Whistler, BC for New Years!
We have started this tradition in year’s past to find really cool family New Year’s destinations. When boys were a bit younger, we did the Great Wolf Lodge which is great for kids….don’t get me wrong…..but not ideal for the parents, lol! We have a set of criteria where it needs to have snow, a family event to ring in the New year with and just an overall good time. We have succeeded and we have failed. So e are here to tell you about the AMAZING experience we had at the Four Seasons in Whistler, BC.
We’re not technically skiers. The boys and I love to ski but it’s not a must and we try to fit it in if we can. The hubby has hurt his knees so much through the years due to soccer, he doesn’t even want to take the chance. We unfortunately had some unexpected obstacles getting to Whistler, so our trip wasn’t as long as we originally anticipated but it is worth the trek there. We didn’t do everything we wanted to but it was still a blast.
We drove up from Seattle and through Vancouver. We stopped at the Capilano Suspension Bridge which was really cool. Definitely a must if you’re in Vancouver or passing through. We went in the morning but I would to love to see it in the evening as well…..they have lights all of the trees and most likely looks magical in the evening.
Driving to Whistler from Seattle was nerve racking in all the snow. Our vehicle was not well-equipped and this is certainly something to know and distinguish when renting a vehicle in such a vast amount of snow. We have driven in snow plenty of times before but this was just at a whole new level of dangerous snow. The last 6 miles to Whistler were really scary because it is all black ice. You have no control over the car and the wheels slide everywhere. The last 6 miles to the Four Seasons took a good 90 minutes with the cars going so slow over the ice.
We ate at the Braidwood Tavern and the drinks were AMAZING! Alen’s ALL-TIME favorite drink to date is the Evergreen Old-Fashion that he had at their restaurant. They even treated us to a welcome desser.
But, by the time we got to the hotel, the boys were ready to play in some snow. It was late so we played around the hotel and headed to dinner.
The next morning we weren’t exploring the village. We found snow mountains, hills and all sorts of things to play in. We found snow tubing that is always a hit. We found the Olympic Village that was so cute and very more beautiful as the sun started to go down. We had laughs, hot chocolate and some ice skating along the way.
We headed back to the hotel to get ready for the New year’s Eve dinner which we had no idea what to expect. When we checked in, they asked us if we would like to buy tickets to their New year’s Eve dinner. They were pricey….not gonna lie….it is Four Season’s. We had no idea about it but decided to try it out. So we got ready and went down to the ballroom and it was decorated beautifully. They had a band playing, foot to die for and noise makers for the kids.
They even had a room setup next to the ballroom for kids to play in. They had foosball, soccer, chess, air hockey and some other games. So they boys were there pretty much all night with some other kids they made friends with. So the evening was beautiful.
So the Four Seasons in Whistler set our standards high for the next New year’s to come. We didn’t know this was a “thing” at hotels as this was the first hotel we came across that had this kind of dinner and entertainment setup for FAMILIES. So we took this experience in and realized what we need to look for when we plan our New year’s Eve trips with the kids. A beautiful event setup for parents and kids alike.
We didn’t quite make it to midnight on the West Coast. We made the New York ball drop and lasted until about 11:00 PM before these kids could barely keep their eyes open from playing and dancing.
The hotel overall was very nice. The rooms were spacious and had a lovely fireplace. We had a balcony overlooking the mountain and we saw the snow falling one morning. The lobby is intimate and the restaurants were very nice. The property had s lovely firepit for smores. A heated pool and hot tubs were also on property that we used.
It isn’t a ski-in/out but it is very close and the hotel will get you to/from with no problems.
Highly recommend going to Whistler for New Year’s…..it was truly magical!
