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From the comfort of bustling Whistler Village, it's easy to forget just how wild the terrain is right in your own backyard.
This alpine hamlet sits at the base of the lifts to both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, which together constitute North America's largest and, in many ways, most extreme ski resort. And yet, while those massive snow-covered peaks are favorites among the X Games crowd, the view from the bottom is less aggressively extreme and much more urbane and sophisticated. Strolling through this pedestrian-only village, you'll find high-end outdoor lifestyle shops, more than 40 restaurants, and a host of bars, clubs, and lounges serving up one of the buzziest après scenes in the world.
Come summer, the village hosts a massive farmers' market, as well as specialty farm-to-fork dinners and mountaintop winemaker events. Best of all, although Whistler Village got its start as a planned ski resort, there's still a vibe of small-town authenticity about the place. Sure, the architecture here leans heavily toward the Old World European, but Whistler Village is no kitschy alpine theme park. Instead, the village offers great reminders of its British Columbia heritage, including galleries selling Inuit and Pacific Coast First Nations art and a cultural center dedicated to the local Squamish and Lil'wat nations.
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Spring has sprung: Flowers are sprouting, the weather is warming up, the snow is melting — which means the water in Whistler's rivers is high and ready for white-water rafting! Whether you're a scaredy cat or an adrenaline junkie, you can choose from an array of rapids on the Green, Lower Cheakamus, Elaho, and Squamish Rivers. Along the way, you'll have the option to paddle your heart out or simply sit back, relax, and let the guides get you through the rapids.
It would be natural to assume that a summer visit means you've missed your chance to ski or snowboard. But not in Whistler, which boasts the longest snow season in all of Canada. Forget near-frostbitten fingers and layers upon layers of gear. Open from late June through July, Horstman Glacier gives skiers the chance to tan while slaloming between two T-bars and over a terrain park perfect for pros. Soft snow and hot sun make for epic conditions — just be sure to slather on the sunscreen!
No trip to Canada would be complete without a little ice hockey, eh? Hockey season runs from fall through spring, giving you many opportunities to go for a day trip to Vancouver to see the Canucks hit the ice. Back in Whistler Village, you can catch all Canuck games at Tapley's Neighbourhood Pub, a local institution where you can also try your hand at some table hockey between periods.
Slippery slopes can be a pain for skiers — but when it comes to tubing, they're a perfect fit. Easily accessible from Whistler Village, the Coca-Cola Tube Park in the Base 2 Zone of Blackcomb Mountain offers multiple 1,000-foot lanes for thrilling downhill slides. Best of all, the park has a conveyor belt system that will take you and your tube back up to the top of the hill for all-day tubing fun without the strenuous climb.