Introducing Whistler

I first learned about Whistler, Canada, when I was backpacking through Asia and met a group of travelers who had just spent a few years living there.

 “Canada? Why would you move to Canada? It is SO cold there!” I said. They were from Australia, and it made no sense to my why they’d willingly move to such a polar opposite weather conditions. Did they even know how to operate in anything less than a mild summer day? Talk about culture shock. This sounded more like climate shock.

“Because it’s amazing, and it’s so much better than America,” they told me.

Of course I vehemently objected, and I beamed with American pride. “No country is better than America!” I joked.

But damn, if my recent visit to Whistler didn’t change this American heart of mine and make me probably one of the most pro-Canada Americans you’ll meet. My recent visit to Toronto for my birthday was pretty nice, but this trip — this was epic, and Whislter fast became one of my favorite places.

Whistler is home to the renowned Whistler Blackcomb resort, long regarded as the best and biggest ski resort in North America. Though the last time I was shredding powder on the slopes was ages ago in Europe, I was in Whistler for a weekend of snowboarding, and for copious amounts of deliciously fresh and locally sourced food (and, as it turned out, for the unexpected temptation to skip my flight and stay and for the renewed sense of wanderlust that was taking a small nap).

A two hour drive north of Vancouver along the famous Sea to Sky Highway, Whistler is a stunning resort town located in the beautiful Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia. British Columbia reminded me of a small New Zealand; its landscape offers endless opportunities for adventure, be it surfing, hiking, bungee jumping, cycling, golfing, even wine tasting, as BC offers some world-class vineyards. It felt like best of several countries smashed into one place.

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The only downside: It was a long trip, particularly to get to Whistler. I was up at 4 a.m. New York time and finally arrived at about 4:30 p.m. Whistler time (about 7:30 New York time).

I checked into Nita Lake Lodge, a fairly new hotel with 77 rooms and suites that is the only lakeside property in all of Whistler. It’s also just outside the main village of Whistler where all the shops, restaurants, and bars are. And though I would have appreciated being right smack in the town (there are quite a few hotels in the town itself) to explore the surrounds, I welcomed the peace and quiet that Nita delivered.

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Think Nita, think upscale and sophisticated mountain lodge – the kind that makes a holiday to the snow luxuriously cool and chic. Rooms are generous in size (I was lucky to stay in a suite), with fireplaces, balconies, a beautiful combination of dark wooden decor accented with lighter colors, and gorgeous mountain and lake views. The hotel is also just steps away from the base of Whistler Mountain, one of the two biggest draws for tourists who make their way here.

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Whistler Blackbomb is two gorgeous mountains sat side by side that are the ultimate playground. Host for some of the events in the 2010 Winter Olympics with neighboring Vancouver, Whistler Blackcomb offer more than 200 marked runs, 8,1710 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, and three glaciers. And though they are an absolute wonderland come winter, the mountains also enjoy their glory days in the warmer months. Summer in Whistler is so good that many non-locals (which is basically all of Whistler) say that they “came for winter and stayed for summer (and many of them are there years later)”.

It’s true that it is difficult to find a born and bred Whistler local roaming about town these days. Many Canadians from across the country wind up in Whistler, and there are also a large amount of seasonal workers from overseas living there.

In fact, Whistler affectionately goes by the nickname Whistralia, as many of those working in the shops, restaurants, cafes, and on the slopes are on working holiday visas from Down Under (I was teetering between heaven and hell with each Aussie I spoke to). There are also a fair amount from the UK (Brits mostly) and some Kiwis given that the countries are all part of the Commonwealth and have good relations (and decent visa policies) with one another.

Spend some time in Whistler and you’ll see why so many find themselves, well, pleasantly stuck in this picture-perfect village. It’s almost like Disney World (without the fanny packs of course) with how truly magical it is, where you wake up to beautiful snowcapped peaks towering high above you and spending your free time enjoying what the world and Mother Nature has to offer.

And I was about to spend five days discovering (and soaking up) all that I could.

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