Last Updated on March 11, 2023
There are very few places we care to go back to again and again, when there are so many places that we have yet to discover. Whistler has made it onto that shortlist. We usually find ourselves in Whistler during the summer, so this year we had to make sure we made it out there for a snowy getaway to Whistler. Since the resort town of Whistler is only a couple hours outside of Vancouver, it is super easy to get to. With every visit we always leave feeling that there is so much more to experience when we return next. Also, since it is such a close getaway, it is an easy way to take some time to recharge our batteries for everything else life is throwing our way.
This visit we tried another different hotel, AAVA Whistler, located a quick two-minute walk from Whistler Village and a five-minute walk from the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain gondolas. It was a simple hotel room, but we were so busy enjoying a nice dinner, a Snowmobiling adventure and walking through an enchanted forest at Vallea Lumina with TAG Whistler, that simple is all we needed. It was also nice that there was a hot tub for some much needed chill time!
Walking through Whistler Village as the snow fell around us was magical. I have always felt that snow falling from the sky was something special and walking hand in hand with Darcy through the village was definitely magic. We were able to leave the kids behind for this adventure, for some fun with Grandma and Grandpa. It was great to be able to relax a little more, and for me to get a better night sleep, because face it, with four kids six and under (the youngest just four months), I do not get a solid sleep through the night. But, as thrilled as we were to be able to leave the kids this time, we sure missed them. Isn’t it cruel how that works?
It was also right in time for the 10th Anniversary of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, where Whistler was a host for many of the competitions. There were not any huge celebrations when we were there, but it was still nice to walk around and reminisce about our memories of the Olympics. Darcy actually had worked on the bobsled track (he is an electrician), and I had worked security to be part of all of the fun.
One of our favourite places for dinner is the Longhorn Saloon & Grill at Whistler Village. The Longhorn is at the base of Whistler Mountain and is right at the centre of the action in Whistler Village. There is normally a DJ and it always feels like a party with the fun atmosphere. The food is pretty good, but of course, at inflated Whistler prices.
One of our Whistler traditions is to get a turkey and cranberry baguette sandwich from IGA. They are SO tasty. We were so heartbroken when the IGA turned into a Fresh Street and they now do not make the baguette sandwiches; I had just devoured one this last summer too! Time to get the ingredients to make them ourselves.
A breakfast favourite is the Southside Diner. You can get a massive “bigass pancake” the size of your head, or a variety of breakfast favourites. It is a cozy diner with good food, a relaxed atmosphere, not too expensive and non-pretentious. The service is casual, exactly as you would expect from a place like this.
Whistler was just as fantastic in the winter as it is during the summer. We will definitely be back again for some more winter fun. There’s always more to go back to see in Whistler and we barely scratched the surface of what is available to experience in the winter! Whistler is more than just a ski resort; it is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Whistler may feel like a huge place, with the never-ending list of activities to do and sights to see, but it has a really great relaxed mountain town vibe.
Here are some more photos of the beauty of Whistler in winter:
