|
Whistler |
|
Sunday, June 30
Monday, July 1: Canada Day
Whistler hosts World Adventure Summit . Salutes Brazil as 2008 Site Greetings
from the Travelin'
Cheezhead:.
My 6
day trip to Whistler, BC, earlier this month took
me to the Adventure Travel Trade Association's
annual Summit conference. Yes, the ultra cool
mountain ski village is beautiful in the fall, and
a great relaxing place for a meeting. I attended
the meeting to learn more about the growing niche
market of Adventure Travel & to make job
contacts there. Attendees included tour operators,
travel agency specialists and travel media from all
over the world. See
letters Whistler,
British Columbia
Recognized by Lives of the Rich and Famous as the Number One ski resort in North America, Whistler is 2 hours north of Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway. While it's not an air gateway, many vacationers, property owners and business travelers fly in to this great resort area by helicopter or via Pemberton Airport. Spring through fall: As a four season alpine resort, Whistler offers 4 golf courses, whose designers include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Robert Cupp. In summer, the weather is ideal for hiking, biking, tennis, and horseback riding, windsurfing, sailing, or canoeing on one of five lakes nearby.Since getting there is half the fun, we'll describe the drive north from Vancouver. We could fill many pages extolling the joys of life in and around Whistler, however in the interest of saving space we will provide some recommended links below. Much more to come on this site. For specific information on accommodation, etc. contact Whistler Online:
Looming like a centurion at the entrance is a mammoth 235-ton Wabco "Super Truck" - part of a fleet which revolutionized low-grade mining worldwide. Guided tours begin with "The Britannia Story," featured in rock displays, ore samples, realistic models, maps, drawings, documents and artifacts. Along with the dramatic portrayal of hard-rock mining and other methods used in the province, you get a feeling for the human side of the industry, reflected in the life and times of workers and families. Displays on two other levels present an overview of British Columbia's rich mining heritage, plus a showcase on Craigmont, a copper mine in central BC. near Smithers. While the dominant
physical feature at Britannia Beach is Emerging from the mine, you'll have a close-up look inside the immense gravity-fed concentrator - a spectacular sight, and a regional landmark for more than 75 years. During peak operations, this monstrous complex processed more than 7,000 tons of ore daily, and is the only facility of its kind in North America still accessible to the public. At the "Mining House", where all tours begin and end, you'll be treated to a "magic lantern" show - a slide presentation which traces Britannia's colorful history, recapping your experience inside the heart of Mt. Sheer. A walking tour includes the Assay Office, containing a variety of rock creations donated for auction this fall. Across the way stands the "Ritz Hotel" and assorted mine buildings under restoration. As a token of your visit, the museum offers complimentary drill core samples, many of which date prior to the first world war. Later you can try gold panning. The BC Museum of Mining is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , Wednesdays through Sundays and legal holidays - from May until October. Britannia Beach is 45 minutes from Vancouver, and is served by Maverick Coach Lines (5 times daily) and by BC Rail. During tourist
season, there's a likely chance you'll Another reminder of an earlier era at Britannia's dockside was the SS Prince George, once a proud member of Canadian National's Alaska fleet. Part of the "Britannia Opportunity" plan, is a pocket cruise dock, public pier and marina, along with an integrated transportation depot. The community features craft shops, an impressive live-action display of native Indian stone sculpture and several dining spots. We enjoyed a grand home-cooked meal recently, topped by a miner's sized slab of lemon meringue pie at the Tea Shop, a cozy corner of Canadiana. For free information on this fascinating attraction, call or write: BC. Museum of Mining, Box 188, Britannia Beach, BC VON 1JO. phone(604) 688-8735. For group tour arrangements, fax (604) 892-9152 Whistler Info: http://www.whistler-blackcomb.com/html/dssk/index.html 
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Whistler
is at the top in terms of Best Vacation Value in
North America and the Caribbean according to a
survey of 223 U.S. travel agents. The survey
published by the weekly U.S. News & World
Report underscores the emphasis affluent
vacationers are putting on value without
compromising service. Whistler's high-end
amenities, natural setting and great prices have
made it an attractive destination. Value hunters
can enjoy summer packages including four nights
accommodation and their choice of resort or
wildlife sightseeing tours, or golfing starting at
$339 Cdn per person. COTA member Tourism Whistler
confirms that last year Whistler as a destination
generated$1.1 billion in visitor spending for 2001,
just over 10 per cent of all tourism spending in
the province.