Whistler, the Top Mountain Resort in North America, Shines Even Brighter in Summer

At the beginning of summer, the 50 Best organization announced its list of the 50 Best Restaurants in North America. As a person (I.e., a childless person) who eats at “special occasion” restaurants on random Tuesday nights, I quickly scanned the list to gauge my future as a self-appointed food critic (albeit the rom-com Julianne Potter version).

In spot 13, I saw Le Bernadin, the New York City institution where, as a 16-year-old in 2002, designer Victor Costa treated me to lunch and explained soft-shell crabs. I kept scanning the list through the twenties, thirties, and forties. Notably, there wasn’t a single restaurant from the entire Lone Star State. (RUDE??)

As I neared the end of the list, I saw at spot 47 Wild Blue Restaurant + Cocktail Bar in Whistler, a restaurant where I, naive of the accolade, *just* ate on my first visit to the idyllic Canadian ski town. Thankfully, I second its inclusion on the list; Wild Blue stood out as the culinary highlight of an already delicious destination. But more on that later.

When you think of Whistler, you think of skiing. This, however, is not a story about skiing. I do not ski, and I do not aspire to ski. Some of us are meant for The Lodge Life. Today, I shall present my argument for why you should visit Whistler, even after the snow melts.

The Coziest Spot in Whistler

My home-away-from-home in Whistler? The Four Seasons Resort and Residences. Within an hour after arriving to Canada for the first time, I received my first Canadian “sorry.” It delighted me! As a native Texan, I treasure escaping to a charming mountain town during the height of summer. American Airlines offers a non-stop flight from DFW to Vancouver that’s an easy-breezy four and a half hours. Consistently ranked as the top mountain resort in North America, Whistler is a scenic two-hour drive north of Vancouver. I took VIP Whistler Car Service in lieu of renting a car.

Four Seasons Whistler has 273 guest rooms, suites, and townhouses, in addition to private residences. The resort feels like a contemporary lodge, but the wood interiors and textures throughout the space provide incredible warmth and coziness. I stayed in a Deluxe Executive Suite that featured a spacious living room and balcony with a sensational view. I loved so many things about Four Seasons Whistler, but if I *had* to whittle it down, here are my recommendations for things you cannot skip:

• Order the Signature Breakfast Tower! It’s unusual to consider a room service breakfast an “experience,” but it absolutely was. This was the single most beautiful, decadent breakfast I’ve ever experienced in a hotel. They set the divine tower up on the balcony, and I feasted on the three tiers of savory and sweet delights.
• Utilize the property’s amenities, including the heated outdoor pool, poolside bar, and cedar sauna. I ended each day with 20 minutes in the sauna, followed by a heavenly night’s rest.
• Carve out a few hours for transcendence at The Spa at Four Seasons. I enjoyed the “Magic of the Mountains” journey, which included a full-body massage and the best pedicure I’ve ever had, with locally sourced products. The well-appointed space felt thoughtful, deeply peaceful, and rooted in a sense of place. 10/10.

On Top of the World

Sometimes a girl just needs to take a helicopter to the top of a glacier to get a little perspective. So, that’s exactly what I did. I used to be a nervous flyer, and then I traveled to Fiji, where I took every kind of flying device known to man. It cured me. So, when asked if I wanted to take a helicopter tour of Whistler, it was a resounding YES. Blackcomb Helicopters offers a 25-minute flight with a 20-minute alpine landing. It was safe, smooth, and absolutely magical. We landed on top of a glacier and took in the majesty of the mountains.

Another activity that inspired and delighted? A visit to the Audain Art Museum. Vancouver home builder and philanthropist Michael Audain and his wife Yoshiko Karasawa founded the museum, which opened in 2016. The permanent collection showcases the art of British Columbia from the late 18th century to the present. Housed in a gorgeous 56,000-square-foot building in the heart of Whistler, this was an unexpected highlight of my visit.

Going on a Bear Hunt

I packed a Ralph Lauren bear sweater for one reason and one reason only: to go on a bear-viewing safari. Four Seasons Whistler offers a number of compelling seasonal experiences, and this one piqued my interest immediately. For two and a half hours, an affable guide drives you through Whistler Olympic Park, which is home to a large population of black bears (who are often brown, FYI). From the safety of a vehicle, we tracked the known, beloved, and well-documented bears in their natural habitat. Awake after their long slumber, the bears spend their days doing one thing: eating, fattening up all season before they hibernate once again. (It takes a lot of dandelions to maintain that physique.) We successfully spotted a few bears through binoculars from a long distance. Then, just as the safari neared its conclusion, we witnessed a mama bear with her twin cubs, as she guided them across the road. Naturally, my first thought was, “I want to hug them.”

A Town Fit For Foodies

Like the black bears, I spent a considerable amount of time on my visit foraging for food. This task proved impossibly simple; Whistler is, quite simply, a town fit for foodies.

Four Seasons Whistler operates two main restaurants, Braidwood Tavern and Sidecut Steakhouse, and both of them shine. Guests gather at Braidwood Tavern for breakfast, and it also doubles as the go-to meeting spot for après-ski cocktails (whether one skis or not is irrelevant!). On the night of my arrival, I enjoyed a satisfying dinner at Braidwood Tavern that included a pan-seared black cod and a warm sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

Braidwood Tavern developed a thoughtful cocktail program called “The Memoir,” which centers around the idea that every cocktail begins as a memory. “The Memoir” gathers these memories and retells them in liquid form, “tracing the small miracles and turning points that shape who we become.” I opted for the “High School Summer,” which was designed to evoke “sun-warmed skin, the scent of sunscreen, laughter that lingers until your cheeks ache, ” and consisted of Haku vodka, lime leaf, coconut water, extra day vermouth, and Champagne.

Sidecut Steakhouse is the broodier, moodier big brother to Braidwood at Four Seasons Whistler. I started with the miso-glazed eggplant, and then opted for the six-ounce tenderloin with a roasted garlic béarnaise and rigatoni mac and cheese. I felt entirely too full to order the dark chocolate soufflé, and I regret that! Next time, my après might just be a Diet Coke and chocolate coufflé.

During shoulder season, many Whistler residents (which includes A TON of Aussies, earning the charming town the nickname “Whistralia”) bop around to the fanciest restaurants in town, which offer prix fixe menus that are COMPELLING.

At Wild Blue, one of the 50 Best Restaurants in North America, I obviously chose to partake in the four-course prix fixe menu, where I selected the following:

• Snap Pea Salad— an inventive, healthy dish of puffed grains and wild rice with a sesame and miso dressing
• Crispy Chicken Skin Salad— with pickled cucumber, radishes, and a sweet yuzu mustard
• Braised Lamb Shank— with gigante beans, baby carrots, and snap peas
• Sticky Toffee— yes, I got it again because it turns out my favorite dessert is popular in Whistler

The price of this four-course menu at the heralded Wild Blue? $44. Yes, you read that correctly. (I think I’ve spent $44 to DoorDash a cold burrito bowl from Chipotle??)

I assumed the portions would be minuscule. They were not. They were… large. Oh, and the meal came with a glass of bubbly, too. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better meal for the price in my entire life. And I go everywhere and order everything. If you visit Whistler and don’t make a reservation at Wild Blue Restaurant + Cocktail Bar, I simply cannot help you. Godspeed.

I did all that in three days. I couldn’t fit in skiing even if I wanted to, eh?

sOrRy, Texas, but sometimes a gal just needs to head north for a bit.

Whistler Forever.