- Destinations
- North America
- Canada
- British Columbia
- Ski Resorts
- Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb
Consistently rated as the number one ski resort in North
America, and among the best in the world, Whistler Blackcomb is
just a two-hour drive from the city of Vancouver in the Coast
Mountain range. The Village of Whistler lies cradled in a valley
between two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, that rise up 5,280ft
(1,609m) to provide more than 8,100 acres of prime mountain
terrain, including 12 alpine bowls, three glaciers and more than
200 marked ski trails to enjoy while on holiday. In fact, the
state-of-the-art facilities at Whistler provided the cross-country,
biathlon, Nordic combined, and ski jumping venues for the 2010
Winter Olympics.
The resort offers state-of-the-art lifts that can carry 60,000
skiers per hour to jump-off points throughout the area. With two
million visitors coming on holiday to Whistler Blackcomb every
year, such lift capacity becomes a necessity! Skiers and
snowboarders flock here from the world over, not for the weather
(which can often be wet and foggy) but for the exceptional variety
of skiing.
The village of Whistler is set around a cluster of small lakes
and is British Columbia's fastest-growing municipality. It boasts a
quaint village atmosphere and offers shopping areas and après-ski
restaurants bordered by squeaky-clean streets. In summertime,
Whistler Blackcomb is a popular holiday destination when the focus
shifts to outdoor activities like mountain biking, hiking and
fishing.
Snowfall is rare in the city of Vancouver, but is more than
adequate for the ski slopes on the Coast Mountains to the north
where Whistler is situated. As with all Canadian ski resorts,
Whistler can get very cold. Go prepared for the occasional
blizzard. In general though, temperatures are moderate throughout
the winter season, rarely dipping below 12°F (-10°C) in the valley
and 5°F (-15°C) on the peaks during the coldest part of the year.
Average daily alpine temperature during most of the winter months
is 22°F (-5°C).
Information & Facts
Activities
It is not all skiing and snowboarding. Whistler Blackcomb
provides a host of other fun holiday diversions like cross-country
skiing, snowmobiling, sleigh rides, dog sledding, snow-shoeing and
ice hockey. There are also spas offering beauty and massage
treatments, excursions to Vancouver and other places of interest,
eco-tours and flightseeing trips on offer. In summertime the list
of Whistler Blackcomb holiday activities is even longer, including
horseback riding, guided fishing tours, glacier tours, jet boat
adventures, zip-trekking, canoe trips, river rafting and bungee
jumping. The resort also boasts four championship designer golf
courses. Children's programmes operate all year round. In addition
to the regular activities, there are always exciting sports events
and festivals on at Whistler Blackcomb. For 10 days in April, the
TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival entertains with high-energy
action. Free outdoor concerts, demo days and the Ripzone Snowboard
Invitational and World Skiing Invitational guarantee an
action-packed celebration. An eclectic menu of entertainment, music
and magic fill the Whistler Blackcomb calendar from June through
September ensuring holiday fun for the entire family. The Village
comes alive with strolling musicians, dazzling magicians and
colourful comedians. July means the Whistler Arts and Music
Festival. This annual festival showcases local artist exhibits,
street entertainers, art walks, outdoor films and live music from
jazz to Calypso and funk to Miriachi. Champion mountain bikers hurl
themselves down Whistler Mountain at break-neck speeds and perform
gravity-defying bike stunts during August's CrankWorx Festival.
Language
The official languages are English and French
(predominantly in Quebec).
Money
The currency used is the Canadian Dollar (CAD), which is divided
into 100 cents. One-dollar coins are also known as loonies (due to
the picture of a loon, a type of bird, on the coin), and two-dollar
coins as toonies. Banks and bureaux de change will change money and
travellers cheques, as will some hotels, but the rate will not be
as good. Major credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs are
plentiful. US Dollars are largely accepted, though due to fraud,
larger notes might not be and change is usually given in Canadian
dollars.
Negatives
As with all Canadian ski resorts, Whistler Blackcomb can get
very cold. Go prepared for the occasional blizzard. The resort can
be overrun with young partiers around the holidays, and shops and
accommodation can be expensive.
Night Life
Whistler rocks with some of the best nightlife in British
Columbia. Visitors on holiday in Whistler Blackcomb can browse the
options presented in the holiday resort's news magazine, The Pique,
which provides updated bar and nightclub listings every Thursday.
Popular spots are Garfinkels, where the holiday crowd is treated to
funky classic dance hits, and the intimate Moe Joe's. Older
revellers on holiday in Whistler Blackcomb will enjoy Buffalo
Bill's, which specialises in comedy nights.
Clubbers can get going at Tommy Africa's and Maxx Fish from 11pm
till the small hours. Those preferring a cosy pub head for Le
Brasserie, in the Village Square, for some people-watching.
Whistler Blackcomb's wine and cigar bars provide a mellow
alternative for the more sophisticated visitors who enjoy sipping
cocktails. Whistler's public transportation system runs until
3:30am to accommodate the nightlife crowd.
Restaurants
Comfortable and casual are the keywords for dining while on
holiday in Whistler Blackcomb, with a choice of more than 80
top-class restaurants offering a variety of cuisines covering the
flavours of the world. There are options from luxury fine dining,
like the Bearfoot Bistro (rated as one of Canada's Best restaurants
by the American Wine society journal) to small bistros and cafés.
One of the busiest eateries all year round is The Brewhouse, which
offers speciality beers and handcrafted ales along with its menu,
pool tables, cosy fireplaces and large screen televisions. For a
satisfying filler why not create your own pizza at the popular
Busterino's.
Shopping
If the glare of the snow becomes a bit too much while on holiday
in Whistler Blackcomb, take time out to explore the shopper's
paradise which is the village of Whistler. In the quaint plazas of
Whistler Village, Upper Village and Village North nestle about 150
attractive shops, boutiques and art galleries, open seven days a
week. Warm interiors beckon with a wide variety of merchandise,
from native artwork and jewellery to high fashion for label lovers,
and plenty of souvenirs.
Time
Canada covers six time zones, from GMT 8 in the west to GMT
-3.5 in the east.