Powder, Peaks and Pints: Top Things to Do in Park City, Utah
- Amy Leggett
- 6 hours ago
- 9 min read
Park City, Utah may be famous for its world-class skiing and the Sundance Film Festival, but this charming mountain town (just a 30 minute drive from Salt Lake City) is bursting with adventure, beauty, and culture all year round. Whether you're a snow-seeker, a warm weather hiker, or someone just looking for an escape with great food and stunning views, Park City has something for everyone. Here's a rundown of the top things to do when you find yourself in this alpine paradise!
HIT THE SLOPES:
I will start with the obvious Park City adventure--skiing and snowboarding. Park City Mountain is the largest ski resort in the US with over 7,300 acres of skiable terrain. Whether you're a beginner or a black-diamond daredevil, you will find trails that suit your level. Check out the trail map and lift ticket prices here. But Park City Mountain is not your only option. There are numerous ski areas within driving distance of Park City.
I have the Ikon Pass and I was able to use it at Deer Valley Resort. Deer Valley is just a short drive from Park City. Deer Valley offers a luxurious ski experience. As you ski down the slopes at Deer Valley you glimpse not only stunning mountain views, but you breeze by various multi-million dollar mansions located right on the trails! We looked up the price for one of the beautiful homes being built and it was a mere $39,000,000.00! What a life to just strap on your skis on your back porch and start cruising down the mountain.
Deer Valley is known for its impeccable grooming and skier-only policy (sorry snowboarders!). There is a variety of terrain and every run seems to offer impeccable views of the surrounding mountains and lakes. We enjoyed a delicious sun-splashed lunch on the patio of the mid-mountain Silver Lake Lodge. I had an amazing Silver Lake Grilled Cheese with BBQ pulled pork, white cheddar cheese, smoked mozzerella cheese on sourdough bread. It was amazing! My friend got the iconic Deer Valley Turkety Chili and said it lived up to its reputation. Of course after a day of skiing we had to enjoy Aprés Ski on the large outdoor patio at Edgar's at the base of the mountain. Click here for more information on skiing at Deer Valley Resort.
TAKE IN THE VIEWS:
Scenic Tram Ride at Snowbird Resort:
You don't have to ski or snowboard to catch views from a mountain top. We took a short drive (about 45 minutes from Park City) to the Snowbird Resort where they offer scenic tram rides. The 1.6 mile, 10 minute journey takes you up to the top of Snowbird's Hidden Peak (11,000 feet in elevation). When you get to the top you can take in 360 degree views of Little Cottonwood Canyon and the slopes of Snowbird. Then I recommend that you grab a bit to eat at The Summit, the highest restaurant in Utah! The Summit has an amazing salad bar...not a usual staple at a ski area restaurant. While you eat you can watch the amazing skiers take off down the steep slopes from Hidden Peak.
After you have had your fill, take the tram back down 2,900 vertical feet to the Snowbird Center. We were crammed in with a bunch of skiers on the way up, but had the tram all to ourselves on the way back down!
Once back at Snowbird Center, enjoy the ambiance of skiers roasting marshmellows at fire pits on the plaza, browse the shops and take in the mountain vibes. The tram is open daily from 9am to 3 pm (conditions dependent) and ticket prices vary depending on the time of year. All the information on the scenic tram ride can be found here.
Drive the Little and Big Cottonwood Canyon:
To get to Snowbird Resort, we drove up the Little Cottonwood Canyon which is a beautiful scenic drive up a 7-mile winding road. If you continue on past Snowbird, you will get to the Alto ski resort. Alta is notorious for shootings in its' 26 saloons during the mining days of the 1860's and 70's. Alta was Utah's first ski resort opening in 1938.
We didn't have time to do it, but there is a separate scenic drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon which takes you to the ski areas of Solitude and Brighton. Big Cottonwood Canyon is more easily accessible from Park City and is a 15-mile drive through the Wasactch Mountains.
There are various locations for hiking and rock climbing off of both of these drives if that is something you are looking to do in Utah.
Wander Down Main Street:
Wander down Park City's iconic Main Street, where historic 19th-century buildings now house boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and coffe shops. It is a perfect place to stroll, shop or grab a bite. At night, the vibe changes and the street comes alive with music and cocktails in the various pubs and lounges.
While you walk and browse, don't miss the various installments of public arts works that have been commissioned by the city since the 1980s. There are hundreds of installments including statues, murals and mixed media works. We didn't have a chance to do it, but there is a self-guided tour of the City's public arts works. Find the directions for the self-guided walk here. Here are a few pieces of art work that we came across while exploring Main Street.
Here is a list of my favorite must see spots on Main Street:
No Name Saloon: The No Name Saloon is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2025! It is a favorite gathering spot of locals and visitors alike. It has a fun energy, eclectic decor and a really great rooftop! We just stopped for a drink, but apparently they are known for their World Famous Buffalo Burgers. I highly recommend checking out the No Name Saloon and make sure to get a picture on the rooftop with a great view of Main Street behind you!
No Name Saloon on Main Street 
Eclectic Decor of No Name Saloon No Name Saloon Has an Awesome Rooftop 
The Rooftop Is an Amazing Spot to Grab an Insta-Worthy Photo With Main Street in the Background KemoSabi's Western Shop: KemoSabi's is a high end Western Wear shop selling hats, boots, shirts and other custom Western Wear. The thing that was interesting about this spot was that they had a Hat Bar where you could personalize your Stetson cowboy hat with decorative hat bands, initial branding and other bling. There was a bachelorette party getting their hats done while we were there so it was cool to see.
View Up Main Street From KemoSabi's The Hat Bar at KemoSabi's Riverhorse on Main: Riverhorse on Main is one of Park City's top-rated restaurants and is a 16 year recipient of the Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Award. We went to Riverhorse as part of a wine pairing dinner for the wine festival we attended in Park City without knowing what a treat we were in for! The food was azaming and the ambiance of the restaurant was perfect. In the other room there was live entertainment which sounded great! If you are a foodie, you MUST make a visit to this restaurant.
One Dining Room at Riverhorse on Main High West Distillery: Park City is home to the High West Distillery. You can visit their Distillery and Tasting Room for a tour and a taste. We went to the High West Saloon which is right off Main Street in an historic livery stable and garage. Another interesting fact, the High West Saloon is located at the bottom of Park City's Quittin' Time lift and next to the Town Lift and is the world's first and only ski in gastro-distillery! I'm not a whiskey drinker but my friends got a flight of whiskey to taste and we ordered a house made pretzel with Rendevous Rye beer cheese which was delicious! There are no pictures of the pretzel and beer cheese because it was gobbled up to quickly.
High West Distillery Saloon 
High West Whiskey Flight 
High West Whiskey Utah Olympic Park:
Park City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and the Utah Olympic Park is a year-round facility that focuses on developing the next generation of Winter Olympic athletes. In addition to training, the Olympic Park also houses a museum highlighting the 2002 Winter Olympics with interactive exhibits. If you want to do a little more than watch athletes training or read about their accomplishments, you can choose to challenge yourself with zip lines, alpine slides or a ride on the bobsled track (the same one raced on in the 2002 Olympics). If you time your visit right, you may get lucky enough to see a ski jumping exhibition or aerials practice.
We just visited the Alf Engen Ski Museum which included props from the 2002 Opening Ceremony, information on the 2002 athletes, and the Utah history of Winter Olympic sports.. It was a great experience and a fun thing to do while in Park City.
Utah Olympic Park Museum Aerial Practice Pool Park City Festivals:
Park City is home to many festivals including music festivals, art festivals and of course, the famous Sundance Film Festival. I happened to be in Park City for a wine festival. Attending a festival in Park City is a great reason to come explore the area. If you like the wine festival idea, Team Player Production is putting on another wine festival this Fall. Read my last blog about my wine festival experience here. My blog also contains information about the Park City Wine Festival in October and links to purchase tickets.
Enjoying Sunshine and Wine at the Park City Wine Festival The Sundance Film Festival recently announced that they are moving the iconic festival to Boulder, Colorado in 2027. But you can attend the very last Sundance in Park City in January 2026. Here is a link to the Sundance Film Festival for more information and to purchase tickets. Even if you don't snag a film ticket, the pop-ups and events around town are still worth experiencing. Sundance transforms Park City into a hub of creativity and celebrity sightings, so it would be a fun time to experience it!
BONUS TIP:
When flying into or out of Salt Lake City airport, make time to stop at one of the local Swig shops to try a "Dirty Soda". A Dirty Soda, according to the Swig website, is a signature Swig creation that combines your favorite soda with a customization of flavors, fresh fruits, purees and creams. This unique creation offers "a refreshing twist on the classic soda shop experience." In additon to Dirty Sodas, they offer water-based refreshers and Reviver energy drinks. If you have ever watched The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (you don't have to admit it publicly), you will be familiar with this brand as the Wives frequented their local Swig shop.
Recognizable Swig Logo I ordered a Diet Cherry Bomb (Diet Coke, Cherry, Coconut and Vanilla Cream). My friend ordered a Strawberry Breeze Refresher (Water, Sugar Free Coconut, Sugar Free Vanilla, Strawberry Puree, Frozen Strawberries, Coconut CreamJ). We both agreed they were delicious and wished we had a Swig in Saratoga Springs!
Our Swig Refresher and Dirty Soda One thing to know is that the Swig shops are drive through (I'm not sure where the Wives were hanging out), so you need to peruse the menu ahead of time so you know what you want to order when you get to the window. Here is a link to the Swig website to check out their options. There are no Swig shops in Park City (yet), so you need to visit a Swig shop at one of their many locations in the Salt Lake City area.
Obtained My Dirty Soda Conclusion:
Park City is not just a ski-town, although if you are a skiing enthusiast that is a great selling point! There is so much to see and do in this quant and unique town. Whether you are looking for an adreline rush, art, shopping, amazing aprés-ski vibes, or just some peaceful mountain air, you will find what you are looking for in this mountain gem.
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