Ski Week: Vancouver & Whistler
This year we decided to try a different destination for our annual ski week in February. With every thing happening in our country, Canada felt like a nice welcome change!
Vancouver
With its urban forests, glassy downtown and energetic food scene, Vancouver felt like a perfect choice. Just a short two hour flight from San Francisco, made it a no brainer for us too!
There were quite a few nice hotels to choose from but we picked the Fairmont Pacific Rim which is located right on the water front and was walking distance from the shopping areas and Stanley Park. The other hotel that looked amazing was the Rosewood Hotel.
Things to do in Vancouver:
Surrounded by mountains and ocean, the stunning city is a paradise for people who love the outdoors. You can ride a zodiac to a pod of killer whales, cross a jaw-dropping suspension bridge, take a kayak tour, climb a mountain—all 2,830 steps—or simply stroll the seawall in an urban park that’s ranked among the best in the world. But it’s not all about the elements: Vancouver has culture down, too, and boasts stellar museums, a public market that makes foodie hearts sing, and one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in North America.
Bike ride around the seawall at Stanley Park
Explore Granville Market
Take a Seaplane and visit Victoria Island
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Seawall in Stanley Park
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Things to do in the evenings:
Listen to live music and sip hand crafted cocktails at the Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Pacific Rim
Enjoy the award winning “Hotel Georgia” cocktail at the 1927 Lobby Lounge in the Rosewood Hotel.
Have a memorable Japanese “Aburi-style” meal at Miku.
For divine Indian food using local, sustainable ingredients, visit Vij’s restaurant that has been in the top 10 restaurants in Canada.
Whistler
We rented a car and drove to Whistler for some skiing. In just under two hours, we arrived in the beautiful Whistler Village.
Whistler is home to Whistler Blackcomb, one of the largest ski resorts in North America.
We stayed at the Four Seasons Resort which is located in the heart of the ski resort with easy access to Black Comb and Whistler Mountains.
The skiing is phenomenal on both mountains. Besides the apres-ski excitement, we also enjoyed some other family friendly activities.
Family Fun in Whistler:
Besides skiing and snowboarding, the area offers snowshoeing, tobogganing and ski jumping at the Olympic Park, a venue for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and lots of family fun activities as well.
Dog Sledding - This was a really fun experience to do as a family and was definitely a highlight. We got to play with the dogs, harness them and enjoy a scenic ride on the mountain. We booked our experience through Canadian Wilderness Adventures.
Horse Carriage Ride - Enjoy a scenic mountain sleigh ride on Blackcomb mountain with blankets and the amazing views of the lights of Whistler village with Blackcomb Sleigh Rides
Snow Shoeing
Peak 2 Peak Gondola Ride
Peak 2 Peak Gondola Ride