The skiing is great for all abilities on both mountains with the peak of Whistler mountain being particularly appropriate for advanced skiers. There you will find great off-piste with couloirs and bowls providing some of the best powder around. Snowboarders, of whom 50,000 descend each year, are spoilt as well, with a specialised park at Blackcomb.

The lift system is about as efficient as anywhere on the planet, but queues can build up in high season and at weekends. There is also great heli-skiing. The town itself has undergone major facelifts in the last ten years, with the centre being pedestrianised and the purpose-built nature of the resort successfully concealed. Accommodation, restaurants, ski school, childcare and après-ski are all superb.

As regards childcare, you can get a pager, so if a problem arises you can be contacted immediately. Whistler/Blackcomb is very friendly and the staff are extremely helpful and courteous. Overall, one of the top destinations in North America, but as the number of package tourists increase, there is a worry that the resort will lose some of its charm. Everyone must go there, but not all at once.