Day in Whistler, BC, Canada

Day 22 - Thursday 7 October – Vancouver & Whistler
Temperature 15 °C & Partly Cloudy possible showers

Early start to the day, we're at the Red Umbrella at 7 am and have a quick breakfast, I think he's getting to know us. Back to the hotel and ready well in time for the 8 am pick-up. We've booked a sightseeing tour to Whistler with an outfit called Vantage Whistler www.VantageWhistler.com

Right on time we are picked up in a very modern Mercedes 11 seater bus. The driver makes us welcome and explains that we have two more to pick up and we'll be a party of four. He wheels the bus to the Waterfront area where we pick up a mother and daughter. He then drives us through Stanley Park to Prospect Point and we stop for a while to take photos from the excellent vantage point.

Lions Gate Bridge

We cross the Lions Gate Bridge into the North Vancouver district and joint Highway 99. Soon we turn off to look out over Vancouver from the Cypress Mountain Lookout, the view is spectacular despite the fact that there's a heavy overcast and early morning haze, take the obligatory snaps and back onto the bus.

From Cypress Mountain

From here on Highway 99 is called the “Sea to Sky Highway”, a masterpiece of engineering that showcases the spectacular mountains, the trees and the constant presence of the ocean inlets. Next stop is Porteau Cove where we take time for some more photos, a comfort stop and some refreshments.

From Porteau Cove

After some time we climb back aboard the bus and continue up towards Whistler. Next stop is Shannon Falls a spectacular cascade that rushes from a height of 335 meters. The park is spectacular also for the diversity of trees standing there. There are also views of “The Chief in Squamish” which is a series of 700 metre massive granite cliffs that stand at the southern entrance to Squamish.

Shanon Falls

The Chief in Squamish

On the bus again and we turn off for the Brandywine Falls, the gate to the car-park is locked but the driver manages to squeeze the bus off the highway and we stroll through dense, lush growth the view the falls. Here the water plunges 70 meters into a deep gorge that has been carved out over time. Spectacular !!

Brandywine Falls

By about 12:30 we arrive in Whistler, here we are turned loose to explore the village. It is one huge theme park of lodges and shops. Despite it being the 'between season' there are lots of people bustling back and forth. We wander down the “Village Stroll” a pedestrian only walkway that runs North and South through the village. To the East are the mountains with the ski runs and to the West another range of mountains.

Images in Whistler

We don't have any trouble filling in the 4 hours but are quite happy to meet up with the bus again as the weather was becoming quite ordinary. For the trip home I got to sit in the co-pilot’s seat and had the unusual experience of taking photos through the windscreen of a moving vehicle. The results hardly live up to the reality of the spectacular drive back to Vancouver.

Back at the hotel just before 7 pm after the very best single day out so far.