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Winter Games will come whistling in

The Associated Press

The Village of Whistler, about 72 miles from downtown Vancouver, offers a stunning view of the Coast Range Mountains.

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By DINO VOURNAS

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 30, 2009

Updated: 10/30/2009 09:13 pm

Vancouver and Whistler Village will soon be abuzz with Olympic spirit as they prepare to host the 21st Winter Games from Feb. 12 to 28, and the Paralympics for disabled athletes March 12 to 21.

Travelers hoping to get in on the fun should make arrangements as soon as possible. The event site, www.vancouver 2010.com, is a good place to start looking for special packages or to create your itinerary.

From there you can link to the official package provider, www.cosport.com, for rooms, event tickets and information. There's also a phone number for tickets, 1-800-TICKETS (842-5387). Don't forget to check AAA and travel Web sites such as Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity for deals, or try a search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing.

Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada, has a metro area population of 2.3 million and will host most of the events and guests. Accommodations are plentiful, from 1-star hotels to 5-star resorts. Offering an unusual experience is the Norwegian Star cruise ship, which will be docked near Stanley Park as a luxury hotel. Prices range from $650 to $4,200 plus tax, per cabin, per night during the games. Go to www.vancouver 2010cruiseship.com for information.

Venues in the city include BC Place Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies; the Canada Hockey Place and UBC Thunderbird Arena for ice hockey events; Olympic/Paralympic Centre, featuring curling; and the Pacific Coliseum, home of figure skating and short-track speed skating. Nearby Richmond and Cypress Mountain will host the speed skating and snowboard competitions, respectively.

The Village of Whistler, about 72 miles from downtown Vancouver, is linked by a vastly improved and stunning Sea to Sky Highway that skirts Howe Sound and the Coast Range Mountains. The enormous Whistler-Blackcomb Ski Resort and nearby facilities will host the Alpine and Nordic ski events, bobsled and other sliding events, and ski jumping.

There's something special about staying in an Alpine village during a Winter Olympics. An international flavor, excitement, good vibes, camaraderie and often uncrowded local ski slopes are among the experiences to expect.

Don't forget your red mittens, the anticipated gotta-have souvenir of these games. It may even rival the popularity of the Roots beret worn by nearly everyone during the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Games.

The official area Web site, www.whistler.com, is a good place to get a virtual look at the community and to scan the 10,000-plus rooms available in the village and surrounding area. Good deals are offered if you book before Nov. 15.

Are you a maverick traveler who relishes the unknown? Many Olympics aficionados wait until the last minute to plan their trip, when some high-priced accommodations, airfares and tickets come down to earth.

In 2002, many unrented Park City rooms settled down to normal winter rates as the opening of the Games drew near, and tickets to most events were available on the streets, at ticket-clearing kiosks and online at bargain prices.

If you like to live on the edge, keep your eyes open for late Internet bargains, eBay listings and Craigslist ads as the time draws closer. Of course, beware of fraud and fake tickets.

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