying space), whereas other mountains, at the time only got us a smaller 2 bedroom. 

We stayed in ‘Treetops’ which was at the higher end of the town, great location (7-10min walk to village), great aspect to see fireworks if you didn’t want to walk to the village & conveniently positioned ski in/out straight on to Mogul track & down to the bottom lift.

Access there and back

“Australia is a long way from anywhere but it’s an easy 1hr flight from Vancouver to Kelowna, then another 1hr shuttle to Big White. We would highly recommend the private shuttle service Discover Okanagan Tours , they offer complimentary grocery & liquor collection as part of their service, incredibly convenient after a long flight. Place your online order in time for them to collect and everything will be in the shuttle when they pick you up from the airport & drop you to your door in Big White!”