Say Whistler to a skier or snowboarder and their eyes will glaze over dreamily. Consistently ranked as North America's top winter resort, big enough to host the on-mountain events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Other events will be in Vancouver, two hours south on the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway, which includes an 1,100 foot waterfall, Shannon Falls, visible from the road, just south of the town of Squamish. The BC train from Vancouver to Whistler is equally scenic. The pedestrian village is reminiscent of Switzerland's Zermatt, which also has a glacier. Whistler offers year-round skiing, on sister peak Blackcomb, as well as heli-skiing. In other seasons, lifts whisk mountain bikers and hikers to panoramic vistas. In the valley, sparkling mountain lakes offer sailing and fishing, and there are four championship golf courses.
Must See
- #1 Visit Shannon Falls
- #2 a five-minute walk from the highway between Vancouver and Whistler. Wander the pedestrian village. Have a snowball fight in summer atop Blackcomb's glacier
- #3 or ski down it in winter. Watch the rock climbers tackle the Stawamus Chief
- #4 an enormous granite monolith.
Skip It
- #1 The vintage locomotives at West Coast Railway Heritage Park.