Whistler – March 2016

Whistler is a mix of the best parts of Mammoth & South Lake Tahoe – amazing skiing all owned by one company (like Mammoth) and an excellent night life just like South Lake Tahoe.

On the way – we saw the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and had a meal in Vancouver. The most memorable part – Rome’s Civic broke down at the border on the Canada side, and Rome had to push it across. Too bad we don’t have any pictures from that.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

The tulip festival is definitely worth checking out if you’re around Seattle in April – it’s only an hour drive away, and the tulips are unlike anything you have seen before.

Vancouver

We stopped at Village Taphouse on the way up to Whistler. They had terrific service, amazing food, and a great beer selection.

The food was absolutely stellar.   We had their pretzel and split a pizza. If you go to Village Taphouse, make sure you get more than just drinks.

The bar is long and has several televisions, just in case you need to watch a sporting event. Check out all of the taps, they have tons of beers to offer.

Whistler

Whistler Canada is the largest ski resort in North America and the biggest ski area in the world outside of Europe. They have two tall mountains connected by a gondola. Add in their amazing food and bars all within walking distance, and you have a must visit for snowboard fans.

Whistler was the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. They have an olympic park that you can tour,  with lots of photo opportunities.

Whistler Blackcomb ski resort consists of the interconnected Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain.

It has over eight thousand acres of terrain, a huge vertical drop of 1,609 metres, over 200 marked trails, and plenty of opportunities to ski off the track. To give you an idea of how big the Whistler ski resort is – instead of having a trail map, they have an atlas!

The Whistler skiing and snowboarding terrain varies from gentle slopes and wide groomed cruisers to tree skiing, steep alpine bowls, couloirs and terrain parks. We have never seen a resort offering so much variety. Whistler Resort is suitable for all types of skiers and snowboarders, from first-timers to extreme riders who want to ride hair-raising steeps.

The only downside to the Whistler ski terrain is that the runs are incredibly long, and those with un-fit legs may struggle. Also, sometimes the powder that falls is a bit wet, which is common in the Pacific Northwest.

Whistler Restaurants We Recommend

The Rimrock Cafe – this was our favorite dining in Whistler – we highly recommend the Lobster Ravioli.

Christine’s – if you’re on the mountain and need a bite and drink to recharge, this is the place. We split a couple salads, and had a refreshing drink of sparkling wine.

Many ski resorts are lazy with food in the mountains, and it’s easy to understand why. Christine’s is not this kind of place, both dishes were excellent.

Whistler Events We Recommend

Earl’s Kitchen + Bar – Great place to grab a beer and watch a sporting event on their televisions.

Dusty’s Bar & BBQ – Spacious bar to grab a drink and play some pool. There is ton. Their BBQ bites are delicious if you need a snack or lunch.