Getting to/from Whistler from Vancouver airport

[descender]

Are shuttles the way to go? Cause I don't see a need for a car if we are going to stay in the Village. Any tips on this subject are appreciated.

[snow_slider]

It's been a few years since I was at Whistler, but I believe there is a shuttle bus that runs between the airport and the resort. Definitely the way to go - jaw droppingly beautiful scenery on the ride and no car to worry about when staying in town.

[AntiSoCalSkier]

The shuttles are expensive, but there really is no need for a car if you stay anywhere near the Village. The only reason I would rent a car would be if I had a big enough group to make it cheaper than shuttling. Also, if you have 6 or 7 people, taking a "limo" (I'm not really sure what they use for the limos) is just as cheap and more convenient since they depart when you arrive not an hour or two later. Finally, the helicopter service is surprisingly cheap ($150 - $200, I think).

[Barnballs]

Shuttle bus is the way to go. Traffic sucks in Vancouver...and you can nap on the bus

Shuttle Bus

[Tippster]

Take the shuttle. Your hotel can refer you to a van company.

Ditto on the scenery. Put some good, mellow tunes on a CD or MP3 player for the ride. It's simply one of the most gorgeous drives I've ever experienced. Horseshoe Bay is spiritual.

[778skier]

you can rent a minivan from budget (budget.com) for $40/day, pick up at the airport and drop it off when you arrive in whistler. You wont need it to get around once you're there.

[up an down]

Originally posted by descender
Are shuttles the way to go? Cause I don't see a need for a car if we are going to stay in the Village. Any tips on this subject are appreciated.

you can take a train to whistler, but you have to get from the airport to north vancouver where the station is located. the bus from the airport is definitely the most convenient, unless you were going to hang out in vancouver for a day or 2 anyway (very worthwhile city to explore)

[Steven S. Dallas]

Not to flog a dead horse, but the sea to sky highway is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. Get a window seat on the driver's side.

[AK G-Dog]

I will beat that dead horse. I live in a kinda beautiful place but it is nothing compared to the Sea to Sky highway. I was insanly hungover when I did it and it was the most memorable thing I did there. I would take a bus/shuttle and enjoy the drive. That being said Vancouver (or Hongcouver to the locals) is a pretty cool place to kill some time.

[descender]

<dr nick> thanks ev-ra-body! </nick>

[cab9]

Go with the shuttle or limo, the person stuck driving a rental car will miss all the views. The sea to sky is also very dangerous, I drive it all the time and ever trip someone is wandering into my lane. In the last three weeks there has been 9 or 10 fatalities, caused by head ons, I would feel safer in a bus.

[Arty50]

Another vote for the shuttle or limo. It's especially nice on the way back when you've partied way too hard the night before and need to drink a beer or two on the way back just to feel better.

[midget]

Originally posted by Alex P. Keaton
Not to flog a dead horse, but the sea to sky highway is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. Get a window seat on the driver's side.

Screw the scenery......rent a fast car and drive the piss out of it! One of the funnest 60+ mile stretches of road I've driven......unfortunately the road keeps gettting wider and wider every time I go back to Whistler....

[cj001f]

Originally posted by midget
One of the funnest 60+ mile stretches of road I've driven....

Not if it's snowing low. Then you realize how bad most drivers are in the snow, and it becomes really frightening (Chinese Fire Drill w/Chains!)

I took the Perimeter Express bus service. Airport to Door - comfortable, and much more relaxing than driving up Thurs before last w/all the snow would have been. It wasn't exactly "Express" however - made a 1/2 dozen stops each way in Vancouver.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Originally posted by midget
Screw the scenery......rent a fast car and drive the piss out of it!

Uh, I believe the driver's seat would qualify as a window seat on the driver's side.

[Snow Dog]

Originally posted by AntiSoCalSkier
Also, if you have 6 or 7 people, taking a "limo" (I'm not really sure what they use for the limos) is just as cheap and more convenient since they depart when you arrive not an hour or two later.

They use real limos with ski racks.

[cab9]

Originally posted by midget
Screw the scenery......rent a fast car and drive the piss out of it! One of the funnest 60+ mile stretches of road I've driven......unfortunately the road keeps gettting wider and wider every time I go back to Whistler....

The sea to sky is a fun drive as long as you are not stuck behind someone who doesn't know the road, you know the type that drives way below the speed limit until the passing lane and then pins it way over just so you can't pass.
You need to head up north of Whistler onto the Duffy Lake road if you want fun roads. A lot of Porsche commercials are filmed there, and you can see why. On a sunny summer day you will see 100+ crotch rockets head up there just to wind out the bikes. Plus most of the idiots that can't drive stop in Whistler for some nice shopping and a latte.

[The AD]

It's definitely an amazingly scenic drive, especially from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish. Here's a little scenic stoke for you:
http://home.comcast.net/~seussnelson/images/BB.jpg

I took this at Brittania Beach. Right across the street is the mining museum and gigantic dump truck.

If you've ever watched the movie Insomnia with Al Pacino a lot of that was filmed around Squamish (it was supposed to be Alaska in the movie).

But, of course, the weather is always terrible in Whistler. Why are you even going? Check out how shitty it was today!
http://www.whistler-blackcomb.com/ga...r_sunshine.jpg

[cab9]

Originally posted by The AD
It's definitely an amazingly scenic drive, especially from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish. Here's a little scenic stoke for you:
http://home.comcast.net/~seussnelson/images/BB.jpg

This was taken at Brittania Beach. Right across the street is the mining museum and gigantic dump truck.

If you've ever watched the movie Insomnia with Al Pacino a lot of that was filmed around Squamish (it was supposed to be Alaska in the movie).

The X-File series filmed there for years too. That mine was where they kept the files of all the humans that were actually aliens(or something like that)

[Arty50]

Originally posted by Snow Dog
They use real limos with ski racks.

I just found out we're getting picked up by a Yukon Denali with a box on top.

On a side note I'll be up there Friday thru Sunday and maybe more. So if there are any local mags or others headed up there, drop me a PM if you want to hook up. I'm going to try to get my hands on a radio tomorrow, so that may be a way to find me too. Provided I can pick you out of the hundreds of people that will be on each channel...

[snorkeldeep]

arty50, clean out your pm box!

[Gregbo]

Ditto on the shuttle...
THe highway is great eye candy
the ride is comfy
the bars are as close as the lifts
nuf said

[midget]

Originally posted by cab9
The sea to sky is a fun drive as long as you are not stuck behind someone who doesn't know the road, you know the type that drives way below the speed limit until the passing lane and then pins it way over just so you can't pass.
You need to head up north of Whistler onto the Duffy Lake road if you want fun roads. A lot of Porsche commercials are filmed there, and you can see why. On a sunny summer day you will see 100+ crotch rockets head up there just to wind out the bikes. Plus most of the idiots that can't drive stop in Whistler for some nice shopping and a latte.

Sooo....would that be if you kept driving north on 99 past Whistler?? I've gone up about an hour north and it's full of frost heave bumps......

OK, the drive is fun......if it's 6am in May-September....no snow, no ice, nobody on the road but you!