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Competition Venues The Competition Olympic venues for the Vancouver Olympics will be located in four adjacent cities Whistler, West Vancouver, Vancouver and Richmond. Vancouver is the hub of the Olympic activity, but events for the games will be spread throughout these four different locales:
White Rock offers a destination for all to enjoy. Just south of Vancouver and only five minutes north of the US – Canada border, it is distinguished for its quaint B&Bs, galleries, boutiques and fine waterfront dining with spectacular sunsets over the Georgia Strait. The City of Vancouver is a 30 to 60 minute freeway drive north. The Canada – US Border is 5 minutes away to the south, with 2 crossings to choose from Pacific, at BC Hwy 15 and Douglas at BC hwy 99. Both crossings are located in Blaine, WA and are accessible from US I-5. Blaine is approximately 1.5 hours north of the Greater Seattle area. The Vancouver International Airport is only 20 minutes away.
Besides the outstanding, pristine scenery, the wildlife, both marine and land locked and the opportunity to experience the outdoors safely, Vancouver Island has some of the most challenging hiking trails in the world. But let’s work up to it slowly: I have seen first hand what it can do to the so-called amateur outdoors man. On the south end of the island, starting in Saanich and winding its way around Victoria to the south-west coast, is the famous ‘Galloping Goose Trail’. Named after a rather strange looking railway carriage of earlier times, this former railway line right of way extends for fifty-five kilometers along wheelchair accessible terrain. Besides passing through a great variety of scenery it also has access to fishing, beaches, and areas for pot holing, kayaking and other water activities. To start us out on our fitness trails, take the Galloping Goose and try the fifty five kilometer walk: or maybe cycling would be easier for you to start out! Continue reading Discover Vancouver Island. Are you up for it? If you are lucky enough to make a trip to Gibsons BC on the famous Sunshine Coast you are in for a real treat. There are more local artists and craftspeople per capita than almost any other area of BC.From potters & weavers, to painters and jewellers, Gibsons BC has some of the most beautiful local products available. It doesn’t stop there either. Soap maker can be found making full lines of organic beauty products. Packaged beautifully for you to take away. One soap maker on the coast has over 100 different soaps available.
There are local galleries that display a wide array of works. some of the best pottery in BC can be found here, and fibre arts like weaving, knitting, wool spinning and fabric making are so popular, that there is even a Fabric Arts Festival held annually. Thousands of people ascend on this little seaside village for the event. worsted wool purses and hats, fabulous one of a kind fabrics, beautiful weaves and knitting to die for are just a few of the types of items you will find at the Festival.
Vancouver is a hub of activity all year round because of its temperate climate and Grouse Mountain is a standard place to visit through all the seasons. There is plenty to do on Grouse Mountain from Summer to Winter and all seasons in-between. In the winter one escape into the serene beauty of a natural winter playground only minutes away from golf courses and the ocean below. Just a short distance from the Peak Chalet, you’ll find yourself a world away in the popular Munday Alpine Snowshoe Park. There are a variety of different groomed trails to choose from which guarantees that you’ll discover something different each time you visit. One can also tour the professionally groomed beginner and intermediate snowshoe trails of the Blue Grouse Loop, or head for Dam Mountain – a pristine loop of three main trails that circle Dam Mountain and Thunder Bird Ridge. You can find the trails very easily with clearly marked signs from the top of Grouse Mountain. For the snowshoeing enthusiast, there are a variety of classes and courses offered in the winter months as well, including: Beginner Snowshoe Clinics, Ladies Only Snowshoe Clinics, Snowshoe Drop-In Nights, Race Prep Clinics and Snowshoe Fondue Tours.
Hotels can be $300 a night and up during ski season, and peak summer season – but three ideas have saved me money on accommodation. First, there is a condo booking agency called ResortQuest that can offer off season specials – I stayed in a gorgeous townhouse a block from the village square, with hot tub, fireplace, kitchen, sleeping 4-6 people for $100 in the early fall – ask about any deals like that! If you are sociable, and willing to both ENJOY and put up with the common areas of a bed and breakfast – Chalet Beau Sejour had bed and breakfast in a spectacular chalet looking out on the mountains for $90-125. Very social hosts, and a dining table looking out on the mountains with double sided fireplace and mulled wine while visitors from around the world discuss snow and ski conditions simply can’t be beat! Lastly, there are two hostels – the venerable Shoestring Lodge, just north of Whistler maybe ten blocks distance, and slated to be “developed” into townhouses before the Olympics, has beds for $25, as does the hostel across the Lake from Whistler – you may share a room with some interesting strangers, but that price leaves plenty of money for food and entertainment! Whistler has an incredible array of high end restaurants, but one I found outstanding was the Edgewater Lodge, just north of Whistler a few miles. Check the picture in the website, combined with the Zagat quote “venison to die for” (they have their own venison farm) and you’ll be on your way! At the other end of the spectrum, the mall beside the Whistler Conference Center hosts Shakespeare’s Pies – Australian meat pies for under $4 that you will come back for over and over, especially after visiting Whistler’s bars and nightclubs! Three bars stand out as amongst Whistler’s best, and offer a unique experience. Tommy Africa’s will attract the early 20s crowd, with glass DJ booth, the best local DJs and a zebra striped door! The Savage Beagle is a two level bar on the main walkway, with a crowded dance floor downstairs, and a “belly up to the bar” section upstairs. The “cougar bar” for 30s and up is Buffalo Bills, at the other end of the main walkway – live bands, great DJs and comedians have offered many great nights over the years. Ski lift passes are often available at the 7-11 in Squamish or Vancouver on your way to Whistler for a discount that can be $10-20 per lift ticket. Lift lines are shortest at the Whistler Creekside lift, if you want to get going quickly, but I prefer the skiing at Blackcomb, the other mountain (they are joined at Whistler Village) The best kept secrets about Whistler are the summer activities – there are a group of pristine lakes to swim or canoe, mountain bikes with full protection gear are rocketed to the top of the mountain for rapid or tricky, descents, and the ski hill has a glacier at the top that is kept open until August! Oh yeah, some guys named Palmer and Nicholas have golf courses, and there are ski camps, tennis camps, zip trek lines, heli hiking, white water rafting, fishing, horseback riding, ATVs – there are a LOT of great things to do, but bring money!! Enjoy it now, before the Olympics – because 2 weeks of staring at this on TV is going to make the world go crazy for Whistler! Author: Andrew Larder |
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There are many breathtaking, scenic landmarks to visit in Vancouver, BC, but Grouse Mountain is one of the most popular. Situated in North Vancouver and close to the equally famous Capilano Canyon suspension bridge, a day at Grouse Mountain will consist of a scenic cable car ride to the top of the mountain that takes about 8 minutes and offers stunning and spectacular views of Vancouver and the surrounding area as far as the eye can see.
As a resident, business owner and frequent skiier at Whistler, I have realized that there are “secrets”, things to see and do that the average visitor to Whistler has NO idea about. I’ll try to pass along a local’s knowledge, but know that Whistler is a paradise all of its own – these secrets merely add to the magic!
