City Cheat Sheet: A Travel Guide for Park City, Utah

The Scout Guide Park City editor Suzanne Dildy on the deck of Riverhorse restaurant overlooking Historic Main Street Park City.

A wintertime trip to Park City, Utah, brings to mind the ideal powder conditions and cozy spots to lounge by the fire. However, this ski town boasts a number of attractions beyond the slopes, including excellent dining, carefully curated boutiques, unique art galleries, and more. For The Scout Guide Park City Editor Suzanne Harper Dildy and her family, Park City is a beloved mountain town with a tight-knit community where supporting local is a way of life and every day presents an opportunity to have an adventure. Here, she shares her picks for making the most of a visit to her area.

Where to Stay

“If you want to be in the heart of town and enjoy a smaller boutique hotel, I highly recommend Washington School House Hotel (543 Park Avenue),” says Suzanne. “This chic little hotel has a truly romantic feel, with sophisticated decor, impeccable service, and a wonderful breakfast.” The Montage Deer Valley (9100 Marsac Avenue) is a ski-in/ski-out retreat that’s perfect for families who prefer to travel in style, thanks to ample family activities to burn off energy during the day, several on-property dining options, and nightly gourmet S’mores by the fire.

If you want to ski The Canyons at Park City Mountain, Suzanne recommends that you check into The Waldorf Astoria Park City (2100 Frostwood Drive), where you can enjoy a mountain resort vibe with classic Waldorf Astoria luxury, plus family-friendly amenities, an excellent spa, and a fabulous restaurant, Powdr.

Want to go farther off the beaten path? Drive 15 minutes to The Lodge at Blue Sky (27649 Old Lincoln Highway in Wanship), which is located right in the middle of the mountains. This newest luxury resort in Park City offers incredible excursions year-round. In the winter, look for backcountry skiing, heli-skiing, and cat skiing excursions through the lodge. There’s also a world-class spa and the super-hot restaurant, Yutah, to make you feel right at home in the wilderness.

Last but not least, if you prefer vacationing in a home or condo, Abode Luxury Rentals offers luxury homes of all sizes and in locations throughout Park City.

The view of Old Town Park City and Park City Mountain.

How to Hit the Slopes—and après—Like a Local

A quick word to the wise: If you’re coming to Park City to ski, then you’ll want to know the mountains. There are three world-class ski mountains in the area: Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain, and The Canyons at Park City Mountain. Deer Valley is a ski-only mountain, but snowboarders flock to Park City Mountain and The Canyons.

Suzanne’s favorite ski day with her family includes a pass down the Deer Valley run Last Chance. “It’s a serene blue run with beautiful scenery, lined with gorgeous homes. Look for the adorable bear sculptures climbing homes and trees as you ski past!”

Suzanne’s idea of the perfect après activity includes lunch at Giltretind at Stein Eriksen Lodge. “Their skier’s buffet is over the top, so make sure you arrive hungry,” she warns. For something lighter, visit Troll Hallen Lounge for a fantastic à la carte menu, including Suzanne’s favorite, the wild game chili (and don’t leave the lodge without popping into Bjorn stova for gorgeous skiwear and accessories). For après-ski adult-style, head over to the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Yurt at the Montage. “It’s super chic!” Suzanne reports.

For those looking for something more extreme, Park City’s Powderbird Heli Skiing is ideal for hard-core ski adventurers. The experts at Powderbird have been doing heli-skiing well before it was trendy, and with outfits in Greenland and Utah, they know how to find the most unspoiled, truly remote backcountry skiing opportunities for their clients.

For families, Suzanne always recommends Snowed Inn Sleigh Company (Lowell Avenue, Park City Mountain Resort). This company will take you on a horse-drawn sleigh ride up the snowy slopes of Park City Mountain Resort to an authentic mountain lodge for a western-style dinner and live entertainment.

Finally, no trip to Park City is complete without a trip over to Utah Olympic Park where you can visit the museum, take a bobsled ride down the track, or watch the Nordi Ski Jumpers train and compete.

The view of Old Town Park City and Park City Mountain.

where to Eat Like a Local

In the town of Park City, there are hundreds of restaurants, many of which are wonderful—and  some that go above and beyond. Suzanne recommends having breakfast and coffee at Five Seeds (1600 Snow Creek Drive), where the locals start their day. She raves about their fresh coffee and avocado toast with whipped goat cheese, peas, and pickled zucchini.

“For lunch, locals love Freshies Lobster Co. (1897 Prospsector Avenue),” Suzanne says. “They were recently voted world’s best lobster roll, and the lobster bisque is divine.” Park City Provisions (221 Main Street) is another favorite lunch spot, where you can eat in or take your gourmet goods to go. Suzanne’s dinner recommendations include the seasonally-driven Riverhorse on Main (540 Main Street), the globally-inspired Tupelo (508 Main Street), and modern American cuisine destination 350 Main (350 Main Street). “You can’t go wrong with a table at any of these three Park City staples,” she says, adding, “While you’re at 350 Main, head downstairs to Alpine Distilling’s tasting room, Alpine Pie Bar, for a craft cocktail and a slice of pie.” She suggests ending your night at The Spur (352 Main Street), which hosts live music seven days a week.

where to Shop Like a Local

Main Street Park City, which has a charming old mining town feel to it, is lined with world-class shopping and art galleries. According to Suzanne, it’s worth putting aside at least one full afternoon to explore the thoroughfare. “You can even take a free trolley up and down the street when you get tired,” she notes. Along the way, stop at Panache (738 Main Street) to pick up something special from their gorgeous collection of mountain-chic fashion, including cashmere sweaters, hats, and gloves. OC Tanner Jewelers (416 Main Street) has exquisite jewelry, diamonds, and watches, and an incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff. Love a good bookstore browsing session? Dolly’s Books & Gifts (510 Main Street) is a beloved institution that’s been selling books to Park City locals since the early 1970s. Get your souvenirs and hostess gifts from Mountain Town Olive Oil (613 Main Street).

If you’re interested in some destination shopping, then head over to RedStone Center (Southeast Corner of Highway 224 and Newpark Boulevard). There, she recommends visiting Splendor Beauty Emporium (1675 West Redstone Center Drive, #115) to peruse their impressive beauty and makeup selection, WISH party boutique (1635 Redstone Center Drive, #125) for whimsical gifts and party provisions, and local toy store J.W. Allen & Sons (1675 Redstone Center Drive) for their one-of-a-kind sleds. Then, enjoy a cup of tea and a treat at local hangout Townshend’s Tea & Coffee (1241 Center Drive).

where to Explore Like a Local

Suzanne highly recommends visiting the Park City Museum (528 Main Street) while you’re in town. “This museum is a gem and does an amazing job of telling Park City’s history. The exhibits are fantastic, and appeal to people of all ages,” she says.

For art enthusiasts looking to support the wonderful local art scene, Suzanne recommends stopping at Julie Nester Gallery (1280 Iron Horse Drive), Meyer Gallery (305 Main Street), and Terzian Galleries (625 Main Street).

Photography by Carla Boecklin. For additional recommendations for what to do, see, and experience in Park City, Utah, follow The Scout Guide Park City on Instagram.Â