The passionate stories travelers share upon their return from trips to Canada year-round are nothing short of awe-inspiring; however, a winter experience is often described as some of the most heavenly views one can see, especially in Whistler and the Banff-Lake Louise areas. Oh, the views!
For the winter sport enthusiast, a visit to Whistler — home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games — is one that should be on every traveler’s bucket list.
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Paul Zizka Photography
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Paul Zizka Photography
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Photo courtesy of Banff Lake Louise
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Banff Lake Louise Tourism / Rueben Krabbe
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Banff Lake Louise Tourism / Rueben Krabbe
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Photo courtesy of Banff Lake Louise
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Photo courtesy of Banff Lake Louise
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Banff Lake Louise Tourism / Jake
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Banff Lake Louise Tourism / Noel Hendrickson
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Banff Lake Louise Tourism / Noel Hendrickson
Cape Coral resident Gena Gossett embarked on her snow adventure with her husband and 12-year-old twin girls to Whistler.
“Upon arrival at Whistler, our initial thought was WOW! It’s a winter wonderland. We arrived in the evening. Everything was covered with snow, and twinkle lights added to the magic,” she describes.
Whistler is known for its ski village and ability to maneuver much of the area via walking.
“What I loved most about Whistler was its walkability. Once we parked our car, we didn’t need it until it was time to drive back to Seattle,” Gena recalls. “There’s quite a bit of entertainment in the village, too. Lots of shopping, bars, fantastic restaurants, ice skating and a movie theater. We stayed at the Westin, a ski-out resort located in the middle of the very quaint village.”
Another experience Gena touts is visiting the Olympic Village. “We also skied Olympic park, the site of the 2010 Olympics.”
Mary Zinck, manager of travel media for Tourism Whistler, also touts the village’s quaint and magical feel.
“Standing in the pedestrian-only Village, guests are surrounded by endless mountain views with the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains at the forefront,” she describes.
Mary recommends guests take a ride on the Peak 2 Peak Gondola (360-degree views of Whistler Village, mountain peaks, lakes, glaciers and forests), take advantage of the free Mountain Host ski and snowboard tours or the free Mountain Host sightseeing tours.
“It’s really the variety of activities available — on-mountain or off-mountain, ticketed and free — there’s so much to do,” she says. “Dine in Christine’s On Blackcomb (in the Rendezvous Lodge) or Steep’s Grill on Whistler (in Roundhouse Lodge). The food is great and only made better by the views. And stop by the new year-round Umbrella Bar on Whistler Mountain.”
Fort Myers resident Allison Ferguson has traveled to Whistler with her husband, Chris, and she says a highlight was riding the Peak 2 Peak Gondola.
“Whistler is breathtakingly beautiful. We just loved the beautiful views on top of the mountain,” Allison says. “We just enjoyed one day in Whistler, and we liked the drive up on the Sea-to-Sky Highway, and after exploring the mountains, we enjoyed a nice dinner in town at the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub.”
For the non-skier, snowmobiling the Canadian backcountry (other excursions available, too, including a family version and those with dining opportunities — think mountain top candlelight fondue dinner) and winter zip lining are two excursions to experience, including a twilight zip lining tour under the stars.
For those desiring the mountain experience, there are more than 200 runs between the two mountains (Blackcomb and Whistler) for all levels of skiers from beginner to advanced.
“New for this season, skier/snowboarders on Whistler Bowl will make their way under the new Cloudraker Suspension Bridge (unfortunately the suspension bridge is only open to the public in the summer, but that just means you have to come back and experience it),” Mary says. “Whistler and Blackcomb mountains are accessible for everyone — from the never-ever skier/snowboarder to the expert to the sightseer.”
Gena and her family crossed skiing off their itinerary.
“Our daughters took ski and snowboarding lessons while my husband did quite a few blue runs. I did one green and had to be rescued by ski patrol. After that ordeal, I spent the rest of my time shopping and searching the village restaurants for the perfect cabernet,” she says.
From 7th Heaven Bowl to Rider’s Revenge, Overbite to Lower Olympic and Pony Trail to Doom & Gloom, there are many runs to experience and check off a skier’s wish list. But beyond skiing, or for the extremely passionate skiers who partake in heliskiing, there are other ways to view the vastness and stunning glaciers.
“Blackcomb Helicopter offers a variety of sightseeing tours, from short flyovers to landing on a glacier. If you want to splurge, Headline Mountain Holidays offers Heli-Ice Cave Tours and/or heli-snowmobiling,” Mary recommends.
The ski runs typically do not open until Thanksgiving Day, but in November, Whistler hosts the Cornucopia food festival.
“Taking place November 8-18, Cornucopia is Whistler’s celebration of food and drink, an 11-day festival that showcases the best of British Columbia and beyond for food and drink with winery dinners, culinary demonstrations and workshops, seminars, chef luncheons, grand tastings and more,” Mary says.
Also new for 2018, several hotel renovations are just coming to completion, such as The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Blackcomb Springs Suites and the just opened Pangea Pod Hotel.
“Other new offerings are Steak Night dinner at Sproatt Mountain cabin by snowmobile, S’mores by the Camper in the courtyard of Sidecut restaurant. Sidecut will also be launching a ‘Blackcomb Mountain Apres’ featuring food ‘mountains’ (towers), Bloody Caesars (Canadian cocktail similar to a Bloody Mary) and their award-winning cocktail program Spirit of the Mountains,” she describes.
Traveling to Whistler in the winter will surely be a temperature shock for Floridians.
“If you go to Whistler in the winter time, a good base layer is paramount,” Gena says. “Their temps are not for the faint. You can’t go wrong with Hot Chillys and a warm pair of Uggs, enough warmth to go for a nighttime sleigh ride, which was definitely the highlight of our family’s trip.”
Another must-see year-round Canadian destination that is nearly impossible to describe without personally experiencing this natural beauty is Banff and Lake Louise, just east of Whistler.
Marco Island resident Jane Watt experienced Banff and Lake Louise firsthand with her immediate and extended family during a summer vacation.
“The entire area around Banff and Lake Louise is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The water is so blue, and the surrounding mountains are majestic,” Jane says. “Banff was very clean and had many cute shops and restaurants. It was fun to explore the area. We walked around the town each night. Jim and I would run each morning along the river that runs through the town. I will never forget how blue the water was.”
One of Jane’s experiences included walking on a glacier and hiking up a mountain that overlooked Banff.
“The area was so clean and beautiful. I was very taken by the views from every angle. I wanted to take a picture of everything, so I would remember it,” she says.
Visiting the same area in summer, Fort Myers resident Kimber Cook went with her husband and two grown children. She says the destination was amazing with breathtaking scenery and topography.
“We visited during the end of June. The days were warm and the evenings cool,” she describes. “I just loved the sheer beauty and its vastness. The mountains are so much bigger than the North Carolina mountains that I am accustomed to.”
During Kimber’s trip, she and her family did a lot of hiking.
“That’s one of the things we love to do as a family (always have, even when the kids were little). We always try to find hikes that lead to a waterfall. We saw lots of bears, deer, chipmunks and goats. The deer actually walked along side us during one of our hikes,” she says. “We also took a ski lift up a mountain to take in the view. On our visit to the Lake Louise, we toured the Fairmont Chateau, which was breathtaking. Just grand!”
Banff & Lake Louise Tourism spokesperson John Doherty advises going up the mountain in the Banff Gondola to gain perspective on how vast and incredible this place is.
“There is no better way to get inspired for the remainder of your trip, and of course, get that selfie,” John says. “If you prefer to just sit back and enjoy the views, the Banff Gondola offers some of the most stunning views imaginable, especially in the winter.”
Banff and Lake Louise are a true winter wonderland with activities for everyone.
“Skiing, snowshoeing, and even dogsledding will allow you to see parts of Banff National Park that would otherwise be unavailable,” John advises. “More and more new experiences are being offered every year, such as joining a mountain guide for a snowshoe tour atop Lake Louise Ski Resort, or really testing yourself by taking an ice climbing lesson.”
During winter months, John recommends heading to Lake Louise to skate on one of, if not the most, famous ice surface in the world.
“If you can’t ice skate, this is an amazing place to learn. There are also sleigh rides offered along the shores of Lake Louise that are a must-experience as well, creating a truly memorable moment for you and your friends or loved ones,” he suggests. “Next, I would say join a mountain guide and educate yourself. Discover Banff Tours has some incredible offerings and a very informative team (they can share information about the winter wildlife you can expect to see, including elk and mule-deer). You also need to venture out to the Columbia Icefield and take a Glacier Adventure on a massive ice explorer through the Athabasca Glacier.”
Allison and her husband visited Banff and Lake Louise twice.
“We went dogsledding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. We also rode a carriage in Lake Louise,” she says. “We were just so taken by the natural beauty of this destination.”
This destination does not disappoint for avid skiers as well.
“Banff is fortunate enough to boast three world class ski resorts: Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mt. Norquay. These individual resorts come together to form SkiBig3. When you book with SkiBig3, not only do you get all three mountains, you can reserve your accommodation, rentals and transportation, too,” John explains. “Mt. Norquay is the closest to the Banff townsite and is where many young skiers in the area first learned to ski, making it a great family mountain. Banff Sunshine has incredible terrain for all skill levels and sees the most champagne powder snow of the three resorts. Lake Louise Ski Resort is perhaps the most well-known as it is the home to the Lake Louise Ski World Cup, and you simply cannot go wrong spending your day on their slopes.”
Traveling to Banff and Lake Louise in November, guests can get into the holiday spirit early by attending the Santa Claus parade November 17. There’s also the Banff Christmas Market (November 22-25) held at the Warner Stables, which features festive entertainment, culinary delights and artisanal gifts. Two other not-to-miss events in November include the Banff Craft Beer Festival (November 22-24) at the home of Canada’s first national park, the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, and the Lake Louise World Cup (November 24-25 for men’s and November 30-December 2 for women’s) at the Lake Louise Ski Resort.
“Spending a magical day in Lake Louise and visiting the ice castle, skating on Lake Louise, taking a sleigh ride along the shores of Lake Louise, and enjoying a glass of mulled wine at the ice bar,” John recommends. “To me, that’s the perfect winter day in the Canadian Rockies.”