With plentiful grassy mountains, beautiful glacier fed lakes, and breezy eighty-degree days, Whistler, British Colombia is a spectacular place to visit in the summer. Last August my family and I flew into Vancouver National Airport. We walked around the charming city for an hour or so when we finally settled at the Cactus Club Café for lunch. The restaurant was situated right on the Vancouver Harbor, where we watched sea planes fly in and out while landing on the water.
After viewing the city for about half a day, we took a car up to Whistler, British Colombia.  The two-hour drive was a bit tedious but the view seen out the car windows was captivating. From snowy mountaintops, to flowered meadows, I was in awe by the natural beauty surrounding me. We finally pulled into the driveway of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The huge evergreens and rolling mountains created the perfect backdrop for a beautiful resort. Three restaurants, a small VIP lounge on our floor, a spa, pool, and an indoor hot tub earned this hotel a far from disappointing ambiance. Waiting for us in our room was a plate of freshly baked cookies with sparkling water. Overall, the hotel was a perfect place to relax and stay after a long day of travelling.
A short walk from the hotel was “downtown” Whistler. With Olympic monuments still located from the 2010 Winter Olympics, the town was extremely decorated. There were restaurants, clothing stores, ski shops, and even an awesome ice cream parlor called Cows. The food was great everywhere we decided to go, some places had a long wait, but there were so many restaurants that one could never go hungry.
Activity wise in Whistler, we enjoyed everything offered. Day one, we got into our bathing suits and went white water rafting. Our tour guide was extremely helpful and kind, allowing us to have a great experience as we rafted down the Cheakamus River. Day two was a jeep tour up to the top of Blackcomb Mountain. As we climbed the temperature decreased, and at the top snow was still covering the mountain, with which my brother and I had fun throwing snowballs at each other. The jeep tour company was considerate, providing blankets. We had a great view of the whole area and perfect photo-ops. Day three, we went zip lining beginning on the top of Whistler Mountain. All the lines are weaved through the huge evergreen trees, some lines get you going up too 2,400 feet long! In fact, while on the zip line you could even flip upside down and twirl around. This was a great family friendly activity, and it was my favorite of the whole trip! The next day, we rented bikes from our hotel and rode a path, which led to Lost Lake, a glacier fed lake with a swimming beach, bike trail, and even a specialized dog dock. My family and I spent our day here relaxing on the beach, swimming and riding bikes around the path. On our final day in Whistler, we took the gondola to the top of Blackcomb Mountain. From here there were killer views and mountain peaks as far into the horizon as I could see. We partook in a family friendly BBQ with great food, music, and sights. When I say there is so much to do in Whistler, you could stay occupied for a month without running out of activities.
Whistler was a vacation that I enjoyed every minute of. I will not forget the friendly atmosphere of the village, which provided us with great activities and memories as a family. I definitely recommend this trip to anyone, no matter what age, whether it be a family or individual. Whistler is a place everyone can .