Whistler or Banff?

[Jayda007]

So what is the verdict people of the world?

 

[mole]

Just spent 5 days in Banff 2 weeks ago, the scenery is spectacular. We had a car so drove the Icefields Parkway, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake (which we found more stunning than Lake Louise), Sulphur Mountain & Lake Louise Gondola, Emerald lake etc etc. The town of Banff itself is also very picturesque with lots of restaurants & pubs etc. A huge vote for Banff.

 

[MAX_1]

About 4 weeks ago, I took the Train from Vancouver to Whistler and returned by bus.

No doubt the scenery was lovely but certainly not worth the $260 each for the fares.
When we arrived at Whistler , we were hoping to take Gondola ride to the top of the mountain and it was closed.
What we saw were many mountain bike riders as the snow had melted and the ski runs were being converted to bike riding.
The village was quiet and there was literally nothing to do there. I was going to try Gordon Ramsays Restaurant and there was not a sould there during lunch hour, so gave it a big miss.
So for me Whistler is a winter only resort.

 

[codash1099]

Banff, Banff, Banff BANFF!!!!

 

[Maca44]

It really depends on what you want to do..hiking, skiing/winter summer etc. I have been to Whistler many times and going back there in August this year to play golf at Nicklaus North, however, I lived in Banff for a few months going back 30 years when I played football there for a season. Banff is really pretty, and every corner you turn you feel like its a photo opportunity. Whistler is pretty also, but in a different way. If I had to select a destination I do favour Banff only slightly over Whistler.

At Whistler in summer the village is taken over by mountain bikes, and even when you take the Whistler Express to the top of the hill, it is nice, but not as nice as Banff. The drive into Banff is particularly nice also. There are some great restaurants in both places, but Banff has had a lot more work done to it; feels a little bit more modern and is like a little town whereas Whistler has that village feel. I was living in Banff when a restaurant called Melissa's was the first licensed establishment in Albert to allow patrons to stand when they were drinking. Now that's a long time ago, and you had further to fall at the end of the night.

 

[Ric]

My 2 cents worth......definitely Banff!!

 

[starskie]

Banff is nestled in amoung the rockies the town has one main street,they even have deer coming down the main street.Go to the Fairmont Hotel fantastic.

 

[iVision4U]

OK, I believe that I might offer a very educated point of view since I lived in Banff for two years and I currently live in Whistler and I do some work for a local Mountain Bike Rental company. Both destinations have a lot of diverse things to do. If I were to make a broad general statement about the two destinations though, it would be this. ‘If your are into more of a soft adventure then I would say Banff offers more benefits in that department. If you enjoy an active adventure then I would say Whistler is the place to go.’ In the summer you will also find better deals in Whistler, especially when booking longer says. Although Banff is one of those places you will want to visit at least once, I give my vote to Whistler in the summer simply because I am an active individual and I like the price breaks. I'd still give the advantage to Whistler in the Summer even without the price breaks simply because of the fact that I am an active person. If you are more into sight seeing though Banff might be the better choice, and if you are choosing Banff, I would also suggest renting a car or looking into some of the tour bus packages.

As for the Winter. There are better deals to be had in Banff, but you have to weigh that against the skiing itself. I have lived in Vail, Banff, and Whistler and taken ski trips to Taho and all over Utah and I can honestly say there is no better skiing then in Whistler.

Hope this helps.