A few days in British Columbia was just the ticket to celebrate and play in full on winter. I love everything about a great ski village, including the cold. Whistler delivers a classic experience linking three wonderful villages (Whistler, Blackcomb, and Olympic Village) together with easy, scenic walking paths. The two-hour scenic, Sea to Sky Highway, is magical and will transport you right to the mountains.
Fantastic skiing with a multitude of lift options quickly get you up into the mountains no matter what your ski/boarding level, you can find a path down. If you can handle the heights you can enjoy the thrill of the Peak to Peak gondola ride whether you ski or not.
There are so many food options on and off the mountains, my favorite, of course, remains the good Irish bar at the foot of Whistler mountain for some fish & chips and ale. Fantastic apres-skiing can be found in many places but the Longhorn Saloon will be packed daily with post skiers frolicking before the sun sets. Watch out for the champagne guns though, you’ve been warned.
There are lodging choices galore from house/condo rentals to upscale resorts, to the newest pod hotel in the heart of Whistler Village. I’m staying there the next time I visit – you get a very small sleeping pod and the rest of the hotel is common areas and you are steps away from everything. What a great way to get to meet a lot of people.
We stayed in a little bit more upscale hotel, it was the ski in and ski out that got me as this was a quick trip, I wanted it to be quick and easy to get to the slopes. And bonus, our room had a fireplace that was fantastic for both thawing out and ambiance.
So, let’s talk dinners. There are more choices here than I think any ski resort I’ve ever been too, but make sure to make reservations as the popular spots fill up fast! Our favorite was 21 Steps Kitchen & Bar. The service and staff were fantastic and the food was hearty and plentiful, which was perfect as we had worked up an appetite. We ate upstairs in the cozy attic. I was surprised at how many Australian natives we met both in Vancouver and Whistler but seriously who couldn’t listen to those accents all evening long?
You might be a little sore and tired after hitting the slopes, so, don’t be afraid to take the day off and check out the shopping, art museum, or my choice of a day at the Scandinavian spa, in addition to a much needed Swedish massage, you can relax in the heated and cold pools – keep alternating to get the blood flowing back to those muscles.
I’m now dreaming of spending a Christmas holiday here. Your time at Whistler will fly by and the only question you will be asking yourself is, when can I go back?
What other ski resorts should this nomad put on her visit list?
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