The countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics has begun, and Whistler, B.C., is already basking in the glow. Just a two-hour drive up the gorgeous Sea to Sky Highway from the host city of Vancouver, the outdoor adventure mecca of Whistler is the host mountain resort for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games next February and March, respectively, and it’s as ready as ever to set the stage for serious competition, not to mention serious business and pleasure.

The destination made Olympic history by becoming the first host resort to complete all three of its Olympic venues two years in advance of the games, including the event-ready Whistler Sliding Centre and Whistler Olympic Park. Several other major projects have also come to fruition, including the Peak 2 Peak Gondola that runs between the top of Whistler Mountain and the top of Blackcomb Mountain, offering high-alpine vistas and access to some of the best skiing and hiking terrain in the world, including an enhanced trail system on Blackcomb.

All of the additions further boost the longtime appeal of this Canadian beauty—a standout for its mix of ecological and cosmopolitan amenities.

“In Whistler, you have all you need in an urban hub plus the natural landscape at your back door,” says Breton Murphy, senior manager of destination media relations for Tourism Whistler. “We have 24 branded hotels, 10,000 rooms, 200 retail shops, more than 100 restaurants and bars, and 20-plus spas and wellness centers, and then there are all of the activities, with so many ways to access the mountains, valley, lakes and rivers.”

Downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, golfing, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, rafting and zip-lining are among the exhilarating ways to explore the great outdoors, and during the shoulder season from May to July, winter and summer activity combos make for memorable agendas.

“The shoulder season is ideal for ‘ski and tee,’ when you can go skiing and golfing in the same day, or the ‘Whistler triathlon,’ when you can go skiing, golfing and mountain biking in the same day,” Murphy says, adding that the incomparable experiences on tap for groups don’t stop there. “Some incentive programs have included trips by helicopter to Rainbow Glacier, flying over the old-growth forest, mountains and rivers, then landing on the glacier for lunch, and they can also do glacier hiking.”

Also leaving a lasting impression on attendees are heli-skiing and heli-golfing, as well as tented lakeshore events at Lost Lake Park and excursions in the Soo Valley, Murphy adds.

“Groups can have a backcountry experience in the Soo Valley, traveling there by ATV, snowmobile or Hummer, depending on the season,” he says.

Best of all, according to Murphy, is that Whistler’s natural beauty, stellar venues and once-in-a-lifetime experiences are so accessible to attendees.

“It’s a two-hour flight to Vancouver from many major cities in the Western U.S., and you can get to Whistler on the Sea and Sky Highway in less than two hours,” he says. “Many people don’t realize just how close we really are.”