We may as well own up to it—when it comes to bachelor and bachelorette parties, Whistler is basically Western Canada’s version of Las Vegas. People flock here to celebrate their last few days of single life but instead of roller coasters and casino-bars pumped full of canned oxygen we have wilderness adventures and fresh mountain air.
The Whistler stag/stagette party generally focuses on enjoying our incredible natural surroundings and then basking in the highly concentrated vibe of pamper and party that is Whistler Village.
For dudes, the best way to chase away those pre-wedding jitters is with a healthy shot of adrenaline and some good old male bonding. Jet Boating, Bungee Jumping, and Whitewater Rafting are good bets to get the blood pumping and Paintball is a socially acceptable way to slightly injure your friends and relatives-to-be, kind of like a compressed-air-powered game of noogie. Welts are manly right?
Stag parties with an older demographic, or folks looking to take things a bit easier, can opt for a day of fishing or a round of golf at one of Whistler’s three epic courses. Future father-in-laws will be so amazed by the scenery they might not notice how bad your slice is. Plus, the cart girls always have beautiful… smiles.
For the ladies, all the same adventure options exist but there is just as much fun to be had taking it easy. Scandinave Spa offers the pinnacle of pampering and relaxation but stagettes should hit it up early in the morning when it’s less busy. They encourage absolute silence at the Scandinave and that’s tough to pull off with fifteen ex-college roommates together for the first time in years.
Whistler Village is also home to a multitude of other spas and salons for things like group pedicures and/or milk baths. A day of strolling around shopping and patio-ing is never a bad call either. As well, Whistler locals are generally very helpful and aim to please so slightly riské scavenger hunts are popular. There are literally hundreds of hulking young Australian men in town, almost all totally keen on whatever shenanigans you can think of (buck-a-suck candy t-shirts are played out but that doesn’t mean they don’t work.)
Well-prepared stagette organizers looking for custom printed t-shirts with the bride-to-be’s name or picture can have professionally printed shirts done locally at the legendary Toad Hall Studios, providing you order ahead. Otherwise get some felt pens (markers) from one of the pharmacies and unleash your inner artist.
Regardless of how the day is spent, once the sun sets both stag and stagette participants almost always hit the village like a loud, boorish tourist tornado. An easy way to get the most bang for your buck is with the Whistler Club Crawl, no lineups is awesome when you’re rolling 15-20 deep. Mellower party girls (or dudes) may want to check out one of the Whistler Tasting Tours, which hop from one gourmet restaurant to the next and give a sample of some of Whistler’s best cuisine. Decadence is the new debaucherous.
And of course, no stag or stagette is complete without at least a stopover at Buffalo Bills Bar and Grille. No one knows exactly why but Bills is THE classic stagette/stag destination and a picture dancing in the cage is one of those Whistler memories that will last forever… Or until your new spouse makes you throw it out along with all your other awesome, single person stuff.
Have a nice life!
Overworked Maids of Honour or slacker Best Men who need help planning a Whistler shindig can always call on the pros. Kate Dickson is a specialist at organizing events for groups (and also no stranger to dancing in the cage at Bills.)
Call her at 1.866.299.6971 or Send her an Email
Flower/headband photos courtesy:Amber Turnau. Stagette shots courtesy David Buzzard Photography
