A premier winter sports hub, Park City, Utah, has been a favorite vacation destination for skiers and snowboarders for years, and is often said to have the “Greatest Snow on Earth.” Well, that claim is for Utah’s snowfall in general, and Park City shares its excellent location, weather patterns, and texture of snow with its neighbor, Salt Lake City. About a half-hour’s drive will take you between the two cities, making traveling to Park City a breeze if you fly into the Salt Lake City Airport.
As much as Park City is known for its ski resorts, this destination attracts thousands of visitors every year for many other reasons. If you’re a fan of film, you’ll know it as the host city for the most respected film festival in the country, the Sundance Film Festival. Other than the scheduled festivals and events that draw a crowd, Park City offers plenty of outdoor activities that let you explore the Wasatch Mountain Range without snow on the ground.
Once a town attracting occupants for its silver mining, Park City now is said to accommodate more tourists than residents as a resort town. Visitors can discover Historic Park City, a downtown area that honors the city’s roots and founding in 1884. There are more than 400 historic sites within the city itself, including residential properties and the blocks lined with restaurants and storefronts along Main St. It’s a long stretch, especially when it’s cold out, but a free trolley will give you a lift to wherever you’re headed to on Main, or, stay on to transfer to another route at the Old Town Transit Center.
While on Main Street, you’ll find plenty of dining options ranging in price and cuisine. With plenty of coffee shops and places to wet your whistle like pubs, saloons, and music halls, you’ll also find a number of gems where you’ll find sweet treats like ice cream, cookies, and more. Mixed in with the delicious eateries are local shops and well-known brands that let you shop for outdoor apparel, jewelry, and more to use on the mountainside or to commemorate your trip.
You’ll also find a surplus of art galleries in Historic Park City. Taking the arts very seriously, Park City offers a seemingly endless number of galleries on just Main Street alone. From contemporary to western, and everything in between, admiring the work of local artists or shopping for a piece for your home isn’t hard to do here. In addition to the galleries, Park City hosts the Kimball Arts Festival in August, where more than 200 artists from more than 28 states participate.
Speaking of festivals, that brings us to the most well-known festival hosted in Park City—the Sundance Film Festival. The largest independent film festival in the country, the Sundance Film Festival is presented every January by the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit founded by actor, Robert Redford.
Various theaters and other venues throughout the city are included in the festival, but the main theater has always been the iconic, Egyptian Theatre. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be in town for Sundance to see this historic theater, as it offers weekly live entertainment including music, comedy skits, and more.
Before we cover winter sports, let’s dive into some of the many outdoor activities you can add to your Park City itinerary. Take advantage of the mountain landscape and head to the trails for some great hiking, biking, and horseback riding. With a large number of trails to choose from, you can find a hike that’ll fill an hour up to a full day at any level of difficulty you’d prefer. Click here for a helpful guide to trails in many of the various Park City neighborhoods.
Mountain biking is a great way to explore the trails, and of course, since we’re talking about Park City, you’ll also have the chance to try Snow Biking on for size. There are also chances for biking around town in other ways like road cycling or even opting to explore paths with Summit Bike Share on an electric bike. Bringing your bike is always an option, but there are plenty of opportunities to find rentals in Park City, as many winter sports outfitters offer bikes in the warmer seasons. If you’d rather explore the trails on horseback, there are multiple stables that offer guided rides, with some even including dinner.
Golfing is another warm-weather activity that is a favorite among locals and visitors. If you’re a golfer, you’ll want to bring your clubs, since there are fifteen golf courses available to play—7 are public, and 8 are private. Because summers in Park City are milder than most summer vacation destinations, golfing is a great outdoor activity that won’t leave you exhausted from the heat. Plus, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when your ball flies farther than normal, thanks to the mountain location.
Among other heart-racing activities like zipline tours and alpine coasters, visitors will love the chance to step into an Olympic athlete’s shoes with the Summer Bobsled Experience at Comet Bobsled. You’ll get to race down the exact track used for bobsled, luge, and skeleton events during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Although this activity isn’t for everyone (riders must be at least 16 years old and 100 lbs,) you’re able to visit and even tour the facility that’s still used by athletes every day.
As far as winter sports and activities go, it’s hard to think of something you can’t do in Park City. Families will love ice skating indoors at the Park City Ice Arena or outdoors at the beautiful, Resort Center Ice Skating Rink. Tubing is also a fan-favorite activity, with Woodward Park City—formerly known as Gorgoza Park—being the place for this family winter tradition. You’re also able to purchase tickets for their Indoor Hub, a massive facility that includes skateparks, trampolines, foam pits, and more. Ski and snowboard lessons are also available to book, or you can purchase lift tickets to explore the Mountain Park yourself.
In addition to Woodward Park City, there are two other ski resorts you’ll want to keep on your radar. Park City Mountain is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, offering 43 lifts, more than 300 trails, 14 bowls, and 6 terrain parks that include various half-pipes. Not a fan of skiing or snowboarding? No problem. You’ll still want to take a ride on the Red Pine Gondola, reserve a table at one of the many dining options, go for a snowmobile tour or sleigh ride, and much more.
The third is a ski-only resort, called Deer Valley Resort. Here, you’ll be able to purchase lift tickets, book ski lessons, and reserve rental equipment similarly to the other two resorts. Deer Valley offers many rental homes, villas, and a number of breathtaking lodges throughout the resort. Offering great places for apres-ski, and tons of unique shopping opportunities, Deer Valley is also a great place to discover the mountainside by guided tour in all seasons.
Throughout this travel guide, we’ve been gushing over Park City’s winter season, so this section is going to be very straightforward. The best time to visit Park City is from December to March, with the ski season actually starting in mid-November and ending in mid-April. The region gets a ton of snow, averaging 52 annual snowfall days according to On The Snow. Just an hour southwest of Park City, the Brighton Resort saw 700’ of snowfall during the 2022-23 season.
If you don’t like snow, you’re still in luck! You don’t have to visit Park City only in the winter, since there’s so much to do during the rest of the year. Plus, you’ll most likely be able to skip the crowds and save on accommodations while you’re at it. Starting in April, average highs reach to the low 50s, not appearing again until the end of October. You’ll have some comfortably warm weather without overheating from June to the beginning of September.
We’ve collected a list of just some of the popular events for 2024—but don’t worry, many of these are scheduled annually just in case you can’t make it this year.
Sundance Film Festival—January 18-28, 2024
Savor the Summit Food Festival—Early June, Dates TBD
Deer Valley Music Festival—July-August, Dates TBD
Kimball Arts Festival—August 2-4, 2024
Deer Valley Mountain Beer Festival—September, Dates TBD
As a Palmera Vacation Club member, you have access to thousands of resorts on the RCI Exchange. Park City is a destination where you’ll have a wide selection of accommodations to choose from. From charming ski lodges in great locations ranging from small to massive, downtown condominiums for easy access to shopping, dining, and entertainment, and to hotels that have it all and start in the mid-900 point range, you’ll have quite the decision on your hands.
Here are just a few examples of listed accommodations on the RCI Exchange:
Examples chosen at random. Rates subject to change
For more options, unlock discounts not only on accommodations, but also activities, flights, and rental cars with Quest Travel Club while planning your trip to Park City, Utah.
Examples chosen at random. Rates subject to change.
