About Whistler
Welcome to Whistler! We hope you had a chance to pause on your journey and take advantage of one of the pullouts along the Sea to Sky Corridor, snap a few photos, and simply breathe in the astonishing and rugged beauty of the route. The scenic drive along Highway 99 has never been easier, thanks to major improvements in Highway 99—a legacy of the 2010 Winter Olympics—which have meant an increase in speed limits and safety, while offering spectacular ocean views of Howe Sound, striking tableaux of the blue-white ice fields of the Tantalus Range, and glimpses of the churning Cheakamus River.
One hundred years ago, the passage from Vancouver to Whistler included the same stunning views. However, you’d have had more time to gaze at the sights, as the trip was truly an expedition, one that took three whole days. Visitors left Vancouver on a steamship which chugged along the coast and up the triangular-shaped fjord of Howe Sound to Squamish. Upon arrival, they disembarked and transferred their provisions to several rented packhorses, before setting out on a strenuous, two-day hike up the rough Pemberton Trail to finally arrive in Whistler—then known as Summit Lake.
What’s the upside for abandoning the slower, more meditative travelling pace of yesteryear? More time to play in the mountains! With the speed and convenience of modern day transportation, comes an ability and desire to pack it all in. Revel in it all. Dive into every possible activity. Savour culinary innovations. Taste the locally-produced craft beer. Meet the locals. And check out some of the year-round legacies of the 2010 Winter Games.
In the summer time, the Whistler Olympic Plaza is a hotspot for festive gatherings of all types. Whistler Half Marathon and Ironman athletes take their final triumphant steps across the finish line in the plaza. And on a summer’s eve, there’s no better place to be than stretched out on the great lawn with family and friends to soak up a live band, or the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at an open air concert. Winter brings temperatures cold enough to open the charming Whistler Olympic Plaza ice rink for skating and a mini hill for tobogganing, two quintessential Canadian activities.
Be sure to check out the major sporting venue legacies from the 2010 Winter Games, and catch world-class competition at the Whistler Sliding Centre, where luge, skeleton and bobsleigh athletes train and compete. And, for a thrilling adventure, take an exhilarating slide down the track yourself, which has training and ride programs for the public. At the Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley, the facility is a legacy for recreational activities, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, biathlon, and tobogganing. Or simply be a spectator to one of the high-calibre competitions in ski-jumping, biathlon, cross-country, ski jumping and Nordic combined.
There’s no shortage of adventures in this thriving mountain town, and more options for health and wellness, dining and celebrating than you can imagine. So let us be your guide and help you get the information you need to enjoy your stay. Welcome. We’re excited to share our home with you!