You and your crew just might end up leaving Park City, Utah in better shape than you arrived. Aside from being a primo skiing and snowboarding hotspot, the city’s main street is an adventure itself given all the uphill climbs involved in visiting its vast retail shops, art galleries, restaurants, and bars. If walking uphill is a battle, just hop on the city’s free shuttle bus, available year-round, or grab your snowshoes and enjoy the workout.
Another added bonus? There’s no reason to leave your fur babies behind. Lovingly referred to as “Bark City” by puppy parents of all stripes, this skier’s paradise is also a dog-friendly destination. Four-legged family members are welcome at many lodging properties, such as the AvantStay Picasso property, not to mention all the dog parks and dog-friendly trails surrounding the area.
One thing that’s impossible to find in Park City? A bad meal. Despite the town’s small population, this dining mecca boasts over 100 restaurants that attract foodies throughout the year. Locally sourced menus provide restaurant-goers with the full Park City dining experience, highlighting the agricultural and culinary chops the city has to offer. Everyone from vegetarians and meat lovers to sushi fanatics and pasta diehards can find something they like with Park City’s wide variety of options. Aside from the food itself, the views from these restaurants make for the perfect spectator spot. Relax and watch the parade of vacationing families, couples, and locals strolling past. Or just let the Rocky Mountain air kiss your face while you admire the purple mountains’ majesty.
Where to eat in Park City
1. Five5eeds is a breakfast spot owned by Australians who wanted to elevate the city’s breakfast scene. They offer tons of breakfast dishes, but the most recommended are the pulled pork benedict, mushrooms on quinoa toast, or a plate of Moroccan Shakshuka (baked eggs, feta, and a spice dip known as dukkha).
2. The Eating Establishment is a longtime local’s favorite that serves traditional breakfast foods all day. Some menu items include a loaded baked potato omelet, farfalle, and egg scramble, or you can go full-throttle southern and order a plate of biscuits and gravy.
3. Stop for lunch at RIME Seafood + Raw Bar after some skiing, or grab some food to go and keep on adventuring! RIME’s also has a sister property in St. Regis Deer Valley, RIME Seafood & Steak, which is open year-round.
4. On Historic Main Street, 350 Main offers seasonal favorites including a citrus vinaigrette splashed over orange slices, raspberries, and garden-fresh salad, best enjoyed with a glass of crisp rosé. For those looking to get their veggies in without eating leafy greens, they also offer an amazing plate of corn-on-the-cob served on a bed of orange-red Romesco sauce topped with a chartreuse cream of basil aioli.
5. Hearth & Hill is perfect for shareable plates of potato pierogies, or harvestable options such as an ahi poke bowl or winter salad. Cauliflower enchiladas are recommended, but if you’re starving it might be best to opt for short-rib pastrami.
6. Courchevel Bistro’s French chef, Clement Gelas, uses some of his native favorites to inspire his cuisine. A Talisker Club – the only four-club private community in the city, Courchevel Bistro was named for Park City’s sister city in the French Alps and is situated within the historic Coal & Lumber building where Main Street meets Heber Avenue.
7. Twisted Fern sources local, creative culinary ingredients meant to impress. Begin with a trout salad before biting into a black bean lentil burger – and save room for a plant-based dessert of lemon olive oil cake with strawberry-rhubarb compote and candied pistachio.
8. Dine in a private, heated bubble on the roof at the Kimball Terrace while enjoying the view of the mountains and street views from the rooftop.
Best bars
9. Head to St. Regis Bar to sip its signature 7452 Mary, an enticing blend of the St. Regis Bar’s famous Bloody Mary mix and Five Wives Vodka locally-distilled from Utah mountain spring water, served with a black salt rim and a wasabi-celery foam. Chef Matthew Harris also offers light fare to munch on in this modern mountain lounge.
10. Hearth & Hill is a locals’ gathering spot that offers guests the immersive experience to make-your-own Old Fashioned. You may prefer a Dragonfly Rita concocted with rabbit & grass tequila, alpine preserve, smoked pitaya and dragon fruit jam, lime, agave, and mint. This cocktail was a 2020 fan favorite of the Park City Cocktail Contest. There’s also food offered, whether shareable – potato pierogi, for example, or harvestable options such as an ahi poke bowl or winter salad. Cauliflower enchiladas are considered feast-able, but if you’re truly hungry, it might be best to opt for short-rib pastrami.
11. The Umbrella Bar at Canyon’s Village is a classic outdoor deck spot in the Resort Village, offering 360-degree views from its unique glass enclosure and a massive outdoor deck with a view of the village music stage. Along with a menu that features specialty hot dogs and burgers, there’s an extensive beer selection featuring draft and craft brews.
Best ski resorts in Park City
12. Outdoor activities are in full effect at Deer Valley Resort, a ski-only winter spot. Book your stay at AvantStay’s Scarlet property, a mere five minutes from Deer Valley Resort.
13. Park City Mountain is the largest ski resort in the country and the ideal place for snowboarders to enjoy in the winter months, and hikers, mountain bikers, alpine sliders, or eagle coasters in the summer. With over 400 miles of trails for hiking and biking, there’s plenty of terrain for visitors to enjoy some recreation.
Things to do for non-skiers
Within this ski-obsessed destination, there are several options to hit the slopes. You can book a place adjacent to the lifts, such as AvantStay’s Slopeside. But you don’t have to be a ski enthusiast to enjoy this destination.
14. Park City Wine Festival is a premier gathering event for master winemakers, culinary greats, and distinguished guests to play, wine, and dine. Lots of food, wine, and locally-made products are showcased during this ultimate food and wine experience that takes place annually at the end of September. Satisfy your palate with wine and food tastings and educate your palate during seminars and outdoor adventures with food and wine on the itinerary.
15. Savor the Summit, Park City’s biggest outdoor dinner party will return in 2024 to resume the annual June event that offers diners a unique celebration of fabulous food, drink, and live music right in the middle of Main Street. Park City’s best restaurants showcase their culinary talents in an open-air community celebration that requires no ticket to purchase. You do, however, need to make a reservation directly with a participating restaurant of your choice.
16. Park City Farmer’s Market is a seasonal market held on Wednesdays, from noon to 5 p.m. at Park City Resort from June through the end of October. This space is a great way to meet like-minded organic food enthusiasts on a “no-spray” quest – and to stock up on fresh local goods from Utah farmers and vendors. Arrive hungry to enjoy food truck offerings!
17. Park City Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and provides the perfect introduction for newbies. Here, you’ll learn about the city’s rich history and culturally significant sites. You’ll realize why it has won numerous awards, accolades, and inclusion in national and international travel guides as a Top Ten attraction.
18. Sundance Film Festival, perhaps the most famous annual event, takes place here for seven days each year, beginning at the end of January. This is a place to rub elbows with celebrities during premieres, events, artist talks, and cutting-edge exhibitions. Adventurous audiences and indie film lovers are welcome to celebrate exciting new talent and creative visionaries.
19. For more than 50 years, the Park City Kimball Arts Festival has been a highly anticipated event. Lasting for three days in early August, more than 50,000 attendees converge on Main Street to browse and purchase art from a festival that ranks among the top art festivals in the country for artist sales and attendee experience.
20. Year-round action sports for all ages and levels are held at Woodward Park City, the ideal stop for beginners trying to learn something new. This state-of-the-art indoor action sports hub also spans more than 60 acres of outdoor action sports and mountain parks. If your interests include skiing, snowboarding, tubing, mountain biking, or skateboarding, this is the place to visit.
21. All Seasons Adventures provides instruction, high-quality gear, beverages, snacks, and a personalized experience focused on customer service. Fly fishing, trap shooting, and horseback riding are some summer activities offered here and wintertime options include snowshoeing winter fly fishing, and dog sledding.
22. Wasatch Excursions offers guided and non-guided ATV, UTV, and Snowmobile rentals.
23. Park City Yoga Adventures offers Zen-inducing yoga experiences such as silks yoga in a barn, outdoor yoga, and SUP yoga in a geothermal crater.
24. Escape Room Park City is the place to test your puzzle-solving skills through one of several experiences. Gather your friends to see how well you can work together to escape.
25. Summit Bike Share electric bike stations around town are available for use every day from spring through fall. This mode of transportation is a fun way to tour the area without worrying about the hills. There are annual and monthly memberships for those who want to ride the bikes regularly, or you can pay per ride. There’s an Official Summit Bike Share App where you can access membership information and bikes, and you can find this information at any station kiosk located near the bike docks.
26. Alpine Slide is meant for adrenal-rush seekers. Park City Mountain Village has a 3,000-foot luge-like track deemed one of the longest alpine coasters in the world, with multiple paths to choose from so sliders can experience a different ride each time.
27. Utah Outdoor Adventures is the place to sign up for customized snowshoeing experiences. This company focuses on outdoor experiences for small private groups.
Where to shop
28. Take a stroll along the picturesque Historic Main Street, the perfect place to window shop, peek inside a quirky gallery or two, and enjoy some downtime.
29. If you’re seeking souvenirs or sporting goods, you’ll want to stop for some retail therapy at the Resort Center at Park City Mountain Resort and Silver Lake Village at Deer Valley Resort. If you’re in the market for outdoor and travel clothing that ranges from base layers, lifestyle, and outerwear to help keep you cool and dry in the summer heat, head to Smartwood at the Resort Village at Canyons Resort.
30. For chain stores and more diverse shops, Redstone is the spot to browse through major retailers, fine shops, and food markets such as World Market, Whole Foods, and Bed Bath & Beyond. This is also where you can stop for dinner and a movie.
31. Outlet shopping is a fun sport unto itself, and there’s an outlet mall six miles north of the city on SR 224 with over 65 stores that include Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, and J Crew.
32. Park Silly Sunday Market is a great way to spend your Sunday if only to people-watch and browse the unique artisan goods for sale. Bread, pies, hot dogs, and more farm-friendly food options are at every turn in this delicious open-air market open from early June through September, with street performers and music to entertain.
More fun
33. High West Distillery, founded in 2006, was the first to open in Utah following Prohibition. In fact, it was the first legal distillery since 1870 — even before Prohibition!). In 2016, Whisky Advocate named High West its “Distiller of the Year.” Plan a stop here to take an educational whiskey tour and experience a tasting.
34. Park City was a key location during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, where events included aerials, freestyle moguls, and alpine slalom ski events: snowboarding halfpipe; bobsledding; luge; and ski jumping. Today, U.S. Ski & Snowboard calls Park City home, and many of our nation’s Olympians use the city for training at Utah Olympic Park. Summer offerings include extreme tubing, alpine slides, bobsledding, ropes courses, and zip-lining. Two museums, the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum are free to visit and open year-round.
Whether you’re looking for a snow-filled getaway, a summertime adventure, or just a happy atmosphere with 19th-century architecture to admire, Park City is the place to be. It’s perfect for novice skiers/snowboarders and pros alike, as well as shopaholics, culinary buffs, museum-goers, and festival junkies. Book a stay at one of AvantStay’s Park City properties to experience the fun yourself.
