Whistler in Summer? ABSOLUTELY! Ski, Raft, Mountain Bike, Shop & MORE!
Written: Jul 11 '03 (Updated Jul 11 '03)
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Pros: So much to do; fabulous weather; not crowded; Stunning Beauty
Cons: 14% tax on nearly everything
The Bottom Line: A trip to heaven, in summer. Absolutely stunning--reminds you why being alive is so great.
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| briandalsmom's Full Review: Whistler-Blackcomb |
You really can have it all in Whistler, BC. Beautiful scenery, great activities, outstanding prices, and the place all to yourself. You just need to visit during the summer!
We enjoyed a quick trip up in July 2003. We went to drop my son of for ski camp—yes, he went to ski camp from July 10-17th—how cool is that for a 15-year old! While there, we spied river rafters soaking wet having just come out of the river, mountain bikers flying down what used to be ski slopes, and skiers coming off the mountain for dinner. All from our vantage point of a delightful outdoor café.
When we first found out we’d be going we heard all the horror stories. From “it’s so expensive” to “the road there is horrible!”. Luckily, we ignored them all and went for it. We had a great time, found the prices to be extremely reasonable, and the drive outstanding.
Not that we didn’t encounter a few difficulties on the road, but it wasn’t Whistler’s fault as they’d warned us (the hotel, the camp, every website associated with it) that there was major construction going on on the only road in and out from the south. Scheduled closures were clearly posted and there weren’t any surprises. Unfortunately, what they couldn’t plan for was the tree trimming group who kept us behind barricades for 80 minutes while they trimmed one tree. Oh well, the view on the road was impressive because of the natural beauty and because of the major rock blasting and crushing going on—we enjoyed watching the men and their machines take down mountains of rock to build another 2 lanes of traffic.
The town itself is enchanting—overly clean and beautifully done, it has an artificial feel, which I don’t mind at all. It’s sort of like Disneyland or Vegas—the yucky stuff is hidden away and only the nice, friendly, and beautiful stuff is out in view. There was a ton of construction going on in the village itself as well—readying themselves for the 2010 Olympics that will be coming there. It was VERY obvious that they had worked hard to win the bid and they were very proud. Of course, there were those vendors who already had items in the window for sale with the 2010 logo—gotta love free enterprise.
Back to the construction—they did a good job of concealing most of the mess and the noise so as not to bother those patrons staying within the Village. Many outstanding hotels are actually a part of the main Village Walk, a winding brick path wide enough to accommodate 30 people abreast (which I suspect is how it is during the winter) with shops along the sides with post and planked walkways of their own so you can walk in the shade or shop without getting caught up in the major flow of people.
The walks were lined with flowers of every hue with plenty of places to sit and people watch. An overabundance of shade and cool areas to hide from the summer sun were available, each with something to enjoy—a water feature or mountain view. Every garbage can had bear-proof handles, a subtle reminder that we’re in the mountains.
All along the walk are shops, rental facilities, tourist facilities and restaurants. Fast foods like Subway, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Mc Donald’s cleverly hidden within the village so you don’t loose the snow lodge atmosphere. There are fine dining establishments mixed throughout and mid-range as well. We ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory (we have one in Seattle but we won’t wait 3 hours for a table here), Dogs N Tails (hot dogs and beaver tails—beaver tails are like elephant ears. I had a veggie dog here—it was awful! I don’t recommend it), and several other small places. One I can’t remember the name of had “…the best pies” and they were right. Meat and potato pies as well as fruit and berry.
Prices for the restaurants were very reasonable. For a family of five for dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where most complete dinners were $10-$11, our bill was $60 (plus tip). As we paid in US, we got a substantial (37%) discount on top of that because of that days exchange rate (we exchanged the cash at the bank before dining—don’t wait and have the restaurant do it—most only give 30%, some 20%). Comparable with the US rates but with the exchange rate it was actually quite cheaper. Soft drinks throughout the Village were $1.50 Canadian for a large size; in the US they run about $1.60 US. Most put very little if any ice in their soda so if you’re like me and love a lot of ice you’ll have to ask for it. Be prepared to have them look at you funny—they can’t imagine why you’d pay to fill your cup up with free ice.
Food choices were plentiful and reasonable but the views were unbelievable. You can sit right at the base of the mountain and enjoy your meal while watching crazy mountain bikers fly down the hill at you—it was truly surreal. In this same location are all the trams going up to the higher elevations. Until the end of July there is skiing on the upper glacier (you have to take a bus and then a tram—it’s really high up there!). There are activities up there as well and food so you needed come back to the Village until you’re day is over. The transportation up and down would be too time consuming.
The river is within walking distance—you can rent absolutely everything you need, put it on, and hop in the river without a thought. Bikes can be rented in many locations—regular, tandem, tandem w/child, and sturdy mountain bikes with all the safety gear you need to throw yourself off the mountain.
There are two movie theatres—one smaller 2-movie place with $5 all seats on certain days and times, the other right in the Village is better maintained and more like the Cineplex’s at home. They have to compete with the hotels all around them that have pay-per-view movies, but who can pass up a comfy chair and hot popcorn? Prices were $8.00 a ticket, a bit more than we pay at home ($7.50)(but remember the exchange, we actually got a bargain).
There are plenty of evening places for those over 19 (the legal drinking age there) to partake in. Outside cafes and dark lounges, something for everyone’s taste.
Shopping is another fun way to spend the day. Some big stores like the GAP exist next to handmade, artist-made stores. Neither looks out of place as they’ve worked hard on making the ski resort theme work. We were treated beautifully by every shopkeeper we met and showed a great selection of items. Outside of the Village (in a town nearby) we were treated horribly because we were American. I made the mistake of only having US funds when I wanted to buy a pack of gum. The person was extremely rude and told me that I had a lot of nerve thinking he’d take my US funds. Good golly, this was for $1.50 and I was willing to forgo the exchange. Long story short, I appreciate that the Village has worked hard to be sure that people realize that they are in the Service Industry and that means servicing their clients, no matter where they are from.
There’s a world-class golf course and driving range (designed by Arnold Palmer) right in town (our hotel looked over the driving range). Everything you need can be rented there. The grounds are beautiful and the use of flowers amazing. All over, we were literally bombed by beautiful butterflies.
The one place I found prices a bit shocking were the trams. To take a tram up to the top of the mountain the cost was $100 Canadian for a family of four. Perhaps it costs that much and I can’t fault them for that, but for us it was not something we were willing to pay. I get motion sick and am not fond of heights, so to pay so much to be terrified didn’t seem like a good thing. My son will be doing it this week—I’ll let you know how he liked it and what was at the top when he gets home. I’m sure I’ll also have a lot more to tell you about after he’s spent his 8 days there.
On thing you should know, the prices are reasonable, but their taxes are something to consider when budgeting. They charge 7.5% PST (Provincial Sales Tax) and 7% GST (Good and Services Tax) on nearly every purchase. There are a few exclusions, but trust me it’s very few. As a UK or US citizen you may be entitled to up to 50% of your GST refunded but the rules are extremly strict. Plan on paying 14.5% tax on everything and if you get a bit back great. We did get 50% of our GST back on some purchases but others we got nothing.
All-in-all it pays to play. The prices were low, the tax high, the view unbelivable. In the end you won’t mind paying because the place will blow you away. Forget the crowded season, go during the summer and bike, sunbathe, golf, raft, ski and more!
I won’t list the costs of off all the great things you can do because there are too many great sites to get up-to-the-minute pricing. It’d be impossible to keep up with all the specials and packages. I will give you the Official Whistler website (http://www.whistler-blackcomb.com/) and the link to the hotel we stayed at (Coast Whistler—here’s my review: http://www.epinions.com/content_105723235972)
It was an amazing time, a beautiful drive, and a fun family time. There isn’t anything bad I can say about our whirlwind trip to Whistler/Blackcomb. You’ll have to try it yourself—you’ll be impressed!
After you've done all the excitment of Whistler/Blackcomb, go back to Vancouver and then head straight for the coast. Take the Twassenn Ferry to Vancouver Island and visit the Butchart Gardens (http://www.epinions.com/content_105785364100) on your way to Victoria--all within a few hours of Whistler--you'll love it!
Recommended:
Yes
Level of Experience Needed: All
Best Time to Visit: July
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
briandalsmom
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Member: Mom
Location: USA
Reviews written: 250
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