Like everyone else, I'm pretty sure this year has been feeling like one of the longest never ending…read morestories of our lives!!! 2020 please end soon ... please!? Needed this dayscape - via the magnificent Sea-to-Sky Highway to the majestic mountain enclave - Whistler - in beautiful British Columbia! Folks be prepared - you will be tempted to stop several times on the drive up. Spectacular views during the daylight hours will leave you breathless!!! This review is done under - Whistler - but encompasses the drive up, the beautiful scenery, the mountains & forest that are all part of an amazing nature built province ('State' - for all those in Merica) of BC. And no, BC does not belong to Britain but to Canada. Don't laugh I've been asked this question before! I won't get into the whole Commonwealth technicality but yes if one is leaning towards that angle I guess you could say - the Queen does own the whole of Canada as we pay mega bucks as in millions each year to the UK - to be part of the British Empire! Oh how lucky we are!? So Harry & Megan got tired of this British royalty life & escaped to a quieter environment in ... Hollywood!?? Ok then!!! The big draw to Whistler is in the winter - skiing & snowboarding. The Blackcomb & Whistler mountains are world wide renowned & super popular! Hiking & mountain biking takeover in the summer. Whistler is mighty expensive so bring all 5 of your credit cards! There are a few good restaurants as well but please make reservations ahead of time or you'll be left hopping around to find whatever's available. Of note & in no particular order but worth trying, Oso Bar (Spanish) - make reservations this spot is fire (thank you manager for the complimentary dessert), Lucia Gelato (try the Ginger flavour), Fat Tony's Pizza (open till 3am so could be a real life saver), El Funiture Warehouse aka All Food @ $5.95 Everyday - that's like $3 bucks US right!?! Everyone eats here, superstars, the rich, the average Joe - there's no class rules when your starving & don't want to blow a lot of money - you will save money eating here!!! Avalanche Pizza, Splitz Grill (can be pricey but it's the burger you design so blame yourself for the hunger causing your mind to go crazy with so many toppings) & finally tacos at La Cantina. There's a few more spots including fine dining but that will be for an update after covid-19 ends. I'm real hesitant to go inside & prefer to stick to patio dining for now, as much as I can. The Whistler Village area is real easy to walk around in & you'll only need to drive if you have to go further up the mountain. I have been coming to Whistler since the early 90s & have stayed in many hotels & condo rentals. Definitely shop around & prebook your stay before coming up here. However, today's trip was just a day trip escape from the big city & was thoroughly enjoyed. The drive from Vancouver takes 90 minutes or less depending on how fast you drive - longer if you stop along the way & or make a pit stop in Squamish, a beautiful town & worth the stop - see my Squamish review. Whoa got the shock of my life while walking about! Five years ago on a cruise in the Caribbean, our group met the super charismatic, charming, & so awesome Cruise Director (entertainment) Matt! Check him out on Instagram @ mattcruisedirector. Merica many of you might be very familer with him from the Carnival Cruise Line!!! Couldn't believe he's now living here - currently on the Sunshine Coast of BC but will be relocating to Vancouver. It was a pleasure to run into him & his wife! I had vivid fond cruise flashback memories while chatting with him. That awesome cruise back in 2015 on Carnival Breeze was phenomenal!!!!! It was a total awesome riot! I discovered my island paradise - Curaçao! Side note - Vancouver & Whistler hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics! I can tell you from first hand experience with actually being involved in the Olympics as a volunteer - it was so spectacular an event!!!!! Vancouverites today still speak highly of it! Super natural Whistler is highly recommended if you've never been - so do check it out! Come experience Whistler & be wowed!!! You will exhale & feel that - we got this ... life is good after all!!!!!

Just a heads up to those of you thinking to get the edge or season passes. They've made the refund…read moresystem as much difficult as they possible could. I purchased the 5 days edge pass in May without realizing that my mom will need a knee replacement surgery this coming winter. As soon as I know the surgery is happening in this coming winter, I put in a request online to refund my money at the beginning of July. They not only asking you to fill out a mile long form with all those emails going back and forth, you are also requested to get all the signed documents from the doctors for approvals. It's been 2 months and I am still waiting for the refund. I've been going to Whistler for more than 30 yrs, this year is the worst experience ever.

Lush lush powder. It's a winter wonderland and visiting this place brings me vivid memories of…read moreBanff. The gondola is a nice smooth ride, but don't spend all day riding the gondola you'll lose time on the hill.

Very large skiable area with gondola service to main ski areas. Sitting in a gondola is very…read moreluxurious because it's enclosed, your snowboard is unstrapped and sitting outside on the gondola so you can sit in comfort and unwind for a bit without fear of loosing your gloves. There were nice runs off both the Whistler side and the Blackcomb side but as a snowboarder I think I liked the Blackcomb side better. There were less flat cat track spots and connector areas. Although once I figured out where to go, the runs on the Whistler side were amazing. I felt the Whistler side was consistently more crowded and had better snow than the Blackcomb side. I hear the Blackcomb was designed on a computer model as it's the newer side vs the Whistler side was not. Whistler has a large village that has many restaurants, grocery stores, board-shops and winter clothing stores. All the rentals in the area are some how connected to the Whistler village and you'll have to either walk thru there to get to the lifts and gondolas or have a ski in/ ski out situation. There is also a free bus system that connects all the surrounding rental areas and Whistler village. There are also a few different (paid) bus services to and from Vancouver airport to Whistler so you don't have to rent a car. Whistler is a cool place with a huge skiable area. It's located at a lower elevation so the 2 times I've been there, there was no new snow. It had a good base and had good groomed runs. This past time there was a fog layer in the middle of the mountain every day. So the top of the lower runs had limited visibility. If you went to the top of the mountain you'd be above the cloud line. My biggest complaint was that you couldn't always see the contours of the ground, when the run turned a certain way or was obscured from the sun behind a hill or trees. So on a long run you'd have good visibility in some areas then there'd be areas where there'd be bad visibility. Combine that with the mid mountain clouds / fog certain parts became a little sketchy. But once you got the run down you just trust that it's smooth and go, just takes a little leap of faith. Overall I enjoyed myself. I liked the ski in / ski out place that we rented (painted cliff), the ease of getting to and from the airport, and the ease of getting around via the free bus service. It would be amazing with some fresh pow! Going to Whistler? Check out my reviews of places in Whistler village to help plan your vacation. https://www.yelp.com/collection/mDjTabp4tD1hN0_JiY9-Ww/Whistler

Not sure why I have never reviewed this before as it's is an engineering marvel as the highest and…read moreat one point the longest gondola between two mountains! Connecting Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, each gondola is large, comfortable with lots of viewing space. There are some with glass bottoms that arrive approximately every 20 minutes but there is plenty to see on the regular gondolas and those lines are remarkably quicker. The ride is very smooth with exceptional views and we buy the summer passes that give unlimited rides on Whistler, Blackcomb and Peak to Peak throughout the summer season which is economical if you plan to take multiple trips ! A must do when visiting Whistler

We went up to Whistler for the day and the Peak to Peak Gondola did not disappoint. We went in…read morespring so most of the snow had melted. I think it was the last weekend of skiing so it wasn't very busy. I recommend wearing good shoes with traction because you will be walking in the snow if you're going when there is still snow on the mountain. With you ticket you can spend as much time as you want on the top and going from peak to peak, so we did go back and forth a few times. However once you come down the mountain, your journey comes to an end. We also explore the villages and it was pretty quaint and fun to check out all the little shops and restaurants. We definitely want to come again during the winter months and maybe get a few runs in on the mountain as well. When we saw the people skiing and snowboarding, we were a little jealous and wanted to do a few runs as well, but alas we didn't bring our gear. Next year for sure! We'll be back!

I can see why Cypress Mountain is known as one of the best snowshoeing destinations in Vancouver…read more There are many beautiful trails to choose from in the daytime and they offer a nice brightly lit evening snowshoe experience too. Follow the signage to "Nordic" and that's the area with ticket office and rentals for cross country skiing and snowshoeing fun! It has a diverse range of trails suitable for beginners and experienced hikers. Snowshoe rentals are available till 3:30pm for day time snowshoeing and just take note to return rentals by 4:30pm as they start night time tickets and rentals at 5pm. If you didn't pack foods, it's quite easy to grab a drink or a bite at their Nordic Cafe or at the Lodge. Five stars for their guest services - i was very impressed by the genuine effort they put in to help locate lost item for guests. Cypress is roughly 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver (check Google map for traffic congestion or delays) and about 10 to 15 minutes drive from West Vancouver and North Vancouver.

Went twice down the Eagle Coaster last month. It was a beautiful day, the most serene ride up the…read morechair lift, and the most shockingly bumpy ride down the coaster lol. They tell you to not hold your phone. Two people lost their caps. They tell you to release the brake and to speed up but I think you do need to slow down during the turns and bumps. Felt like I almost fell out at those times. It was a fun experience. Line was short at 10:30am. Much longer on the second ride down at around 11:30am.

We had the opportunity to go Heli-skiing with Powder Mountain yesterday. What can I say, trip of a…read morelifetime. Our guide Rory was awesome!! He knows his stuff and made sure we had a great experience. Darin our Pilot can land the heli on a dime. From start to finish this is a top notch operation. Safety is their number one priority, and we knew we where in good hands. Check one of the bucket list !!

While Whistler/Blackcomb are pretty great in their own right-there is nothing that can compare to a…read moreday with only a handful (under 10) people in a cat, on runs all to yourself. The crew over at PMS are professional, the terrain is awesome, and you will not be disappointed-totally worth the money on this one! We rode Whistler for 4 days in new pow each day before going up to Powder Mtn. I have to say I was hesitant to spend the money at first for the cat trip after all the dough we spent at Whistler. Man am I so glad that we sucked it up and spent it. Best day of pow we had all week! The day was snowy, it had dumped 2 ft of fresh the night before, and we only had 9 people total. Our group was really friendly and fun of all ages and countries. First up was the avalanche beacon training, which was fun and appreciated as it's something I don't really worry about when I'm not backcountry or if ski patrol is around. Hey learn something new every day right? Your crew gets 2 patrollers for the day, and a photog (thank kevin!-glad we met you on the gondola at Whis!). Felt totally safe for all levels of riding/skiing as one patrol stays up front to lead, and one stays behind if someone gets stuck. The terrain was alpine that day as it was still snowing and visibility was low-tree runs were awesome, deep, and led into big powder bowls before you get picked up and driven back up to a new run for fresh tracks. All in all Jordan took us up 7-8 times that day and we had snacks, water, and a sandwich lunch so you're never hungry. Nobody in our crew wanted to go home but the days gotta end at some point right? When that time comes, your legs will be tired but you won't be able to wipe the smile off your face! Days end you go back to the cabin and get to see all the shots your photog took of you shredding the gnar all day. You can buy a custom cd at the end with all your shots on it-get it-you'll want to remember that day when you go back home to work in your cubicle. Trust me on this one. Maybe set up a swear jar on your desk so every time you donate to it, you're one step closer to getting to go back up to Powder Mtn Snowcats. Don and Demelza-you guys were awesome guides all day-we definitely want to come back and next time want to go heli! Better start filling that swear jar. Sh*t.

The soup was good, the serving minute, especially after a 14k trek up the hill on skis. The…read moresandwich was ordinary bread from a bag with 1 piece lettuce and a measly amount of protein. We left hungry, not good considering the return was also 14 k. Thank goodness mostly downhill! For 20 bucks. Next time we bring our own lunch. Plus the couple next to us had been told by the olympic park people they could purchase lunch at the Journeyman lodge, not true, you have to preorder at Alexander falls at the bottom, they almost had to ski down without any food, however the host took pity and scraped the soup bowl for them. Maybe that's why we only got half a cup in our bowl? The ski itself is tough, but REALLY WORTH IT. Next time we will go on a clear day though to get more views, but as I said we will pack our own food.

Our group was six people (three were here in 2013) from Feb 16 - 18, 2014. It took us about 5 hours…read moreto snowshoe in due to the heavy snow. It was beautiful though. The hosts, Michelle and Jason were friendly and worked hard to make our stay enjoyable, I thought.....but according to our 3 friends, the food and service was much better last year (different hosts). After dinner on our last night, Jason & Michelle briefed us for the next day for check out. At the end of the briefing, they asked for gratuity, which we all thought was very awkward & distasteful. There is no where on their website that tells you to bring cash for gratuity. I don't mind contributing to gratuity but it could have been communicated to us in a more tasteful way. Overall, the lodge, the sauna, and accommodations were great but beware of the expectation of money from the hosts.

This hotel is definitely five stars! We decided to book this in the shoulder season, first week of…read moreDecember. We got to enjoy skiing in whistler while staying at the Westin for only 40% of the price it normally is in the busy ski season. The customer service is top notch. They delivered slippers to our room on request. Then we went down to the pool and hot tub area. The hot tub outside is perfect because the water is extra hot and you can cool off in the freezing outside air when you need a break. They also have both a dry sauna and steam sauna. Our friends recommended we check out this other sauna in whistler. But with what we experienced here, this has everything I want. And if you're unfamiliar with the area, understand that this is very close to the whistler gondola. I'm talking a 5min walk. We came here from Seattle so we brought our skis and parked in the garage. We start our day by going down to the parking garage, putting on our ski gear, then walking like five min to the lift. When we come back from skiing, we either walk to a restaurant right around the corner, or we get some steaks from the local market (6min walk) and cook it in the room. Not sure if all Rooms have this but ours had a full kitchen setup.

Conveniently located on the north side of DFW airport. It has all the amenities including an…read moreoutdoor pool and gym. There is a M lounge for Bonvoy platinum members which is great. This is our go to when we are visiting our office in Coppell.

Mountain used to be great. Close by in the Fraser Valley, decent time for kids and families…read more Purchased a season pass for several years. Been going downhill for some time. This season is gotten much worse. One of the main ski lifts has been broken since last season, and has not been opened at all this year. The begginers area "magic carpet" has also been closed all season long. They have the people taking begginer lessons walking up the bunny hill. It gets better, they also decided to close 2 days a week for the remainder of this month. They close 3 days a week for the remaining of the season! Save your cash. Go to Manning Park. May be a bit farther, but you will get your money's worth (or atleast provided for what you paid for). I am not sure they will last much longer.

We came here on a Friday afternoon to go snowboarding. Great place to learn if you're beginner as…read morethe runs were not crowded. It's a bit of a drive from Vancouver (~2 hours). This is a great resort if you're looking: * Reasonably priced - half day pass (12:30 to close - usually 8pm) is $46 for adults. * Smaller mountain with 3 chairlifts (good for beginners, 1 designated chairlift for beginners) * Less crowded (no wait time for chairlifts) * Night ski (only 2 chairlifts available at night) You will need SNOW TIRES OR CHAINS for the last ~10 km of the drive up the mountain to the resort if it's snowing or recently snowed. We saw a car in the ditch - don't be THAT guy.

What really makes the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa stand out is the staff. Our housekeeper,…read moreBaljinder, was incredibly welcoming and did a wonderful job throughout our stay. The bell service was also fantastic, especially when it came to checking and storing our bikes. The location couldn't be better. We were able to walk everywhere throughout Whistler Village, which made our stay so convenient and enjoyable. Irwin, the manager, was especially helpful and made sure any issues that arose were taken care of promptly. Overall, this hotel offers great value for the price, wonderful service, and an ideal location. We would definitely stay here again!

Hotel is in the Village which is super convenient for biking and restaurants…read more Check in staff were friendly and quick. Rooms are very clean and comfortable. Only downside for us was not queen beds but we made it work. Had a cot brought in. Valets overall were friendly. One guy in particular, bald, couldn't care less. Didn't bother to say hello but others were so great. Has a nice pool and hot tub. Those were very clean as well. Amelia, the concierge, was amazing. She was so helpful and kind. Told us about a great 4x4 experience and it was fantastic. Highly recommend taking her advice.

Unbelievable experience. Erik and Mo were the best. Once in a lifetime opportunity, wouldn't have…read moremissed it for the world.

Have gone twice now and off the charts both times. I simply couldn't recommend this place more…read more GREAT pilots and guides and great terrain. Friendly staff and well run operation! WARNING: you will be jaded on resort skiing for the rest of your life!