Photo: Remy Scalza
Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for HGTV.ca.
Word is officially out on Whistler. In 2009, for the 13th year in a row, the BC resort town was voted North America’s premier ski destination – and that was before the Olympic spotlight blazed down for two whole weeks during February.
But amazingly – despite all the publicity – Whistler has managed to keep one of its biggest charms a secret. I’m talking about summer. When the snow finally melts, Whistler turns into an alpine wonderland of aquamarine glacial lakes, churning rivers and brilliant green mountains. Ski bums ship out, crowds thin down and the village is left to grateful locals and in-the-know travelers.
I checked out Whistler over the weekend, when streets were filled with a procession of girls in bikini tops headed for a dip in the village lake, mountain bikers drawn to Whistler’s gnarly slopes and even guys with snowboards and ski goggles taking advantage of late season snow packs on the peaks.
Photo: Remy Scalza
On top of postcard scenery and an abundance of outdoor activities, I should mention another virtue of Whistler’s summer season: bargain hotel prices. During summer hotels slash their rates, and even Whistler’s fabled five-star properties – the domain of celebs and tycoons during ski season – become accessible and, in some cases, affordable.
I started my weekend at the crème de la crème: Whistler’s Four Seasons, the only hotel in all of Canada to earn the AAA’s coveted Five Diamond rating.
Click here to read the full post on HGTV.ca.
