Park City, UT
Note From the Bride
Jake and his family have been coming to Utah for almost two decades. Hannah, Jake's sister and Ellen's bridesmaid, has listed some of the best things to do and places to go around Park City. We hope you can enjoy some of these activities while you're out here!
Water - Drink It!
Altitude sickness is a real thing! Please take it easy on your first day in the city. We have noted activities below that will be good slow activities for your first day as you adjust.
Bring a water bottle! Don't catch yourself without water. Water will help with altitude sickness as well as help you adjust to the drier mountain air.
Fun Fact! 15-40% of visitors to Utah experience altitude sickness. Rest and take Ibuprofen for the headaches. Drink more water and eat foods high in potassium, like bananas.
Historic Main Street
Shopping is a prime activity of visitors to Park City. My wardrobe is probably 25% Roots and I go back every time! On Main Street, you’ll find everything from name brand sportswear like LL Bean, Patagonia and North Face, kitschy souvenirs, graphic t-shirts, socks, flavored olive oils and vinegars and jewelry. Dolly’s is one of the best independent booksellers I’ve ever experienced and if you’re shopping with a non-book lover, it’s connected to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory! There’s also Java Cow - coffee and ice cream, as the name suggests but also lots more. Leave some room in your suitcase!
The Escape Room
Escape Room Park City is exercise for your brain, not your legs! If the weather doesn’t cooperate for a hike, (or if you need to ease into the mountain altitude) check this out. There are four scenarios - The Mine Trap and Pirate Booty have been designed for kids and adults alike. The Parlor and the Escape Reality Travel Agency are targeted more to teens and older. We started with The Mine Trap and last year did The Parlor. Both were fantastic and we highly recommend either.
Art Galleries
There are several that are “must stops” every visit. The Rich Haines Gallery has sculptures, paintings and a wonderful collection of Dr. Seuss drawings. If photography is more your speed, check out the Mangelsen-Images of Nature Gallery and the David Beavis Gallery. If you want to ease into art, visit the Art Works for funky glass pieces and quirky metal statues like the town mascot, the Park City Monster.
Park Silly Market
The Mission Statement of the Park Silly Sunday Market is to provide “An ecofriendly open air market, street festival and commUnity forum where neighbors and friends come together to celebrate our commUnity of fun and funky Park Sillians! If you’re lucky enough to be in Park City on a Sunday, check out the Park Silly Sunday Market.
Golf
The mountain air adds distance to your shots, so try out one of the seven public courses in the Park City area. You’ll enjoy mountain views and no mosquitoes!
Museum
Explore the history of Park City - from the days of silver mining to the development of the ski area inviting people to enjoy the Greatest Snow on Earth. Admission to the museum is good all day so come and go as you please.
PCMR
Park City Mountain Resort Summer Activities are what happens when the snow leaves the mountain but the people don’t! The activities range from a scenic chairlift ride to the Alpine Slide to the Alpine Coaster, a Zip Line and much, much more. If this sounds like something you want to do, check their schedule for days and times of operation.
Trail maps are available at most sporting goods stores around town. Feel free to grab one and explore on your own or pick one of our favorite hikes from below.
Easy (1 Hour)
PC Hill is a 1.3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Park City, Utah that features beautiful wildflowers and is rated as moderate.
Pro Tip - If you play with a cactus at the start of the hike, you'll still be pulling out spines at the end of the hike.
Jordanelle Reservoir Trail - Are you missing Minnesota's many lakes or Lake Ariel? Take a stroll around the Jordanelle Reservoir! Enjoy the beauty of this reservoir from every angle on the 9.1-mile trail that runs along the perimeter of the lake. Here, you’ll catch views of the blue water reflecting the green hills and snow-capped peaks of Mount Timpanogos and the Wasatch range. This relatively flat trail makes it easy to get in the miles, or you can plan an out-and-back if you want to explore just a bit of the path.
Moderate (2-3 Hours)
Town Lift, or John's Trail, is a trail right off Main Street. Enjoy views of historic Park City as you gradually climb. Notice that change in vegetation as you climb through evergreens and walk through the aspen trees. At the top of this hike, you'll find the historic mines of PC.
Not up for the full hike? You can buy a scenic ticket for the Town Lift and ride up to the mines or you can hike up the trail and ride the lift down for free!
Mid-Mountain trail stretches 23 miles from Deer Valley, through Park City Mountain and Canyons, to just above the Utah Olympic Park. Tackle rolling hills through trees and across ski runs as you discover new views around every corner, all while hovering around 8,000 feet of elevation. And don’t fret, you can hike just a section of it if you’re not in the mood for a 23-mile hike!
Pro tip! You can start this trail from The Chateaux Hotel and hike down to Main Street
Difficult (3+ Hours)
Crazy Miner - Enjoy a scenic gondola ride to 8,000 feet (mountain bikes are allowed with a bike haul pass) where you will find beautiful views, never-ending trails for hiking. Crazy Miner cuts up through a north facing slope, largely in the shade, and follows a series of steep switchbacks through pine and fir forest up to the junction of the Tombstone and Fantasy Ridge trails.
Circle All Peak in Big Cottonwood Canyon is the hike that Jake proposed to Ellen on. This hike has fantastic 360 views at the top with beautiful wildflowers and bird watching opportunities.
Come experience Utah's most unique adventure activity. Our interpretation of a traditional zip line includes challenge & rope course elements to challenge you, while our high mountain lakeside setting inspires you.
Park City Mountain’s Adventure Park is your hub for all things summer. From high-speed alpine rides to mini golf, there are so many ways for your family to play all in one place.
Canyons Village offers a variety of activities for all ages. From mountain biking to three different varieties of golf (Regular, Disc & Mini), the Canyons can keep you busy from sunup to sun down.
The Jordanelle Reservoir offers a variety of options to enjoy time on the water. Kayaks, SUPs, and Jet skis are available to rent at the lake or feel free to take a stroll around the 9.1-mile loop.
Mountain biking is Jake's favorite summer activity! For your first time, we recommend scheduling a tour where a guide will teach you the basics and show you the best routes in PC at Deer Valley or Park City resorts. For more experienced riders, there are multiple rental options and biking trails are labeled on the summer trail map.
Most of these adventures just a 10-30 minute drive away!
Homestead Crater *Bride's Favorite!*
Over 10,000 years in the making, The Crater formed when melting snow on the Wasatch Mountains seeped deep within the earth. Two miles below the surface, the earth’s interior heated the water. As it percolated upward, it picked up minerals, which were then deposited on the surface — eventually forming the volcano-shaped limestone deposit called The Homestead Crater. The hole at the top of the dome lets in sunlight and fresh air while the interior stays heated by the mineral water at a constant range of 90 – 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Once inside, you can go swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, enjoy a therapeutic soak or even take a paddle board yoga class. *We recommend making reservations in advance as space is limited*
Sitting high in the Wasatch-Uinta mountains in Wanship, Utah, just 25 minutes outside of Park City and 40 minutes from Salt Lake City, the distillery and tasting room is open Wednesday - Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The drive to get here is exceptional and the grounds are serene.
Built for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Olympic Park lets you get up close to the bobsled and luge track and the ski jump hills. Try out the zip line course, tube down the small ski jump hill, tour the museum and, if you dare, ride the bobsled track with a professional driver.
The White Barn is a Park City landmark. When you get off the interstate at Kimball Junction and drive toward Park City you’ll see the loved and often photographed McPolin Farm on your right. There are tours and wonderful trails through the grounds.
Providing others with a memorable experience is at the heart of Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, a small family dairy farm and creamery nestled in the quaint community of Midway, Utah. For nearly 100 years the Kohler family has been producing premium milk – pure, rich & creamy – to delight their consumers. In 2011, the family built a new creamery and began using their farm’s milk to handcraft and age artisan cheese.
Heber Valley Railroad
Ride the historic Heber Valley Railroad Heber Creeper. It’s a two hour ride along the shores of Deer Creek Reservoir and the base of the majestic Mr. Timpanogos. For the train-lover in all of us!
*Please note, this is about 1.5 hours from Park City
Head back to Salt Lake City and spend some time at Antelope Island State Park in the Great Salt Lake. The island is home to native antelope, free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep and many more desert animals. Do a science experiment and see if your body really floats better in salt water. Be aware, the Great Salt Lake supports several types of bacteria whose byproduct is rotten-egg smelling hydrogen sulfide. The worst of the smell will be as you cross the Davis County Causeway. The smell goes away on the island.