GayCalgary Magazine has attended the Whistler Pride and Ski Festival for the past number of years. In 2017, it will be their 25th Anniversary of the event. Every year, we talk about the award-winning slopes for skiing and snow boarding and, on our last trip, I decided to check out the other side of Whistler. I will still bring up the slopes, but elaborate on the other great things there.

Whistler is two hours north of Vancouver along the sea to sky highway. The drive is breath taking and deserving of road-side photos. It is a great way to start your stay. The slopes were already internationally known as some of the best places to ski and snowboard prior to the 2010 Olympics; post Olympics, the momentum keeps growing. SKI Magazine surveyed more than 20,000 of their reader’s reviews of the 50 top resorts in North America, examining nearly every aspect of the mountains. In the end, SKI Magazine readers ranked Whistler as the number one overall ski destination in North America for the third time in four years.

As Rob checked out the slopes, I finally had a chance to do a snowmobile tour. We usually do shots of the mountain scenery and the gondola rides but, though the weather was great for skiing, it was difficult to get photos outdoors. Heavy wet snow was coming down for the majority of the time we were there. So, it helped that we had already decided to change direction of the travel article.

Though Whistler is well known for the skiing, you don’t realize that it’s a very young town. Pioneers were in the area back in the 1880s, but it was not until 1975 that the Resort Municipality of Whistler was established, and it became the first resort municipality in Canada. So, over a short period, Whistler has grown to be the place to ski in North America – boasting major hotels, restaurants and services – while maintaining a small foot print.

Prior to the Whistler seen today, these were the lands of the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations. The two different cultures of these First Nations people are showcased in the area as well as on the sea to sky highway. This is the reason why I wanted this year’s travel article to highlight the food, arts and culture of Whistler. Sometimes it can be missed when all focus is on the slopes.

Whistler has two local own museum showcasing how the village was started, the history of skiing and snowboarding in the area, their multiple attempts to host the Olympics, and archives and artifacts from the 2010 Winter Olympics they hosted. Check out the article at http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5384 .

The second museum we check out was the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations Museum, showcasing the cultures of the First Nations people that lived in the area for centuries prior to the arrival of pioneers. Artwork and interactive displays illustrate what life was like for them in the past, as well as how things have changed over the past 100 years. Check out the article at http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5385 .

For a resort town, there is a multitude of places you can eat at; still many of these locations are pretty much packed with line-ups once the slopes close for the day. There are your staple fast food restaurant franchises like Subway, Starbucks, Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, Domino’s Pizza, KFC, McDonald’s, etc.  Then sit down dinning places like Earl’s, the Old Spaghetti Factory, Milestones and several others. But it is nice to see some great local favourites, several of which source ingredients from the area when possible, like fresh local seafood and produce. The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, for instance, harvest their own honey from a bee hive that habituates on their rooftop.

We tried several restaurants at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, which included The Mallard Lounge and Terrace, The Wildflower, and Portobello Market & Fresh Bakery. All of the restaurants are open to the public, and each offers a different taste and feel. The Portobello Market & Fresh Bakery is for people who want to pick up a freshly made sandwich, baked good or tea and, in the summer, Italian soda. The Wildflower is a great place to start the day with a breakfast buffet, or you can order from the menu. The Mallard Lounge and Terrace is ideal for lunch or dinner. We have reviews of these locations at http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5382 .

If you are looking for something that you can’t find anywhere else, try Ketel One Ice Room at Bearfoot Bistro. They had -32C Ice Room for Vodka tasting, and it is open all year round. The restaurant also does the Champagne bottle sabering experience where you can try removing the top of a Champagne bottle with a sword. Check out our article at http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5387

The Thunderbird Café, which is part of the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations Museum, had simple but delicious locally sourced food. Most dishes came with bannock – and that alone should make this restaurant a destination point. If you have never had bannock or think you have had the best, I recommend checking out this place. Check out the review at http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5386 .

The restaurants, lounges and bars also offer an extremely impressive selection of wines and spirits. They provide a reason to stay out at night, hanging out with friends and strangers while sampling some of the best that Whistler has to offer.

With amazing hiking treks, the trails of Whistler Bike Park, ziplines and more, Whistler is truly a year-round destination. The Peak 2 Peak Experience offers stunning sight lines of Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain; there is white water rafting; or go boating and fishing on a quiet lake. Whistler also does a Farmer’s Market from June to October so you can enjoy locally grown food.

If you have not had a chance to check it out, Whistler should be on your list of destinations to check out in Canada. If you are traveling to Vancouver to hang out on Davie Street, grab your friends and go for a quick daytrip. You and your friends will have a great time.

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Contributor Steve Polyak |

Locale British Columbia | Whistler |

Topic Arts | Fairmont Chateau Whistler | Fairmont Hotels | Food | Accommodation and Lodging | Museum | Ski and Snowboard | Travel | Whistler Pride |

Photo Gallery Travel |Whistler |