I visited Park City for the first time this summer, and I can’t believe it took me this long to get there! Park City is relatively easy to get to, as you can fly into Salt Lake City and it’s about 45 minutes east. Most people I know that have been to Park City have visited either for the Sundance Film Festival or to go skiing in the winter.
Being that I’m not a skier (but I do love a good fire with cocktails in the lodge) I would argue that summer is equally as beautiful as I imagine winter to be. The city reminded me a lot of Lake Tahoe, which also happens to be a favorite place of mine in the summer. Regardless of the time of year you visit, I can say that you won’t be disappointed. Here are my recommendations for how to spend one day in Park City, Utah.
Stay
9100 Marsac Ave, Park City, UT 84060
I’m not sure that you could find a more quintessential Park City hotel than the Montage Deer Valley if you tried. The 220-room hotel overlooks Park City and has ski-in/ski-out access, the largest spa in Utah, five restaurants, a lounge and a bowling alley. I’m a huge fan of Montage Hotels, as they full embrace the specific area or city of location, and this property is no exception.
One of my favorite features at the hotel is the Veuve Clicquot après lounge, which is the perfect place to warm up with a glass of champagne after a long day of skiing (or pretending to ski, in my case.) Equally as exciting to the lounge is the “Canine Ambassadors” program, where the hotel Bernese Mountain Dog named Monty makes an appearance daily in the lobby from 11 am to 3 pm. Depending on the time of year, local activities include ice skating, hot air balloon rides, fly fishing, sleigh rides, horseback riding and dog sledding. If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the Montage can arrange a private plane to take you and your guests to Moab or Yellowstone for the day.
Sip and Savor
Park City is small enough to be very accessible and easy to navigate, and I found that most of the best options are on or around Main Street. If you only have one day in the city, here are my picks for the best of each:
Breakfast
The Eating Establishment The Eating Establishment is a small diner located on Main Street that serves breakfast all day and has been around for almost 50 years. It was purchased last year by a new group of owners that includes actor Ty Burrell (Modern Family.)
Lunch
501 On Main Located in the heart of downtown Park City on Main Street, 501 on Main is a great option for a quick but satisfying lunch offering soups, salads and sandwiches. The menu changes seasonally but there is a little something for everyone.
Coffee
Stoked Roasters and Coffeehouse Stoked is known as “the official coffee of the outdoors” so Park City was a smart move for their second coffee house location (the first being in Oregon)
Sweets
Milkshakes at Burgers & Bourbon at the Montage The Shakes and Floats section of the menu is almost as extensive as the burger options at this cozy restaurant at the Montage Deer Valley.
Dinner
Riverhorse on Main This is the perfect restaurant to end your long day of exploring Park City. The space is gorgeous, the food is excellent and the cocktails are strong. Be sure to start with cocktails in the upstairs bar while you wait, and if it’s nice outside try to grab a table on the patio.
Drinks
High West Distillery High West is the first legally licensed distillery in Utah since the end of prohibition so it’s a pretty big deal in the world of liquor (especially considering how crazy some of Utah’s liquor laws are.) High West has both a distillery (with tasting room and kitchen) and a saloon (with a full restaurant and bar) which both offer tours.
See
Here are some of the must-see sites in Park City. Some of these are quick and others could take up your entire day, so depending on how much time you have, you can decide how much you can explore. I recommend renting a car to cover more ground and make the most of your trip, but Uber/Lyft is available even in the off-season. (Just be prepared if you’re driving through the mountains, especially in the snow!)
Main Street (Classic ski town vibes with shopping, restaurants and galleries)
Utah Olympic Park (Home of the 2002 Winter Olympics, you can visit year-round and activities include rides with a pro bobsledder, ziplining, tubing, obstacle courses and hiking trails)
Skiing/Snowboarding (Park City Mountain and Deer Valley Resort consist of multiple ski and snowboarding options)
Homestead Crater (Resort with natural hot springs and a crater that you can swim, scuba dive, snorkel, paddle board or enjoy a therapeutic soak inside of)
Sundance Film Festival (Located in Sundance, Utah about 45 minutes from Park City, held at the end of January/beginning of February. This is the largest independent film festival in the US and was founded by actor Robert Redford.)
Shop
Main Street
Salt Lake City
Tanger Oulets
Park Silly Sunday Market (Seasonal)
More Than One Day to Wander?
More Hotel Recommendations:
More Breakfast Options:
More Lunch Options:
Powder at the Waldorf Astoria (American)
Silver Star Café (New American)
Sammy’s Bistro (American)
More Coffee Options:
More Sweets Options:
More Dinner Options:
Handle (American, Small Plates)
Fletcher’s (American)
Grappa (Italian)
Purple Sage (American, Comfort Food)
Tupelo (American)
Yuki Yama (Sushi)
El Chubasco (Mexican)
More Drink Options:
Après Lounge (Cocktails at the Montage)
OP Rockwell (Live Music)
Tupelo (Craft Cocktails)
Fletcher’s Library Lounge (Cocktail Bar)
Old Town Cellars (Wine)
No Name Saloon (Rooftop)
Park City Brewery (Brewery)
More Places to See:
Summit Meadows Adventures (Snowmobile tours)
Day Trip to Salt Lake City (About 40 minutes driving)
Hot Air Balloon Ride (Many companies specialize in hot air balloon rides year round, and can be arranged through your hotel or Park City Balloon Adventures)
I hope you fall in love with Park City as much as I did. I can’t wait to go back for another visit, possible in winter to see the mountains covered in snow. And if you have more than a day, I would suggest spending a little time in Salt Lake City. Don’t worry, I’ll be posting a guide to SLC soon!