Visiting Whistler before the 2010 Olympics?
As a resident, business owner, and frequent skier in Whistler, I’ve come to realize that there are “secrets,” things to see and do that the average visitor to Whistler has NO idea about. I’ll try to pass on the knowledge of a local, but keep in mind that Whistler is a paradise unto itself – these secrets just add to the magic!
Hotels can be $300 a night and up during ski season and peak summer season, but three ideas have saved me money on lodging. First, there is a condo booking agency called ResortQuest that may offer special deals in the off-season. I stayed in a beautiful townhouse one block from the town square, with a hot tub, fireplace, kitchen, sleeps 4-6 for $100 in early fall. Ask for offers like this!
If you are sociable and willing to ENJOY and put up with the common areas of a bed and breakfast, Chalet Beau Sejour had bed and breakfast in a spectacular chalet with a view of the mountains for $90-125. Very sociable hosts and a dining table overlooking the mountains with a double sided fireplace and mulled wine while visitors from all over the world discuss snow and ski conditions, you just can’t beat it!
Lastly, there are two lodges: the venerable Shoestring Lodge, just north of Whistler, about ten blocks away, and slated to “develop” into townhouses ahead of the Olympics, has beds for $25, as does the hostel across the lake from Whistler: you may share a room with some interesting strangers, but that price leaves plenty of money for food and entertainment!
Whistler has an incredible variety of high-end restaurants, but one that I found outstanding was the Edgewater Lodge, just north of Whistler a few miles. Check out the picture on the website, combined with the Zagat quote “venison to die for” (they have their own venison farm) and you’ll be on your way!
At the other end of the spectrum, the mall next door to the Whistler Conference Center is home to Shakespeare’s Pies – Australian meat pies for under $4 that you’ll come back for time and time again, especially after hitting Whistler’s bars and nightclubs! !
Three bars stand out among the best in Whistler and offer a unique experience. Tommy Africa’s will appeal to the early 20’s crowd, with a glass DJ booth, top local DJs and a zebra striped front door! The Savage Beagle is a two-level bar on the main walkway, with a crowded dance floor downstairs and a “belly to bar” section upstairs. The 30+ “cougar bar” is Buffalo Bills, at the other end of the main sidewalk – live bands, great DJs and comedians have provided many great nights out over the years.
Cable car passes are often available at the 7-11 in Squamish or Vancouver on your way to Whistler for a discount that can be as little as $10-20 per cable car ticket. The lift lines are shorter at Whistler Creekside, if you want a quick start, but I’d rather ski Blackcomb, the other mountain (they join at Whistler Village)
Whistler’s best-kept secrets are summer activities: there’s a bevy of pristine lakes for swimming or canoeing, mountain bikes in full protective gear launch to the top of the mountain for fast or tricky descents, and the trail Ski has a glacier on top that stays open until August!
Oh yeah, some guys named Palmer and Nicholas have golf courses, and there’s ski camps, tennis camps, zip lines, helicopter tours, white water rafting, fishing, horseback riding, ATVs – there’s a LOT of great stuff to do, but bring money!!
Enjoy it now, before the Olympics, because 2 weeks of watching this on TV will make the world go crazy for Whistler!
