- Travel
5 Things You Didn’t Know You Could
Do in Park City – An Insider’s Guide
- September 26, 2022
Park City offers world-class winter skiing (in addition to other snow-related activities), superb hiking in summer, remarkable restaurants, and superlative shopping. But one oft-overlooked perk to Park City is its location: just a 40-minute drive away from Salt Lake City and its international airport.
When thinking of the best things to do on your indulgent escape in Park City, several activities might spring to mind. Sure, everyone knows about ski resorts, hiking trails, mountain biking, kayaking, golfing, autumn leaf peeping, and attending the Sundance Film Festival in Park City. But there are a handful of other things you can do in Park City — activities that might be unfamiliar to many people, even frequent visitors to the mountain town. You may be only an easy drive away from Salt Lake City, but it can feel like thousands of miles from the Utah metropolis.
Here is an insider's guide, five things you didn’t know you could do in Park City:
1. A unique fine-dining experience
One of the most memorable five-star services that KEY has hand selected for when you visit Park City is a lavish fine-dining experience in a cozy mountainside yurt. You don’t have to go all the way to Mongolia to savor yurt luxury at its finest. Instead, let us take care of every detail for this exceptional experience. Begin with a sleigh ride to take in amazing vistas of Park City and the ski resorts before arriving at the luxurious yurt where guests are serenaded by a grand piano as they enter for an indulgent six-course meal. Expect to relish gourmet delights from lobster and salmon soup, to braised short ribs in a red wine and lingonberry jus, with exquisite vanilla cardamom ice cream for dessert.
2. See the city on horseback
You can take a scenic drive around historic Park City by car, but there are certain parts of the region you’ll never get to see unless you go by horse. KEY can organize a private guide to take you on an exciting 20-mile horseback ride around the Park City area. You’ll get an insider’s view of the untraveled paths, the wide-open meadows, the dramatic mountains, and the Park City ski area that make up the swath of land surrounding Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort. And all while discovering fascinating facts about the flora, fauna, and history of the mountain town area. This custom, tailored-to-your-own interests experience is available for riders of all ages and abilities.
3. Ignite your inner foodie
Eating and ambling around the town is an excellent way to become familiar with a new place — consider it the leisure visitor version of outdoor recreation. Take in the heart of Park City as an expert food-loving local guide leads a two-hour walking food tour around Park City’s historic downtown. You’ll stop in restaurants to taste the most delicious local morsels sprinkled with the fascinating folklore and history of this old silver mining town. Palatable provisions and the past in one pleasant two-hour walking tour? Perfection.
4. Let the games begin
The 2002 Winter Olympics were held in and around Salt Lake City, and the Games were nothing short of memorable. Park City Mountain Resort hosted the Alpine skiing and snowboarding events. American Sarah Hughes took the gold medal in ladies single figure skating, while her teammate Michelle Kwan won the bronze, thoroughly elating this ski town. Overall, the USA won 34 medals, second only to Germany’s 35 medals.
Now, thanks to the travel specialists at KEY, you can take a tour of the Olympic facilities, reliving the glory of the 2002 Games as if they were yesterday. On this one-hour guided tour via luxury shuttle bus, you’ll visit the world’s highest Nordic ski jump and one of the fastest sliding tracks in the world. Explore historic Utah Olympic Park as a guide regales you with fun anecdotes and fantastic facts before returning to Park City with a new appreciation and zeal for the Winter Olympic Games.
5. Park City-style fishing – no matter the season
People gravitate to historic Park City because it’s a mountain ski town known for its Olympic Park, Deer Valley Resort, Sundance Film Festival, and historic main street. But there’s another great reason to visit Park City: fishing. In winter, the folks at KEY can hook you up with a local expert ice fishing guide. During a four-hour ice fishing excursion, the local fisherman will act as your own Park City insider, showing you the best ice fishing spots. You’ll learn all the tips you need to know to catch kokanee and rainbow trout as you munch on snacks, including tasty breakfast sandwiches.
Are you visiting Park City during the warm weather months? KEY has you covered. A local fishing expert can take you on a half- or full-day fly fishing excursion and provide all the necessary gear. With your boots and waders on, fishing pole in hand, you’ll be standing in the Provo River amid gorgeous mountain scenery as you learn all the tricks of fly fishing, one of Park City’s great pastimes.
