Utah Travel Guide
We took a winter trip to UTAH to enjoy some epic skiing and their thriving food scene. It’s safe to say that Utah has quickly shot up the list of our favorite travel destinations and we can’t wait to return! We hope you’ll find our recommendations helpful when planning your next trip to Utah.
Travel to Utah: We opted for an easy nonstop flight from Boston (BOS) to Salt Lake City (SLC). For us, the nonstop option was easiest, especially with lots of checked luggage including skis, instead of flying out of Portland (PWM) and having to connect. The Park City ski area is a quick 40-minute drive from the SLC airport, making this such a convenient option to get the mountains, especially compared to other destinations in the West. There are also mountains that are only a 30-minute drive from downtown SLC making for some fun day trip options too. Downtown SLC is only a quick 10 min drive from the airport. A rental car is required to get from place to place in our opinion, including exploring the different mountain towns.
We broke this guide down into 3 sections: Salt Lake City, Deer Valley Resort, and Park City!
Salt Lake City:
The city is laid out in a grid with the Mormon Temple at the heart of the map. There is a free light rail transportation option available throughout the core downtown area, but we found walking to be just fine. The city is steeped in Mormon roots and tradition with a young and vibrant culture. Forewarning, the city is pretty much shut down on Sundays, so schedule accordingly!
Visit the Utah State Capital Building: The capital building is a short uphill walk from Temple Square and very neat to see/grab a picture in front of.
Explore Temple Square: The Mormon Temple sits at the heart of the SLC downtown and Temple Square. While we visited, the Temple was under construction, so it was tough to see past all the scaffolding. In addition to the Temple Building, the Square offers additional spots to explore including the library and performance hall.
Enjoy the Tabernacle Organ Performance: The Mormon church puts on a 30-minute daily organ recital in Temple Square (weekdays at noon) that is free to the public. We thoroughly enjoyed the performance and highly recommend adding this to your SLC itinerary!
Shopping at City Creek: Adjacent to Temple Square is a lovely indoor/outdoor high-end shopping area that is fun to explore.
Indulge in Beers and Lunch at Hopkins Brewing Co: This Sugarhouse neighborhood hot spot is a great place to grab beers and food. We don’t know what we loved more – the food or the beer! We indulged in tater tot nachos and sandwiches along with some delicious beers. This spot also hosts Sunday Brunch (one of the few places we found open on a Sunday in SLC) and often has live music too.
Enjoy lunch at Nomad East for Pizza (1300 block): This is a great spot for lunch and/or dinner with shareable fancy pizzas and small plates. We indulged in a mushroom and bok choy salad complete with mint and lime that we will not soon forget about. Their pizzas are also top notch and pair well with a glass of rose 😊
Try a “dirty soda”: Ok, so this is a Utah thing, but it’s quickly gaining more and more traction throughout the West. It started in the mid 2010’s with the original being a diet coke mixed with lime, coconut syrup and half and half. There are quite a few different soda shop options around SLC. We tried Thirst and were not disappointed. This drive-thru hotspot offered the “Little Mama”, their take on the classic, and it was in fact pretty darn delicious!! The carbonation level and nugget ice were on point too. These soda shops also offer endless possibilities – you can pretty much mix any soda or lemonade with whatever flavor you can imagine! This is a must try in our book.
Adventure on a mountain day trip to Alta (ski only) and Snowbird (ski and snowboard): For some epic skiing, venture here for the day. Only 30 minutes outside of SLC or a ~45-minute drive from Park City, this is another easy to get to Utah mountain destination! The 2 mountains have connected trails, so your pass allows you to ski both on the same day. Look out for the gate at the top of the Alta Sugarloaf lift and the Snowbird Baldy lift. The views at Snowbird were hands down the best of the trip. We loved skiing the back bowls there and found Alta to have some nice long blue runs. Both Alta and Snowbird look much more intimidating than the options around Park City (think rockier and more vertical) but do not be intimidated!
The Peruvian Tunnel: Follow the blue trail, Chip’s Run, on the back side of Snowbird off the Mineral Basin Lift and enjoy a magic carpet ski ride through the tunnel complete with local art and history. This was a very cool, one-of-a-kind mountain experience!
Eat at Seventy One: This retro eatery in the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird was the perfect place to enjoy some après ski after a long day on the slopes. Their burgers and beer list were great. They also have an outdoor deck looking out over the front of Snowbird and the tram which makes for a great backdrop.
For those who need to get their west coast fix of In n Out in, there are 3 locations around SLC! We always have to stop for a protein style double double with animal fries…ifykyk.
Deer Valley Resort:
We absolutely loved our stay at the Deer Valley Resort! Deer Valley is about 10 minutes from downtown Park City and is a separate ski resort area from Park City Mountain and the Main Street downtown. Deer Valley is a ski only mountain (no snowboards) and has a total of 5 peaks. The mountain itself is expansive and beautiful. We had one Deer Valley ski guide explain the resort as a hand. The palm of the hand is a Valley and you will need to take a lift to get back from the palm to the base lodge. We spent two days skiing the mountain and enjoying the views. We found there to be a lot of great groomed rolling trails and loved the natural beauty and trees within many of the trails. One of the highlights was seeing the beautiful vistas and also the amazing architecture of the homes and condominiums that were tucked among the trails.
While at Deer Valley Resort, we stayed at the St. Regis Deer Valley and cannot recommend enough. We loved our in room fireplace and views overlooking the mountain and pool area! (Note - the Montage also has a beautiful property on the other side of the mountain). The St. Regis provides ski-in/ski-out accommodations and has a ski valet on the lower level of the property to store all of your equipment. The property is also unique because you access the hotel via a funicular that transports you up the mountain from the main parking lot (note - the restaurants and bars are ski in/ski out accessible from the mountain). It is a quick ride with great views. You will have to ride the funicular if you are coming to dine at the property/not staying there.
· If skiing at Deer Valley, take the green Deer Hollow trail over to the St. Regis to enjoy a snack or cocktail even if you aren’t staying at the property.
· If you want to enjoy a drink but are not out skiing, ride the funicular up to the resort.
Après Ski Options at the St. Regis-
o Enjoy a Bloody Mary at the outdoor Mountain Terrace Bar complete with fireplaces and comfortable seating overlooking the mountain and ski slopes. The Bloody Mary drink is topped with a wasabi and celery foam and the glass was rimmed with a black Hawaiian salt. You had the option of adding in some additional sauce from an accompanying pipette if you wanted to amp up the spice. Fun Fact - The St. Regis is the creator of the Bloody Mary and each St. Regis property offers their own take on the libation! The Mountain Terrace and indoor St. Regis Bar also have a full food menu that is delicious and casual - we always love the burger!
o Check out the Vintage Room in the tent adjacent to the Mountain Terrace. The chic and cozy space includes ample seating on leather couches and plush chairs. We highly recommend the London Fog cocktail for a WOW presentation factor. It was fun to find Maine oysters on the menu here too!
Park City:
This mountain town is full of charm and fun! At the heart of Park City is their Main Street, complete with oh so many restaurants and shops (including an L.L. Bean)! Park City Mountain is right there as well with an in-town lift too. While we didn’t ski Park City Mountain, we met many folks who did and love it! Sprawling out from Main Street, are lots of residential neighborhoods – so many houses everywhere with mountain views galore!! Pro Tip – the Kimball Junction exit has a Whole Foods that makes a great stop to stock up on some snacks and drinks for ski days.
We stayed at Hotel Park City while in town and would recommend. Their cottage suites have a townhouse feel and include private hot tubs on the balconies which was a nice bonus. The views of Park City Mountain were stunning and the on-site Ruth’s Chris steakhouse was a great dinner option. The Park City hotels all seemed to have complimentary shuttle service to both Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain, including Hotel Park City, which makes it that much more convenient. Our hotel also had a shuttle to Main St in the evenings which made it nice to not have to drive as available parking can get tricky.
Walk and explore Main Street: Window shop and dine along Park City’s Main Street and the home to Sundance Film Festival. Recommend making any dining reservations in advance if you can, as this area is very busy especially during the height of ski season.
Enjoy small plates and drinks at Handle: We loved our meal here for apps and wine. While we didn’t have a reservation, we were able to sneak a spot at the bar (first come first serve) which worked out great.
Enjoy fine dining service, attention to detail, and delicious cuisine at Riverhorse on Main: We absolutely loved our meal here, and advanced reservations are required. The trio of game, halibut, and cocktails to not disappoint!
Catch a show at the Egyptian Theatre: Seeing a concert at this iconic spot on Main Street with its history steeped in the Sundance Film Festival is nothing short of dreamy. Keep an eye on their website for info on upcoming shows at this intimate venue.
Go on a Dog Sledding adventure: Visit North Forty Escapes in Oakley, Utah for an experience to remember! The dog sleds each accommodate 2 adults and take you on a 3 mile ride through Utah’s scenic snowy trails. We had a blast learning about each dog’s personality…this is a must do!
Enjoy juice and smoothies at High Vibes Juicery & Wellness Bar: This new juicery and matcha bar in Park City is SO cute and their juice and smoothies do not disappoint. This is a great stop for some healthy mountain fuel outside of the hustle and bustle of Main St.
Visit High West Distillery: This Park City gem has a few locations including a tasting room in downtown Park City. We ventured to their main location outside of Park City and thoroughly enjoyed the experience!
Supper Club at High West Distillery: Each Wednesday evening, the distillery’s main location ~30 mins from Park City, offers a Supper Club family style menu focused around a theme. When we dined, it was a Scottish theme and we enjoyed lamb stew, salmon with barley and a raspberry/oat cream compote (advanced reservations required). Start with an Old Fashioned, we promise you won’t regret it. This experience definitely ranks in our top food experiences ever, we highly recommend! Note – the drive gets quite steep and remote, and we saw lots of wildlife including deer and moose! In addition to Supper Club, check out the main location for daily tours and tastings too.
Enjoy an evening sleigh ride and barn dinner at Snowed Inn Lodge: Make reservations in advance and depart on an evening sleigh ride from the Pay Day lift at Park City Mountain resort. The dinner includes 3 choices: trout, chicken, or prime rib and comes complete with chili to start, sides, and brownies for dessert. The restaurant lodge has roaring fireplaces and live music during dinner too.
Pro Tips:
Ikon Season Pass: We recommend getting the Ikon Ski Pass as this pass is valid at Sunday River and Sugarloaf mountains in Maine, Loon in New Hampshire + Alta, Snowbird and Deer Valley in Utah. We loved being able to use our same season pass from back home out in Utah. After a few trips to the mountain, this pass pays for itself! Each pass also comes with 6 friends and family rate tickets offering 25% off the daily lift ticket rates. So, if you’re skiing with folks without a pass, this is also a nice perk. Always ask at the retail shops on mountain too, as sometimes Ikon passholders receive a small discount there as well.
Ski Storage: Deer Valley Resort offers complimentary ski storage at the base of the mountain for up to 7 days. So, it you’re not staying on property at the St. Regis or Montage, this is a great option to leverage if you’re planning to ski Deer Valley for multiple days.
General ski trip packing recommendations:
If flying with your skis, be sure to invest in a great ski bag. We love our bag from L.L. Bean. It transported both of our skis easily.
Bring handwarmers. There is nothing worse than having cold hands on the slope. Buy a bulk box before hand and bring the pack with you to make sure you don’t get cold.
Bring your boots in from your car overnight. A cold stiff boot is not a fun experience. Remember to bring in your boots and coats from the car to make sure they are warm and dry if not utilizing ski valet/ski storage.
Utilize the transportation available. Park City has a reliable and complimentary bus and trolley system available.
Invest in goggles. We bought new Smith Chromapop goggles this winter. The pair came with a low light and high light lense to swap out depending on the level of sun.
Remember to hydrate. Skiing and the dry mountain air at altitude can lead to dehydration. We typically ski with a cambelbak backpack, but opted for a simple water bottle in the pocket for this trip to stay hydrated.
