 Poster: A snowHead
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Following on from this thread (thanks again to all those who contributed)
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=95494
I have the flights booked tonight. Much to my annoyance I would find a deal on a flight only to go through with it to find 'a technical fault' call bla bla bla message. I phoned one and the price shot up from what was stated online. Anyhow I digress.
Will land in Vancouver at 1500hrs local time on a Thursday. We're not tied to any set schedule yet but there's the option to head up to Whistler and just get cracking in the morning or spend a few nights in Vancouver which would have been our intention regardless of when it comes in the trip. While I tempted to just get to Whislter the pro of not is we can make it so we're not landing just in time for the Easter weekend from a crowds point of view. The idea is to have a week in Whistler and possibly some time elsewhere then head to Vancouver Island to spend time with family and also some ski days at Mt Washington.
So what I need to do once I decided on the above is to book some accommodation, had some recommendation on the above thread that I've looked at. Currently favouring a condo off a site like Allura Direct. Budget of up to £150 a night, but for what little time we'll spend in our room we're not overly fussed, would like a decent location though.
Any hints and tips would be appreciated, we're in Canada for a day shy of 3 weeks.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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looks like a bit of a schlep down to the village unless you drive, but that's the price of ski in ski out
my only recommendation would be to do Vancouver during a weekend. whistler gets a lot of weekend traffic up from the city so might be relatively busy. even at its busiest, IME it's fairly sane compared with a big French resort during half term though
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Good for skiing as you can ski into/out of blackcomb (easy enough to get to Whistler if you are skiing there too). I believe it is on the free bus route, but still easier if you can walk to the village.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I like the Blackcomb ski in/ski out [it is called the Benchlands, I think] and have stayed at the Aspens the last couple years... but we have a child with us, so not exactly closing down any village centre bars. As Arno says, it can be a schlep... particularly slogging back up the hill through the snow to some of the higher condos after shopping/eating. There is a free bus that runs around there, but we never used it... just skiied down to the Wizard Express and went up the mountain that way.
It is not that far to walk to Whistler Village [5 minutes?], but not fun in ski boots.
Vancouver suggestions... hire a bike and cycle the sea wall around Stanley Park.... stop and take your picture in front of the totem poles. There are lots of cycle hire places around the park entrance. Might as well do Granville Island markets [if that is your/your partner's thing]. The seabus to North Van is fun, but unless you have something you want to see there, there is not a lot to do at the other end [shop?]. The Endowment lands around the U of BC are nice, as are some of the beaches. Wreck Beach [right at UBC] used to be a nudie beach, not sure if it still is.
Gastown...? Ok-ish, but, again, depends what you want to see [a steam powered clock?]
Enjoy it
greg
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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^^^
Gastown is fun in the evenings (provided you don't stumble into one of the dodgier parts) - some really cool bars and restaurants round there. The sea wall is great too. The bike trail actually continues all the way round False Creek to Granville Island and into Kitsilano and Spanish Banks so if you are feeling energetic, keep pedalling! Haven't done it between English Bay and False Creek myself but it's marked on a map...
Granville Island do a guided foodie tour which I did a year or so ago and was very enjoyable. you get to chat with the producers and sample lots of food (and Canadian saki!) - yum
Wreck Beach is a mix of nudists and people gawping at naked people according to my brother in law
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if you want ski in ski out..Coast Blackcomb Suites is good. Bus stop for the free bus outside
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Arno,
Gastown is all a dodgy part!  In fact the downtown eastside is one the poorest places in Canada - ironically it has great views of one of the most expensive!
Also curiously as Arno suggests it does have some really good bars and restaurants, likewise commercial drive, and main, though these are getting a bit far out of town.
+1 for the Coast. We have stayed there a few times and it is super convenient for the slopes, and has the advantage that you can wait for the bus to turn up in the lobby.
When we've rented an apartment it's usually been in one of the Stoney Creek complexes (Sunpath, Lagoons, Northstar - in order of increasing distance from the village), all are very convenient for both the village and skiing (5-10 min walk or take the free bus), nice enough, and decent price.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I thought Gastown was the touristy done-up bit although next to some real shady looking "hotels" etc and number of meth/smack addicts seem to increase with proximity to the bus depot. But then it's Canada so all scales of depravity are relative a bit like CH.
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Thanks for all the replies, need to do a bit more research on the pros and cons of each area in Whistler.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Quick update, booked somewhere at the Blackcomb base. Although it wasn't our main criteria it's ski in ski out and look decent enough.
So lift passes. The accomadation have said they can sort discount passes for us, are we better getting them ourselves? I guess first port of call is to find out how much they'll be via the accom. I recall people saying they got theirs from a 7/11 on the way? Looking at the main website the pass is over $100 cheaper from the first of April, we'll be there the last 2 days of March into April.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Almost certainly the accommodation deal will be hard to beat.
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Well accom deal is the same. We're there the last day of March so it's cheaper to pay for a one day pass for that day then get the pass on 1st April. Bit of a con as if bought on they appear to apply the high season rate to each day rather than the one and only day that falls in the high season. Bl@@dy expensive which ever way you look a it when you're used to skiing in euroland.
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