Winter Wonderland in Whistler

WINTER WONDERLAND IN WHISTLER

I had never been skiing, but I was going to try... in British Columbia, Canada!!

I flew Canadian Airlines from Heathrow, and, although there is a direct service straight to Vancouver, I flew to Calgary for a plane change. This makes clearing customs a little bit easier, and it gave me a chance to stretch my legs after a long nine-hour flight.

My first stop in Vancouver was my hotel, the Canadian Pacific. A five-star hotel in the centre of the city, just around the corner from Robson Street, the Rodeo Drive of Vancouver--perfect!

After a very comfortable night at the hotel, I took a tour of the city, incorporating Gastown, China Town and Stanley Park. I then headed up to the North Shore for the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park, a 450-foot bridge suspended 230 feet above the Capliano river. After all that excitement, the only place to spend the afternoon was in the underground shopping mall!

My third day in Canada, and it was time to move up to Whistler. After a two-hour drive along the sea to sky highway, I checked into another Canadian Pacific hotel, the Chateau Whistler, which is situated between the two mountains (Whistler and Blackcombe), and is the perfect base for exploring all that both of these resorts has to offer.

The following morning I was taken to the top of Whistler mountain for breakfast before getting my first ski lesson. I learned how to snowplough and cross-country ski. In between, I enjoyed the hotel's facilities! This included a half-inside-half-outside swimming pool! Sounds strange, I know--but believe me, it was fantastic! The next day, heading back to the slopes I was snowmobiling. I highly recommend this, and found it the perfect way to end my stay in the number one ski resort in North America.

The last hotel on this trip was the CP Waterfront Centre Hotel, situated at the harbour, within walking distance of Gastown and The Lookout at Harbour Centre Tower. The hotel is a triangular shape and so can offer three different views of the city: Stanley Park, the harbour and the city centre. My final evening in Canada was spent on a Christmas cruise along False Creek, watching the parade of ferries all with their Christmas lights trailing behind.

Vancouver is such a fantastic and clean city with so much to offer, that three nights were just not enough! So needless to say I shall be planning a return trip soon. Why not let me help to plan yours?

If you'd like to know more email me: charmaine@hallmarktravel.com

Meet me in the gallery!