If you take a trip from Vancouver to Squamish like the boy and I did, you should extend your trip to Whistler. From Squamish, Whistler is a picturesque one-hour drive by bus, and it is one of the most beautiful serene places you can visit.
Many people go to Whistler during the winter for ski season; others visit during the summer for the gondola trip to the top of the Whistler-Blackcomb mountain. The boy and I had planned to do the latter but were surprised when we arrived to find that the gondola was closed for the season. We visited in October right after the Canadian Thanksgiving, so if you plan to visit the village for the gondola, I suggest you check when they are open so you don’t miss it. With the gondola not operational, here’s how we spent our time in Whistler.
We stayed at Sundial Hotel – a four-star hotel that’s only three minutes walk from the village Center. I was very impressed with the hotel service, the spacious suites and the location. Sundial Hotel has a rooftop hot tub you can access by booking a 30-minute slot at reception. Because we were in Whistler during the ‘quiet’ season, we had more timeslots available to use the hot tub. Robes and slippers were provided. You only need to pack your bathing suits. From the hotel, we had a view of the mountains and the gondola. It was even more beautiful to sit in the rooftop hot-tub and enjoy the view of the mountains. I highly recommend!
The evening we arrived, many of the restaurants around were booked out for Halloween parties. We were however able to get a table at The Raven Room. The menu is a selection of small plates with lots to choose from the cold plates, hot plates, and raw plates sections. We ordered potato puffs, teriyaki cauliflower, Thai fried chicken and the potato puffs. Typically, when I don’t take pictures of my food, I forget what I ate. But even without pictures, I can still remember how delicious everything was. The staff were friendly and it had a fun, yet relaxing atmosphere. I recommend checking it out if you visit.
It was also the first time I realised Whistler is a mini Australia. When we first arrived, I remember thinking ‘Hmmn. There are lots of British accents here.’ but soon realised they are mostly Australian. From what I hear, many Australians spend a year in Whistler working at the ski lodges. I certainly understand why they would choose Whistler. It is beautiful, picturesque and slow-paced – the ideal setup for anyone taking a year off to do something for themselves. If I had the opportunity to take a year off, I’d choose a place like Whistler too. To tell you how Australian it is, there is a Peaked Pies shop where you can enjoy the Australian meatpie. The boy and I tried it and it was delicious. A bit too much food for me, but tasty.
With the gondola not operational and a big cloud obstructing our view of the mountains, we visited the tourist information office for advice on things to do. The boy and I enjoy walking so hiking was top of our list even though we did not have the right shoes. For some reason, we both only packed chunky waterproof boots. I recommend packing some lightweight shoes for walking around in case you find yourself on an unplanned hike. Despite the heaviness of our boots, we found ourselves on a hiking trail with the most breathtaking views. The park where we hiked has a few trails so you can choose if you want to do a lengthy walk or something short and sweet. Our hike took us to a beautiful pond, we saw the mountains and we enjoyed the autumn colours. Even if the gondola is operational, I suggest reserving a day for a beautiful hike. The village itself offers beautiful views for a walk around. There are lots of shops where you can buy clothing and Whistler-engraved souvenirs. We bought a refrigerator magnet (as usual) and matching tuques.
On our last night in Whistler, we had dinner at Twenty-One Steps. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. When we decided to visit, we did not know what to expect, but boy, were we blown away! The food was so good, we changed our minds about not having dessert. The staff were very friendly, the atmosphere had a great buzz. It was a great end to a short but sweet trip. I recommend booking a reservation because it seemed popular even for low-visit season. We did not book one and were lucky to get a table upstairs. I am not sure if the menu downstairs is different from what’s offered upstairs. All I know is I was well fed with delicious food and could have eaten more if I had room. I tried Red Roof Apple cider for the first time at the restaurant and went on a hunt around the village the next day trying to find a case to take home with me. I was unsuccessful and found myself dreaming about it. Many people love dry apple ciders, but I am a big fan of semi-sweet ones. Since arriving back home in Ontario, I have been trying different apple ciders to see which one will give me the same feeling Red Roof did. I think I’ve found one, but I need to try it side-by-side with Red Roof.
Our trip to Whistler was short and sweet so there were many things we did not do or see. The little we did has placed it on my list of favourite places to be. On our bus trip back to Vancouver, I kept asking the boy if we should move to Whistler and work remotely. It’s funny because my job is hybrid, but you know what they say… a girl can dream.
