The Peak of Christmas at North Vancouver’s Grouse Mountain is where you’ll find sleigh rides, skating, gingerbread houses, Santa Claus, reindeer and more.
VANCOUVER CHRISTMAS ATTRACTIONS
The Peak of Christmas opened on the same weekend in late November as some of Vancouver’s other most popular Christmas attractions including Vancouver Glow, the Aurora Winter Festival and Soar with Santa at FlyOver Canada. So many fun places to visit! The festive lights and winter holiday attraction at Grouse Mountain run until January 5th this year.
To learn about all of the Lower Mainland’s top Christmas events see our article about Best Christmas Activities. For information about what to expect at Grouse Mountain, see below.
Grouse Mountain at Christmas
The Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain offers some of the best Christmas-time activities in the Lower Mainland.
In addition to great skiing, during the month of December Grouse Mountain is where you’ll find sleigh rides, outdoor ice skating, gingerbread house displays, holiday season movies in their Theatre in the Sky, visits with Santa Claus, reindeer and a variety of other special Christmas activities and events.
Peak of Christmas Dates in 2019
Most years the Peak of Christmas goes from the end of November until the beginning of January. In 2019 it starts on Friday, November 22, and finishes on Sunday, January 5, 2020.
Christmas Cost of Admission
There are both expensive and inexpensive (or at least very reasonable) ways of experiencing the Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain.
Peak of Christmas activities are included in the cost of the tram ride up the hill, which typically costs $29 for children, $49 for seniors, $56 for adults (ages 17-64) and $149 for a family. This is the more expensive way of enjoying the Peak of Christmas. (For comparison, last year, prices ranged from about $15 for children ages 5+ to $44 for adults, or $114 for a family of four.)
TIP: In previous years, BC residents received a discount on the above Peak of Christmas admission prices. Be sure to take proof of residency when going to the hill.
In 2019 Grouse Mountain once again offers its special Family Ticket, which costs about $99 plus tax and allows two adults and two children or youth access to the mountain for one day during the Peak of Christmas season, which is cheaper than at other times of the year. Family Annual Local’s Passes were also available for $180 which allowed the family to return as often as they like all year. All the Peak of Christmas activities are also included free with the purchase of a ski ticket, which ranges from about $25 to $52 after 4 pm. For comparison, the special Family Ticket was $90 last year.
This is typically the “more-value-for-your-money” way to enjoy Grouse Mountain’s festive Christmas activities, as it has included the skiing in previous years (assuming you like to ski).
And if you aren’t into skiing, the cost of everything also included advance reservations for dinner at the Observatory restaurant.
The restaurant isn’t cheap, but dinner isn’t a whole lot more than the cost of the tram ride which is included with the meal reservation, plus you can enjoy fine cuisine from one of Vancouver’s most scenic and famous restaurants.
Peak of Christmas Activities
There is so much to see and do at the Peak of Christmas event up at Grouse Mountain.
At the attraction, in previous years, there has been Santa’s Workshop and the Elf Headquarters where (up until Christmas Eve) children visited Santa Claus and wrote him letters. Throughout the Christmas season, typically there is also the Gingerbread Village featuring a collection of fancy cookie houses and other creations, craft activities for kids in the Elf Station, and Christmas movies in the Theatre in the Sky. Prior to Christmas Day, there is also usually live entertainment at set times (see below for details).
Other activities that continued even after most of the other Peak of Christmas activities have finished in early January included the Sliding Zone, where you can slip down a hill on a crazy carpet, and the Light Walk, where you can wander along illuminated trails through the forest. There’s also the Skating Pond, where folk can rent skates and glide around on 8,000 square feet of ice.
Of course, during the Peak of Christmas event and throughout the entire winter season, there are also wonderful skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing opportunities up at Grouse.
CHRISTMAS FILMS
If you like festive winter holiday films then be sure to also check out the Soar with Santa show at FlyOver Canada. It takes place at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver from November 21 to January 5 (so for almost the exact same dates as Grouse Mountain’s Peak of Christmas).
Another fun Christmas attraction that kids love is the Polar Express Railway Christmas Experience at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish. At that event participants get to ride in a real train to the North Pole! It happens on the weekends of November 23-24, November 30-December 1, December 7-8 and December 14-15.
Peak of Christmas Entertainment
Typically, a good time to visit Grouse Mountain during the Peak of Christmas season is on weekends leading up to Christmas, as well as on Christmas Eve. On those days there are sometimes live choir performances in the chalet.
VOC Gospel Choir
Checo Tohomaso and the VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir perform most years in the Grouse Mountain Chalet between 1:00 and 3:00 pm every Sunday in December. This is an exceptional group that you won’t want to miss! Highly recommended (and free with general admission to the mountain).
In 2019 the choir performs in the afternoons of the Sundays of December 1, 8, 15, and 22 as well as on the Tuesday of December 24.
Other Performances
Groups performing in 2019 are listed below. (Note: Times and performer details are subject to change.)
- Saturday, November 30, 2019 – Seymour Dance School at 1:00 pm
- Sunday, December 1, 2019 – VOC Sweet Gospel Choir 1:00 pm
- Friday, December 6, 2019 – Seymour Dance School at 6:00 pm
- Saturday, December 7, 2019 – Rob Eller from 1:00 until 5:00 pm
- Sunday, December 8, 2019 – VOC Sweet Gospel Choir 1:00 pm
- Saturday, December 14, 2019 – A Tout Choeur at 1:00 pm
- Sunday, December 15, 2019 – VOC Sweet Gospel Choir at 1:00 pm
- Saturday December 21, 2019
- Four Calling Birds Quartet – from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm
- David Capper – from 1:00 until 5:00 pm
- Sunday, December 22, 2019
- VOC Sweet Gospel Choir – at 1:00 pm
- Four Calling Birds Quartet – at 4:00 pm
- Monday, December 23, 2019 – Vicky Sjohall from 1:00 until 5:00 pm
- Tuesday, December 24, 2019 – VOC Sweet Gospel Choir at 1:00 pm
What to Take to the Peak of Christmas
When heading up to enjoy the Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain don’t forget to take your camera, ice skates, snowshoes, skis and/or snowboard, all depending on what you want to do. Equipment for all activities is also available for rent at the top. And finally, don’t forget your winter boots and warm clothing.
Other Information
For more details on the Peak of Christmas events, see the Grouse Mountain website.
For more information about the ski resort, click Grouse Mountain in Winter. And for details about other area snow sport destinations, click Lower Mainland Ski Hills.
For more ideas on places to see Christmas lights in the Lower Mainland, check out any of the following:
