2010 Vancouver Olympics

Whistler Back In The Saddle by Carrie Haggerty

After winning the Olympics and realising that Whistler, B.C. may have one of the nicest mountains with some of the best skiing, snow boarding, snow shoeing conditions in all of Canada. Whistler has always been a great escape from the everyday whether you are local or you travel great lengths to get here. It has been consistent and always a rush to go up for a great ski getaway. The last two seasons we have seen a dramatic difference in the conditions, where did all the snow go? Now all points seem to pull toward the massive warming of the earth due to green air gas emissions and global warming.

I believe the tides are finally changing for our little whistler village, with our slopes opening up early and the snow has just kept on going. With the snow going like crazy so early in the season I can imagine that this is going to be one of whistlers best seasons in quite some time. So what next? I guess the influx of snow and the great conditions are going to bring their fair share of tourists, skiers, snow boarders etc. This means that if you are looking for a place to stay when you head in to Whistler Village the time to book is now.

Your next question may be: Well what would be the best bang for my buck. There are a variety of options when you are looking for accommodations in the busiest spot of the season. When you are looking for accommodations depending on the length of stay you want to be more than anything comfortable and lets not kid ourselves you want it to be affordable. So lets go over the possibilities of what kind of accommodations there are available in Whistler.

Hotels/Motels - Well if you are going to in up one day and out the next this could be cost effective. The wonderful thing about hotels is they have a bed, and a bathroom and if your lucky you could get there dried up continental breakfast, or you could spend some extra cash and go off to the next greasy spoon and eat your self into a heart attack. Now Im talking low end here folks we all know that you can get all the luxuries of home I suppose in the hotel/motel experience as long as you have the coin to back it up.

Bed and Breakfasts - Now here is a truly comfortable way to travel in fact it is one of my favourite accommodation methods, you wake up to warm feeling and your breakfast is made for you before you step the last step in the kitchen, the conversation is friendly talking to the family that may be hosting or to some other travellers that happen to be passing through. Like I said my absolute favourite way to travel with the feeling of comfort and a feeling of home.

Cabin/Condo Rentals - This is a great way to travel is you are travelling with a group of 5 or more people, I love the feeling of the great outdoors just outside my bedroom and the feeling of camaraderie when you are travelling with a few of your closest friends, and it gives you the feeling that you are camping. Now if you are not feeling much like your an outdoorsy person and require the same luxury of home and with a reasonable budget you can always rent a condo and live like you never left home.

The choice is really up to you, whether you enjoy hotel living or you want to feel the comforts of living like you never left home in your own condo rental. One thing is for sure, Whistler has got their groove back and if you want to catch the best deals the time to book is now! Whistler is on the verge of their best season and if you wait too long you may miss the boat!

Carrie Haggerty is currently a marketing manager at http://www.abalone.ca/ and is working closely in the accommodations industry with her clients at http://www.whistlergetaway.net/. If you are looking to stay in whistler this season or want to find out more information.

If your interested in the Olympics, you may also be interested in the 2006 World Cup.

Posted by Michael K. at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments

Choosing vacation rental property in Whistler by Henry Schlee

Whistler is perhaps North America's best ski resort; certainly there is nowhere close for vertical drop, acreage of groomed runs and variety of expert terrain. However there is also a tremendous variety of rental accommodation, and before you make a choice it would be as well to be educated about the options and their implications.

Whistler properties vary along 3 key dimensions: size, quality/style and location. We don't need to say much about size; there are properties on the rental market ranging from shoeboxes of 350 sq. ft to imposing chalets of 6000 sq. ft. or more. Quality is another question altogether. Much of the Whistler rental inventory was built in the 80s and 90s when the profile of the resort was lower and cost was the name of the game. Most developments were built with indifferent design, cheap materials, poor quality fixtures and fittings and décor that is unimaginative at best. You do not want to spend your vacation in a condo with a blue carpet, magnolia walls, formica countertops, shiny brass bathroom fittings and garishly-coloured sofas. So you need to seek out either one of the more recent developments, such as Taluswood, that were built to a much higher specification, or you need to find a unit that has been recently renovated (or 'Whistlerized', as the local term has it). 'Whistlerization' typically involves installing slate floors, granite countertops, stone fireplaces, wooden cupboards, beams and trim, and painting in earthy autumnal tones of café-au-lait, caramel and burgundy. These units have a much more mountain-cabin feel. The top-of-the-line properties in Whistler go a stage or three beyond this, with spectacular designs and extremely high-end finishes, although only a few of these properties are on the rental market.

Location is perhaps the key issue in choosing your Whistler rental. Although only a small town, there are many different areas you can choose for your vacation, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

The Village is the place for proximity to bars and restaurants, and for being a relatively short walk to the lifts. However most of the inventory in the Village is small, with one or two-bedrooms units dominant in the mix, and it was all built to a cheap standard. It is critical to find a unit that has received a recent quality renovation. There are also one or two units that are larger, but you may have to search hard to find them.

The Upper Village is on the lower slopes of Blackcomb Mountain. This is the location for ski-in, ski-out units that are also reasonably accessible to the Village. However, if you want ski-in, ski-out make sure that you check what this means. Some properties are actually on the slopes; others, still styling themselves 'ski-in, ski-out' may be up to 5 minutes walk away. Still others are ski-in, but not ski-out.

The second main location for ski-in, ski-out units is Taluswood on the lower slopes of Whistler Mountain. This is a very upscale area with a variety of accommodation, but all of a high quality standard using peeled logs, natural materials and quality décor. Access to the slopes is very easy, with no more than a 2 minute walk from most properties. However you need a vehicle to get to shops and restaurants, as this area is not served by either the free shuttle or by municipal buses.

The fourth location is Creekside, the original location of Whistler. This used to be a very downmarket area, but recent heavy investment has made it a decent alternative to the Village. The Creekside gondola is always less crowded than the lifts in the Village, and there is now a great selection of shops and restaurants in town. The quality of accommodation is very mixed, with many unattractive older properties and a few newer, luxury chalets that are equal to any in Whistler. You can walk to the lifts from most locations in Creekside.

Finally, there is a selection of other locations, including Blueberry Hill, Nicklaus North and Alpine Meadows. Here you will generally find larger homes, but they are not ski-in, ski-out and you will have to drive to the Village as well. However, you will get more for your money in terms of the quality and size of the property itself here.

As with most things, it pays to consult an expert. If you are looking for Whistler ski accommodation, give a call to the folks at Holiday Whistler. They will be able to help you out with sound advice.

About the Author
Henry Schlee is the owner of Holiday Whistler. If you want a great Whistler condo rental or somewhere to find a choice of Whistler ski accommodation, give them a call on 1 877 697 7776.

Posted by Michael K. at 6:12 PM | Permalink | Comments

Vacation Travel To Vancouver, British Columbia by Selvyn Patterson

On your western Canada vacation, do visit the city of Vancouver in British Columbia.

Vancouver is one of the few cities in North America that can boast a sizable park as one of its features. Stanley Park is 1000 acres and is one of the largest urban parks in North America.

This coastal city has plenty of walking and biking trails. There's something for everyone, whether you enjoy an easy pace viewing the waters of the Burrard Inlet along the paved sea wall or take on the wooded trails of Stanley Park where you'll find impressive untouched forest as well as beautifully manicured gardens on your hiking or biking adventure. Do you enjoy shopping? Vancouver has plenty of interesting areas to shop. For the dedicated shopper a visit to Robson Street will provide designer boutiques as well as trendy coffee shops and restaurants.

If you are searching for something that's a bit different from the usual, visit Vancouver's Chinatown. You'll discover beautiful imported items along with delicious Chinese cuisine all along the streets with the red streetlamps and multi- colored signs.

Granville Island, which is also the home to the Emily Carr Institute of Art, is a busy market along the water. Get your fresh fruit, cut flowers and an enormous variety of ethnic foods to tickle your taste buds. Peruse the art and specialty shops where you're sure to find that special something to bring back.

The Art Gallery in the heart of the city also has something for the art enthusiast to enjoy, including presentations of the famous works of Vancouver's Emily Carr.

Both the Science World and Vancouver Aquarium draws large crowds of both young and old.

The mirrored dome with lights will surely catch your attention but what's inside this fascinating building will impress you even more! you'll be entertained and educated in this great attraction that was originally a part of Expo 86.

At the Vancouver Aquarium you can watch the Beluga show or visit the Tropics for a memorable experience.

Close to Vancouver is the world renowned Whistler Village Resort Known for its luxury skiing vacation packages, and a popular summer destination with biking trails, golfing, white water rafting, and much more for the die- hard adventurers.

You can find Camping and RV parks close by or you may choose to stay in one of the highly rated Luxury hotels for a real pampered temporary lifestyle!

Vancouver, culturally diverse city with many spoken languages and ethnic attractions the city is well known for it's abundance of rain, the mild climate is ideal for the many gardens and parks that make up the city. Vancouver is a great place for enjoying both the outdoors and city life all in basically the same place.

About the Author
For travel tips, advice, insights, booking for Air, Cruise and Car Rental Visit: http://www.travel-adventure-guide.com

Posted by Michael K. at 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments