Well, that about wraps up the winter adventure for a bit.
On one side of things, I’m excited to be headed back into the warmth soon. After 5 straight years without winter, the cold has been a bit tough for me. On the other side of the coin, I really enjoyed all the winter activities and snowy scenes here in Canada. It has brought back a lot of memories to my childhood.
My last true adventure this winter in Canada took me to one of my favourite places, Whistler, BC. We hopped aboard a flight to Vancouver and were whisked away to the resort town for 3 days of action-packed adventure. It was exactly what I needed. Now, I had been to Whistler a bunch of times before, but always in the summer or fall. However, in the Winter, this town is completely different, and totally alive. Of course, the fact that Christmas is right around the corner helped liven things up a bit, too.
Anyways, if you want to see what we got up to in Whistler, during our quick trip to town, check out the video and then scroll past it for the info and photography.
Travel Photography in Whistler
Our schedule in Whistler was insane. Literally, we didn’t have much more than a couple free minutes here and there. We skied, we ziplined, we spa-ed, and we even starred in some footage for a 2015 commercial campaign, which was fun.
Ziplining with ZipTrek EcoAdventures at Dusk
I’ve gone ziplining a couple times before. The first time I ziplined was in Costa Rica about 10 years ago. I’ve also done it in places like Ometepe Island in Nicaragua. But, this was a completely different experience. We basically went up right at dusk, meaning we were flying through the trees and over the valleys in the blue hour and partial darkness. It just added to the experience.
The runs that Ziptrek offer in Whistler are awesome. One of the lines had us running at speeds well over 80 km/h. Intense! Ziptrek Ecotours is a great company, too. They really go above and beyond not just taking clients on the lines, but educating them on the forest and the ecosystem.
Plus, they donate a good chunk of their proceeds to good causes around the world.
Fire and Ice Show
Right after ziplining, we grabbed our camera gear and headed to the base of the mountain for the “Fire and Ice Show”, in which skiers and snowboarders chuck some crazy tricks through a burning ring of fire. It was really entertaining to see, but it was really difficult to photograph. Either way, a great experience if you go to Whistler in the wintertime. The show takes place every Sunday night in the winter months.
Skiing Whistler-Blackcolm
Wow, how nice was our first day skiing Whistler-Blackcomb?
Not a cloud in the sky, some really decent snow up at the top, and the views out into the surrounding valleys were unreal!
Of course, it was a different experience to skiing in Jasper. There are way more runs and chairs in Whistler, but also a lot more people on the hill and newbies that you have to dodge. But, the runs are so much fun. I love the variety of them at Whistler. It’s a shame skiing is usually a cold weather sport. I wish someone would invent a version of skiing that created some cotton-based powder-like substance that we could ski on in warmth. That’s the dream.
The second day we skied we got slushy snow, but still had a blast photographing skiers and snowboarders in the park.
Scandanave Spa Baths
Never have I ever needed a hot tub more than I did when I walked into the Scandanave Spa. After not skiing for years, muscles I forgot I had were aching like crazy after 2 days skiing, and these baths were the perfect remedy. The Scandanave Spa is a really interesting experience. There are about 3 different hot pools, a steam room, sauna, some relaxation areas, an outdoor fire place, and some cold pools. It’s all outside, and the twist is that it’s totally silent. At first, it was really difficult for me – Mr. Talkative – not to vocalize everything. However, after a couple minutes I really found actual peace and comfort in the silence. It was fantastic, and I came out of there completely relaxed.
Where We Ate
For foodies, British Columbia is such a great place. You’ve got the fresh seafood, you’ve got wild salmon, you’ve got Canadian Beef, and then you’ve got influences from Asia as well. There is such variety to the cuisine all over the province, and Whistler’s foodie scene is essentially a micro-example of just that.
Sushi Village
I’m a sushi fiend. I would do illegal things for good sushi. Thus, when we found out about Sushi Village we had to make a visit. It was well worth it, and the 15-minute wait to get a seat. The sushi was fantastic, and the service was great as well. For a meal for 2, we spent about $45 which I thought was completely reasonably considering the quality of the food as well as the location.
Barefoot Bistro
This was one of the best food experiences I have had in a while. Before dinner, we visited the Barefoot Bistro’s famous wine cellar where I got the chance to sabre a bottle of champagne for my first time. Then, we were treated to 5 fantastic courses including some food combinations that just blew my mind and taste buds. Then, when we were done eating, we experienced the coldest vodka tasting in Canada. We were taken into a room of temperatures around -27 and did 3 or 4 shots of some of the world’s finest vodka. Such a great experience.
Boom Burger
Obviously not as classy as the other two joints. But a great place for lunch if you want a burger or a hot dog. They also do a really nice poutine that comes with extra toppings like fried mushrooms or fried onions if you want them.
Dubh Linn Gate Pub
Who’d have thought that an Irish pub would be the place for breakfasts in Whistler? I got a corned beef breakfast that was amazing, but so much food. The night before we left we stopped in again for a little bit of live music and a pint. Guinness is on tap for $6.25.
More Photos from Whistler
I kept about 100 images from Whistler, and the truth is that I didn’t get to shoot nearly as much as I would like to have. We were just so busy going from one activity to another. However, here are some more photos to ease your curiosity.
What’s Next on the Travel Photography Blog?
It’s Christmas time! I’m heading back to my hometown to be reunited under the same roof me and the rest of my family grew up in. And, honestly, I can’t remember a time in the past 5 years that my entire family will be back together in the same house.
Then on Boxing Day, I’ll be jumping in a car and driving to Phoenix, Arizona. My family will be there waiting for us. They are cheating and taking an airplane. After spending New Years together, we’re off on a massive American Roadtrip before making our way down to South America for our Travel Photography Workshop in Peru.