The right home at the right resort
Big White, SilverStar or Sun Peaks? Choosing your B.C. ski home
Most people fall for one resort before they’ve seen the others. Sean Phillips sells at all three, and has REALTOR® friends at resorts across B.C., so his job is to find the right home at the right resort for your family, not just one he has listed.
Updated September 2026 · by Sean Phillips, REALTOR®
What’s the best B.C. ski resort to buy a vacation home?
There’s no single best resort. It depends on how you’ll use the home. Big White has a big ski-in/ski-out village with night skiing, about 55 minutes from Kelowna, and is outside the areas covered by the federal ban on non-Canadian buyers. SilverStar has a colourful, vehicle-free village about 22 km from Vernon, with huge glades and a strong Nordic network. Sun Peaks is its own municipality with a walkable village and Canada’s second-largest ski area, 56 km from Kamloops. All three are exempt from B.C.’s principal-residence rule for short-term rentals, with registration required.
SilverStar vs Big White: what’s the difference?
Big White is the bigger ski-in/ski-out village, about 55 minutes from Kelowna, with night skiing, the Happy Valley learning area and its famous snow ghosts. SilverStar is a compact, colourful, vehicle-free village about 22 km from Vernon, with huge glades on the Putnam Creek side and a large Nordic network. For buyers, the main differences are the drive from home, the style of village, the ski pass (Big White is an Indy Pass partner; SilverStar is on the Ikon Pass) and the federal foreign-buyer ban, which covers SilverStar but not Big White (resale homes; proposed to January 1, 2029).
Free tools to help you decide: Family Home Match · Cost-of-ownership calculator · Rental rules and income estimator · Ski-in/ski-out explained · SilverStar grooming board · SilverStar Sunshine Alert · Which SilverStar area fits you?
Side by side
| Big White | SilverStar | Sun Peaks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest city | Kelowna, 56 km (about 55 min) | Vernon, about 22 km | Kamloops, 56 km |
| Character | Big ski-in/ski-out village, family-focused, famous snow ghosts and night skiing | Colourful, vehicle-free village, huge glades on the Putnam Creek side, strong Nordic | Its own municipality with a walkable village and Canada’s second-largest ski area |
| Short-term rentals | Exempt from the principal-residence rule; registration required | Exempt; registration required; some areas require a rental manager | Exempt; registration required |
| Federal foreign-buyer ban (resale homes; proposed to Jan. 1, 2029) | Outside the covered areas | Inside the covered areas | Inside the covered areas |
| Passes 2026–27 | Indy Pass partner | Ikon Pass (7 days on Ikon, 5 on Base) | Ikon Pass |
| 2026–27 opening | Nov. 26 | Nov. 27 (tentative) | Nov. 21 (tentative) |
Foreign-buyer information per BCREA and the Association of Interior REALTORS® (January 2026); see where the foreign buyer ban applies in B.C. and confirm eligibility with a lawyer. Pass details and dates from each resort and pass company; they change yearly.
Resort profiles: Big White · SilverStar · Sun Peaks
How Sean helps you choose
- Tell Sean about your family. Ages, ability, how often you’ll come up, where you’re driving or flying from, summer or winter, and whether you want rental income.
- Sean shortlists resorts and areas. Honest trade-offs: drive time, ski access, rental rules, costs and the feel of each village.
- Tour the finalists. In person or by video, ideally in winter. Sean covers Big White, SilverStar and Sun Peaks himself.
- Another resort fits better? Sean will introduce you, only if you ask, to a REALTOR® friend who lives and skis at that resort. If Sean receives a referral fee, he’ll tell you in writing first.
Common questions
Which is better for families, Big White or SilverStar?
Both are very family-friendly. Big White has a big ski-in/ski-out village, a dedicated Happy Valley learning area with the new covered Polar Passage lift, and night skiing. SilverStar has a compact, car-free village and a huge Nordic network. The better fit depends on where you live, how your kids ski and how you’ll use the home.
Can a non-Canadian buy at Big White, SilverStar or Sun Peaks?
According to BCREA and the Association of Interior REALTORS®, Big White is outside the areas covered by the federal ban on non-Canadian buyers, while SilverStar and Sun Peaks are inside them. The November 2026 federal budget proposes keeping the ban on resale homes until January 1, 2029 and exempting newly built homes, which still needs legislation. Get legal advice before you buy.
Sources: Big White season passes; Indy Pass; Ikon adds SilverStar; TNRD: Sun Peaks; B.C. mountain resorts and STR rules; BCREA and AIR on the foreign buyer ban; opening dates.
Start the conversation
Help me find the right resort
Tell Sean a little about your family and plans, and he’ll come back with a short, honest shortlist.
Common questions
Which ski pass works at Big White, SilverStar and Sun Peaks?
Big White is an Indy Pass partner for 2026–27, while SilverStar and Sun Peaks are on the Ikon Pass. At SilverStar, that means 7 days on the Ikon Pass and 5 on the Base pass. Pass details come from each resort and pass company and change yearly.
Is Sun Peaks its own municipality?
Yes, Sun Peaks has been its own municipality since 2010. That means local bylaws, services and taxes are set right in the village. It has a walkable village and Canada's second-largest ski area, 56 km from Kamloops.
Which is better, Whistler or Big White?
Whistler Blackcomb is far bigger, but for skiers in Vernon, Big White is much closer and more practical for regular day trips. Resort figures as of October 2026:
- Whistler Blackcomb: 8,171 acres, 36 lifts, 5,280 ft (about 1,609 m) of vertical and about 10.4 m of snow a year (ten-year average).
- Big White (official mountain statistics): 2,834 patrolled acres, 17 lifts, 777 m (2,550 ft) of vertical, about 7.5 m of snow a year and Western Canada's largest resort night-skiing area.
- From Vernon: under an hour to Kelowna, then about 55 minutes (summer driving) to Big White. Vancouver is about 4.5 hours away, and Whistler is about two hours beyond it.
Questions? Call or text
Ask a local before you commit to a mountain property
Sean Phillips sells ski-resort homes at Big White, SilverStar and Sun Peaks, and has REALTOR® friends who live and ski at resorts right across B.C. Tell him how your family skis and what you want from a mountain home, and he’ll help you narrow it down to the right home at the right resort. Straight answers, no pressure.
- Start with Sarah, Sean’s AI assistant, 24/7. Call the Info Line and Sarah can answer questions about the resorts, current listings, and anything else that’s public information, any time of day.
- Then talk to Sean. When you’re ready for real estate advice, like how to list, pricing, or negotiating the best deal, get in touch with Sean directly.
You can reach Sean any time, of course. Sean’s advice: do your research, get your questions answered, and then let’s get together.
Info Line: Sarah, Sean’s AI assistant, 24/7
Text Sean for real estate advice
