Itinerary (Overview)

Day 1 - Fly from Toronto to Vancouver

Days 2-3 - Vancouver

Day 4 - Bus to Whistler

Days 5-6 - Ski in Whistler

Day 7 - Bus back to Vancouver then fly home to Toronto

The following daily itinerary is very tentative because I am not the type of person that likes to follow a set schedule. It includes most of the things that I would like to do during my week in Vancouver and Whistler, not necessarily in the following order. I enjoy doing things spontaneously, therefore if one of my friends or a local suggests a certain restaurant or activity I would not hesistate to check it out.

Day 1

We will wake up early this morning to fly from Toronto International Airport to Vancouver International Airport on West Jet. Then we'll spend the afternoon getting settled in the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Vancouver where we will be spending the next few nights. Hopefully we will have time to explore downtown Vancouver and check out some historic places such as Robson Street where we can shop and have our first dinner in Vancouver. After a long day of travelling and exploring, we will go to bed relatively early so that we can get the most out of the rest of our trip.

The Fairmont Hotel pool

Daily spending money: ~$50

Day 2

Wake up for a full day of shopping and sightseeing in dowtown Vancouver. Most likely we will spend the morning wandering the historic streets of Gastown where we can admire the beautiful architecture and the trendy shops. We will have lunch here before making our way to the renovated warehouse district, Yaletown. Like in Gastown we will adventure on our self- guided shopping and sightseeing tour, followed by dinner at one of the many delicious restaurants Yaletown has to offer. This night we will most likely stay out late partying with the locals at a bar in downtown Vancouver.

Downtown Yaletown at night

Daily spending money: ~$50

Day 3

We will wake up before noon to go on an afternoon tour around Stanley Park. We will go on a shuttle tour to see the most breathtaking views of the ocean and the mountains this area has to offer. With destinations such as Brockton Point, Prospect Point, and English Bay, we will have countless opportunities to take pictures and simply enjoy the scenery. We will most likely go out again in downtown Vancouver because it will be our last night before departing for Whistler. We will also spend our last night at the Fairmont Hotel.

Stanley Park (West Vancouver)

Daily spending money: ~$20 ($10 for shuttle tour)

Day 4

This will be our last morning in Vancouver so we will do any last minute shopping or sightseeing that we couldn't fit in the previous few days. We will then take a two hour bus ride from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. When we arrive at our hotel, the Aava Whistler Hotel, we will unpack and get settled. Then we will go for dinner and drinks at the Garibaldi Lift Co Bar & Grill at the base of Whistler Village. This will most likely be an early night to rest up for the next 2 days of skiing.

The Aava Whistler hotel (exterior)

Daily spending money: ~$20

Day 5

We will wake up early in the morning so that we can hit the slopes of Whistler- Blackcomb as soon as they open. We will most likely have lunch in one of the chalets and continue skiing all day. We will go back to the hotel and spend some time in the outdoor hot tub before going to dinner. A possible venue for dinner is Dusty's Bar & BBQ, located in Whistler's Creekside. We will then spend our second night at the Aava Hotel.

Whistler Blackcomb Trail Map

Daily spending money: ~$0

Day 6

Just like Day 5, this whole day will be spent skiing Whistler Blackcomb. In the evening we will again enjoy the hot tub and go for dinner at a restaurant such as Merlins (located at the Blackcomb base). Because this is our last night of the trip we will most likely stay out late partying with the locals and fellow tourists. We will then spend our last night at the Aava Whistler hotel.

Skiing Whistler Blackcomb (my dream)



Daily spending money: ~$20

Day 7

On our last day we will go ziplining with Ziptrek Ecotours in Whistler. Then we will catch the bus, Pacific Coach Lines, back to Vancouver International Airport. We will then, sadly, fly back to Toronto.

 Ziplining in Whistler

Daily spending money: ~$100 (for Ziptrek)

Reflection

My dream trip that I have planned to Vancouver and Whistler very accurately reflects my personality. I am a very active person who gets bored very easily. Therefore I enjoy cramming as many activities into a week as I can. These activities range from down hill skiing and ziplining to shopping and eating. I also would really enjoy interacting with the locals and other tourists because I am a very social person. Many people who travel to Vancouver would be interested in the cultural aspects such as art museums and Chinatown, but these things do not appeal to me as much and therefore I would not include them in my dream trip.

I truly believe that travelling is the best way to learn, not only about history and culture but also about yourself and others. I feel that this trip would teach me a lot about the beautiful west coast of my country that I have never seen as well as strengthen my friendships with the people I share it with. This knowledge in addition to the experience itself are the reasons why this trip is my dream trip for the year 2013.