Whistler Ski Holidays

Whistler takes pride of place among Canada and North America’s finest and most popular ski resorts, and you only have to spend a day or so there to see why. It’s a very pretty town with bags of character, it’s unbelievably friendly, it has an amazing beer and food scene, it regularly receives buckets of fresh snow, the lifts are swift and modern, and the skiing is exceptional!

The resort sits at 670m with lifts running up to just under 3,000m, and no matter where you base yourself, you’re never too far from the nearest gondola.

Whistler joined forces with the neighbouring peak — Blackcomb — in recent years, and they’re linked together by the mighty Peak2Peak gondola. Regular visitors and locals inevitably prefer one side over the other, but during a 7- or 10-day visit you can certainly make the most of both.

Both peaks are tree-lined and sheltered on the lower slopes, with plenty of good learner terrain to be found. As you head up the mountain, the gradient becomes steeper and the scenery more dramatic. Huge glades, forests and bowls offer exceptional backcountry skiing — it’s a freerider’s paradise!

One of the key reasons behind Whistler’s long-term success is its open approach, and families are made just as welcome as groups of friends looking to party. Parents with children in tow can choose from any of the family-friendly eateries around resort and, up on the slopes, the support and infrastructure in place for visiting skiers is superb.

When it comes to parks and powder (or freestyle and freeride) Whistler has it covered. On the freestyle side, there are a number of impressive snow-parks located across Whistler-Blackcomb, with hits and kickers to suit all abilities. If the fresh snow falls, powder-hounds can bounce through some of the best snow Canada has to offer, and heli-skiing is popular. You can make fresh tracks through pine forest, carve down the steep and deep or ride through deep snowdrifts just metres from the pistes. If you’re lucky enough to see fresh snow in Whistler, be sure to hire a guide to make the very most of it. You won’t regret it!

Whistler is laid out very simply, with one long main street running from the central plaza to the base of the lifts. Along the street you’ll find all the ski hire and snowboard shops you’d need, and the bars and restaurants are all within easy reach.

Regarding accommodation, Whistler is home to a high number of hotels, from cheap and cheerful to high-end luxury. Breakfast isn’t always included and many visitors find they have to budget for meals separately, but Whistler has plenty of places to choose from for lunch and dinner. Aside from hotels, visitors to Whistler can book condos or apartments, and standards and locations vary.

Most people visiting Whistler from the UK fly from Heathrow into Vancouver – a flight of around 10 hours. Air Canada fly direct and ski carriage is free. The transfer time from the airport into resort is around 2 hours, and there’s plenty or transfer companies plying the route. In short, accessing Whistler is pretty simple.

Don’t visit Whistler expecting Euro-style après ski, because you won’t find it! There are plenty of amazing bars to choose from, where you can tuck into steaming bowls of nachos and cheese, juicy burgers and delicious pizzas, all accompanied by cool pitchers of craft beers from across the valleys and beyond.

There’s also a lively and diverse live music scene in Whistler, with a wide array of talented bands taking to the stage across the resort each night. Merlin’s, the Garibaldi Lift Co (GLC’s) and Dusty’s sit in Blackcomb, Whistler and Creekside respectively, offering a welcoming home for thirsty après-skiers in search of a refreshing pitcher and a place to park up. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg! The Brewhouse, Dubh Linn Gate, Fitzsimmons Pub and The Whistler Brewing Company are all well worth a look.