097 The Best Family-friendly Things to Do in Park City, Utah
If you are looking for a beautiful year-round destination for your next family vacation, you should consider adding Park City, Utah to your list. Keisa Ridgway joins Lisa to share all of her favorite family activities in this paradise city in the mountains of Utah. This is a perfect destination if you enjoy spending time outdoors, no matter the season. With world-class skiing, hiking trails, mountain biking, the Olympic Park, paddle boarding, fly fishing, outdoor movies, delicious food, and more, you will never lack for something to do in Park City.
Listen in to this episode to learn about all of the things you won’t want to miss when you plan a family vacation to Park City, Utah!
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“Park City is a perfect place to visit any time of the year.”
Getting to Park City
If you are flying, book a ticket to Salt Lake City. It’s a 45-minute drive from the airport to Park City.
The roads are very well maintained, even in the winter. You will travel in interstate 80 from Salt Lake City to Park City.
You will want to have a car while visiting Park City.
Park City Weather
Summer can get into the 90’s during the peak of the heat but it always cools off in the evening.
Wintertime is cold which makes it a perfect winter wonderland destination.
Spring can be a great time to go skiing in Park City. The sun can be shining and you can just wear a long-sleeved shirt without a jacket and enjoy a day of sunshine and snow!
The fall is absolutely beautiful. The weather is crisp and the leaves are amazing vibrant colors.
Favorite Winter Activities
Skiing and snowboarding. This is a world-class place for doing both. Be sure to check with the resort where you want to go because some only allow skiing.
Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons, Deer Valley, Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton are all great places to ski and/or snowboard.
Sledding and snow tubing can be a fun option for those who don’t want to ski or just to try something different. Here is a list of great places to check out.
Cross country skiing is also popular in Park City.
Keisa’s Kids + friends after skiing in Park City
Favorite Summer Activities
Hiking. Keisa’s favorite app for learning about trails is Trailforks. Most of the trails are dog-friendly. A couple of Keisa’s favorite hikes are going to Blood Lake and the Wasatch Crest Trail.
Mountain Biking. Many of the ski resorts let you bring a bike up their ski lifts and then ride down trails on a mountain bike.
Ride a ski lift. This is a great activity for all ages. You can ride the ski lift up the mountain for fantastic views. You could hike around at the top if your group feels like doing that. Some places have restaurants at the top of the lift so you could enjoy a meal before riding back down. Or if you are feeling like you want to be active, you could hike back down the mountain.
Olympic Park. Visit the site of the 2002 Olympics! You can ride a bobsled on the Olympic track, go on a ropes course, slide down the ski jump on an inner tube, visit Olympics museums, and more. Plan to spend a day here. Keisa recommends bringing your own snacks and not eating the average and overpriced food here.
Park City Mountain. Ride a mountain coaster, go on an alpine slide, do a bungee trampoline, and much more.
Fly Fishing. You can go fly fishing year-round here but the summer is the perfect time to be out in the water and not be too cold. Keisa recommends hiring a guide who will meet you at the river with all of your gear and will stay with you during your fishing experience to help with the lines, help bring in fish, and guide you to the best places on the river.
The Marc. Park City has a large recreation center that offers weekly kids’ camps, tennis, a fitness center, pools, basketball courts, pickleball, and childcare. Visitors can purchase a punch card to use as needed during their stay.
Paddleboarding. You can rent paddleboards or bring your own. There is a great little set of lakes where you can paddleboard or swim in lower Deer Valley. No cost. Just bring the paddleboards to the shore and then get in the water!
Go on an evening drive. There are so many beautiful places to enjoy around Park City. Going for an evening drive is a relaxing way to close out a day. Two of Keisa’s favorite drives are Empire Pass and Guardsman Pass.
Summer Concert Series at Deer Valley. This was canceled in summer 2020 but will hopefully be able to resume soon! It’s an outdoor concert on weekend evenings.
Keisa and her husband Marcus enjoying a Park City hike.
4th of July
If you are looking for a small town where you can celebrate the 4th of July with your family, Park City is the place to be.
The city/boy scouts host a fundraiser pancake breakfast for anyone who would like to come.
Parade. Set up chairs of blankets early that morning on the curb along the parade route. You can leave your things on the street and they will (hopefully) be there where you return for the parade.
The city does a huge fireworks display that evening.
Anytime of Year in Park City
Visit the Escape Room Park City. Keisa’s kids love going here!
Stroll down Main Street & enjoy the view of the beautifully preserved historic buidlings.
Shop along Main Street. There are a lot of unique boutiques places plu name brand places too.
Great Food Around Park City
Deer Valley Cafe. Great place to enjoy breakfast or lunch. Sit outside and enjoy the beautiful views and weather in the summer.
Five5eeds. Unique and healthy with food sourced seasonally and locally.
Woodland Biscuit Company. Amazing biscuits with fresh housemade blueberry jam steal the show here. They also serve traditional breakfast items with locally sourced ingredients. This is a 25-minute drive from Park City and it is definitely worth venturing here. They sometimes take reservations, so it’s always to good to check ahead and see if you can make a reservation.
Burgers & Burbon at the Montage. Traditional and unique burgers (veal, bison, etc.) plus oversized yard games to play while you wait for your food. They also bring a cart around with s’more ingredients.
Freshies Lobster Co. Amazingly fresh lobster rolls.
Yuki Yama Sushi. Lots of delicious and fresh sushi options.
Blind Dog. Outdoor games and really great appetizers.
Vinto Pizzaria. Thin crust pizzas in traditional and creative flavors. Plus they have great salads. Good place for dine-in or take-out.
Granny’s Drive-in. This is a 15 - 20 minute drive from Park City and it is well worth venturing out of town for a visit. A classic burger, fries, and thick shake place. You dine outdoors at picnic tables. This is a seasonal place that is only open in the summer.
Kesia enjoying a trail run in Park City.
A huge thank you to Keisa Ridgway for joining me and sharing all of these fabulous family favorites in Park City. As you can see, there is so much to do at this destination. Feel free to leave a comment with any additional suggestions on things to do in Park City or ask questions about Park City!