Been meaning to write this for awhile. I spent last winter living and working in Whistler, BC.
If you're looking for world class skiing/snowboarding and also want to party this is probably the best place in the world. If you are just looking to hook up this is not the place. It is still a ski resort with bad ratios, but better than any other ski resort I've been to. I've been to almost all major spots in the US and a few in Europe.
Weekend trip recommendations:
This mountain is huge. If you are coming for a weekend you want to get a place in "The Village". This is where the major lifts terminate as well as where all the bars and clubs are. It is not going to be cheap. I would check both hotels.com and airbnb. The best weekend for partying is Martin Luther King Day(US) weekend, because all the Washington college students come up there to party and you can drink at 19 in BC. Whistler has a big enough party scene that people will come up there just to party and not ski.
Bars:
Longhorns - Cool bar right at the bottom of the major lifts. Lots of people drinking after getting off the mountain. Cute girls working there. Expensive though. Turns into a lame club on the weekend nights.
Tapleys - This is a cool bar to chill in. Has a band some nights. Will usually be packed, but not so loud that you can't talk to anyone. I liked this place best.
Crystal Lounge - Decent bar. Karaoke on Tuesdays, but get there early.
Cinnamon Bear - Another decent bar to chill in and play pool.
Clubs:
All these clubs are pretty much the same. They are really loud and expensive. You will see some decent girls in here.
-Garfinkels
-Tommy Africas
-MoeJoes
-Maxx Fish
-GLC
There's also a decent bar crawl that you can buy a ticket for at garfinkels or longhorns.
Living/working there:
If you want to spend the winter here you need to get a place to live locked down by September. October at the absolute latest. There is a huge housing shortage and many people pay $800 or more to live in a shitty house, while sleeping in a bunk bed in a room with 3 other people. I'm not kidding. It was also hard to find a quiet place to work with good internet here.
Girls:
Most of the people living and working here are Australian because they can get an work visa easily. The girls who live here are not great, but not terrible. Just keep in mind that your competition is athletic Australian guys and the ratio is not great. Still better than any other resort I've been to though. Girls seem to be into your stereotypical snowboarder. Long hair, tattoos, etc. If that's not you, it might be tough. Also most people in Whistler are very young (<24). On the weekends you will get girls coming up from Vancouver and WA so I would focus there.
Summer:
I visited in summer for a weekend and there is a different, but similar group of people there for the mountain biking scene. It seemed very similar to winter, but much cheaper and with less people.
Other stuff:
There is a smaller part of whistler called "Creekside". You can't get to the village without a car or bus from here. It is quieter and there are more families staying here.
There's a cool day spa called Scandinavae that you should check out. There are a bunch of hot tubs out in the snow. Also sauna's, steam room, etc. Good place to relax for a day or take a girl.
Overall if you want the best combination of skiing/snowboarding and partying, I think this is the best place there is.
If you're looking for world class skiing/snowboarding and also want to party this is probably the best place in the world. If you are just looking to hook up this is not the place. It is still a ski resort with bad ratios, but better than any other ski resort I've been to. I've been to almost all major spots in the US and a few in Europe.
Weekend trip recommendations:
This mountain is huge. If you are coming for a weekend you want to get a place in "The Village". This is where the major lifts terminate as well as where all the bars and clubs are. It is not going to be cheap. I would check both hotels.com and airbnb. The best weekend for partying is Martin Luther King Day(US) weekend, because all the Washington college students come up there to party and you can drink at 19 in BC. Whistler has a big enough party scene that people will come up there just to party and not ski.
Bars:
Longhorns - Cool bar right at the bottom of the major lifts. Lots of people drinking after getting off the mountain. Cute girls working there. Expensive though. Turns into a lame club on the weekend nights.
Tapleys - This is a cool bar to chill in. Has a band some nights. Will usually be packed, but not so loud that you can't talk to anyone. I liked this place best.
Crystal Lounge - Decent bar. Karaoke on Tuesdays, but get there early.
Cinnamon Bear - Another decent bar to chill in and play pool.
Clubs:
All these clubs are pretty much the same. They are really loud and expensive. You will see some decent girls in here.
-Garfinkels
-Tommy Africas
-MoeJoes
-Maxx Fish
-GLC
There's also a decent bar crawl that you can buy a ticket for at garfinkels or longhorns.
Living/working there:
If you want to spend the winter here you need to get a place to live locked down by September. October at the absolute latest. There is a huge housing shortage and many people pay $800 or more to live in a shitty house, while sleeping in a bunk bed in a room with 3 other people. I'm not kidding. It was also hard to find a quiet place to work with good internet here.
Girls:
Most of the people living and working here are Australian because they can get an work visa easily. The girls who live here are not great, but not terrible. Just keep in mind that your competition is athletic Australian guys and the ratio is not great. Still better than any other resort I've been to though. Girls seem to be into your stereotypical snowboarder. Long hair, tattoos, etc. If that's not you, it might be tough. Also most people in Whistler are very young (<24). On the weekends you will get girls coming up from Vancouver and WA so I would focus there.
Summer:
I visited in summer for a weekend and there is a different, but similar group of people there for the mountain biking scene. It seemed very similar to winter, but much cheaper and with less people.
Other stuff:
There is a smaller part of whistler called "Creekside". You can't get to the village without a car or bus from here. It is quieter and there are more families staying here.
There's a cool day spa called Scandinavae that you should check out. There are a bunch of hot tubs out in the snow. Also sauna's, steam room, etc. Good place to relax for a day or take a girl.
Overall if you want the best combination of skiing/snowboarding and partying, I think this is the best place there is.
