Winter Wonderland: Park City, Utah

You’re finally ready to travel again, but where should you go this winter? Whether you’re an adventure-seeking traveler or you prefer unique shopping, fine-dining, and luxurious accommodations, Park City is the perfect winter vacation destination. Let me tell you why our family loves Park City and why I think you will too.

Skiers and snowboarders flock to Utah each winter to enjoy the annual average of 500 inches of snow. Park City is home to two major ski resorts: Park City Mountain Resort, the largest ski resort in the U.S., and Deer Valley Resort, a skier-only resort. Both ski hills are known for offering something for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or expert. Those who don’t ski or want a break from chair lifts might enjoy one of the many other winter outdoor activities offered in Park City, such as ziplining, bobsledding, tubing, snowmobiling, or ice skating.

Park City’s Main Street area will charm you with its old mining town feel yet surprise you with its booming art scene, robust shopping, and impressive dining options. Although I love skiing, I can only ski for two days before I need a day to just relax. On those days, I start my mornings with a White Rabbit Latte from Atticus Coffee, Books & Teahouse and then shop along Main Street. Not only are there cute local shops like Cake Boutique, but you can also find some dependable favorites like Lululemon and Patagonia. If the kids are with me, we might sled down the hill next to the Park City Public Library, explore the City Park’s playground, or stop by Java Cow for some ice cream.

As the ski hills close, head to High West Saloon for some great drinks and heavy appetizers (21 and up only). Or, maybe you want a delicious pizza from Davanza’s. For a big splurge, you can’t go wrong with dinner at River Horse on Main, where you’ll find live music, stunning architecture, and arguably the best food in town. I highly recommend the Macadamia Nut Crusted Alaskan Halibut.

Where should you stay in Park City? Well, it depends on what’s important to you - ease of getting to the slopes (and whether you’ll ski Deer Valley, Park City, or both), distance to shopping and nightlife, and budget. If you want ski-in/ ski-out, the St. Regis Deer Valley and Marriott’s MountainSide might appeal to you, depending on which resort you want to ski or snowboard. Alternatively, you might want to find a vacation home that’s within walking distance to the free shuttles around town that take you to both ski resorts. Want to live the life of luxury? The prestigious Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley is Utah’s only Forbes Five-Star resort and spa, and won’t disappoint high-end travelers.

One of the biggest perks of a Park City vacation is that travelers from Austin can easily be on the slopes by lunch. Austin now offers a handful of non-stop flights to Salt Lake City, and Park City is only about thirty-five minutes from the airport. Compare that travel time to a vacation to Breckenridge or Vail, and you’ll see that you’re saving hours of travel time despite that Colorado’s popular mountain towns are geographically closer.

If your ideal vacation doesn’t involve snow, don’t count out Park City just yet. You’ll find endless activities and adventures there year-round. During the summer, we’ve hiked with moose, mountain-biked across gorgeous vistas, swam at the St. Regis Deer Valley’s infinity-edge pool, and gotten creative at the Park City Kimball Arts Festival. Even better, the same luxurious accommodations mentioned above are available at significantly-discounted pricing outside of ski season.

Park City is a great destination for us Austinites regardless of whether you’re looking for an escape from the Texas summer heat or you want to experience a winter wonderland.

Article by Angelique Dale

Angelique is a travel agent and the owner of Four Points Mom Travels.

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