Whistler Village

Already a world class ski town, Whistler was completely revamped to prepare for the Winter Games in 2010. But don't think it's just a winter town, it is now a year round destination.

The ski runs become a world class mountain biker's haven, there are hiking trails, zip lines, horseback riding, and so much more. It's quite pricey but if you can can afford to take the gondola, there are more trails and dining at the summit. There's plenty do in Whistler Village if you want to keep you feet planted. There is definitely no shortage of hotels, restaurants, and shopping.

Last time we were there, Crankworx Festival was going on which is a 10 day bike festival. It was totally awesome!

The shops spread throughout Whistler Village offer something for every age and demographic. Some notable west coast clothing retailers are Lululemon and TNA. TNA sells more casual "Whistler-esque" fashions for women, whereas Lululemon, the west coast yoga mecca of clothing, has high quality active wear for both men and women. Additionally, there’s plenty of outdoor activity oriented stores like Helly Hansen, the Northface and Showcase, where you can unearth both male and female apparel.

Small boutiques focusing on local crafts and unique souvenir worthy pieces are scattered about the Village and if you’re visiting with a family, kids will love the Great Glass Elevator Candy shop near IGA. The store has candy from around the world, as well as a colorful assortment of bulk penny candy; it’s pretty much every child’s dream. Foodies will appreciate the locally owned Whistler Kitchen Works, which always has new and interesting products, as well as a decent selection of cookbooks. Consequently, the best way to find what you need, or perhaps stumble upon something you didn’t know you did, is to get out in the Village and shop around!

A group of us took a road trip up to Whistler for the day. We had initially planned to go up the mountain and check out the view but a sudden thunderstorm stopped us in our tracks. So we made the best of a unfortunate situation and played a really fun round of mini golf. We also chowed down on some Beaver Tails and did a little bit of shopping.

Thanks to a regular coach service from downtown Vancouver, the world-class mountains of Whistler are easily accessible to everyone. 90 minutes away from the city along the beautiful Sea to Sky highway which hugs the coastline before heading inland into the soaring mountains, past glacial lakes. An outdoor adventure lovers’ playground, in the winter there’s nowhere better for skiing and boarding, with two mountains to choose from, and dozens of runs to explore. In summertime, the resort changes gear and becomes a magnet for mountain bikers, hikers and kayakers. Whistler village boasts a superb restaurant and bar scene and there are plenty of fun boutiques to check out too. Make sure you visit the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre while you’re there, it’s a unique spot, which showcases the two First Nations people of the area, if you’re there in the summer, try and time your visit for their traditional weekly salmon barbecue night.