Before man conquered his fear of water, he amused himself with dust sports such as pushing boulders off cliffs, wrestling tumbleweeds, and falling in the dust. Enjoy phobia-free splish-splashing with today’s Groupon: for $20, you get $40 toward outdoor recreation on the River of Golden Dreams and Alta Lake from Backroads Whistler, in Whistler.

Backroads Whistler reveals the undeveloped banks and recreational wealth of the River of Golden Dreams and Alta Lake through outdoor activities and eco-friendly tours. The Lakeside Park Watersports Centre on Alta Lake stacks a bounty of boat rentals, such as single kayaks ($23/hour), canoes ($15/person, holds 2–3 people plus gear), pedal boats ($15/person/hour), and hovercrafts, as well as fishing boats ($35/hour) and rods with tackle ($20/day). The grounds also span a beach area with docks, public washrooms and changing rooms, barbecue stands, picnic tables, and children's play areas. A concession stand sells ice cream and other novelties; however, guests should bring snacks or hijack a grocery-store delivery truck for something more substantial.

This Groupon is also valid for upgrades to Backroads' higher-priced self-guided and expert-guided tours. Watery wayfarers wind through the flat-water River of Golden Dreams on three-hour canoe and kayak tours, during which glacier-capped mountains frame old-growth forests, wildflowers, and beaver and otter that entertain boaters with vaudeville routines ($63/person for self-guided, $103/person for guided). The Paddle Pedal tour goes amphibious, giving tourists bikes to explore Whistler on land as well ($93+/person for self-guided three-hour tour). Come night, the Wildlife at Twilight tour plunks explorers in canoes to see local fauna including black bears, eagles, ospreys, otter, bats, and mink ($129/person). All tours come with life jackets, paddles, and boat instruction, and experts in the area's history, geography, and wildlife lead the guided tours. Backroads provides transportation around the site, as well as complimentary transportation from many hotels in Whistler.