The 2010 Olympic Winter Games host for skiing and sliding events, Whistler is a phenomenon unlike any other ski resort in North America. With its 1,530-metre (5,020-foot) vertical rise, vast acreage, alpine vistas and three summit glaciers, Whistler offers adrenaline junkies—along with more sedate alpine enthusiasts, who catch the electric, energetic vibe—an unsurpassed mountain experience all year long. Beyond its topographical gifts, Whistler’s charm reveals itself in the vibrant, feel-good village, with its busy pedestrian comings and goings, lively taverns, outdoor cafés, and European flavour reminiscent of spirited alpine towns like Chamonix in France. After exhausting the village’s 200-plus shops and 90 restaurants, meet the traditional native people of the area at Whistler’s Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, where you can lunch on salmon chowder or a smoked salmon sandwich, even in your ski boots.