hero media

The Ultimate Whistler Ski Guide

With a massive 3300 hectares of terrain, there’s room for everyone here. Hotshots, novices, families, couples and the party crowd rub shoulders in alpine harmony.

Why it’s a secret gem

Whistler rocks, on and off the snow. The host resort of the 2010 Winter Olympics has just celebrated its 50th year and has 200 trails spread over Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.

 

Off the slopes, the village is vibrant and cosmopolitan. It is one of the best snow towns in the world, renowned for its shopping, nightlife, dining and accommodation.

Who will love it

Adventurers will find challenging terrain, heliskiing, cat skiing and backcountry experiences, while outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty of blue and green runs, lots of lesson options and softer adventures like ziplining and snowshoeing.

 

After the sun goes down, party in a raucous bar, or enjoy fine dining in a romantic setting.

Three things you must do

1. Ride the Peak 2 Peak gondola, the highest and longest lift in the world that connects Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

 

2. Visit the Audain Art Museum, which showcases the art of British Columbia.

Audain Art Museum
The bridge leading to the Audain Art Museum.

3. Spend a few hours at the Scandinave Spa, where hot tubs, refreshing waterfalls, eucalyptus steam rooms, wood-burning saunas and hammocks are set in a spruce and cedar forest.

Local secrets you should know about

Pick up a copy of Pique when in town. It’s a good source of restaurant specials and weekly events.

 

Gone Village Eatery is a local favourite, serving coffee and healthy meals. The Camp Lifestyle + Coffee Co. is a beautifully designed space for coffee and outdoor equipment and lifestyle goods, from tents to handmade blankets. There’s a ‘secret’ garden out the back, complete with fire pit.

Off the slopes

Pull up a blanket and sit back for a horse-drawn sleigh ride with bells along snowy forest trails. You can take just the ride or a ride to a three-course fondue dinner. Romantics can hire their own private sleigh, ideal for wedding proposals.

 

The private sessions, in water loaded with Epsom salts, last for 90 minutes and create a feeling of weightlessness. If you want a gourmet experience, try a guided four-course dinner tour that takes you to four restaurants.

 

Snowshoeing jaunts will place you in a snowy wonderland, or go on an eagle-watching excursion. You’ll float along a river and see bald eagles flying, perching and eating salmon.

 

Whistler is also crammed with galleries, museums and shops. In fact, any urban pursuit you find in the cities is probably available at Whistler. If you want action, try ziplining, snowmobiling, a piloted bobsleigh ride, or a skeleton run. Families will love the tube park, which has lanes of varying difficulty.

Best après-ski hotspot

Happening spots when the clock turns over to 4 PM, include The Garibaldi Lift Company Bar and Grill, Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub, The Longhorn Saloon and Grill and Merlin’s Bar and Grill. Nachos, buffalo wings and pulled pork tacos are standard après plates at all of them. Expect shoulder-to-shoulder revelry.

Longhorn Saloon and Grill
Set your board or skis outside and head in for a steaming plate of fries at the Longhorn Saloon and Grill.

Skiers will love

First-time skiers and boarders to Whistler can get to know the slopes on a free guided tour. Families should check out the Tree Fort at Whistler and Magic Castle at Blackcomb. Burnt Stew Trials is an easy, meandering green run, but not suitable for snowboarders because of a flat section at the end.

 

If you’re into cruising, consider the Dave Murray Downhill. It’s fine if you put on the brakes every now and again, but when they’re racing on it in World Cup and Winter Olympics the speed is at a breakneck level. It’s a great run to bag for bragging rights. If you want some black runs, go to Bagel Bowl or Secret Bowl. Not many people go in there (hence the name).

Snowboarders will love

The natural hits all over Whistler and bowls that are magic when the powder has come down.

 

Peak to Creek is the resort’s longest run at 11 kilometres, and perfect for snowboarders because there are no flat sections. You can rip down the groomed, go into the trees at the side and find plenty of hits. Check out Blackcomb Glacier and Seventh Heaven for glades and bowls. If you want to tackle the really tough stuff, Extremely Canadian has backcountry tours and clinics in the steeps.

Recommended places to stay

Budget to midrange

AAVA Whistler Hotel

 

Pet-friendly, free wi-fi, and even free use of GoPro video cameras.

 

Address: 4005 Whistler Way

 

Whistler Peak Lodge

 

The former Holiday Inn – free wi-fi and most rooms have jetted tubs.

 

Address: 4295 Blackcomb Way

 

Delta Whistler Village Suites

 

Recently renovated and family-friendly.

 

Address: 4308 Main Street

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Family

Lodging Ovations

 

Choose any of the lodging options here from Legends, Evolution and First Tracks. Each having a variety of suites and condos. Offering one, two and three-bedroom areas. Other amenities include outdoor heated pools, hot tubs, a sauna and a steam room. If you’re keen on the designer side of life, First Tracks is the choice for you.

 

Address: 2036 London Lane

Lodging Ovations
Lodging Ovations.

Luxury

Westin Resort and Spa

 

Deals often include free ski valet and wi-fi.

 

Address: 4090 Whistler Way

 

Nita Lake Lodge

 

The only lakeside property in Whistler.

 

Address: 2131 Lake Placid Road

 

Planning a trip to Canada? Check out our curated travel guide to learn about what to do, where to stay and what to eat.

Want to see more stories from International Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set International Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "International Traveller". That's it.

View profile and articles
Forget the snow and follow Whistler locals to Russet Lake
Whistler

Forget the snow and follow Whistler locals to Russet Lake

Read more
How to have an epic Whistler ski day
Whistler

How to have an epic Whistler ski day

Read more
Aurora Borealis
Whistler

How to have the best White Christmas in Canada

With snowflakes and sleigh bells, ski slopes and skating rinks, Canada is the ultimate holiday destination for a white Christmas.

Read more
Fly in ultimate style to Canada’s famous Whistler
Whistler

Fly in ultimate style to Canada’s famous Whistler

Read more
hero media

12 grand journeys throughout North America

    Continue
    Discover North America’s epic adventures — from Route 66 and Alaska cruises to Hawai‘i road trips, NYC culture, Mexico trails and more.

    1. Route 66, the Main Street of America

    Travelling with: Ricky French

    Sunset on Route 66 in the California Mojave Desert.
    Hit the open road and trace America’s legendary highway. (Image: Getty/Der_Thomasa)

    Dubbed the Main Street of America, Route 66 radiates serious main character energy, cemented into popular culture through everything from John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath to the Disney Pixar film Cars. Spanning nearly 4000 kilometres from Chicago to Los Angeles, the historic highway celebrates its centenary next year, a timely invitation to take the mother of all road trips along the Mother Road. Allow two to three weeks to tackle the full length, or bite off a smaller chunk at either end, cruising the dramatic deserts of California or the more pastoral landscapes of Illinois, lined with neon-lit diners, retro gas stations and quirky roadside attractions.

    2. Mexico’s Día de los Muertos

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    emblematic catrina of mexico with flowers and necklace with sempasuchil flowers
    Celebrate life and honour loved ones in vibrant style. (Image: Getty/Fabian Pacheco)

    You might know Oaxaca as the birthplace of mole and mezcal. But the state in southern Mexico is also where the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) began. Time your visit to coincide with the colourful holiday, on 1–2 November, which honours and celebrates loved ones who have passed away. Oaxaca is also Mexico’s Michelin-starred culinary capital, with 18 restaurants and a humble taco stand listed in the 2025 guide.

    3. Museum-hop in New York City

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    The Guggenheim Museum’s iconic spiralling exterior, a highlight of North America Epic Adventures.
    Step inside and marvel at bold, world-class art. (Image: Damiano Fiore)

    Your map app will look like it’s been scattered with confetti after you’ve dropped pins on all the museums you want to visit in New York City. Must-sees are the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met, and the Museum of Modern Art. The American Museum of Natural History is also a draw. It’s also worth venturing into the boroughs to browse institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, which has a huge permanent collection categorised by culture.

    4. The USA’s music scene

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    The Seattle skyline at night, aglow with city lights on North America Epic Adventures.
    Soak up skyline views and dive into the city’s coffee culture. (Image: Abigail Boone)

    If you’re a muso, chances are you’ve wanted to make a pilgrimage to the United States, the epicentre of so many beloved genres. Whether you’re head-banging your way around the Grunge Circuit in Seattle, chasing the twang of the pedal steel through Tennessee or bouncing between blues bars in the Mississippi Delta, the USA’s rich music culture has something that’ll strike a chord.

    5. Road-tripping Hawai‘i

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    A woman surfing in Hawaii, gliding across turquoise waves on North America Epic Adventures.
    Catch the waves and ride Hawaii’s iconic swells. (Image: Ben Ono)

    Hawai‘i is one of the most diverse US states to road trip around. Of the six major islands to visit, the Island of Hawai‘i packs in everything from the snowy summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to black-sand beaches and lava fields frozen in the act of flowing forward. Change down a few gears on the island of O‘ahu, too, where you can find your own patch of sand on Waimanalo Beach. Visit poi and pineapple plantations. And hang ten on beginner-friendly waves on the North Shore.

    6. Cruising Alaska

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Explora Journeys ship cruising in Alaska.
    Sail past glaciers and spot whales in pristine waters.

    Seeing Alaska from the sea allows you to cover a lot of distance quickly. This immersive frontier now beckons more than ever before with Explora Journeys adding the American state to its global destination portfolio. Best of all are the pre-and post-journey immersions that connect the luxury of a cruise onboard Explora III with the rugged grandeur of the Alaskan interior. UnCruise Adventures also weaves in access to remote national parks, legendary wildlife corridors and authentic cultural experiences on its Alaskan itineraries.

    7. The Wixárika Route in Mexico

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    People journeying through the Wixarika Route.
    Journey deep into sacred Huichol traditions and art.

    For generations, the Indigenous Wixárika People of Mexico have walked a sacred path known as Tatehuarí Huajuyé, or ‘The Path of Our Grandfather Fire’. The annual pilgrimage route spans 500 kilometres, taking in significant sites in Wixárika spirituality and cosmology. The route passes through the deserts, mountains and forests of northern Mexico before reaching Wirikuta, believed to be the place the sun first emerged. The route is a living cultural landscape of Indigenous culture pre-Columbian influence and, in July this year, was formally inscribed into UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

    8. Drive the Iceberg Coast in Canada

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Iceberg off the east coast of Canada
    Chase icebergs along Expedition 51 on Canada’s east coast. (Image: Canadian Tourism Commission/ Chris Hendrickson)

    Download the icebergfinder.com map to better plan your road trip along Canada’s Iceberg Coast. The new highway, which has been nearly 25 years and CAD$1.1 billion in the making, threads through the country’s pleated coastlines around Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick before looping in the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon. As well as chasing icebergs along Expedition 51, travellers will have the opportunity to engage with cultures that have thrived in the pristine provinces for thousands of years.

    9. A foodie tour of Nova Scotia

    Travelling with: Katie Carlin

    Lunenberg Nova Scotia
    Try lobster rolls in Lunenburg on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. (Image: Natalia Kvitovska/ Unsplash)

    World-famous for its lobster, Nova Scotia is a Canadian province best savoured through its culinary clout shaped by sea and terroir. Bite into lobster rolls at historic Lunenburg’s Salt Shaker Deli & Inn and sip maple rum at Ironworks Distillery. Winery-hop around Wolfville’s rising vineyards (don’t miss Lightfoot & Wolfville). Take a maple syrup tour at Sugar Moon Farm near Earltown. And pull up a seat at waterfront Bar Sofia in Halifax, where Nova Scotia oysters aguachile arrive bright with cucumber, lime and pickled onion.

    10. Soak up the sun in the Caribbean

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Overwater bungalows off a beach in the Caribbean
    Experience the white-sand beaches and cerulean seas of the Caribbean on board a cruise.

    The Caribbean is on the radar for seasoned cruisers. And it’s easy to see why, with white-sand beaches, cerulean seas and swaying palms so picture-perfect they look AI-generated. Cruise with Windstar, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity on its inaugural Xcel season to the Caribbean to enjoy action-packed excursions such as snorkelling coral reefs and shopping for local trinkets. And those sea days? Spectacular.

    11. Red Chair Hikes of Canada

    Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes

    Red Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Minnewanka in Canada
    Take a seat at Lake Minnewanka, one of more than 400 red Adirondack chairs scattered across Canada’s hiking routes. (Image: Getty Images/ Autumn Sky Photography)

    No one appreciates the great outdoors more than Canadians, emerging from snow-covered winters to tread glacial rivers and snowshoe through forests, or to hike mighty mountains and wildflower-strewn valleys come spring. Along popular hikes around the country, more than 400 red Adirondack chairs have been placed in peaceful, breathtaking locations. What started as a social media contest now sees hikers soaking in classic Canadian lake and mountain vistas, overlooking historic sites or gazing down on the mountainous path they just travelled.

    12. Ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Denver to Moab, USA

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Sweeping views from the Rocky Mountaineer.
    The Rocky Mountaineer will continue as the Canyon Spirit in 2026, seen here carving through Ruby Canyon.

    Sighting wild animals is one of many incredible thrills along the two-day luxury Rockies to the Red Rocks route onboard the Rocky Mountaineer across America’s Southwest between mid-April and mid-October. In addition to the lone bear, we spot bighorn sheep, elk, beavers, pronghorn antelope, bald eagles and ospreys. Riding the rails onboard the luxury train, which was founded in Canada in 1990 and has been awarded the prestigious World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train several times, has never been about just getting from A to B. Ride the train from Denver to Moab and you will see the scenery change from snow-capped peaks to meadows, red-rock canyons and soaring cliffs that resemble ornate Gaudí-esque cathedrals. But it’s not until you get off the train that you can produce the ultimate Venn diagram, with nature and adventure in the intersecting spheres.