There is nowhere else in this country that can claim to be Canada’s playground in the way that Whistler can. Sure there are plenty of great spots to visit from coast to coast, but nowhere else quite has that certain something in the way that Whistler does.
Nestled in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Whistler sits at the bottom of two of the most majestic the range has to offer; the 5,020 ft Whistler mountain and the 5,280 ft Blackcomb. Both combining for more than 10,000 vertical feet of hill to go down, meaning there are long bits of slope to traverse before you have to even think about getting back on a chairlift.
However, Whistler is more than a ski resort. It’s a year-round destination for people looking to cut loose from the pressures of urban living and as close to a mountain oasis as you’re going to find anywhere in the world. Of course it’s a destination for skiers and snowboarders, but what’s more, it’s a promised land for golfers, hikers, mountain bikers, foodies, and even shoppers. Whistler lets you leave everything behind and yet feel like nothing’s missing.
With all the infrastructure developed in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Games, Whistler is now just a two-hour ride north of Vancouver Airport. For anyone arriving from out province or another country, it’s a quick beautiful trip along highway 99, known for good reason as the Sea-to-Sky.
If you’ve never been, Whistler is the sort of place you visit once and want to stay. It’s the sort of place where you meet people from everywhere, which means it’s also the sort of place people are always looking for somewhere to hang their hat for a week or two. And that makes it a pretty great place to consider if you’re looking to invest in a vacation rental property. The only trouble is that you will be struggling to decide how many weeks you’re going to rent it out versus how many weeks you’re going to use it for yourself! It’s probably one of the best dilemmas life has to offer. As far as investments go, Whistler has remained a great growth opportunity with year over year average single-family home prices increasing by 13% to $2,042,000, average townhomes climbing by 18% to $922,696, and average condo prices up by 11% to $437,518. And, with a reputation as one of the world’s best resort destinations we don’t see that slowing down.
People have been heading to Whistler since 1914 when the railway finally made its way up there. Only back then it was primarily a summertime vacation spot, attracting fishermen and hunters with its pristine and natural way of life. It wasn’t until the early 1960’s when four Vancouver businessmen had the idea of building a ski resort in the hopes of attracting the 1968 Olympic Winter Games. It didn’t happen that year, but they laid the groundwork for everything we have there today and made Whistler into the sort of place that has always had world class aspirations!
Of course, investing in a Whistler vacation property back in the 1960’s would have been great knowing what we do now. Back then it would have been filled with all sorts of risk and uncertainty. Today, you can still invest in a home away from home, only now you have the security of knowing there will never be a shortage of tourists who want to drop by!
Own or thinking about purchasing a vacation home?
Get an accurate airbnb revenue estimate
