It’s hard to discuss the world’s most popular ski destinations without mentioning Whistler, Canada.
Whistler Blackcomb ski resort at dusk.
VisualCommunications/Getty Images
Located in the Fitzsimmons Range of the Coast Mountains, about a two-hour drive east of Vancouver, is the ski town Whistler.
Whistler is far from a hidden gem. Instead, it’s one of the continent’s most famous ski resorts and has collected a lengthy list of awards and recognition.
In 2010, Whistler hosted the Winter Olympics. According to PowderHounds and SnowPak, Whistler is one of Canada’s top skiing destinations. It’s the largest winter sports area in North America and has been voted the best ski resort in North America multiple times, according to the resort’s website.
Beyond Whistler’s fresh powder, steep slopes, and zipping gondolas, there’s a village filled with shops, restaurants, and galleries.
The mountain lifestyle — and the adrenaline that comes with it — enticed Stuart Costello to move to Whistler two and a half years ago
Stuart Costello works as an action and adventure photographer in Whistler, Canada.
Stuart Costello
Two-and-a-half years ago, Stuart Costello was living in Ontario. He graduated from university and decided he needed more nature and thrill in his life.
“I was drawn out here by the mountain lifestyle and its adrenaline-fueled lifestyle,” he told Insider. “More opportunity for snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and that whole lot.”
Plus, he said there wasn’t a better place to build a career as an action and adventure photographer.
So, he packed up his life in Ontario and moved out to Whistler. And so far, he said he hasn’t looked back.
Two ski seasons later, Costello said the town and the adventure that comes with it has lived up to the hype.
A group of snowboarders in Whistler, Canada.
Stuart Costello
“I arrived and I was completely taken aback by the beauty,” he said. “Like everyone else who goes to Whistler, you come here and it’s a pretty hard place to leave.”
The striking mountains are home to endless adventure, but the community he’s built has also kept him living in the region.
“I think what makes [Whistler] really cool is the people that live there,” he said. It’s a community he said that’s constantly pushing him to hike bigger peaks, snowboard down steeper slopes, and push his physical limits.
Costello said that the people you meet in Whistler typically fall into three categories. There are seasonal workers, who come for a winter or summer; there’s a core community that’s often made of seasonal workers who transitioned into full-time residents; and then there are the tourists, who arrive at the resort to spend a week vacationing.
Whistler isn’t a cheap place to vacation, and the tourists that visit often come with lavish budgets and recognizable names.
Skiers at Whistler Village.
Marcelo Rodriguez/Shutterstock
Whistler’s popularity and pristine mountains have enticed a wide range of visitors, including the rich and famous.
Among the town’s three million annual visitors are familiar names like Ashton Kutcher, Katie Holmes, David Beckham, and Prince Charles, who have all visited the ski town, according to Narcity.
While the wealthy tourists are often frolicking among the town’s ritzy retail stores and fine-dining restaurants, Costello said there are some pubs, restaurants, and hostels that target budget-friendly travelers. But overall, the ski resort is not an affordable destination, according to Culture Trip.
According to Money We Have, a traveler visiting Whistler for three nights should budget between $1,900 USD and $2,100 USD for their trip. And that doesn’t factor in the cost of skiing. A single-day lift ticket can cost up to $168 USD, and ski rentals cost around $60 USD a day, according to Whistler Blackcomb.
But skiers and snowboarders alike agree that the mountains and powder are worth the adventure out to Canada’s West.
Costello said the town’s main attraction is the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort. Originally separated into two resorts, they’re combined today.
Skiers below the gondola that connects the two mountains that form the Whistler Blackcomb resort.
Josef Hanus/Shutterstock
With more than 200 ski runs and 8,100 acres of terrain between two mountains, Whistler Blackcomb is North America’s largest ski resort, according to Whistler’s tourism website.
According to the same source, about three-quarters of that terrain is rated for beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders, which makes it a destination that attracts all types of visitors.
A peak-to-peak gondola connects the once-separated resorts, so skiers and snowboarders can easily navigate between the two areas.
When you arrive, Costello said you’ll often hear debates over which mountain is better, Whistler or Blackcomb.
Costello explained that many snowboarders prefer Blackcomb for its steeper terrain. Meanwhile, others prefer Whistler for its larger size and beginner-friendly runs, according to Pique News Magazine.
“They’ve been longtime rivals because they used to operate as two separate resorts,” he said. “You still have those people who are very much like, ‘Oh, I’m a Blackcomb rider, or I’m a Whistler rider.'”
But Whistler in the winter is home to more than just skiing. “It’s the sheer amount of activities that are here that drew me to this place,” Costello said.
A person zip lines through snow-covered trees.
Karl Weatherly/Getty Images
While skiing and snowboarding are Whistler’s top activities during the winter, there are plenty of other adventures to embark on during the snowy months, Costello said.
Costello works with Whistler’s tourism board to promote activities that entice non-skiers to the winter wonderland.
For thrill-seekers, visitors can zipline with Whistler Zipline Tours through the region’s snow-covered old-growth rainforest. Tours start at $100 per person.
“There’s an incredible network of zip lines that goes through the valley between the two mountains that a lot of people don’t really know about,” Costello said. “It’s a really fun, adrenaline-fueled experience.”
If you’re not looking for a heart-stopping activity, Costello recommends heading to Vallea Lumina, which is an interactive light show visitors can explore by foot.
And of course, Whistler is home to classic winter activities like snowshoeing, ice skating, and snowmobiling.
It’s also not a trip to Whistler without wandering through the twinkling streets of Whistler Village.
Whistler, Canada, during the holiday season.
stockstudioX/Getty Images
Decorated in twinkling lights for the holidays, visitors won’t spot any bright lights from cars. That’s because downtown Whistler is a pedestrian-only village.
“The Village acts as the central hub in town,” Costello said.
Costello said that’s where visitors will discover retail stores, restaurants, and cafés. Beyond what travelers find in most towns, Whistler is also home to an ice skating rink, indoor climbing gym, indoor tennis courts, and an escape room.
“Just walking through feels like you’re in a movie,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible.”
Travelers can choose from a range of places to stay, from luxurious lodges to budget-conscious hostels.
A luxurious hotel at night at the base of Whistler Mountain.
Florian Lubich/Shutterstock
Depending on budget and desired proximity to the mountains, tourists can choose from a handful of areas to stay in during their trip. Whistler Village is home to everything from boutique lodges to hotel chains like Hilton.
Lodges like the Carleton Lodge can cost guests upward of $1,750 USD a night. The cheapest stay on Whistler’s tourism website is the Pangea Pod Hotel, a hostel-like accommodation that costs around $90 USD for a night this upcoming February. Pangea isn’t the only hostel in Whistler — Hi Whistler Backpackers and Whistler Lodge Hostel offer beds starting at about $40 USD.
There’s also Village North, which is a neighborhood north of Whistler Village. According to the resort, it’s filled with condos priced lower than some of Whistler’s other areas and has a “lower key village experience.”
In the Upper Whistler Village, visitors will find some of the town’s more luxurious resorts and hotels, according to the resort. It’s home to the four-star Fairmont Chateau Whistler, where a two-bedroom can go for $1,500 USD a night, and the Four Seasons, where its most expensive suite starts at $2,583 USD.
All types of cuisine and restaurants are scattered throughout the village.
A restaurant at the top of Whistler Mountain.
Luis War/Shutterstock
Costello said he tries to stick to the budget-friendly eateries in town. Places like El Furniture Warehouse cater to seasonal workers and locals with its $8 burgers and $7 nachos.
“That’s my favorite place to go,” Costello said. “You come to a tourist town and expect to spend loads of money, and you come to this place and it’s literally cheaper than going to a grocery store.”
And while there are some affordable food options in Whistler, wealthy tourists often head to other restaurants in town.
There’s the upscale Rimrock Café, which serves seafood and wine, and Bearfoot Bistro, a fine-dining restaurant with tasting menus and Champagne sabering, where a bottle of bubbly is opened with a sword. The town is also home to a handful of farm-to-table restaurants like Araxi, and classic European-inspired cuisine like fondue at Crêpe Montagne.
After skiers are done on the slopes, there’s a lively après-ski and nightlife scene.
Skiers and snowboarders gather at bars after a day on the slopes.
David Buzzard/Shutterstock
Like most ski resorts, the afternoon marks the start of après-ski, which is a ski town’s version of happy hour.
In Whistler, there’s a handful of bars and restaurants to experience an après atmosphere. Garibaldi Lift Co. Bar and Grill entices crowds every afternoon during the winter, and its bar is located on top of the Whistler gondola building at the top of Whistler Mountain.
Dusty’s Bar and BBQ is another popular après spot, according to the resort’s website, as well as Merlin’s Bar and Grill, both of which are part of the Whistler Blackcomb resort.
In the town of Whistler, tourists have even more options. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious, upscale experience, party vibes, or a family-friendly happy hour, Whistler’s tourism website outlines more than 35 places people can enjoy après.
And once après has ended, Whistler continues to be a lively place. Many of the above bars transition into evening service.
Costello admits that a visit to Whistler might tempt you to move the town, but it’s not as easy as it looks.
View of Whistler Village and ski runs at dusk.
Adam Melnyk/Shutterstock
As Pique News Magazine reported, there’s a lack of affordable housing in Whistler for service workers, and some people fear that without a permanent solution, there “is a real threat to the viability of our towns.” The same source spoke to service workers who were fighting to rent “cupboard” sized rooms, couches in living rooms, and even repurposed garages that were going for $4,500 a month.
“You get these three- to five- to six-bedroom houses and there are two to three people in each room,” Costello said. “People will cram into closets and live there if they have to, just because there are more people than there is housing available to them.”
According to the Daily Hive, the average Whistler home costs $3.6 million, thanks to an increase of 15% between 2021 and 2022, and the average condo price increased by 10% to $673,000.
Costello has faced the housing challenge firsthand. In the two-and-a-half years Costello has lived in Whistler, he said he’s moved eight times. Last month, Costello moved 30 minutes south of Whistler to Brackendale after an unsuccessful search for a place to live in Whistler.
“I think that people just need to be aware that they’re gonna have to sacrifice a little bit to live in Whistler. It’s a good sacrifice, but finding accommodation is very, very, very challenging,” he said.
In the spring, when the snow starts to melt and tourists head back home, Costello is reminded of all that Whistler has to offer.
Wedgemount Lake in Whistler, Canada, in the summer.
Anne08/Shutterstock
Costello said Whistler is like a ghost town in the shoulder seasons, which are April to May and September to November.
But he added that he welcomes the quietness that sets onto the town.
“It’s refreshing to have that opportunity to reset,” Costello said.
Plus, he knows that just around the corner are warmer days for mountain biking, hiking, and preparing for Whistler’s second busiest season — summer.
So even with expensive housing and hordes of tourists, Costello said his decision to live in one of the world’s most popular winter wonderlands is well worth it.
Winter hiking in Whistler, Canada.
Marina Poushkina/Shutterstock
“The beauty of it all is what really got me,” he said. “And then the amount of activities is what kept me there.”
His favorite memories so far in Whistler include everything from heli-skiing at sunset to simply sitting in the snow and watching snowflakes fall. He said he has no plans to leave the winter wonderland.
“I can’t believe I live here and I get to do this day-in, day-out,” he said. “It’s incredible.”
