Whistler or Victoria? Hard to say, depends on what kinds of activities you most like, I guess. Whistler has some great outdoors stuff, hiking, cycling, etc. Victoria definitely has less expensive shopping and more varied shops and stores, and does have some beautiful ocean scenery also. Whistler is very pricey for restaurants, and the village is very compact. Both have a selection of nightclubs, if you are so inclined.

The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is very scenic, although there is construction work ongoing on that highway these days. You can take a very interesting drive north of Whistler - toward Lillooet. Going from Vancouver to Victoria will mean either the BC Ferry (very scenic on the water, but a bit time-consuming to get to and from the terminals) or a seaplane (still scenic, and much faster). You don't really need a car in Victoria, or you could rent one locally from the downtown rental locations.

Both hotels are very nice. The Ocean Pointe in Victoria has some harbourview rooms that look out right over the water. The Westin in Whistler is a nice property with great staff and service. Their one bedroom suites are especially nice, the studios can feel a bit cramped. They have fairly complete kitchens so you can make meals, if you are so inclined.

Check out these sites for more information on what to do in Whistler, upcoming events and hotel choices.

http://www.whistler-blackcomb.com

http://www.whistler.com

For Victoria, check:

http://www.tourismvictoria.com/