We are back from four days in gorgeous Park City, Utah. Our first trip to the Beehive State was full of adventure, discovery & lots of new restaurants. Here are some of my first thoughts on visiting this little town:
Getting there is super easy
You’ve probably seen the ads: fly to Salt Lake City in the morning, be on the slopes in the afternoon. Well, guess what? They’re not kidding. From the moment we hit the road from the airport to pulling up to our hotel in Park City was almost exactly 30 minutes. This is, perhaps, one of Park City’s biggest assets – no multi-hour drive like many of the ski resorts in Colorado.
SLC is a hub for Delta, so chances are pretty good that you might be able to snag a direct flight (we flew on US Air through Phoenix). Once you get there, you have a few options to get from Salt Lake to Park City. You can rent a car, take a group shuttle or take private transportation. We took private transportation through All Resort Express, which runs both private cars & group shuttles from the airport to Park City. It was very relaxing to be able to not have to worry about how we were going to conquer that 30 minute drive.
Once you’re in Park City, there are a few transit options, including the city’s free bus system & the trolley that runs along historic Main Street. In addition, many of the hotels have shuttles. We didn’t rent a car, but if I went back, I probably would, just to get off the beaten path a bit. There are also plenty of cabs, including the very unique Karaoke Cab, which we took two nights to dinner. I’m not afraid to say that we were the driver’s first show tune aficionados, with B belting out “Stars” from Les Mis & me taking a stab at “Some People” from Gypsy.
This is so much more than a ski & film town
Park City is basically famous for two things: skiing & the Sundance Film Festival. But they really should be known for the many other activities available to visitors that have nothing to do with ski boots & movies (although here’s a hint: one of the best times to ski is during Sundance, since everyone is there for the films!). We took a fantastic snowshoe tour & checked out Utah’s Olympic Park still very much in use from the 2002 games. We loved riding the gondola to check out the scenery & spent a lot of time just exploring the different resorts – & drinking a LOT of hot chocolate. One of the coolest things visitors can do year round is to ride the Alpine Coaster at Park City Mountain Resort. It’s like a roller coaster (tracks & all) built into the mountainside. It was surprisingly long & really fun.
Strolling the traditional downtown Main Street should be on everyone’s must-do list. We were surprised at the amount of character this former silver mining town still had. Locals are passionate about preserving their town’s heritage & many of the buildings downtown still have their original facades. Unlike some other ski towns which are full of brand name shops & are largely a giant commercial racket, Park City is home to 100+ non-chain restaurants & countless independently owned shops & boutiques. My new favorite? Dolly’s bookstore.
We’re already talking about a return trip in summer to try out their dozens of hiking trails, 400 miles of mountain biking paths & really good fly fishing & zip lining. Park City is one of the final stages of the Tour of Utah & the city’s dining scene really comes out during Savor the Summit, a June dining event which features a 1,500 person table stretching down Main Street.
The scenery is just breathtaking
The Watsach Mountains, which are part of the Rocky Mountain range, are truly stunning. They’re not the 14 footers that cover Colorado, but their peaks do stretch to 10,000 feet on Park City’s most famous Black Diamond run. When we were there, despite it being quite chilly in mid-February, the area was suffering a severe snow drought. Most measurable snow could be found only on ski resorts & anywhere the sun touched was completely snow-free. But that didn’t make it any less beautiful.
There are some big changes coming up
Lots of changes are on the horizon for little Park City. Vail Resorts, which owns Canyons Resort at Park City, recently purchased Park City Mountain Resort to form the nation’s largest ski resort. A massive $50 million renovation will be taking place this summer & the two resorts will be linked by a gondola system, giving skiers plenty of room to roam.
In addition, Deer Valley recently purchased Solitude Ski Resort, combing Park City’s most luxurious sky area (home to the St. Regis (accessed by a funicular!), the historic Stein Eriksen Lodge & the ultra-luxe Montage Deer Valley) with a locally-owned, locally-loved ski area located between Park City & Salt Lake City.
So, in all likelihood, the Park City we visited today will look very different a few years from now. What will remain, I’m certain, are the friendly locals, stunning mountainscapes & great skiing. Over the next few weeks, I’m looking forward to sharing our experience at Utah’s largest ski resort, our first time snowshoeing, our second time skiing, a 47-second ride down an Olympic bobsled track & the many tasty bites & beverages we had along the way.
Our trip to Park City was made possible through a partnership with Visit Park City. All opinions are, of course, my own.
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