Whistler Ski Trip
Oh, Canada!
If you’re into skiing, Whistler needs to be at the top of your bucket list. Not only is it a massive skiing area, but the views are gorgeous and expansive on a clear day. We skied in Whistler for 3 days and found it to be a good amount of time to explore all the mountain has to offer. Here are my suggestions of how to get to Whistler and where to après-ski.
We rented a car through Turo, the best app since Airbnb, and the owner met us outside as soon as we picked up our checked bags. We drove to the nearest sushi spot with a 4+ star rating on Google and had some famous Vancouver sockeye salmon. From there, we drove a little less than 2 hours to Whistler and checked into our ski-in, ski-out Airbnb near the Blackcomb Upper Village.
The next three days consisted of hitting first chair to get the best skiing before the lift lines got too long and the snow was all skied up, then changing out of our ski boots and base layers and into ski bum clothes so we could après-ski until nightfall. The best après-ski in my opinion is RMU, which is located in the Upper Village.
RMU has three locations in Breckinridge, CO, Tahoe, CA, and Whistler, Canada. We went to all three this year and it never disappoints. RMU is a ski company with great values and cool equipment. Their stores feature gear for sale and a full bar and restaurant. RMU Whistler was so fun we went back twice during our stay.
More après-ski options in Whistler:
Merlin’s Bar and Grill
Dusty’s Bar & BBQ Grill
Brew House
Garibaldi Lift Co. Bar & Grill
Longhorn Saloon
El Furniture Warehouse
We only tried a few of these places because there were so many options, but one cannot really go wrong with any bar or restaurant in Whistler.
Another great thing to do in Whistler is shop! Lululemon and Aritzia are both cheaper in Canada because they are Vancouver-based companies. Arcteryx may also be slightly cheaper but it was hard to tell since it’s a more expensive brand in general. There are also at least 4 Evo stores that we saw throughout the Upper Village, Whistler Village and Whistler town. They have a variety of equipment and gear and are each worth checking out.
As far as skiing goes, be sure to get out early and take the gondola to the top. There is an ice cave just outside the ski boundaries on Blackcomb Glacier and although it’s a trek to get to, it’s a unique experience and worth the time it takes to get there. To get to it, take the Blackcomb Express and the T-Bar up the glacier. From there, click out of your skis or snowboard and hike the rest of the way to the top of the glacier. On a clear day, the view will be incredible and worth the hike in itself. To find the ice cave, stick right as you ski down and you’ll see groups of skis outside where people are inside taking a break or penguin sliding into the cave.
The Peak-2-Peak gondola is the only way to get from Blackcomb mountain to Whistler mountain, and the two purple gondolas have a glass bottom. We were lucky enough to get on a glass bottom one once and the views over the valley were beautiful.
I just left Whistler and already cannot wait to go back. It’s highly comparable to skiing in the Swiss and French Alps, a relatively short flight from most places in America and it will honestly be hard to find people that are nicer than Canadians.
