Whistler is a winter wonderland in British Columbia worth visiting. It's one of Canada's best-known ski resort towns, full of snow, beautiful mountains, and amazing views. At first glance, you can easily mistake it for a run-of-the-mill ski town. Since there are places like Aspen, Colorado in the US and the French Alps in France, what's so exciting about Whistler in Canada? Well, for one thing, it has different neighborhoods worth exploring. Districts like Alta Vista, Creekside, and Whistler Village prove that there's more to this ski town than the winter sports and scenic mountains.
Alpine Meadows
If you thought the
French Alps were the only mountain ranges with scenic meadows, think again! Whistler has the Alpine Meadows, an area which, as you might already guess, is picture-perfect in every way. From the grassy fields to the tall snow-ladened mountains in the background, the place looks straight out of a fairytale! But don't think that Mother Nature is the only thing to expect here. The district also has a few establishments worth checking out, including the famous
Alpine Café.
Alta Vista
If you ever visit Whistler in summer, Alta Vista is probably the best neighborhood you can stay in. Firstly, the area is known for its beautiful chalets and other extraordinary residences that can duly accommodate you while you're here. They're the types of homes where you'll truly get a sense that you're staying in one of the finest ski towns in the world. Secondly, Whistler's famous Lakeside Park is located here. It offers the best freshwater beach in the area, a place where you can go kayaking, swimming, jet-skiing, and the like.
Cheakamus Crossing
Sports courts, hostels, a daycare center, and a community garden are just some of what you can expect here in Cheakamus Crossing. You can already tell that you can do a lot in this part of the town. Having served as Whistler's Athlete's Village when the town hosted the Winter Olympics back in 2010, the place itself was already well-developed before it became its own neighborhood. Today, it's become one of the trendy districts of Whistler, a perfect area for solo travelers, young couples, small families, and more.
Creekside
Go to Creekside if you want a peaceful and hassle-free stay in Whistler with your whole family! Located at the base of the mountains, it was one of the first settlements in the area apart from Whistler Village. It has since become a family-friendly part of the town, complete with residential areas,
luxury homes, a grocery store, schools, commercial districts, and the like. For the most part, Creekside feels more like an actual town than a mere collection of ski resorts.
Function Junction
The reason this neighborhood is named Function Junction is mostly because it's the industrial hub of Whistler. Though, through the years, it has certainly grown into a more exciting district! Today, the area offers adrenaline-pumping fun such as mountain biking, hiking, and the like. If you're one to go on extreme adventures, this place is for you. And at the end of the day, you can always relax at the famous
Wildwood Café, one of the best places to
get hot chocolate in Whistler.
Nicklaus North
Its name alone makes you think of the North Pole, doesn't it? Unfortunately, you won't find Santa Claus and his workshop full of elves in this Whistler neighborhood. Instead, this particular area offers a scenic lake, a beautiful forest, and even a golf course! It's one of the lesser-commercialized districts of the town, mostly because it's dominated by ski resorts and community clubs. You'd have to be a guest or a member to enjoy their many luxurious amenities and features.
Rainbow
Located on the northern side of Whistler, Rainbow is a developing neighborhood in the town. If you went here years ago, you would've noticed that this place was practically a ghost town. Nowadays, however, the area is transforming into a more commercialized district. There are now many gas stations around, as well as a new grocery store, great foodie hotspots, and more. Before long, it'll likely turn into one of the central neighborhoods of Whistler.
Spruce Grove
Spruce Grove is another Whistler neighborhood where you and the rest of the family can have lots of fun. It's one of the sportier parts of town, however, it's not the winter sports that you probably expected. Spruce Grove offers a ton of sports courts, a huge golf course, and the like where you can stay as active as you can all day long. It's also where the
Whistler Waldorf School is located, one of the most prominent educational institutions in the whole town.
Upper Village and Blackcomb Benchlands
Although the Upper Village and Blackcomb Benchlands are two separate neighborhoods, both areas are located so closely together that most people consider them as one huge district. The Upper Village is comparably the more popular among the two, mostly because it's more commercialized than the Blackcomb Benchlands. This place contains many five-star hotels, luxury resorts, and a lift that can take you up to Blackcomb Mountain—the kind of establishments you'd expect in this ski resort town!
Whistler Village
And finally, there's Whistler Village! This place serves as the central neighborhood of the town, complete with all sorts of commercial districts, offices, hotspots, and more. When you ask others about Whistler, this is the area that they're probably most familiar with. It has everything a town needs, not to mention a gorgeous backdrop of the surrounding mountains, forests, and the like. If you want a more convenient and comfortable stay in Whistler, settling down in this district is your best bet!
If you ever want to visit Whistler, expect to explore a ton of different districts, each more exciting than the next. Let this ultimate neighborhood guide help you get to know this beautiful ski town in British Columbia more!
