It is no secret that Whistler is one of the most desirable places in the world to visit. Millions of people flock to the resort town annually to take advantage of one of nature’s best playgrounds. What sets Whistler apart from competing resort destinations is the plethora of kid’s activities on offer. Whistler was built with children in mind and it is the local kids in Whistler who really get to take advantage of this much sought after location. With stuff to do year round, some of the world’s best facilities and situated amongst some of the most beautiful scenery in the world it was easy to find 6 reasons why Whistler is Awesome for Kids:
- Four seasons of fun
In many resort destination towns all action and activity is concentrated over only a few months; with so much investment in a short period of time the rest of the year often gets neglected- not in Whistler! The fun and activities are spread throughout the seasons with only small windows of down time in the shoulder seasons for locals to have the town all to themselves. What started off as solely a winter destination for skiers and snowboarders, Whistler has now embraced its summer season and is world renowned as one of the best mountain bike destinations. Let’s not forget about the shoulder months. Spring and Fall are seasons where you can enjoy both winter and summer sports plus a gamut of other outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, camping and more!
- Snow is part of the curriculum
From 3 years old Whistler kids can enroll in Valley Kids which is a two day ski school during the winter months. Children can then advance to Kinder Kids which is one day a week. School aged children can take part in the Mountain Adventure Program on weekends to take their skiing and riding to the next level. I don’t know anywhere else in the world where playing in the snow is a valued part of the curriculum!
- World class events all year
Whistler has world class events year round. The Whistler Children’s Festival is in June, and the Summer Music Series continues on throughout the summer. Fun and professional sporting events take place year round like Ironman, Tough Mudder, Muderella, Crankworx and the World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Can you imagine a better place to be inspired as a child then Whistler?
- Tight knit community
Despite the nearly 3 million visitors each year Whistler actually has a tight knit community of around 10,000 people. With only two primary schools and one high-school Whistler enjoys a small town feel. Besides the glitz and glam of the tourist areas and attractions, Whistler has its own commercial area (Function Junction), a great local’s grocery store (Nesters) and many trails and parks that only the locals know about.
- The best of everything
Best scenery in the world- Check! Best facilities in the world- Check! Best lifestyle in the world- Check! Need we say more? Whistler is bordered with glacial mountains, fresh crisp rivers, gorgeous lakes and picturesque valleys. The great outdoors is easily accessible by trails, lifts, roads and gondolas. World class ski, snowboard, luge and bike parks have been built to host some of the best athletes in the world and locals get to take advantage of these facilities too. Indoor facilities for kids such as the Adventure Zone, Meadow Park Sports Centre, Bounce and the Core provide plenty to do rain or shine. Top this off with a great library, community centre and museums what more could you ask for?
- Appreciation of the outdoors
A strong connection and appreciation of the outdoors as a child is essential to becoming successful and well-adjusted adults later in life. What better place to foster this connection then in Whistler where the outdoors is fully integrated into daily life? Enjoy the benefit of having Vancouver less than 2 hours away while having nature’s most remarkable playground right at your doorstep.
If you aren’t convinced yet that Whistler is one of the best places in the world to raise kids then you really must see it for yourself. Lynne Venner of the Whistler Real Estate Company raised 4 ski racing children in Whistler and now has 10 grand-children in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Lynne fully understands the needs of families and that is why she is so passionate about introducing families to the resort town of Whistler. Contact Lynne today with any questions about Whistler as a place to raise your family!