Nightlife

For a town of just 10,000, Whistler has a more-than-respectable nightlife scene. You'll find concert listings in the Pique, a free local paper available at cafes and food stores. Tommy Africa's, 4216 Gateway Dr. (tel. 604/932-6090), and the dark and cavernous Maxx Fish, in Whistler Village Square below the Amsterdam Cafe (tel. 604/932-1904), cater to the 18- to 22-year-old crowd; you'll find lots of beat and not much light. The crowd at Garfinkel's, at the entrance to Village North (tel. 604/932-2323), is similar, though the cutoff age can reach as high as 26 or 27. Buffalo Bills, across from the Whistler Gondola (tel. 604/932-6613), and the Longhorn, 4284 Mountain Sq. (tel. 604/932-5999), cater to the 30-something crowd. Bills has a pool table, a video ski machine, and a smallish dance floor. The Longhorn usually has live music or entertainment on the weekends, when it's jammed with partiers.

Après-Ski -- "Après-ski" refers to that delicious hour after a hard day on the slopes, when you sit back with a cold drink, nurse the sore spots, and savor the glow that comes from a day well skied. On the Blackcomb side, Merlin's Bar, at the base (tel. 604/938-7735), is the most obvious spot, but hidden away inside the Chateau Whistler Resort is something better: the Mallard Bar (tel. 604/938-8000), one of the most civilized après-ski bars on the planet.