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 Whistler visitor 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 cost $300 a night and more during the 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 can offer special offers in the off-season. I stayed in a beautiful townhouse a block from the town square, with a hot tub, fireplace, kitchen, sleeps 4-6 for $100 in the 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 mountain view chalet 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 talk about snow and ski conditions, it just can’t be beat!
Finally, there are two lodges: the venerable Shoestring Lodge, just north of Whistler, about ten blocks away, and scheduled to “develop” into row houses before the Olympics, has beds for $25, as does the hostel across the lake from Whistler – you can share a room with some interesting strangers, but that price leaves plenty of money for food and entertainment!
Whistler has an incredible array of high-end restaurants, but one that I found standout was the Edgewater Lodge, just north of Whistler, a few miles away. Check out the image 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 to the Whistler Conference Center is home to Shakespeare’s Pies: Australian meat pies for under $4 that you’ll come back for again and again, especially after visiting 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 door! The Savage Beagle is a two-level bar on the main walkway, with a crowded dance floor downstairs and a “tummy to the bar” section upstairs. The “cougar bar” for the 30+ is Buffalo Bills, at the other end of the main sidewalk – live bands, top DJs and comedians have provided plenty of great nights 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 $10-20 per cable car ticket. The lift lines are shorter at Whistler Creekside, if you want a quick start, but I prefer to ski Blackcomb, the other mountain (they join at Whistler Village)
Whistler’s best-kept secrets are the summer activities: There’s a cluster of pristine lakes for swimming or canoeing, mountain bikes in full protective gear hurtling to the top of the mountain for fast or tricky descents, and the Ski area 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 hikes, white water rafting, fishing, horseback riding, ATV’s – there are SO many great things 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!