summer in park city, utah
The mountains are calling and I must go
john muir
Head for the Hills!
John Muir to my knowledge never had a reason to be in Houston during the summer but the mountains start to call to Texas in June. Growing up on the East Coast, I never would have considered going west for summer vacation. With the perpetual search for a tan, sand between my toes, sun on my face, and an ocean breeze, I never thought I would take to a summer mountain vacation. The mountains were where you went skiing after all. One would not need to experience too many of the hairdryer in the face with 100% humidity kind of days that June in Houston has to offer before finding the appeal of heading west.
We started going out to Park City in the summer after we moved to Houston and before we had kids at a time when The Canyons was still pretty underdeveloped. At that time, bookings were so low that it was less expensive to book for a month than it was to book by the week. Quite a few of those original families we traveled with now have second homes in Park City, including ourselves.
I am really getting excited about our upcoming trip just writing this and as I do research I am also thrilled that this summer a lot of the events, venues, and festivities have returned after the summer of 2020!
the return of live music
Summer Concerts have returned to Deer Valley & The Canyons! Grab a friend, a glass of wine, and a picnic basket and let the kids play while you listen to the mountain music while the sun sets!
One of my absolute favorite things to do is listen to live music in the mountain air, with good friends, a picnic basket, a glass of wine in hand, as the sun sets. Wednesdays at Deer Valley there are free concerts at the Snow Park Amphitheater and on Thursdays there are free concerts at The Canyons Village. What’s great about the summer concerts is that the kids can listen to the music while moving freely on your blanket or beyond while the grown ups sit back and relax and watch the kids and enjoy the music.
Deer Valley is also the summer home of the Utah Symphony and features concerts throughout the summer. I highly recommend advanced tickets as more popular shows do sell out.
Two of my favorite restaurants, River Horse on Main and The Silver Star Cafe both feature live music on most nights. If you can catch Joy & Eric or The Mister Sister Trio while you are in town your ears will be filled with acoustic favorites, great food in your belly, and a heart filled with all the great mountain vibes Park City is famous for.
Another fun event returning this summer is the Park Silly Sunday Market. Main Street closes to pedestrian traffic for this eco-friendly, open air market. Not only is there live music at multiple locations, there is also fresh produce from local farmers, vendors, and gourmet food trucks.
Update for 2021: Free Concerts at Deer Valley will require an RSVP to control capacity. To RSVP for concerts and see the full summer concert line up go to the Mountain Town Music website. We are also excited to see concerts on the Park City Library patio too!
get outside!
You came to escape the heat, it’s time to get outside!
Kid-Friendly Hikes
There’s nothing greater than being able to explore the outdoors with your kids…whether they want to or not. I’m not going to lie, my kids are city kids to the core and while they do love skiing, they really do not care for hiking. They would say they hate it. I have attempted to rebrand hiking, as adventures, climbing on rocks, exploring, and sometimes they are game, and most of the time there is whining, A LOT OF WHINING. Dear friendie, learn from my mistakes. Every summer I drastically overestimate my kid’s level of endurance and my level of patience for their complaining…to truly an epic level. Parents of city kids, or any kid that loves their iPad for that matter, take what you think they can do, cut it in half and pack double the snacks to bribe, er incentivize, them along the way. You may also need to promise a trip to Java Cow for ice cream cones on the return. I do also have some kid-friendly hikes to recommend but a great resource is All Trails. Download the app for great recommendations. Here are our (my) favorite kid-friendly hikes:
Silver Lake Loop Trail (easiest)
Mirror Lake (easiest)
Mount Timpanogos Cave Tour, which requires a hike up (bucket list)
More “Advanced” Hikes
Hiking to via Fantasy Ridge to 9990, the highest peak at The Canyons side of the Park City Mountain Resort remains one of my scariest adventures. Photo by my partner in adventure, Anissa Paddock.
Both the husbo and my favorite outdoor activity in Park City is hiking. However as I write this, his is probably golf, but mine is definitely hiking. I guess I will link Mike’s favorite golf courses at the bottom. I hike every day we are in Park City. Usually out my back door. My favorite in The Canyons is Robs Trail. It’s an uphill out and back so you can turn around when you like, but I recommend going as far as “the bench” for the best views!
Another favorite is taking the Mid Mountain Trail from Deer Valley to the top of Park City’s Town Lift. If memory serves, that section of the trail is about 6-7 miles. I recommend taking Town Lift to the bottom of main as it is deceptively far and difficult to hike down. To complete this point-to-point trek, park at the public lot below the transit center in Old Town. Catch the free bus at the transit center to Silver Lake in Deer Valley (it’s about a 5 to 10-minute ride). Walk behind the lifts and follow the signs to get on the Mid Mountain Trail. That trail will take you past The Montage Deer Valley and all the way to the top of Town Lift. Take the town lift back to Old Town and have lunch at the High West Saloon (but only if you didn’t take your kids along, as it’s a 21+ establishment due to a 2018 Utah liquor law).
A 45-minute drive from Park City is the Sundance Resort and home to many beautiful hiking and mountain biking trails. What’s really cool about Utah is that you can travel to different parts of the mountains and the terrain is completely different. The Stewart Falls Hike is a stunner. A lift ride up takes you to the trailhead for Stewart Falls. Avoid the gravel trail to the right of the falls as Mike once slid off of it and had to go to the emergency clinic. I thought my kids could handle this 2 years ago when they were 6 and 9…and I was wildly incorrect…but it’s not terribly difficult. There are beautiful views and a beautiful waterfall.
My bucket list hike is going to the summit of Mount Timpanogos. Mount Timpanogos is the second highest peak (11,749 feet) in the Wasatch Mountains and many consider it the best hike in Utah, which is saying A LOT. However, at 7 1/2 miles to assent with an elevation gain of over 4,500 feet, it’s not something I have been able to tackle…yet. Stay posted friendies. Where are my adventure friendies at?
Hiking Tips
Regardless of your hiking ability here are a few tips…make sure to wear comfortable shoes and dress in layers. All of these hikes are hike-able in athletic sneakers. Donut Falls has some trekking through a mountain stream so I usually wear my Chacos. I like how these have the same color footbed and straps so they don’t look too crunchy granola mountain mama and I can wear them out and about too. Pack water for everyone and snacks. My favorite bars are Bobo’s in Lemon Poppy Seed Oat Bars & Coconut Oat Bars and can be purchased at Whole Foods. Don’t be fooled by the dry mountain air, the sun and the elevation make sunscreen a must. My favorite is Beautycounter and I wear the Sheer Defense for the Face even when I’m in Houston on my Peloton. LOL. They go on clear and are super lightweight.
Water Sports
Jordanelle State Park
It might seem strange that going to the mountains you might seek out water sports but the where sky meets the mountains meet the water really puts my mind at ease. There are two spots that we don’t miss in the summer; Deer Valley “Lake” and The Jordanelle State Park.
Deer Valley Lake is just a few minutes from Old Town and is home of Park City SUP. It’s more of a pond than a lake but it provides a perfect spot to learn how to stand up paddle board aka SUP. Trent Hickman (owner of Park City SUP) is an excellent instructor as well as pro paddle boarder. This is where I learned and if you are looking for a different workout, try one of Trent’s SUP fitness classes or SUP yoga! It’s so important to try something new and these workouts provide an extra challenge! The pebble beach is a fun place to hang out afterwards and play a game of corn hole or chill on the grass. Deer Valley Grocery-Cafe is the perfect spot for lunch on the deck over looking the lake or to grab snacks to enjoy on the grass.
Jordanelle State Park is a 15 minute drive from Park City and is the place to go for boating, sailing, jet skiing. We love renting a boat to tube and watch the sunset over the water and the mountains. Paddle boards are also available to rent but between the wake and the wind, it is pretty challenging. The lake is so large that there is an area for sailing and sailing day camps. In years past, Kyle has enjoyed the AquaXZone, an inflatable floating obstacle course but I have not been able to determine if they are opening in 2021 and the website is no longer active. So stay tuned.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Park City as much as I do and I’d love to hear what you would include on your list! There’s so much more but I will have to save it for my next post!
Know Before You Go
Getting There
Many Texans head to Colorado but a growing handful has kept Park City their destination of choice when escaping the sweltering temperatures. First of all getting, there is exponentially easier; a direct flight to Salt Lake City will get you there in 3 hours and you can be on the mountain in 45 minutes. Because the elevation is not as high as areas in Colorado, it is much easier to acclimate to the change in elevation.
Where to Stay
There are three main areas I would recommend staying in Park City; The Canyons, Old Town, or Deer Valley. The Canyons offers hotel chains and condos. We stay in the Westgate Park City because of its proximity to The Canyons Village and family friendly amenities including multiple swimming pools, indoor pool, kids club, arcade, tennis courts, spa, and restaurants. Send me a message if you would like more information on renting at the Canyons.
Old Town offers historic homes as well as boutique hotels and are walking distance to historic Main Street.
Deer Valley is home to the St. Regis, Montage, and other high end hotels in addition to condos and homes.
No matter where you choose, there is free public transportation, electric bike rental, and uber/lyft to get you around town. We choose to rent a car if we are there a week or longer. Be aware that a lot of development (construction) in mountain towns goes on in the summer so be sure to ask if your accommodations are overlooking construction as that can affect your stay and your rates.
What to Pack
Park City is pretty casual, despite what you might see on the Real Housewives of Salt Lake. Definitely pack outdoor-friendly workout clothes, sneakers, and a hat to keep the sun off of your face. Park City is warmer than Colorado in the summer and does get pleasantly cooler at night, so layering is key.
Park City Faves
Eat
These are/were some of my favorite restaurants prior to adopting a whole food plant-based lifestyle. I look forward to expanding this list this summer for those of you looking for restaurants that have vegan/plant-based options.
My favorite date night spot for inventive food and live music. Vegetarian tasting menu available.
Family favorite for live music on the patio overlooking the Park City Golf Course and PC “Mountain”
Known for their expansive menu and sense of humor. Don’t miss the fine print.
Amazing coffee, Breakfast and lunch only. Lots of delicious vegan and gluten-free options.
Pizza delivery for the nights you want to open a bottle of wine and chill on the balcony while the sunsets.
Sadly this one is a 21+ only venue thanks to a 2018 Utah state liquor law prohibiting minors in a restaurant that has a bar in the same room as a restaurant. Save it for date night or date day post-hike if you can!
Super kid-friendly restaurant in Deer Valley with iPads on the tables
Notable Closures:
The Farm (Weirdly closed this summer, I will update if I hear why)
Vinto
Tupelo - Reopened in Heber City called Afterward by Tupelo Park City
Drink
The Spur Bar & Grill - enjoy live music and dance to the DJ at this Main Street location
The St Regis Deer Valley - take the funicular to the terrace bar and enjoy the St. Regis sabering ritual at Sunset.
The Montage Deer Valley - the views are breathtaking and look down mountain from the hotel bar
Play
Snowbird - Ride the tram to peak, Ninja Course, alpine slide, mountain coaster, and various other mountain activities.
Utah Olympic Park - extreme tubing, zip lines, alpine slide, and Olympic museum. Bucket item: the bobsled experience!
Flying Ace All-Stars Free Style Show - Arial ski jumping show at Olympic Park
Wednesday Night Free Summer Concerts at Deer Valley
See the Mountain Town Music website for the full schedule, lineup and to RSVP (required for 2021)
Thursday Night Free Summer Concerts at The Canyons
See the Mountain Town Music website for the full schedule (including Saturday dates) and lineup.
Neighborhood parks
Historic Rail Trail Trail System for biking, walking, running
Golf, Golf, and more Golf