Whistler
 

I am going to be in Vancouver mid November, and would like to go to Whistler for 2-3 nights. Can anyone suggest the following:

1. Luxury accommodation.

2. How to get there and back.

1. No particular preference but Fairmont, Westin, and Four Seasons fif there's one. Check out www.hellobc.com (official B.C. tourism website)

2. As for getting there, car, limo, bus (Perimeter Transportation), train. Depends on your time and budget. Be aware of mandatory parking charges (nothing free overnight in town).

YVR C....

I agree, all hotels are nice.
I like to add:
-Whistler is a nice, clean, upscale place
-To road from Vancouver to Whistler can be troublesome, lots of repairs, renovation for the Winter Olympics. Still, its the nice drive, I believe it's called "Sea to Sky highway"

1 - We've booked the Pan Pacific Mountainside - we called them, and got the expedia rates rather than those posted on the website, and you still deal direct. Still two weeks before we get there so can't comment on , but it was recommended.

2 - Although we're driving, the new Whistler Mountaineer train started this year.

Thanks for the feedback. The Whistler Mountaineer only operates from 1 May - 16 October. Might try the limo.

Can anyone provide current suggestions on getting from YVR to the Westin Whistler mid-March '08? There are 5 of us traveling (3 adults and 2 children) and we are staying 8 days. Bus shuttles? Car rental? Is the road to/from Whistler twisty mountain roads? Do cars need chains? Whistler Mountaineer train sounded interesting but I guess it is only available during the summer? Is there a need for a car in town?

Also, any suggestions for ski rentals/ski school for the kids? Prices?

What are some kid-friendly (nearby, perhaps walking distance and economical) places to eat out? Our rooms at the Westin will have full kitchens so we'll most likely eat in for breakfast and maybe lunch but we'll probably eat out occasionally for dinners. Is there a grocery store nearby to stock up on food/snacks for the kids?

Any and all suggestions/tips/ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,

Onedog

I don't frequent Whistler that often (and usually in the summer at that) so I'm sure there's others who can provide more detailed info but here are some thoughts to get the ball rolling...

Personally, I wouldn't use "twisty" mountain roads to describe the Sea to Sky Highway but there are stretches that road is cut into & around hills. You shouldn't really need a car in town as you can just use the local buses to get around so I'd recommend just taking a shuttle bus to get to Whistler if possible.
[Mini-rant: If you do drive, take your time. The highway is notorious for accidents because people drive too fast/aggressively for the conditions (wet, dark, curves, tired from a day a Whistler, etc),

For family friendly & economical dining, I'd recommend some chains: Earl's, Milestones, Old Spaghetti Factory. You can google them and check out their menus. Take a look at this site for other ideas http://www.dinehere.ca/ but take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.
We usually pick up groceries at a supermarket chain called Marketplace IGA.

The Skylynx shuttle will get you from the airport to your hotel:

http://www.pacificcoach.com/SkyLynx

A round-trip Adult fare is $111, child fare is $58, so (3 x $111) + (2 x $58) = $449

...so if you can find a fullsize car rental for less than $450 CAD you're probably better off with a car, if not, take the bus.

You're right in the village, so you don't really need a car, other than to perhaps drive to the local supermaket. However, in that instance you could probably take a taxi.

It's a nice to have a car and the drive is pretty easy if you avoid rush hour. The second narrows bridge (TC-1) is less of a problem from the airport than the Lions Gate and the Upper Levels Highway (TC-1) continues on to the road to Whistler at Horseshoe Bay. The road is being improved for the Olympics so there may be construction delays. There are no difficult strectches and there are many scenic lookouts until Squamish. Added note: bidding on Priceline will get you a pretty good deal at a high end place in Whistler most of the time. Check out bidding for travel or better bidding.

If you drive, I'd suggest doing as much of the trip as possible in daylight (i.e. before 4:30pm). Not only is the road scenic, but it's much easier to see the construction diversions, etc. during the day. I drove about half of the way in daylight and enjoyed that part of the trip more.

Another property to consider is the Hilton. It's located right next to the Westin, and while not luxurious in a "posh" way, the service was absolutley first class and the rooms were well appointed.

Thought I'd update this thread with an article from CNN.com that has some info for FAQ's at the bottom...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/getaw....ap/index.html