Park City
Silver-mining town turned ski capital, forty minutes from the airport
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Silver strikes in the 1860s and 1870s built Park City, and many of the brick and clapboard buildings on Main Street date from the rebuilding after the 1898 fire. When the mines faded, skiing took over: Park City Mountain and Deer Valley now sit on either side of town, and the Utah Olympic Park hosted ski jumping and sliding at the 2002 Winter Games and will again in 2034.
For more than four decades Park City was also the home of the Sundance Film Festival. Its final Park City edition was January 2026; from 2027 the festival moves to Boulder, Colorado. The town still has a busy calendar, from summer arts festivals to free Sunday markets, and winter weekends here remain some of the busiest in Utah.
See and do
- Historic Main StreetA steep street of 19th-century storefronts with galleries, bars, restaurants and the Egyptian Theatre.
- Park City MountainOne of the largest ski areas in the country, reachable by lift right from Old Town.
- Deer Valley ResortA skier-only resort known for groomed runs and service; summer brings lift-served mountain biking and concerts.
- Utah Olympic ParkThe 2002 ski-jump and bobsled venue, with a free museum, summer freestyle aerials shows and bobsled rides.
- Park City MuseumMining and ski history in the old city hall, including the original territorial jail in the basement.
- McPolin FarmA white barn at the entrance to town with a short walking trail, a favorite photo stop.
Eat and drink
- High West SaloonThe Old Town outpost of Utah’s best-known whiskey distillery, with a restaurant and general store; the distillery itself is in Wanship.
- Main Street diningUpscale mountain kitchens, steakhouses and après bars stacked up and down the hill.
- Park Silly Sunday MarketOn summer Sundays Main Street closes for food stalls, makers and live music.
Through the year
- Park Silly Sunday MarketSelect Sundays, June to September, on Main Street.
- Deer Valley Music FestivalJuly and August: the Utah Symphony’s summer series at Deer Valley’s outdoor amphitheater.
- Kimball Arts FestivalEarly August: a juried arts festival that fills Main Street.
Day trips from Park City
- Heber ValleyAbout 20 minutes south: the Heber Valley Railroad, Midway and Jordanelle Reservoir.
- High West DistilleryAbout 20 minutes north in Wanship, with tastings and a restaurant.
- Salt Lake CityAbout 40 minutes west.
Good to know
- Park once and ride the free city buses; Old Town parking is limited and paid.
- Winter traffic on Parleys Canyon (I-80) and SR-224 backs up on powder mornings; leave early.
- Sundance tickets no longer apply here: the festival is in Boulder, Colorado, from 2027.
Parks in Summit & Wasatch
More towns nearby
Heber City
Mountain valley of reservoirs, a heritage railroad and a Swiss-flavored neighbor