Cynthia Cunniff’s writing background spans magazine editorial, travel blogging, marketing and PR. She’s a graduate of the creative writing program at CSU Long Beach and went on to UCLA to further her writing skills. Growing up as a military dependent, she lived in several foreign countries and areas of the US. Post college she returned to international living and resided in London for close to a decade, where she took advantage of proximity to the rest of Europe and traveled extensively. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram @localpathworld.
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View from train going to WhistlerSquamish Lil’wat Cultural Center display
The best thing you can do while planning a Whistler visit is to give yourself plenty of time there. We barely scratched the surface on summer family activities in the area — which made for tough decision making.
The choices of fun seem endless: biking, hiking, ziplining, eating, art, shopping, swimming, culture, music and much more. There’s no doubt we will be returning with the whole brood to include a 17-year-old, 15-year-old, 13-year-old, 7-year-old and maybe even a very curmudgeonly Jack Russell Terrier (lots of dog friendly accommodations available).
Hugging a Vancouver native
Getting There With Kids In Tow
Things actually didn’t start off too hot – I had to pay an additional fee to have my 7-year-old daughter sit next to my on the WestJet flight from LAX (Los Angeles) to YVR (Vancouver, Canada). It was non-negotiable and it was not cheap. I was tied to that airline, so didn’t have the option to use another. I wish I could say the experience was a one-off, but on another recent flight on US Airways, I paid $238 over the ticket amount to sit with my daughter from LAX to Michigan – sadly, these fees are apparently becoming the industry norm. We had a layover and, therefore, there was an additional fee for each leg of the journey. Not cool.
Starting Point – Vancouver
The family adventure started with a night’s stay in Vancouver, Canada. If you’re on limited time and traveling with kids in Vancouver, I’d head to Stanley Park to explore the 1,000 acres of rainforest that includes sports complexes, local artwork, a miniature train, dining, and a pool among many other facilities and events. The park sits on the northwestern edge of downtown Vancouver and is a natural haven for locals and travelers alike.
Blackcomb Family Adventure Zone
Make A Plan
In my estimation, the best part of traveling isn’t the travel itself. It can be laborious and boring, so having the opportunity to take the glass domed car on the Rocky Mountaineer Train after a day of security lines and airports made getting from Vancouver to Whistler a treat. Once you’re in Whistler the skies the limit and both parents and kids will have a myriad of decisions to make on how to fill time, therefore save some headache and find out in advance what’s on offer to create a streamline road map of your stay. Here’s a head start on what you can expect for your family:
