Shaun White: “Anytime I go riding, I bring friends along”
From Aspen to the Alps, Olympian and snowboarder Shaun White knows exactly what he likes in a Vrbo—good views, great vibes, and friends to share it with
Shaun White may have retired two years ago, but the 37-year-old three-time Olympic champion snowboarder is still spending a lot of time in the mountains. Albeit with a more relaxed agenda.
“There was always this weight of expectation: to learn this trick by this time, to win this event,” says the Californian, who started competing at the age of 13. “But that’s gone now, and it’s nice to be able to hit the mountain and enjoy it with friends and family. It reminds me of what I liked about snowboarding when I was young.”
With a wide grin and infectious enthusiasm for the sport, White says he’s loving getting to explore resorts properly now, whereas before he would only know the specific runs that led to the half-pipe. “I’m going back to places like Aspen to check out the whole mountain with a bunch of friends to really have some fun,” he says.
For White—who launched his own snowboard and clothing line, Whitespace, in 2022—getting the crew together for a trip is the essence of snowboard culture. “Anytime I go riding, I’m recruiting friends to come along,” he says.
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Shaun’s top Vrbos for snowboarders
And it doesn’t matter if they can snowboard already, as he’s found he really enjoys teaching people who haven’t spent a lot of time on the slopes. “It’s always fun to see where people cap their skill set in their mind, because with a bit of encouragement they can go way beyond that limit.”
When it comes to his favorite vacation rentals, White loves properties with great views but says the overall vibe is equally important. “There is something about a house where everything is really well laid-out and it just kind of flows,” he says. He’s drawn to relaxed places where you can move in and feel instantly settled. “I immediately unpack, hang out my clothes, get my candle out—I like it to feel homely when I come back from a long day of riding,” he says.
And when everything is sore at the end of the day, he loves nothing more than an outdoor Jacuzzi. “You want to have a good soak and drinks with some friends. That is a very big part of mountain culture,” he says. “A nice view and a soak, I’m always in for that!”
A ski chalet less ordinary
A Vrbo snowboarding trip of a lifetime
Last fall, Carly Krygier, an attorney and keen snowboarder from Las Vegas, set multiple alarms on her phone, ready to pounce. The reason? A chance to book an entire private ski resort in Utah for just $12.60 per night, for 15 people—and a day boarding with Shaun White.
“I was in shock,” she recalls of the moment she realised she’d got it. “I said to my husband, is this real?” It was—and the reality was even better than she imagined. The Vrbo she had booked, a five-bedroom, ultra high-spec, ski-in/ski-out cabin was “gorgeous—the most perfect mountain house.
“The layout was great for large groups, with the mud room of my dreams, with dryers for boots and gloves. I’ve been talking about it ever since!”
As for her celebrity snowboarding guide? “He is such a down-to-earth, humble, kind guy—so encouraging, especially with my daughter. She’s going to remember it for the rest of her life. It was such a cool experience—we’re all still on a cloud.”
Sam Haddad is a journalist specializing in action sports, travel, and the environment, whose work has appeared in The Guardian, 1843, Raconteur, and Huck magazine. She has visited 46 countries.
