Guide to Park City

First things first – WHY Park City?

If you’re someone who doesn’t have easy access to the mountains like us, making the most of your ski vacation is everything. Once you land in Salt Lake City, it’s a 30 minute drive (at most) into Park City, and everything you need is basically on right there on Main Street – slope access, shops, restaurants, etc! We’ve skied in CO more times than I can count and LOVE IT, but in terms of accessibility, we definitely appreciate the ease of traveling to and from mountains in Park City, when your time on the slopes is already limited. There is also less of a need for “driving around” to see all the sites and attractions, which makes for an all around easier experience. Not to mention – it’s so nice to be walking distance from almost everything. If you’re looking to make the most of your ski trip, I highly suggest giving Park City!

So where should I stay?

There are lots of options in Park City when it comes to lodging. We typically go for airbnbs since there are so many in the area or even a close by hotel since we don’t need a ton of space (just a decent place to lay our heads) when it’s usually just the two of us. Airbnbs are also a great option if you are going with a group. You can typically spend less when you split with more people this way. There are tons of options in town – houses, condos, and apartments – PLUS you certainly can’t beat the location. If you don’t want to rent to car and limit your Uber drives, you’ll want to stay off Main Street for easy access to shops and eating.

The one Hotel we have stayed at is Peak Hotel Park City. We snagged an incredible deal on Expedia, so decided to give it a try and was extremely impressed! It has a ski shop with access to ski rentals, a restaurant with late night pizza (which may be the best I’ve ever had), free cookies and chocolate milk daily (whhhattt?!), live music on the weekends, an ice skating rink, free breakfast, AND a daily happy hour! NEED I GO ON?! It’s not on the main strip, but is right next to it – plus they provide a private shuttle that drops you off near all the shops if you need it! Otherwise, a short Uber drive will get you where you need to go.

But, tell me about the food, Em!

Here’s the dish on my fave spots to eat 😉

Yuki Yama – My absolute favorite restaurant in Park City. The sushi is unlike anything I’ve had anywhere else. If you go, be sure to order off my favorites menu! 🙂 This includes the Miso soup, Pork Ramen (INCREDIBLE!), Wagyu Oxtail, and Baby Back Ribs for apps and shareable entrees. If Sushi is more your vibe, you can’t go wrong with the Spicy Tuna Roll, Executive Roll, Bruce Lee Roll, Chiller Roll, and Green Hornet Roll. I assume they are ALL good – but Michael is allergic to shellfish, so these are the ones he could safely eat and they were all YUM.

Grappa – An amazing Italian restaurant that serves up the most delicious pastas in the area! We started with the Brussel Sprouts and Pork Belly for apps and the Bolognese and Grape and Gorgonzola Salad for dinner. Everything was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere was so warm and cozy!

High West Distillery – A great spot if you looking for a casual American pub vibe meets mountain town! It’s super close to the town lift, so easy place to grab a bite mid skiing or afterwards! Their burger is AMAZING – just order it and thank me later!

Harvest – Right near the town lift, I love this spot to grab breakfast before we hit the slopes. The Açaí bowl, Soft Egg Scramble, Smashed Avocado, Chocolate Croissants, and Almond Milk Latte is sure to start your day off right!

The Eating Establishment – Another great spot for breakfast! You can’t go wrong with The Hungry Miner Skillet, Huevos Rancheros, or any of the Benedicts, Omelets or Waffles!

Tupelo – A farm to table restaurant with globally inspired food. If you make it here for dinner, be sure to start with the honey butter biscuits as an appetizer! We also really enjoyed the Pork Tenderloin and Elk Bolognese as main entrees.

Versante Hearth and Bar – This is the restaurant that I mentioned earlier located in the Peak Hotel. Their late night pizza is THE BOMB. Just order it and thank me later! 😉

Five5eeds – This place is a must for breakfast on your way in or out of the city! The menu is Australian inspired and it never disappoints. We’ve had the Acai Bowl, Hotcake, Pulled Pork Benedict, and Breakfast Sandwich. Would recommend any and all of it! They also make amazing espresso drinks – so be sure to order one while you are there!

Purple Sage – This place has a western style with a rustic feel – love the atmosphere here! Their cocktails were very unique and delish!

Riverhorse on Main – This is a great fine dining option that also offers live music! Everyone raves about this one, but we’ve never been able to get a reservation!

Fletcher’s – A really great spot for good cocktails and small bites! (maybe before or after dinner!)

**NOTE: Make dining reservations as soon as you can. These places book out pretty far in advance!**

ST. REGIS:

The Vintage Room is a super cool clear tent Apres Ski that you can get drinks, hang out, and they typically have a DJ. Very fun for a group or bachelorette! I recommend reserving this ahead of time if you can, otherwise you may be waiting a bit for a spot!

MONTAGE DEER VALLEY:

The Veuve Apres Lounge is a MUST go – especially if you love champagne! This is right at the base of the deer Valle slopes attached to the Montage and it is such a vibe! The yurt is incredibly small and they open at 11:30am – so I suggest getting there right as they open to ensure you have a spot to sit!

There is only one place that I request that you go AT LEAST ONCE while you’re in Park City, and that is The Vista Lounge at The Montage Deer Valley. It’s truly one of my happy places! We like to hang out, order drinks, and they have incredible live music from 3pm-10m every night, so matter what time of the week you’re in town, you’ll get a chance to experience it yourself!

Ok, This sounds pretty amazing. Now I need all the skiing details!

If you don’t have your own gear, no worries! There are tons of places in Park City to rent from. I recommend figuring out where you are staying first and then finding a place in close proximity to make it easier to return everything at the end of your trip! Like I mentioned above, the Peak Hotel has a rental shop inside if you end up staying there, or Banhoff/Aloha Sports is a great option, too! If you want to rent the best snowboards, Burton has a store in PC and they rent out boards. Regardless, rental pick ups are typically not until 5pm or later the day before FYI.

The Canyons is a different area of the Mountain that is connected to Park City via a gondola. (You’ll pass the Canyons on your way into Park City) Essentially, there are lots of lift options when it comes to getting your booty on the slopes! My Personal favorite is the “Town Lift”. (SHHH…Not many know about it) You do have to pay to park for the day at this spot (usually about $30), but the ease and access to the lift is unmatched. There is also Park City Mountain Village AND Canyons Village parking that have paid and free options in their lots. This is most likely where you will see most people parking. You can always catch the Park City Transit Bus if you don’t want to deal with the parking – just check the route/times online!

**If it’s your first time, I highly recommend taking your ID and Credit Card along, as there are lots of lunch spots on the mountain for an easy meal + drink on the slopes!**

I’m so in, but what do I wear?

In terms of Ski Gear, I highly recommend buying a pair of goggles and a helmet. You don’t have to break the bank on these, but you will need them out on the slopes! If you rent your own gear, they will have your boots, skis/snowboard, and poles for you. Most places do rent out helmets as well – I would just check beforehand!

In terms of what to wear, You’ll need ski gloves, snow pants, and a good ski jacket that is water resistant and water proof. For underneath, you’ll want a warm base layer + another optional layer on top, thick ski socks, and a good ski mask/scarf and hat!

We hope you love Park City as much as we do! As always, drop a comment below if you have any questions!

xx,

Em