Park City, Utah, known by most as the home to Sundance, skiing, and snowboarding, is more than just a winter oasis. Surrounded by majestic mountains, breathtaking scenery, rich American history and undeniable western spirit, Park City attracts travelers from all around the world during every single season.
This summer, take a journey to Park City and Deer Valley and enjoy all the active, exciting, interesting and out-of-this-world experiences these places have to offer. Don’t worry, you will be welcomed with open arms.
On a beautiful clear day, I arrived in Park City and headed to Main & SKY, one of the area’s most popular boutique hotels, located in the heart of it all on Main Street. This chic landmark hotel embodies healthy living in an intimate setting with the luxury, sophistication and elegance of a world-class destination hotel. I loved it right from the start! My two-bedroom suite was pure perfection, with its own Jacuzzi, which I took full advantage of after ordering a bottle of wine and relaxing before dinner.
Later that night, I headed to Handle, a rustic-chic, farm-to-table eatery with a Williamsburg, Brooklyn vibe. Co-owners Melissa Gray and Chef Briar Handle, opened up this culinary hot spot, which offers small-plates that defy innovation. Personally, I was obsessed with their fried chicken and caramel pudding, a signature dish in Utah. Handle offers expertly crafted cocktails, one of their specialties is The Rattle Snake Cocktail, which everyone at the restaurant seemed to be enjoying while engaging in lasting conversations.
The next morning, I headed into a day of hiking, zip lining, and adventure galore. For breakfast, I dined at Deer Valley Grocery Café, where I enjoyed fresh roasted coffee and amazing espresso drinks in addition to the great all organic breakfast menu. While enjoying the crisp mountain air on the lakeside dining deck, my choice of the morning was the avocado and beet toast that was topped with goat cheese, micro greens and black Hawaiian sea salt. What a healthy and fulfilling start of the day!
A place called Silver Lake would set the scene for a late morning hike. Silver Lake Trail is a 4.5 mile trail located near Alpine, UT that has a beautiful lake and offers a number of activity options like, bike riding and fly fishing. The views of the American Fork Canyon are gorgeous as you get higher up the mountain. After two hours of a picturesque hike, it was off to lunch at the Royal Street Café.
Later that day I mustered up all my courage to take on the adventure of a lifetime, the Canyons Zip Line Adventure Tour. With my knees shaking under me and my heart pounding out of my chest, I held on for dear life while I went off one of the tallest zip lines in the country. This was by far the highlight of my trip and the topic of conversation for almost the rest of my stay. I think it took me a day to fully get my bearings back but the pictures and Instagram likes made it totally worth it!
After a long day of exploring it was time for dinner at Shabu, a one-of-a-kind freestyle Asian restaurant that combines the region’s coveted dishes with fresh, global flavors. My recommendation, the Shabu Shabu, which lets the dinner be the chef’s choice. A fresh udon soup and a Saketini complimented the meal and sent me off to sleep.
The next day we were off to the Kimball Arts Festival on main street, which offered live music performances, hands on activities for people of all ages, and over 200 hundred artists selling their artwork. After purchasing what will now be known as my most unique piece of artwork I own to date, I headed to one of my favorite places in Park City, High West Distillery, a Saloon and restaurant that offers a truly spectacular experience as the world’s only ski-in distillery and gastro-saloon. It is located at exactly 7000 feet in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains in Old Town Park City, Utah. I took a behind-the-scene tour of the distillery, learned how to make my own spirits, and enjoyed lunch complete with whiskey lemonades.
The end of that evening was pure perfection with a night out under the stars at the Utah Symphony. The music, the lights, and the magic could never be replaced. Basking over my gourmet picnic basket, I enjoyed the beautiful sounds of the symphony while the music took my breath away.
With just one more day to take advantage of the beautiful Park City and having time to myself to stroll around Main Street, two of the most coveted boutiques caught my eye. Cake, the one-stop shop for all things contemporary, was full with premium denim and perfect all-year boots, while Flight’s to-die for colorful clothing allowed me to change my style from its normal all-black attire. Continuing my stroll down Main Street, I discovered the town’s museum, The Park City Museum. While exploring the interactive exhibits on Park City’s rich history, make sure to stop by the city’s original basement jail. Thankfully, this is the closest I have ever gotten to being in an actual jail cell.
My final dinner took place at Zoom, one of the most popular restaurants in Park City due to the owner being acclaimed actor Robert Redford. Zoom, located in a restored Union Pacific Depot, celebrates the town’s heritage over fresh and local food that can be enjoyed with friends and family. Make sure to try their flavorful truffle mac & cheese and rich Buffalo Ribeye while sipping on the Sundance Margarita.
Before I knew it, my gateway had come to an end and it was time to get back to my reality of New York City’s hustle and bustle. But, Park City, a perfect summer escape, is yours for the taking now.