Whistler, B.C.

At the West’s biggest ski resort, you can live it up or find some Olympic-sized deals. Want to hit the slopes? Fresh Tracks (whistlerblackcomb.com), the get-on-the-mountain-first breakfast ticket program, is just $18 with a $95 lift ticket—a heckuva lot cheaper than a helicopter ride. For that, you get a hearty breakfast at the Roundhouse Lodge and first crack at the slopes. Not an alpine skier? Tour 34 miles of cross-country trails at Whistler Olympic Park in Callaghan Valley ($22; 5 Callaghan Valley Rd.; whistlerolympicpark.com), or sign up for a horse-drawn sleigh ride with Blackcomb Sleighrides ($54; blackcombsleighrides.com).

Stay: For ski-in/ski-out convenience without Whistler Village prices, find some buddies and split a comfy two-bedroom condo at Legends Whistler, at the base of the Creekside gondola. It’s only $395 a night and offers quick mountain access, plus a full kitchen. 2-night weekend min.; lodgingovations.com