Our Whistler, B.C. Honeymoon! (+ A Couple Days in Vancouver, B.C.)

 

A recap of our unforgettable honeymoon exploring the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture of Whistler and Vancouver, B.C.! From cozy lodge moments to culinary delights, I can’t wait to share the highlights of our journey with you in hopes that it inspires you if you’re considering a Whistler, B.C. honeymoon (or Vancouver!).

Our Whistler, B.C. Honeymoon

DAY 1

Our honeymoon officially kicked off! We’d been counting down to this day since October and it felt so surreal.

We spent most of the day traveling to our first destination: Whistler, BC. Along the way, we made a must-stop in Bellingham, WA, at Black Sheep, a fabulous taco spot that totally lives up to the hype. Their perfectly spicy guacamole was a standout, and the Baja fish tacos and carne asada tacos were equally delicious. Highly recommend stopping here if you’re passing through - it was the perfect halfway break!

The drive up the Sea to Sky Highway was absolutely stunning! The views of the coastline, with the ocean and sky blending together, were breathtaking. It’s such a scenic route that really set the tone.

Once we arrived in Whistler Village, we took some time to explore before checking in at our resort. We stopped by Peaked Pies for some seriously delicious Australian-style handmade pies. I went for the Vegetable Medley, and Jared, staying true to the experience, opted for the Traditional Aussie pie. Both were the perfect snack to fuel us for more exploring! Afterward, we found a cozy little bookshop called Armchair Books, where we grabbed a few reads for the trip.

Later that evening, we checked into our beautiful resort, Nita Lake Lodge, and let me tell you - it was even more amazing than we imagined. Stay tuned - I’ll share all the nitty gritty details below.

To end off our first day, we headed to just one of the fabulous resort restaurants, The Den, and enjoyed the most delicious butternut squash gnocchi and smashed potatoes - a cozy, perfect way to end a loooong day of travel.

Day 2

Day 2 was all about trying new things and taking time to reflect on the moment.

We started the day with a delicious breakfast at the lodge’s main restaurant, The Den. One of the best perks of our stay was that breakfast was included every morning, and let me tell you… the food was out of this world. On this morning, I went for the avocado eggs benedict with tomato jam (and yes, these were bottomless bennies!), while Jared stuck with the standard lodge breakfast. We made a plan to mix it up each day so we could try all the options.

In the afternoon, we headed to the absolutely stunning Scandinave Spa and experienced their famous Thermal Journey. It was such a unique, serene experience - totally digital-free and focused on extreme temperature contrasts. We tried it all: wood-burning sauna, cold plunge pool, hot pool, cold waterfall, and the Finnish dry sauna, cycling through the hot-cold extreme. We spent hours unwinding in their relaxation solariums, hanging out at the communal fire pits, meditating, reading, and just being present.

We even took some time to write letters to each other, following a beautiful prompt from our friends Jenni and Brian, who gifted us a gorgeous stationery set. The idea was to write letters we’d open on our 5th wedding anniversary - a sweet and thoughtful gift that really made us pause and reflect. We also grabbed some light sandwiches from the spa’s cafe for lunch.

After our spa day, we returned to the lodge and connected with the lead hostess, Simone, who went out of her way to set us up with a fantastic dinner spot at The Cure Lounge & Patio to celebrate our special trip. I devoured a crispy lion's mane mushroom burger with a side of tomato soup, while Jared was in heaven with his spicy chicken burger and poutine (his absolute dream!). We cozied up by the lake and soaked in the warmth of the evening, finishing our night with a fancy sundae on the house (thanks again, Simone!).

Day 3

Day 3 left us feeling completely pampered and relaxed!

We kicked off the morning with another delightful breakfast at the lodge (in The Den). This time, we decided to share our meals to switch things up a bit - Jared went for the bottomless bennies (again!) and I ordered the banana & nutella French toast. Sharing was definitely the right move, and I got in on some of those bennies after all. So, so good!

By 11:30, we had reservations at The Spa (inside Nita Lake Lodge) lined up: a Couple’s Swedish Massage followed by the lodge’s Signature Facials. After the most blissful treatments, we spent some time relaxing in the rooftop hot tubs and the mountain view lounge, which felt absolutely dreamy.

For lunch, we checked out the lodge’s charming little cafe, Fix Cafe, which featured fancy donuts and fresh sandwiches. We grabbed our food and took it back to our room to enjoy on the patio, which overlooked the lake. The food was amazing, and the view did not disappoint! Afterward, we snuck in a quick nap to recharge and watched little snow flurries fall outside our window. I had secretly been hoping for a bit of snow during our trip but didn’t expect any, so that felt pretty special.

This time, dinner happened at Splitz Grill in Whistler Village. We built our own custom burgers (so delicious!) and of course, couldn’t resist ordering vegetarian poutine. You didn’t think we’d leave Canada without indulging in plenty of poutine, did you? The staff was super friendly, and I’m pretty sure we even scored a little honeymoon discount. Splitz is definitely a place I wish we had back home!

After dinner, we spent the rest of the evening wandering through the village, which felt like a peaceful ghost town since it was off-season - perfect for us! We love quiet, leisurely strolls, and it was so nice to explore with hardly anyone around. We also picked up a few goodies to bring home, including a Whistler magnet that reminded us of the ones we collected during our bachelor/ette trips last summer. Such sweet memories!

Day 4

Day 4 took us to new heights - literally! We started the day by revisiting our breakfast favorites from the day before at The Den. I couldn’t resist the banana nutella French toast again, while Jared went for the bottomless bennies, but I decided to switch it up with a smoked salmon version this time. It was good, but honestly, the avocado still wins for me!

After breakfast, we headed into the village and started our day at the Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre, which highlights the two First Nations communities of the Whistler area: the Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh and L̓il̓wat7úl. The center was incredible, offering us a look into their rich histories. We were welcomed with a traditional song, watched a short film, and then toured the museum. We learned about canoe making and basket weaving, the significance of the seating arrangements in canoes, the symbolic designs on the baskets, and the unique differences between the two cultures and their clans. It was quite the educational afternoon and gave us a deeper connection to the land and culture surrounding us.

Next, we decided it was time to face our shared fear of heights with a 25-minute gondola ride up to 16,000 feet! We chose to do the regular gondola which you locate within Whistler Village (NOT the Peak 2 Peak or Blackcomb Mountain gondolas). The ride up the mountain was stunning, and surprisingly, our fear of heights didn’t get to us at all. We had lunch at the top, where the views were absolutely breathtaking - and of course, we added more poutine to our growing tally (we're up to 3 now!). It had been nearly 20 years since I last took this gondola ride, and I can honestly say it was just as amazing as I remembered. Even if you’re not into snow sports, I highly recommend it!

We spent the rest of the day doing some light shopping in the village and made a sweet stop at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a couple of ice cream scoops and some goodies to take home.

For dinner, we chose Stonesedge Kitchen and indulged in their 3-course spring special. We shared a charcuterie board and baked brie to start, followed by butternut squash risotto for me and Chinese five spice short rib for Jared. Dessert was a rich vegan chocolate cake and a caramel cheesecake. By the end of it, we were absolutely stuffed and left with plenty of leftovers to enjoy later!

Day 5

Day 5 was packed with delicious food and inspiring art!

We kicked off the morning with breakfast at the lodge (The Den), sharing bottomless bennedicts (again!) and blueberry pancakes. I swore I was going to go through bennie withdrawals when we returned home (and I sure did)!

Next, we were off to the Audain Art Museum. We wandered through the British Columbia collection from Michael Audain and his wife Yoshiko Karasawa, which had stunning First Nations pieces, breathtaking paintings, photographs, and more from various artists. We also checked out the visiting exhibit, Gathie Falk’s “Revelations”, showcasing the incredible range of this 94-year-old artist’s work across multiple mediums. It was such an inspiring way to spend the day!

By lunchtime, we were ready for our next adventure: a self-guided lunch tour with Whistler Tasting Tours! This foodie tour had us hopping between 4 different locations, enjoying drinks at each stop and a full lunch by the end of it. As food lovers, we were in heaven (though it definitely challenged our stomach capacity). Big thanks to Firerock Lounge, Stonesedge Kitchen, Hunter/Gather, and All Seasons Grill for making our afternoon so special! They don’t skimp on the portions, and we got to try such a great variety of dishes.

After that food marathon, we took some time to relax back at the lodge, soaking in the lakeside hot tub and reading another chapter of our books. It was the perfect way to wind down after such a busy afternoon.

Later in the evening, we popped back over to the lodge’s casual food spot, The Cure, for a light dinner. We shared some nachos, and I tried the tomato + burrata flatbread while Jared stuck to his fave spicy chicken burger with a side of poutine (poutine count: 4!). It was the perfect final dinner in Whistler!

Day 6

Day 6 brought a mix of emotions as we said goodbye to the incredible Nita Lake Lodge and beautiful Whistler Village, but excitement filled the air as we headed towards our next adventure in Vancouver, B.C.!

We kicked off the day with a stop at Forged Axe Throwing! Nothing says romance like signing waivers acknowledging potential axe-related mishaps on the last official day of our honeymoon, right!? In all seriousness, we’d totally recommend giving axe throwing a try - it wasn’t nearly as intimidating as it sounds! And, of course, a couple of brews to go along with the experience made it even better.

For lunch, we visited Whistler Brewing Co., the oldest microbrewery in Whistler. We grabbed some bites - cheese pizza and a pretzel bun - which were just what we needed! Such a cute spot with some of the friendliest service we’d experienced all trip, and we’d definitely return. Across the street, we spotted the sign for Purebread and couldn’t resist picking up some of their amazing treats. They did not disappoint!

Driving down the Sea to Sky Highway, we made sure to pull over at a viewpoint to soak in the scenery. We also stopped at the Cypress Pop-Up Village Lookout in West Vancouver, following a great recommendation from friends. The sweeping views of the city and water were breathtaking - a perfect way to stretch our legs and take it all in.

Once we reached Vancouver, we checked into our Airbnb and headed to The Poor Italian for dinner. We shared some tomato bruschetta to start and then dug into the linguine with pesto and rigatoni with sausage. The flavors were fantastic, and the service was top-notch!

To end the evening, we visited with some dear friends until late, catching up and enjoying their company. We were already excited for the gems we’d be exploring the next day, with our friends doubling as our personal tour guides!

Day 7

Day 7 marked our final honeymoon adventures, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day exploring Vancouver with our amazing friends who made the city feel like home. They surprised us with the ultimate sightseeing and foodie itinerary - a wedding gift we’ll always remember!

We kicked things off at Plaisir Sucre, a traditional French bakery in Kitsilano, where we indulged in some delicious croissants. From there, we headed to Granville Island to poke around the marketplace and take in the local flair. For lunch, we stopped at Ramen Danbo, which truly lived up to the hype! For any Seattle locals, there's a spot on Capitol Hill that’s a must-visit. Jared and I both ordered classic ramen but customized our dishes based on our flavor preferences. We really loved how you can tweak each dish to your liking!

After a busy morning, we headed back to the house for a cozy afternoon. We played a round of Star Realms, our new favorite game, while enjoying Emily’s homemade brown sugar iced coffee - delicious! Meanwhile, their little one napped peacefully, giving us time to relax.

When dinner rolled around, we ventured out to Fat Mao Noodles, where Jared tried the hot and sour pork noodles and I went for the vegetarian khao soi. Both dishes were incredible, and this spot is officially on our “must revisit” list!

To cap off the night, we headed back for a few more rounds of games and shared some yummy bingsoo (Korean shaved ice). It was the perfect sweet treat to wrap up a day full of laughter, games, and amazing food.

A huge thank you again to Emily and Jeremy for being the most thoughtful and generous hosts and tour guides. You two made our final day so memorable! And with that, we wrapped up our honeymoon adventures and looked forward to a peaceful travel day as we slowly eased back into normal life.

The Lodge: Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler, B.C.

If you’re searching for the ultimate all-inclusive travel destination in Whistler, look no further than Nita Lake Lodge! We were absolutely amazed by our stay at this luxurious resort. The staff went above and beyond, from our initial booking to the attentive service throughout our visit.

Highlights included the award-winning on-site spa, complete with rooftop hot tubs and a eucalyptus steam room. The dining options were fantastic, featuring delicious meals at The Den, late-night bites at Cure Lounge & Patio, and delightful treats at Fix Cafe.

The lodge offered a wide variety of amenities, including a plunge pool, lakeside hot tub, barrel sauna, and a convenient shuttle service to Whistler Village. Our room provided stunning views, heated floors, and a spacious layout that made our stay even more special. Highly recommend the Studio Lake View Suites for a memorable experience!

From the serene spa days and museum strolls in Whistler to the vibrant culinary scene in Vancouver, every moment of our honeymoon was special. If you're considering a honeymoon destination, we can't recommend these Canadian gems enough! Whether you're seeking relaxation, outdoor exploration, or unique dining experiences, both Whistler and Vancouver have so much to offer. Have any other must-visit spots or tips for these areas? Drop a comment if you're a local or a fellow traveler - we’d love to hear your recommendations for our 5th anniversary trip! :)

 
Kathryn Coffman

Content Marketing Professional at FashionablyFrankMarketing.com. Lifestyle Blogger at KathrynCoffman.com. Fiercely passionate about helping everyday women + biz owners live their best life!

http://www.kathryncoffman.com
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