Whistler travel guide: Travel tips, reviews, photos, & videos from real travelers.

Reviews(Average Rating: 96% for 5 reviews)

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ndmeadorReviews: 5
Posts: 5
Canada's (not so) secret skiing paradise
08/20/2008
Rating
95%
Whistler, BC, Canada
North America’s premier ski and snowboard destination is situated a mere 80 miles north of Vancouver on British Columbia’s Highway 99. Whistler Blackcomb is so named for its two sister mountains, which rise a vertical mile to an elevation of 7,500 feet. This resort offers size – more than 8,000 skiable acres – and variety, including everything from steeps to terrain parks to backcountry expanses. Practically all trails are accessible via chairlift (as opposed to hiking), and it’s difficult to repeat the same run twice. With an average yearly snowfall of 400 inches, you’ll never want to leave the mountain. But when you do, there’s a European-style village waiting at the base, filled with après ski bars, cafes, shops, and a grocery/liquor store. Whistler Blackcomb is not just a winter resort; there’s also plenty to do in the summer months, like mountain biking, hiking, and freeskiing camps on the Blackcomb Glacier.
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nicholasmommyReviews: 1
Posts: 0
Something for All
08/05/2008
Rating
98%
Whistler, BC, Canada
I like how the author mentions there is something for both my adventerous, ski-loving husband and myself - shopping and art! I can just see myself walking down Whistler's main street!
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Jessica_Nunemaker
- Elite member
Reviews: 16
Posts: 100
No Training Wheels Allowed
08/04/2008
Rating
100%
Whistler, BC, Canada
Whistler Mountain rocks more than an Elvis impersonator at the Gates of Graceland. Not just for winter sports, Whistler is fast becoming a summer hot spot as well! Let your toes trail above tall treetops in thrilling (and fast, very, very fast) zip lines. Black bear tours, horseback rides, glacier hikes and Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Great beginner paths as well as table tops, rock facings, skinny bridges, and extreme jumps for tricksters, it’s the blue suede shoes of biking. Designed and dug by bike enthusiasts, this sprawling, interconnecting labyrinth of trails is clearly labeled with colored flags; green (beginner) to blue (intermediate) to double black (expert). Find me poking along on popular Valley Trail with strollers, tricycles, and joggers, or Lost Lake Trail which has terrific beach access. For braver souls than me, blue levels contain more zigs and zags than David Hasselhoff’s career. Trails like Karate Monkey and Heart of Darkness test mid - level bikers in preparation for heart pounding, leg cramping rides on expert level trails like A - Line and Freight Train. Tear yourself away from the mountainside for 200 unique boutique’s and 90 restaurants that make pedestrian friendly Whistler, British Columbia THE vacation hideaway.
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firestartinReviews: 1
Posts: 0
Don't forget Victoria!
07/29/2008
Rating
96%
Whistler, BC, Canada
Whistler lovers should also check out gorgeous Victoria. With the mildest climate in Canada, Victoria maintains a jubilant springtime feel year-round. Every lamppost lining the pristine downtown streets bursts with color, courtesy of the city’s signature flower baskets. Tourists visiting in the winter will be amazed by the sprawling explosion of color at the famous Butchart Gardens. On a sparkling February day I found myself standing atop a grassy hill at Butchart, staring down at acres of manicured flowers and trees that stretched toward the horizon. In Victoria and nearby Vancouver Island, nature lovers can partake in activities that range from diving to hiking. I enjoyed a high velocity whale watching excursion, where the boat’s incredible speed gave me a major adrenaline rush, followed by placid moments where we stopped to watch a whale dancing in the waves or an eagle soaring over the boat. Next time I’m in Victoria I’m going to make sure to partake in a crescent moon kayaking trip, where adventurers can see Victoria’s beauty in a whole new light (or dark, as it were!). Really courageous visitors can arrange to spend a night in one of several haunted museums in the area. Though I made a passionate argument about potentially spending an evening with a poltergeist, my family didn’t jump onboard. No matter—the 60,000 aquatic creatures residing at the Vancouver Aquarium proved just as enjoyable. Face to face with an Arctic beluga whale, the animal’s gentle eyes and ethereal white body had me dubbing it the unicorn of the sea. Victoria’s greatest perk is its combination of breathtaking city and the rugged beauty of the Pacific coast. Culture lovers can spend the day exploring museums and marveling at shops filled with Native art and British imports, while nature lovers can enjoy horseback riding and hiking just beyond the city’s borders. With its charming ambience, exceptional array of attractions, and incredibly clean environment, I’m already planning my next trip.
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crowe
- Top member
Reviews: 7
Posts: 25
Whistler is World Class
07/27/2008
Rating
90%
Whistler, BC, Canada
It would be hard to believe that the Olympic Committee had to deliberate long in choosing Vancouver and Whistler as the hosts of the 2010 Winter Games. Have you been there? Simply incredible. I’m lucky enough to now have Canadian in-laws, thanks in no small part to my brother Kevin, who married a girl from Nanaimo, BC. Now that they’ve settled in Vancouver, I have their couch reserved for 2010. During a couple of days off while on a business trip in Seattle, we took a spin up Highway 5 to visit them. Not long after checking out a bit of what the city had to offer (which is quite a lot), we promptly continued north for a day trip to Whistler. Even though it was only early fall, Whistler Village was vibrant, alive as it would be after the first 36 inches of fresh powder. Outfitters, restaurants and pubs all beckoned for attention (some of them got it) and you can see the longing for the next backcountry run on the face of every snowboard instructor now slinging quesadillas and Coronas in the off-season. Personally, I can’t blame them. Whistler is truly a world-class ski destination. With endless winter wilderness towering all around you and the cold, Orca-filled bays just at its feet, I’m not surprised at all that my brother chose to live in Vancouver. Come 2010, maybe we will too.
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