FAQ
Q. Hi. Just arrived. Need food. Drink.
A. And adjectives. Well, the Grocery Store is in the heart of the village; follow the crowds. There's a liquor store right next to it. IGA is in Marketplace. Surprise, so is a liquor store. Creekside Market and Food Plus is in, well, Creekside. Guess what? Liquor store. Nesters is just north of town; liquor store's just below it. And the Upper Village Market is up in the Blackcomb Benchlands.
Q. No liquor store at the Upper Village Market?
A. Right across the street, Blackcomb Liquor store.
Q. Okay, now I'm thirsty. Any special rules?
A. You look like you're over 19; you qualify.
Q. Can I take my children into bars?
A. Maybe yes, maybe no. Best to ask.
Q. I'm excited to check out the mountains. Which one's Whistler?
A. The one on the right.
Q. Which one's better?
A. Whichever one you're on. With the Peak 2 Peak gondola, it hardly matters. You can change mountains more often than you change underwear. If you're a beginner, Whistler's where the lessons take place; start there. If you're an intermediate, Blackcomb's got your number. If you can ski anything, the world is your oyster.
Q. I've never been here. What's the best way to get my bearings?
A. I'd recommend a free mountain tour. They start every day at 11:30am. Ask Guest Relations for details on meeting places.
Q. Which one's Whistler again? I can't even see the mountains for all this fog.
A. Don't be fooled; that's not fog, it's clouds. Don't let that fool you either. It can be sunny on top and totally socked in down here. These mountains are huge! You're likely to find a comfortable zone somewhere on them regardless of the weather.
Q. How can I know what it's like on the mountains if I can't see them?
A. Call the snow phone: 604 932 4211.
Q. Okay, Whistler's the one on the right. But how do I get there? This place is, shall we say, confusing.
A. Ask anyone. But if you're shy, there's a Visitors' Centre in the round-front building just off the taxi and bus loop. There's also a Village Host kiosk in the main village near Citta'.
Q. What can you tell me about the history of Whistler?
A. Whistler as you experience it got started in 1960 when some people got the crazy idea it'd be fun to hold the Olympics here. Problem was, there was no here, here, so they created one. And here it is.
Q. Didn't you just host the Olympics?
A. Not me personally. But yes. Whistler was the host site for the alpine skiing events, the sliding competitions and, just south of town, the Nordic and ski jumping events.
Q. What was that like?
A. Exciting, if confusing. You can check out the venues while you're here. The Whistler Olympic Park south of town is a great place to cross-country ski, though they won't let you jump. The race courses on Whistler are thrilling. The Sliding Centre shouldn't be missed and the Olympic Plaza in the village is the only place in town to get your picture taken in the rings.
Q. What about the history of the place before the Olympics?
A. Well, Whistler's been a succession of First Nations peoples, trappers, miners and loggers, then sport fishermen, skiers, condo salespeople, snowboarders, mountain bikers and now, you.
Q. Where can I find out more about the First Nations and the others?
A. Well, the Lil'wat Nation, based in Mount Currie, north of Whistler near Pemberton, and the Squamish Nation, based south of Whistler in Squamish and North Vancouver, have joined forces and built the Squamish-Lil'wat Cultural Centre up on the Blackcomb Benchlands. You can tour it and really immerse yourself in their culture and history. And the Whistler Museum, near our very award-winning library, can fill you in on the rest.
Q. Cool. What's there to do here?
A. Didn't you read the Activities section of this book? 
Q. I mean what's going on this week?
A. Well, they have a lot of current information at the Visitor Information Centre and Village Host kiosk I told you about. And if you pick up a Pique ― free everywhere in town ― it lists everything going down this week.
Q. How about getting around town?
A. The village is a pedestrian wonderland, which means you can't drive through it. If you need to get some place further afield, Creekside for instance, you can take the bus. $2.50 for adults, $2 for young and old kids, free just around the immediate village and Benchlands. The bus loop ― terminus ― is just up the steps from Excalibur Gondola. The taxi loop is down near the Visitor Info Centre.
Q. How about cultural entertainment?
A. There are a number of art galleries in the village, some fine artists' and craftsfolks' workshops around town, great dining and clubs, and really, the village itself is the manifestation of our culture. You can download an extensive and informative self-guided podcast tour at www.whistler.ca and be your own tour guide. Heck, you could end up knowing more than a lot of people who live here.
Q. What do I do if I need medical attention?
A. Lie there and wait for Ski Patrol.
Q. And if I'm not skiing?
A. Call 911.
Q. And is there a place I can swim and work out? My condo's kinda basic.
A. You can do all sorts of sweaty things at Meadow Park Sports Centre just north of town. The Alpine or Emerald bus will stop there. It's $8 for an adult, double that for the whole family. Any other questions?
Thanks, I think. You've been helpful.
You're welcome. Your pleasure is my business.
