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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Big White
Big White Ski Resort
Go for 2–3 nights in ski season only: a car-free village at 1,755 m, 56 km from Kelowna, with ski-in/ski-out beds from about $35 a night.
Big White is a purpose-built ski village on Big White Mountain, 56 km southeast of Kelowna and about an hour by road. Everything sits in one compact core at 1,755 m, so you park once and walk or ski to lifts, beds and bars. It is a winter resort: the season runs roughly late November to early April, and most beds, shuttles and restaurants close outside it. Come for 2–3 nights, or 4–5 if you ski every day and want a rest day.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Big White Ski Resort
- Best months
- Dec–Mar (ski season; late Nov to early Apr)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (resort largely closed), plus holiday weeks for crowds and prices
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget About $120–180 excl. bed · Mid About $200–320 excl. bed · High About $350+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Resort switchboard +1-800-663-2772
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Pizza or pub meal | $18–32 |
| Beer: draught in a pub / can from a shop | $7–10 / $3–5 |
| Day lift ticket | $100–160 (check) |
| Ski or board rental, one day | $40–70 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $25–45 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YLW · Kelowna International Airport
- About 56 km (35 mi); resort airport shuttle in ski season, otherwise rent a car or take a taxiAbout 35 mi (56 km); resort airport shuttle in ski season, otherwise rent a car or take a taxi
Typical fares
- Kelowna airport → Big White, resort shuttle
- about $54 one way, $88 return (check)
- Kelowna → Big White by car
- 56 km (35 mi), about 1 h in good conditions35 mi (56 km), about 1 h in good conditions
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable and ski-in, ski-out, so you do not need a car once you are up. Lifts and the resort shuttle move you between the core and outlying lodges. A car is only useful for the drive from Kelowna and for valley day trips; in winter the access road can be snowy and icy, so winter tires or chains are wise.
See and do
Known for
- Ski-in, ski-out village at 1,755 m
- About 750 cm of snow a season
- Western Canada's largest night-skiing area
- Family-friendly, car-free resort core
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kelowna | Drive Highway 33 west, about 56 km (35 mi)Drive Highway 33 west, about 35 mi (56 km) | About 1 h |
| Silver Star | Drive via Highway 97 and 33, about 130 km (81 mi)Drive via Highway 97 and 33, about 81 mi (130 km) | About 2 h |
| Penticton | Drive south via Highway 97 | About 2 h |
| Vernon | Drive via Highway 97 north | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Big White Village core
- Ski-in, ski-out at 1,755 m; walk to lifts, eateries and bars. Best for a first trip with no car.
- Trappers Crossing and Stonebridge
- Slope-side lodges a few minutes' walk from the village core; quieter, still ski-in, ski-out.
- Big White Road approach
- Lower, cheaper beds and parking near the access road; you drive or shuttle up to the village each day.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the lift? | Where is the lift? |
| Is the road open? | Is the road open? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter driving: Big White Road climbs 24 km from Highway 33 and can be snow-covered; check conditions before you set off.
- Altitude: the village sits at 1,755 m, so pace your first day and drink water.
- Most beds, restaurants and the airport shuttle run in ski season only; confirm dates before booking outside Dec–Mar.
- Holiday weeks (late Dec, mid-Feb) are the busiest and priciest; book lifts and beds early.
- Ski and board within your ability and check the daily avalanche and lift-status board; off-piste terrain is not patrolled everywhere.
A well-run, family-oriented resort. The real risks are winter driving on the access road, altitude on day one, and skiing beyond your level; 911 covers the whole area.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Big White yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ski-in, ski-out village at 1,755 m
- About 750 cm of snow a season
- Western Canada's largest night-skiing area
- Family-friendly, car-free resort core
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Big White Ski Resort (official): www.bigwhite.com/
- Big White airport shuttle (official): www.bigwhite.com/plan-your-trip/get-big-white/ground-transportation/airport-shuttle
- Wikivoyage: Big White, revision 5003260 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5003260
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Big WhiteBig White Ski Resort
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Resort switchboard+1-800-663-2772
No embassy on the mountain; the US consulate-general is in Vancouver and most embassies are in Ottawa. For a lost passport, contact your country's nearest consulate.
Tipping is expected in Canada: 15–20% at restaurants and bars, 10–15% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/big-white). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.