Imagine sitting by a cozy fireplace, surrounded by snow capped evergreen trees while drinking your morning coffee. Then picture this place was nestled in a bustling little mountain village surrounded by lovely shops, restaurants and sweeping views.
Whistler (Sḵwiḵw in the native language of the Squamish people) is a resort town about two hours north of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is home to Whistler Blackcomb, which is one of the largest ski resorts in North America. Although the area is most commonly known for it's winter sports activities(primarily skiing and snowboarding), there is also an unbeatable selection of summertime activities. These range from ATV adventures, white rater rafting, sea plane rides, fishing trips, hiking, and their famous zip line experience.
Fall is considered a down time for Whistler as it is between seasons. Unless you are going for a - the village can be a lovely fall destination to lounge, dine and maybe even enjoy the Scandinavian Baths.
The Scenic Drive
I am fortunate to live only about a three to four hour drive from this gem. The time can vary quite a bit depending on the border lineup. If ’u’“re “lu”cky” enough to be pulled into secondary inspection, they will make you sit in a lobby for an ungoddly amount of time, they will review your documents a little more closely. I'm not speaking form personal experience or anything...
We were rewarded with sweeping views of both the mountains and the ocean. I tried to capture the beauty of this drive from the car- but I'm afraid it doesn't quite do it justice!
The scenery quickly changes from city, to mountain, to rock cliffs, to ocean. I can't think of too many drives that have so many dynamic changes in scenery within a few hour radius.
As we drove up the amount and started approaching the Village, we could see snow on the tree tops! The closer we got, the denser the building of snow became on the evergreens and street signs. It wasn't exactly a winter storm, but just enough snow to give the area that magical winter glow.
It seems that Canada is much better at maintaining their roads during inclimate weather compared to the United States. They have invested in better equipment and infrastructure to clear roads quickly when needed. My hometown of Bellingham, WA only owns one snow plow for the entire county - so you can image how bad the roads can get!
Walking Around the Village
Even though Blackcomb Ski Resort is one of the largest and most esteemed ski areas in the world, the Village is deceptively small. You can walk from one end to the other in about 10 minutes. The developers have done a great job of keeping it big enough to have a variety of restaurant, shopping and entertainment options - while still maintaining the cozy, mountain village feel. When we walk out of our condo, we are greeted by a large courtyard area filled with a grassy stage are that hosts many events throughout the year.
The temperature never really got above 25 degrees Fahrenheit the entire time we were there - even in the middle of the afternoon! This required some good scarves, gloves and my favorite down jacket. Ironically, my jacket is filled with Canadian goose feathers. (sorry little guys... but seriously, thanks for keeping me warm).
I don't think anyone will be sunbathing in those bright yellow chairs today! I actually grabbed a rock to see how frozen it really was, and it stayed in tact! Seems pretty frozen solid to me.
There wasn't much ice or snow on the cobbelstone walkway. It was cleared away enough that it was completely safe to walk, while still enjoying of snow to the side. Interestingly enough, the roads inside the Village were a solid sheet of ice! We had a bit of fun "ice skating" across the street to our condo.
Perhaps they also sell jackets and warm clothing, but their window displays were all sunshine and good vibes.
The architecture of the Village was very thoughtfully laid out out. The building designs consistently delivered that alpine mountain feeling no matter what type of establishment it was.
Once you enter into the main thoroughfare, you actually don't need to get close to a street road. They have designed all of the shops and restaurants around a lovely cobblestone walkway that snakes through the Village. I actually really like this because it feels a bit more peaceful and maybe even festive?
Being in a place that feels like it was specially laid out for your enjoyment is a good feeling as a customer. There are approximately two million people that pass through this little Village every year, and so it is really beneficial to make sure the walkways have a good flow.
2010 Winter Olympics Tribute
One of the coolest parts about strolling through the Village, is witnessing some of the remnants from the 2010 Winter Olympics that were held there. Whistler proudly displays the Olympics memorial with a commemorative plaque with some high level information on the event.
I should note that not all of the events were held in Whistler. Approximately 2,600 athletes from 82 nations participated in 86 events in fifteen disciplines. The 2010 Olympic is more commonly referred to as the Vancouver Olympics and events took place in Vancouver and surrounding areas - including Whistler.
The totem pole has a commemorative plaque that encourages people to visit the Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Center to learn more about the Squamish people and their culture. We didn't have a chance to check it out, but I’d enjoy doing that sometime.
Being someone that has two feet between Canada and the United States (i'm a dual citizen...surprise!) it is such a difference to notice the value on native art between the two countries. Unless you are on a reservation in the United States, you are not likely to run across a totem pole. In Canada it seems to be integrated as a regular part of the culture. It is not uncommon to see native art decorating a strip mall or play ground.
I'm not making a political statement here, just saying that I really enjoy native art and I appreciate seeing it displayed well in Canada.
Pastries for Days...
There is a little bakery in Whistler called Pure Bread. They are so busy, that you have a good chance of getting something warm and right out of the oven. They have a pecan sticky bun that is to die for. I usually prefer to have a cream cheese frosting on my cinnamon rolls, but this sticky bun has a caramel type drizzle with lots of pecans interspersed throughout.
Every item in the bakery was a piece of art that tasted as good as it looked. We also tried the carrot cake which did have a thick cream cheese frosting on top of a moist slice of carrot cake that was filled with various dried fruits and nuts.
Here's a shot of their meringue deserts. I really wished I had bought one to take home so that I could eat it later! I have never seen a meringue that is literally the size of a my face.
I bet the texture would have been crunchy initially, and then would melt in your mouth. I am literally salivating as I write this and I clearly have pastry regret. If you ever go to Whistler... get a meringue for me and let me know how amazing it is. Or don't... I might get jealous.
When in Whistler, One Must Buy Cozy Socks
If you ever visited Canada, then you have probably seen a Roots store. They feature rustic decor and have an entire line of clothing that perflectly blends the active outdoor look with a cozy laid back feel.
Call it lame if you will, but they make amazing socks and I could not resist.
My ears were a little cold from walking outside and they had these really cute earmuffs I almost bought... but they were $40. How often will I wear ear muffs? Honestly, probably a lot! I hate being cold.
They had a great mix of sweat pants, hoodies, jackets, and scarves I was eyeing too.
I know there are a lot of Canadians here on Steemit. What do you think... is Roots overrated or do you actually shop there?
Take a Step Back in Time
I mean like millions of years ago. If you ever find yourself in Whistler, you have to stop into the rock and gem store. It is a hidden gem (please laugh at my joke), that is definitely worth checking out. The entire store is filled with a mix of semi-process gems and valuable fossils.
The store sells a mix of semi-precious stone and fossil jewelry at various price points. There were so many beautiful options available.
Specialty shops like this that are located in resort towns can struggle to stay afloat, and so they recently joined the 21st century and decided to start selling their jewelry online.
For those who aren't family with this lake - I would absolutely recommend looking it up. It is considered to be the "Most photographed place in Canada" because it is so beautiful. I haven't been there yet - but it is on my bucket list.
Good Friends and Good Times
If you can believe it, my sister and her boyfriend were staying at Whistler the same weekend @raised2b and I were! His grandpa bought a spot in Whistler back in the 70's for dirt cheap and I'm pretty sure his property is worth millions now. Fast forward to today, and his family members have a free spot to stay when they want a weekend away!
We had so much fun hanging out with them! So much so, that I actually didn't take very many pictures. That's how it should be right?
It would have been nice to get a shot of the group - but I don't think our guys are too keen on having their pictures taken.
We went to an Irish pub for some comfort food, beer, live music, and dancing. Well, we didn't end up dancing because when we went up to dance the band went on a long break - but we still had a great time listening to some live folk music while enjoying a pot pie served in a cast iron skillet.
It was a spot called Dub Lihn Irish Pub and they are known for having great live music. They tend to get a mix of singer/songwriter artists, celtic music and folk bands. They feature live music every night and so you can have a pretty different experience from night to night.
The weekend went so fast, I felt like there were so many other places we could have eaten or fun spots we could have checked out. I guess that is a good sign that I would have plenty of ideas for a fun day if I went back.
Whistler really is an endless venue for interesting things to do. We spent an entire weekend eating, walking around, and going to the spa without even tapping into the various outdoor activities that are available.
We were actually here in the summer and did some white water rafting - but that's a story for another day! I'd really like to try the ATV tours and zipline someday. Another fun activity is to just ride the gondola up the mountain, even if you aren't skiing! You can experience amazing 360 degree views of the Pacific Range of the Coast Mountains.
Conclusion
I had an amazing weekend of both relaxation and fun. @raised2b and I enjoyed a much needed weekend getaway and I get to spend time with my sister. I sincerely appreciate you reading through my post and following along on my adventures!
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Always Hitting You With The Good Stuff!
