Whether you’re getting ready to schuss into the ski season or planning a trip for next summer, Park City should be high on your list of destinations. Set in the Wasatch Mountains about thirty miles from Salt Lake City Airport, Park City began as a silver mining town in the late 19th century. Today, it’s a resort area for all seasons, with a welcoming downtown Main Street that hosts the Sundance Film Festival each January as well as boutiques, restaurants, lodging, nightlife, art galleries, and the Park City Museum. With non-stop air service into Salt Lake City from most major cities, Park City is a convenient destination for a weekend getaway any time of year.
Things to Do in Winter
There’s skiing, of course, with Deer Valley and Park City Mountain, two of the nation’s top ski resorts. Deer Valley Resort features uniformed ski valets, onsite childcare, an award-winning ski school, high-quality Rossignol equipment rentals, fashionable shops, and in-town car service for lodging guests. At Park City Mountain, both skiers and snowboarders are welcome, and there’s something for every winter sports fan with 7,300 skiable acres, 17 peaks, 338 trails, seven terrain parks including two superpipes, 41 lifts with the new Quicksilver Gondola.
And there’s more to do than ski during snow season. Cross country skiing and snow-shoeing are popular, as is fat tire biking. Dog sledding, horse-drawn sleigh rides, tubing, snowmobile rides, and ice skating are available for even more winter fun.
Summer Things to Do
When the snow is gone, the lifts take visitors up the mountains for hiking, mountain biking, and scenic gondola rides. At Park City Mountain Village, the Flying Eagle Zipline takes two riders on a thrill ride, and the Ziprider Zip Line soars over the mountain’s bike trails at speeds up to 45 miles per hour. The Mountain Coaster Alpine Slide is one of the longest in the world.
Fly fishing in mountain streams, stand up paddle boarding, and swimming at hotel pools amid gorgeous views keep warm weather visitors happy. There’s golf, horseback riding, al fresco dining, and strolling along Main Street. Concerts and music festivals fill the summer season throughout the Park City area.
Year-Round Park City Adventures
Utah Olympic Park, originally built for Salt Lake City’s 2002 Olympic Games, is open all year for summer activities like extreme tubing, bobsled, zip lines, and more. In winter, rope courses, comet bobsled, and other adventures are there for visitors. Tours, interactive activities, and museums make Olympic Park a can’t miss attraction. Be sure to check season schedules when making plans.
The Park City Museum on Main Street explores the city’s mining history and how the area was settled. Nightly ghost tours visit some favorite local haunts and include stories about Park City’s past. A road trip to the High West Distillery in nearby Wanship takes you on a picturesque drive to the stunning distillery and tasting room for a free tour. Stay for lunch after you sample their bourbon and rye whiskeys.
Where to Stay
The luxurious and historic boutique Washington School House offers thirteen exquisitely appointed guest rooms just steps from Main Street. Filled with antiques and art, the National Historic Registry landmark includes a 24-hour concierge, heated pool, ski valet, and hearty mountain breakfasts. For authentic European atmosphere, the Stein Eriksen Lodge—an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, nestled mid-mountain at the Deer Valley Resort, is the place to stay. Home to Utah’s only Forbes Five-star spa, the Lodge also offers an expansive entertainment center and several dining options. Minutes from Park City’s Main Street, the Montage Deer Valley, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, is a plush year-round hotel with guest rooms, suites, and multi-bedroom residences. The St. Regis Deer Valley, another American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, with year-round indulgence from ski valet in winter to outdoor split-level pool in summer, boasts a spa and varied dining venues. The Waldorf Astoria offers newly refreshed guest rooms and suites up to four bedrooms.
In addition to hotels, residences can be booked at newly opened Lift in Canyons Village, with the space of a single-family home and the amenities of a hotel. Stein Eriksen Residences offers opulent multi-bedroom private homes, perfect for families or groups. Set to debut at the end of 2019, Apex Residences will include a ski bridge and trails running through the community as well as a fitness center, game room, and spa.
Where to Eat
Firewood, for exceptional seasonally-based American dinners, is located on Main Street. Award-winning Riverhorse on Main, serving New American cuisine, is one of Park City’s oldest and most distinguished restaurants. Also on Main Street, tupelo Park City is one of the town’s newest fine dining restaurants with a wine list recognized with Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence. More casual and also serving delectable dishes is the High West Saloon. The Brass Tag at Deer Valley Resort specializes in brick oven cuisine. Powder at the Waldorf Astoria serves elevated comfort food indoors or outdoors when the season allows.
Whenever you decide to visit Park City, you’ll find the rustic luxury, stunning scenery, and exceptional hospitality that make it a favorite destination. Whether you arrive for the film festival, summer concert series, ski season, or warm-weather fun, your first weekend in Park City will have you making plans for a longer stay on your next visit.
