By now I hope you are following along with some of the post templates I have created. As mentioned in my Asheville, NC, and Denver, CO posts, I categorize each travel location I visit. Park City falls under “Not Finished”. It was only my first time skiing and we went during the off-season. There were more restaurants, shops, bars, art galleries, slopes, and resorts we wanted to explore. Not only that, there were so many other cool nature spots to check out. I hope in the future, we return during mountain biking season, so we can see Park City without the snow.
In this post, I will share our 5 “Must-Do” Items in Park City, Utah. Exploring a place in less-than-ideal weather (snow, for me) definitely impacts my list. Since the weather did not lure me outside, I spent more time inside than in previous locations.
1. Skiing
Being a first-time skier, I was intimidated to learn here. There were young children who were 98% better than me. From what I have heard, it is amazing to learn to ski in Park City because the snow is more powder than ice. Also, the views are breathtaking and help remind you of why you should learn. I do not have a North East experience to compare it to, yet.
Some pro tips about skiing in Park City or skiing in general.
- The tickets are the same price even if not all of the slopes are open.
- Even if you are an expert skier in another location, it may be harder in Park City.
- Research buying day passes through a third party. You may be able to save some money.
- Check how many greens/blues/black slopes there are before picking a mountain.
- Include the price of lunch in your total price when budgeting. It is expensive.
- You can rent skis, boots, and helmets.
- You cannot rent outfits or goggles.
- You do not always need goggles, sometimes sunglasses suffice.
- Bring snacks.
2. Shopping
Main Street
Park City has a really cute main street filled with shops. There are some unique clothing boutiques along with mainstream brands. They have a lot of stores that sell gift items. We stopped into the Olive Oil & Vinegar shop and were pleasantly surprised to find other food items. They had specialty spices and pre-made kits. We bought the Cajun Gumbo & Risotto packages. For each, they tell you the extra ingredients you need to buy as well as the recipe. It was a nice way to treat ourselves on a budget.
Outlets
Park City also has a great outlet mall. It is outdoors, so be prepared to be cold in between shops. There were great sales and even better Black Friday sales. We were expecting the shops to be overwhelmingly crowded, but we did not have to wait in many lines.
My favorite two stores in the Park City Outlets were The Hive Market and fulFILLed.
The Hive Market features local artisans and has a constant rotation of items. I went in there 3 times in 1 month and each time, the store looked different. I bought myself a “Be Kind” patch for my denim jacket and a bee ring. I love buying my jewelry when I am traveling or from local artists. Every time I look at it now, I am transported back to Utah.
fulFILLed is a zero-waste refill shop. They made it really easy to purchase and had extra jars on hand in case you came in unexpectedly. I bought their shower steamers and my new LEAF razor. I am still getting used to using a metal razor, but they were both great purchases. The shower steamers were better quality and cheaper than any others I’d seen.
Important to note: If you go to Park City unprepared to ski like I was, there is a Columbia Outlet. I bought a fleece, jacket, snow overalls, and socks for a very good price.
3. Art
I can’t really speak to the galleries on Main Street because we did not step into any of them. Every few steps there was another. I am trying to limit my temptation to purchase items that do not fit in our car during this road trip. I hope when we return to Park City, we will own a home and be able to fully embrace the galleries. In the same way that I love buying jewelry during my travels, I would love to buy art in the same way.
One piece of art that we did stop by to admire is the famous Banksy. There were quite a few murals that made walking down the street feel cozier.
4. Restaurants
I feel blessed to have been able to experience a few restaurants during our month in Park City. Having guests in town helps push us to explore in ways we would not have otherwise. In this case, I might have missed the best steak of my life.
Our first taste of Park City cuisine was Chimayo. It is known for its creative southwestern food. We had an elegant evening with appetizers, entrees, and a bottle of wine courtesy of one of my boyfriend’s best friends. The ambiance was warm, moody, yet inviting. It evoked conversation and was the best start to our weekend.
I hate salad, but I was trying to eat a healthy meal. At Collie’s Sports Bar & Grill, I had an amazing. It was so amazing that we ordered from here a second time. The salad was the Keystone Bowl. If I had to offer a critique, I thought the dried cranberry addition was overkill, but I still think about it to this day (three months later).
Our second dinner out was at No Name Saloon. While they are known for their bison burgers, I was too hungry to risk being disappointed. I ordered the wings. Others at the table enjoyed their famous bison. The ambiance felt like we walked into a hunting cabin, complete with taxidermy moose heads on the wall. Their light fixture above the door is a chandelier made of antlers. It was one of the coolest light fixtures I’ve seen in person.
Our final dinner on Park City’s Main Street was Fletcher’s. It came as a recommendation from my mother. Thank you mother for guiding me to the best steak of my life. For this dinner, we were out with my boyfriend’s parents. During drinks, we were chatting up a storm. The second the food arrived, we went silent. We all ordered something different and each thought it was one of the best meals of our lives. You can bet that if we return to Park City, we will return to Fletcher’s.
5. Bars
We only experienced two bars worth mentioning during our Park City stay: No Name Saloon & The Spur Bar & Grill. They were fun for two completely opposite reasons.
No Name Saloon had a bartending staff that successfully made me one of my favorite cocktails (Tom Collins). Unfortunately, my favorite cocktail is one that bartenders love to interpret (usually leaving me disappointed). At No Name Saloon, they played throwback music. There was an upstairs section that was louder and I assume had dancing, but there was plenty of seating downstairs for talking. It was crowded and we went during the true off-season. I assume it gets packed during peak season.
The Spur Bar & Grill offers live music and a great dance floor. They have a downstairs and an upstairs with different music options. We only danced downstairs, but the band was great and kept playing songs that made it hard for us to leave. Apparently, the Spur has live music every night. I would definitely go back.
Challenge
Try to let the weather influence your behavior for a day. I didn’t adventure outdoors as much in Park City, but the cold inspired me to read several books.