I’ve dreamed of visiting Whistler since I was a little girl. My best friend Allison used to tell me about her Whistler ski adventures and I knew one day I had to get there myself. Let me tell you, it was so worth the wait! While we only had a mere taste of what Whistler has to offer (as much as one can fit in 1.5 days), it was one of my most memorable travel experiences to date. Hopefully, we can go back sometime for a longer visit – maybe to experience the winter season next time.
To our surprise, Whistler was the hottest spot along our trip! It was 28 – 29C. Such a powerful, dry, glorious heat, it was. The mornings and evenings dipped down, but quickly warmed up by mid-morning. We were told there’s usually snow on Whistler mountain this time of year, so we really lucked out. I just wished I packed more summer clothes!
My mom and John also happened to be visiting Whistler at the same time, so we were treated to some great company to share the experience with, as well as our last night in Vancouver before flying home. :)
Here are some of my favourite pictures below. This post may self-destruct. Food, hotel, and to-do highlights follow!
What we did: Zipling with Zip Trek (so much fun w/ knowledgeable, funny instructors!), Peak 2 Peak gondola, chair lift to Whistler Peak, hiking, photography, exploring the village, a dip in the hotel’s outdoor pool. I breathed deeply in Whistler. The air is magical.
Where we stayed: The Westin – steps to the main village area, small galley kitchen, fireplace (which we actually used in the morning as it was chilly!), lovely view of pool and driving range from 7th floor. The hotel was virtually empty this time of the year (3rd week of Sept).
Food highlights: Royal taste of India (Amazing service. Owner will accommodate any vegan request and was so helpful. Killer veggie samosas), Lucia’s Gelato stand on Whistler mountain for vegan mango & berry gelato, Moguls Coffee House for banana bread and a raspberry choc chip muffin (very sugary). We also made some meals/snacks in our kitchen. Check out Nester’s grocery store, just outside of the village for groceries/snack items.
And, last but not least, a cool HDR photo by Eric :)
Can you believe it’s our Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend? It crept up so soon this year. I’ll be back to cap the week off with a tasty main course Thanksgiving recipe.
Such beautiful photos Ange. This French Canadian needs to get her booty up to Canada!
Ahh this makes me want to go back to BC so badly!! The mountains look so gorgeous, and the water is ridiculously blue!! Looks like you had an awesome time in Whistler. PS. Would that be the Scoop Me Up tank in your photo with Eric? The blue one? If it is, we’re twins! ;)
Maybe we’ll have to go back together…perhaps a yoga retreat? hah. The tank is a racerback. :)
That sky is SO BLUE! That is my happy place! Just looking at super blue skies (or the ocean) seriously just puts me in a zen-like trance! I would be in one big trance if I ever went there :)
Ah, you make me miss home so badly! Whistler sure is beautiful, isn’t it? We used to go up there every couple of months. The mountains in Quebec are nice… but nothing like the Rockies, that’s for sure. So happy that you enjoyed your time there. You look fabulous in each picture!
Wow – that last photo is incredible!
Great pictures! My husband and I were going to go to Whistler or Banff for our honeymoon, but we decided to make that trip when we’re a teensy bit better at skiing, lol. That, and we didn’t want to have to wait 5 months for a honeymoon.
Can’t wait for your Thanksgiving recipes! I’m hosting on Saturday and I still don’t really have a menu.. eek!
I know what you mean, I’d be so intimidated snowboarding in Whistler!
You aren’t alone in not having a plan for this weekend… ;)
Angela- When is your cookbook due to come out?
Hey Samantha, It should be out early 2014. :)
I just told my hubby to start planning our next trip :) How gorgeous.
Your photography is so beautiful. That looks like a great vacation. Did you actually see any bears? :)
Sadly, no! Next time we want to do one of the bear tours. One of the men in our zip lining group did it and he saw about 10-12 bears.
Absolutely beautiful pictures! I’m sure this is somewhere on your blog- but what camera do you use? I’ve decided I need a DSLR but I’m not very knowledgeable about what makes one camera better than the other. Any recommendations would be extremely helpful! Thanks :)
I’ve lived in Kelowna (which is 3 hours from Whistler) and I’ve never been. Based off your pictures, I think I need to remedy that!
Lucky girl, I’ve heard Kelowna is gorgeous too. I wish we had time on this trip to make it there! yes definitely make a trip to Whistler if you can.
My camera info can be found on my FAQ page: http://ohsheglows.com/faqs/ Hope this helps!
Those pictures are stunning! Looks like an exciting vacation!
I love Whistler, so much!!!!!
I love your pictures!! I so badly want to take pictures that turn out that well. I love the mountains this time of year…I used to go up to Breckenridge (a popular ski area here in Colorado) or Aspen every year with my parents and sister and we’d make fires and smores and watch the snow fall over the fall leaves changing. I miss doing that. Glad you had a good time! Can’t wait to hear about your Thanksgiving!
That sounds so fun & cozy :)
Oh, that looks so gorgeous! Wow, I wish I had an excuse to visit that place – shame that I live in Europe.
Oh my goodness! It is so beautiful and picture perfect! I must have been such an amazing trip :) One day I have to go to Canada – my parents are always telling me that I have to go, and after having seen your pictures I am so much more convinced that I have to go :)
I would love to go there – it looks beautiful.
WOW-looks like an amazing trip!!! Glad you had fun and I hope you can go back soon!
Absolutely gorgeous! I’ve read some great travel posts lately and I’m gonna need to get a 2nd job to afford all of the travel I want to do now!
Hi Angela,
love love love the photos!!! And Whistler! Have to go back some time soon as well! It seems to be even more awesome in fall than in summer! :-)
Thanks for sharing your beautiful adventures with all of us!
Wow, Whistler looks incredible! I hope I get to go someday!
Your photography skills are unreal! I love Eric’s last pic too- so beautiful!
Beautiful Photos. My husband and I went out to Vancouver/Whistler/Victoria/Seattle a few years ago. It is just so pretty out there, I love the mountains!
Gorgeous photos! I am going to vancouver for three days next week for a conference. I am fitting in a day trip to Victoria/ Sidney. Is part 2 of your Vancouver post coming up? I want hotel recommendations so I can eat GF and vegan! We are staying closer to Gorila food, but my husband doesn’t love the raw food as much as me!
Michelle S – for vegan / gluten free restaurants in Vancouver, try:
– Las Bandidas (veg mexican, have vegan, should have gluten-free)
– Foundation (vegetarian, have vegan, should have gluten-free)
– Gorilla (you know already)
– Organic Lives (raw vegan takeaway downtown, delish smoothies)
– Jamaican pizza jerk (omni, with delish vegan jamaican food, tho menu/times are unreliable – they don’t seem to have gluten-free anymore tho)
– Wallflower (omni, have many vegan and gluten free choices)
– Rhizome (omni? veg? have vegan food, should have gluten-free)
– Nuba (omni, with lots of vegan choices, should have gluten-free)
and there are other places I still haven’t tried!
Thanks Lily!
Oh wow! Lily, thanks for this awesome list! love it! and you realized my “hotel” meant “restaurant” ha ha!
I can see why you loved it so much! I would love to go back to Whistler (even if there are bears everywhere!) Beautiful pictures!
Spectacular! I haven’t been to BC since I was a child and I would love to go back. Thanks for sharing. I am SO not ready for Thanksgiving — I need your recipe ideas!
Absolutely stunning views and photos! I’ve never been to Canada (I live in London, UK) but by looking and reading your blog, triple thumbs up!!! Huge fan.
wow, I am adding this place to my bucket list!
Is it weird that when I saw “Canada Thanksgiving” on my calendar yesterday I instantly thought of you and (silently) asked, “Oh look! I wonder what Angela is going to make for Thanksgiving this year?” Haha.
Our Thanksgiving is not until November and I am already planning for a vegan pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, OSG fluffly dinner rolls and a veggie root roast! Cannot wait!!
Oh! and one more meal I am quite proud of (even though it is not vegan) I convinced my grandmother to let me take over the traditional fruit salad. She has always used canned fruit and fat free cool whip. I got the brilliant idea to use fat free plain Greek yogurt and flavor it with honey and cinnamon instead of using cool whip. AND on top of that I am using all fresh fruits instead of the canned stuff.
So excited!
hah that’s cute! I asked myself the same thing… ;)
Isn’t the landscape incredible out there? I lived in Whistler for 10 months about 7 years ago after finishing my undergrad – what a wonderful time. Did you make it to Ingrid’s across the way from Moguls? When I worked there we used to make up some amazing homemade vegan burgers!
Love love love the pictures! Thanks for sharing! Whistler is far away from my home (Scandinavia) but will be worth it once I get there :)
Angela you are so inspiring and beautiful! Every time you post a picture of yourself I can’t get over your beautiful smile and healthy glow. :) I eat your meals almost exclusively every day. Thank you so much for posting your recipes, and for this blog. Without it I would be a junk food eating unhealthy disordered eating vegan with no idea how to cook healthy delicious meals. You are the best! Every time I see that you have updated I get so excited. Your recipes have also helped me kick my bulimia by giving me better, tastier and healthy options that I don’t feel guilty about and have taught me it’s ok to eat dessert/not count calories.
So thank you for making me love cooking and giving me the gift of food, and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
Sarah, I’m so touched by your beautiful words. You don’t know how much that means to me. I’m so happy to hear how well you are doing!
Looks like a great trip. Your photos are amazing. Makes me want to take up photography.
How incredibly beautiful!! You look like you had a great time! :)
The highlight of my trip to Whistler was meeting up with you and Eric! I enjoyed it so much.
The beauty of the Whistler landscape took my breath away. I feel so fortunate to live in the West & have this breath taking scenery all around me. How I managed to overlook Whistler for so long is a mystery ;) I want to go back to Whistler — soon! :) Your photography has once again inspired me to get out my canvas and paintbrushes!
Amazing photos Ange!! Wow. I have lived in BC my whole life and yet the mountains and the beauty of it never get old to me. I grew up going to Whistler for a week in the summers and riding my little bike all day long. They have wonderful bike paths all over! Next time you come to BC, definitely take a trip to Kelowna! The summers here are spectacular… I mean, if you like wineries, orchards, golf courses, patios, sparkly warm lakes…you know, that sort of thing ;)
That looks like so much fun! I’ve been to Whistler in the winter many years ago. I really want to go back!
Another post full of stunning pictures! Looks like it was a wonderful getaway :)
Your photography skills have gotten SO SO good! I can’t wait to see the pictures in your book!
aw thank you! It’s a work in progress ;)
wow!! stunning photos!
I hope to go visit there one day
Gosh! Thank you so much for sharing these pics and experiences. I miss Whistler so much and seeing it through your eyes renewed my love of home!
We live just about 3 hours south of Whistler in Washington state and this past August was my first time visiting. I feel EXACTLY the same way you do and it sounds like we took advantage of most of the same activities there. I definitely want to go back in the winter too!
DUDE. I have the exact same boyfriend blazer you are wearing in that pic with your mom. You are the first person I’ve ever seen with it besides myself!
Really? cool!! yours is from Aritzia right?
Wow. These are truly amazing photos Angela – what wonderful shots and what a wonderful trip. Thank you for sharing them :)
Gotta, the try that granola!! One of my downfalls: coffee drinks. They always tempt me but they are full of junk and waaaaaay too sweet. I love the frozen ones, the hot lattes, just about any and all of them. I can’t seem to figure out what a good sweetener is for these or the amounts of ingredients. I have tried and failed. Especially with the frozen. Usually too watery with not much flavor. Coconut milk helps but I just can’t get it right. Any advice ? Or maybe you could Healthy ween a Spiced Pumpkin Latte or something. Thanks Angela!!
Hey Jennifer, When I add soy or almond milk I find that adds enough sweetness for me! Maybe try that out? I do have a pumpkin spice latte somewhere on the blog too. Goodluck!
I’m so happy that you got to visit Whistler! I live in Vancouver so we go to Whistler often either to camp or hike in the summer or for snowboarding trips in the winter. You have to come back in the winter if you do winter sports!
My home! Come and see us at Purebread bakery (www.purebread.ca) next time you visit. We have some great vegan treats.
P.S. I recently made your perfect veggie burger and it may be the best I’ve ever had.
Thank you for all of your great recipes!
Beautiful scene! Whistler and Toronto are my next list to visit. I’ve been to Vancouver when I was very young but vaguely remember, must visit there again. I love staying at SPG hotels! I’m trying to earn as much points so I can stay for free.
Hi Angela, I was just wondering if you remember which trails did you do when in Whistler ?