Whistler Become a Travel Agent Near Me

Overview

Introduction

A picturesque alpine ski resort in the heart of British Columbia's backcountry wilderness, Whistler lies a mere 73 mi/118 km from Vancouver, making it a popular weekend retreat for busy urbanites. The absence of cars and abundance of cozy cafes, boutiques and upscale restaurants give Whistler the look and feel of an idyllic European mountain village.

But the town's charms go far beyond its aesthetic appeal and walkability. Whistler is one of the leading areas in the world for winter leisure activities and is one of the top ski-resort towns in North America. Visitors continue to flock to the area for what locals describe as the two greatest vertical-rise mountains in North America: Blackcomb Mountain's vertical drop is a whopping 5,280 ft/1,609 m, and Whistler Mountain's is close behind at 5,020 ft/1,530 m.

The town was founded on these natural skiing attributes, but visitors can choose from an ever-growing selection of additional snow-related activities, including snowboarding, dogsledding, snowshoeing, sleigh riding and snowmobiling. There's no doubt that Whistler helped Vancouver win the bid to host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. All the alpine and Nordic skiing and sliding events were held at Whistler, the host mountain resort. Vancouver was the host city, and nearby Richmond was also a venue city.

With easy access to British Columbia's endless resource of natural treasures, the region also serves as a playground for outdoor summer activities, such as mountain biking, hiking, climbing and other ecoadventures. It is also a golfer's paradise, with four of Canada's top 100 golf courses. Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Robert Cupp have each designed championship masterpieces in this magnificent setting, earning Whistler a spot among the top golf destinations in the world.

Must See or Do

Sights—Stunning clifftop views from Highway 99 (also know as the Sea to Sky Highway) en route from Vancouver; spectacular mountain panoramas from the Peak 2 Peak gondola; dense, snow-draped forests on a snowshoe hike in the Whistler Olympic Park's Callaghan Valley; the picture-perfect, icicle-draped Whistler Village in winter.

Museums—Educational exhibits and slide shows at the Whistler Museum; local indigenous culture at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre.

Memorable Meals—Chef Melissa Craig's lauded creations at the swank Bearfoot Bistro; authentic Tuscan fare at the elegant Il Caminetto; local flavors and traditional fare at The Wildflower; fueling up on the breakfast buffet at the Roundhouse Lodge before hitting the slopes.

Late Night—Apres-ski dancing at Garfinkel's; sampling draft beers from around the world at the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub; live music and a cocktail or two at the cozy Mallard Lounge.

Walks—Summer hiking through alpine meadows on Whistler Mountain; exploring nature trails in the Whistler Interpretive Forest; nosing along the stunning shoreline at glassy-calm Lost Lake.

Especially for Kids—Whizzing down chutes at Coca-Cola Tube Park; ziplining through the air and into the village with Ziptrek Ecotours; ice skating and swimming at Meadow Park Sports Centre; taking a ski or snowboard lesson from a veritable United Nations of instructors; stopping mid-piste for a snowball fight.

Geography

Divided into four small, interlinked sections, Whistler was planned as a pedestrian-friendly paradise from its inception. Central Whistler Village, nestled at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, features what locals refer to as the Village Stroll—a bustling, cobblestoned promenade lined with popular Canadian clothing chains, souvenir shops, sports-gear outlets, arts-and-crafts boutiques, coffee shops, and a number of unique restaurants and pubs.

A few minutes away, at the base of Blackcomb, Upper Village is more oriented to the hard-core ski crowd. Ski lifts, upscale hotels, restaurants, bars and shops appeal to those in town for winter sports. The nearby Village North area houses similar pedestrian-friendly attractions. Whistler Creekside, the latest area to be developed at the resort, offers a selection of condominiums, hotels and a more family-oriented retail promenade.

History

Home to pioneers and early adventurers in the late 1800s, Alta Lake was the original name of the region's main settlement. Trappers and fur traders unofficially named the area Whistler after the shrill sound made by the groundhog-sized western hoary marmots that live among the rocks in the area.

In 1914, the Great Pacific Eastern Railway expedited what had been a three-day journey by steamer ship and horse. This linked the valley to the outside world, turning the region into a viable logging and mining center. Soon after, the area became a fashionable holiday destination for wealthy, sophisticated Vancouverites. By the 1950s, Alta Lake was a popular summer retreat for the middle class, packed with backcountry lodges and fishing-charter operations.

Whistler took off in the early 1960s, when a failed bid for the Winter Olympics turned into a serious attempt to kick-start an alpine ski resort. By 1965, Whistler Mountain was equipped with a four-person gondola, a double chairlift and a day lodge. When the town officially opened for skiing in 1966, its population totaled a mere 25 people.

Through the 1960s and '70s, the area grew and eventually became the Resort Municipality of Whistler in 1975. Three years later, the government of British Columbia granted Whistler 53 acres/21 hectares for expansion. This resulted in the development of Whistler Village. Blackcomb Mountain opened for skiing in 1980, merging with Whistler Mountain to form the largest combined ski area on the continent, officially becoming Whistler Blackcomb in 1998.

Potpourri

Whistler Mountain was originally called London Mountain, reportedly named so by British navy surveyors in the 1860s, because the fog reminded them of the U.K.

This region is bear country, and it isn't unusual for residents to spot them in the backyards or for hikers to see them on area trails. Visitors rarely spot them in Whistler Village, but bear encounters are on the rise across all of B.C. and they are taken very seriously by authorities.

The official population of Whistler is about 12,000, but more than 2 million people visit every year.

Whistler's sister city is Karuizawa, Japan, which hosted both the Summer Olympics in 1964 and the Winter Olympics in 1998.