A mere one and half hours drive away from Vancouver, is a little mountain town known as a haven for adventure sports in the wilderness. Passing through the legendary Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99), with amazing ocean views, Whistler is worth that weekend trip and more. Here are the top things you can do in Whistler whether you are there on a short day trip or for the long weekend.
Peak to Peak Gondola
This is your chance to be high above the clouds with majestic mountains in the vicinity. During the winter, it is particularly cloudy, creating a magical sense of the ethereal, and skiers will love the snow-covered slopes. During the summer you can admire the clear view of the mountains, and go on several hikes.
Joffre Lake
But, if you are afraid of heights and want to stay close to the ground, you can go lake hunting, particularly for Joffre Lake which has stunning blue waters set amongst the backdrop of tall pines trees and mountains.
Top tip: Many love to find this fallen tree and walk out on it to show off their balancing skills.
Skiing and snowboarding
This should be obvious as mentioned earlier, the two mountains, Blackcomb and Whistler have been part of the Winter Olympics. There are over 200 marked trails and three glaciers to conquer and if you are just starting out, lessons are available.
Cycling
Once the ice melts, the grounds transform into a lively green landscape that adventure bike cyclists attempt to maneuver. While some routes are extremely challenging, you will definitely be able to find one suitable for your level.
Olympic Rings
After building up some serious sweat, you may want to congratulate yourself with a picture of the Olympic Rings. After all, the Olympic Spirit is all about the great fight in pushing oneself to be the best and not all about the winning.
Whistler Public Library
If an adventure of the mind is more your style, you could visit the library. Its facade of a cozy lodge with floor to ceilings glass windows will allow you to sink into a good book and not ever want to leave. As the building is designed in a sustainable manner, you don’t have to worry about being part of a huge carbon footprint while you do so.
Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre
This museum sits a little way out from Whistler Village and is along the way to Lost Lake. It features a good collection of artifacts from Squamish & Lil'wat Nation that are very well maintained. Cultural dances are also performed during events and non-exhibit space is commonly booked for weddings.
Chasing Waterfalls
Shannon Falls (in the picture above) was filmed and shown in the Twilight Saga. Brandywine Falls is also another popular waterfall to visit, being much bigger than this and situated around train tracks.
P.S. Make sure you plan to visit the Brandywine Falls where the train isn’t passing through as it is slow and may take up to a couple of hours before you can pass.
Whistler is more than just a ski and cyclist haven, with an abundance of good food, culture and many natural sites to see.
Food in Whistler Village
To stock up for that romantic picnic in the mountains or lakes, head to Whistler Village.
1. Pizzeria Antico
This is one of the best value for money eateries in the area. Other restaurants admittedly can be quite pricey but they do come with an ambiance. Pizzeria Antico has super great lunch deals with pizza combo meals so the queue can get very long (up to two hours). Make a reservation in advance for their delicious thin-crust pizzas served with beers!
2. Poutine at Zog’s
Being at the village that hosted part of the Olympics, it is no surprise that they would serve the great national delicacy: poutine — long, chunky fries with gravy and cheese curds. If they aren’t considered comfort food, I honestly wouldn’t know what is.
3. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, although I’m quite sure it’s not supposed to be applied to candy apples. They offer a huge variety of flavours, from caramel to fudge so that you can satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. They are particularly popular during Halloween season, with apples covered in icings to look like monsters.
4. Cow’s Ice Cream
Voted Canada’s best ice cream by Reader’s Digest, you have to make a stop at this frozen parlor. With unique local flavors like maple (surprisingly not too sweet), served in cones with chocolate rice coverings(at an additional price), they certainly lift the mood and will keep you going.
