Whistler is a great place to get away from it all — and as COVID-related travel restrictions ease, a mountain town with lots of places to spread out while stretching the legs, breathing in some fresh mountain air, and appreciating nature after being cooped up and vacation-starved during the pandemic.

AUDAIN MUSEUM. The idea of life in the North conjures images of vast, snow-covered landscapes, Arctic sea ice and polar bears — a place where all beings have adapted to living in the extremes of the long, cold polar night and the brief midnight sun of summer.

Whistler has undoubtedly earned its reputation as a year-round, world-class resort, offering visitors from all over the globe an unmatched mountain experience with adventure activities galore. Those include skiing, snowboarding, ziplining, bungee jumping, pretty much heli-everything, and much, much more.

Undeniably, most of us feel the need to get outside after being cooped up during these crazy times. What better way to do that than getting out for a hike on the trails, reconnecting with nature, and getting a little exercise.

A hot summer day. A cloud-free, bluebird sky that is so vibrant, you can hardly believe it’s a real-life shade of blue and not something photoshopped. The sun is warming your face while the scent of wildflowers and perhaps the freshest air you’ve ever breathed fills your nostrils.

It’s easy to watch the mountain bikers racing into the Village from Whistler Mountain’s slopes and think, “What a bunch of crazy kids!” The Whistler Mountain Bike Park offers no shortage of high-speed trails, jumps and drop-offs, and things that don’t look like anything people could ride a bike down! However, as the sport of mountain biking matures, so do its long-time fanatics.

The world’s gone crazy — well, golf crazy, that is. We’ve all felt it at some point this past year… a yearning to get outside, to be with friends, to socialize.

Treat yourself to some decadent hand-made fudge, and you must try the chocolate-coated, hand-made ice cream bars at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, located at the base of the Whistler Village Gondola.

Sunshine, music, good vibes, laughter — and great food and drink! It’s the recipe that we have all been waiting for, and it’s being served right now on patios throughout Whistler.

We have all become home bar “experts” over the past year, but most of us haven’t gone beyond the basics. So, raise a super-fancy, drink-appropriate glass to the prospect of delicious craft cocktails once more!