May go for 1st time this winter for 3-4 days. 2 adults and a 4 yr old boy. Besides skiing is there ice skating, sleigh rides or sleding? Kid friendly stuff? Should I consider the bus from Vancouver? If I stay at Chateau Wistler will I need a car to get around to food, shopping and skiing? Is the kids ski school near the Chateau? Are there cheaper places for quick meals, fast food? Thanks!

Sorry can't help you too much, but if you go to this site you may find answers you want - www.tourismwhistler.com <BR>Im sure they do have kid friendly stuff. it is not voted best winter resort for nothing. i do believe the kid ski is very close to the chateau whistler, it is also about a 10-15 min walk to the village where there are quite a few different types of restaurants, you definetly don't need a car. there is a nice german deli that has great soup and sandwiches, sorry can't remember name, its across from the delta mountanside lodge, there's a mcdonalds, kentucy fried chicken, subway. also the above site should have a toll free number if you need more info. well im sure you will enjoy your stay.!! have a great time!!

You'll love Whistler. I don't remember skating but there is sledding for sure (see if Robbie is still doing it). There are families everywhere. Many hotels have indoor pools. You can take the Perimeter Bus right from the airport to Whistler but make sure you make reservations(they bring different size buses depending on how many reservations they have). You will not need a car once you're there. That's part of the charm- you walk everywhere. I would recommend you stay in Whistler Village not Blackcomb. The main action is in that part of Whistler and the ski school is at the base of Whistler Mt (yes, you can go to Blackcomb from there also.)We stayed at the Delta Whistler Suites (not to be confused with the Delta Whistler which is a much larger hotel). Had a living room/dining room/kitchen with fireplace and separate bedroom area. Great for breakfasts, lunches,snacks,etc. There are other alternatives as well including renting a condo. but stay <BR>in the Village. There are lots of choices for restaurants. Have fun.

I agree with Bonnie. The Chateau Whistler is very nice and almost a self contained resort but it's a bit of a shlep down to and even worse up from the village. We've always stayed at the Westin Suites which is quite deluxe but no more than the Chateau and you walk right out the door to the Whistler Gondola and dozens & dozens of shops, restaurants and other attractions in the Village. <BR> <BR>If you're arriving by plane the Perimeter Bus is best - otherwise Greyhound has regular runs all day long from the main Vancouver Bus depot. You won't need a car in Whistler unless you plan on going to some out of the way restaurants & the like but there is also a municipal bus service between Whistler/Blackcomb and Pemberton. <BR> <BR>There is an indoor rink at Meadow Park near Green Lake. It's actually a full community centre with Kid friendly activities especially on weekends. You'ld have to take the Municipal Bus from the Village to the Park and I would guess they run pretty regularly. It's fairly rare when it get's cold enough for the lakes to safely freeze over so that's the only dependable ice skating that I know of.

It really depends on your preference. Chateau Whistler is quieter than the hotels nearer the Village, but I kind of like that. When our kids were young, we always stayed on the Blackcomb Mtn. side of the resort. <BR> <BR>There is also a ski school at the base of Blackcomb; literally steps from Chateau Whistler. The instructors are excellent. Both my sons learned to ski and snowboard there; the youngest when he was four. <BR> <BR>You can skate at the recreation centre and there are plenty of kid-friendly places to eat in all price ranges. All in all, Whistler is a very family-oriented place, though the night-life in the village can get a bit noisy if you like to retire early (another reason we like the Blackcomb side).