There’s something undeniably bewitching about Whistler. It starts with that magical 90-minute drive where the congested traffic of downtown Vancouver cedes to a snaking, open highway, jagged rock on one side and on the other side, steep slopes plummeting to the open ocean. Climb that highway into the mountains and you feel your cares slipping away, your mind energized by sights of gushing waterfalls, verdant forest, islands and the utterly wild beauty of this pristine landscape.
Whistler is a nourishing oasis close enough to home to be an easy weekend decision, and far enough away to separate us from the thrum of daily life. There’s no bad time to come to this mountain village, but Spring and Summer are a special time to retreat, rejuvenate and soak up Whistler’s nourishing beau
rest
Check into the Four Seasons for the perfect getaway. This classy hotel exudes warmth, friendliness and understated luxury, and its amenities distinguish it as an industry leader. Afternoon cookies and hot chocolate? Check. Complimentary guided hikes, sunset sound bathing and facial scrub-making workshops? That’s covered too, as are tickets to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Four Seasons offers yoga and pilates in a high-end gym equipped with peloton bikes and everything else you need for a solid workout, and its massive breakfast buffet will sate your appetite all day long. Don’t miss a moonlight swim in the heated outdoor pool, a decadent steep in the bubbles of the hot tub or a few minutes of bone-warming heat in the dry sauna. Then slip beneath the sheets for a night of deep, comfortable rest.
photo by Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler
Nourish
photo by Il Caminetto
There are lots of eateries offering burgers, fries and wings in Whistler. Il Caminetto is most certainly not one of them. This fine dining Italian restaurant has been a local institution since 2009, consistently delivering exquisitely prepared meals to guests seated at tables draped in white tablecloths. There are no shortcuts at Il Caminetto, where everything is made in-house: thick wedges of crunchy sourdough bread for soaking up olive oil and balsamic; rich, creamy agnolotti pasta filled with fragrant bursts of mixed cheese and 38-oz porterhouse steaks served with rapini and red wine jus. Add a voluminous wine list that covers both Italian and BC vintages, and you have the recipe for a phenomenal meal. If you’re seeking a special dinner to be savoured slowly in a refined but completely unpretentious environment, this is the place to go.
Soothe
I’m in a deep mist, the air so thick that if there are others around me, they’re barely visible. The scent of eucalyptus fills the mist and all I can hear is the drip of water. This is the Scandinave Spa, where guests’ only task is to immerse in heat, plunge into the cold and then sedate themselves with peaceful rest. The rules are strict: no chatting, buzzing phones or apple watches pinging on your wrist – in fact, no electronic devices whatsoever. Staff wear shirts emblazoned with the word ‘Silence’ and everyone who passes through the entrance adheres to one central rule: to keep the peace intact. I move in a haze of relaxation between hot tubs, cold plunge pools, wet saunas, dry saunas and solariums overlooking forests of spruce and cedar trees, their branches laden with lime-green lichen. With no time limit you can take all day to rest, recuperate and use that serene stillness to soothe a tired mind.
photo by Scandinave Spa
inspire
photo by Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC)
It’s one thing to use Whistler as a recreational playground, but quite another to learn what this land means to those who lived here from the beginning. The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is a living museum designed to showcase the lives and history of the Squamish and Lil’wat people. Whistler is a shared territory for both of these two First Nations, who speak different languages and lay claim to different territories. To this day they honour their ancestral alliance, living side by side and revitalizing their culture and traditions. Tours through the centre are guided and personal, teaching guests about the nations’ story of survival and explaining the meaning behind their art, clothing and harvesting of food. Witness their stories and you leave with an appreciation of the injustices they have experienced and deep respect for the wisdom of their ancient ways.