Park City, Utah is a great destination any time of year, but winter is absolutely magical! It is known for having the best snow on earth, but there is so much more to do in addition to hitting the slopes. After visiting Park City countless times over the years, we have put together a list of the best things to do in Park City in the winter!
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10 Fun Things to Do in Park City in the Winter
Table of Contents
- Go on a Sleigh Ride
- Take a Guided Tour of Utah Olympic Park
- Dine in an Alpenglobe at Café Galleria
- Go Tubing at Soldier Hollow
- Ice Skate at the Resort Center Ice Rink
- Relax at the Homestead Crater Hot Springs
- Hit the Slopes
- Explore Main Street Park City
- Go Snowshoeing or Cross Country Skiing
- Stay at Black Rock Mountain Resort
Go on a Sleigh Ride
Park City transforms into a wonderland every winter, and one of the best ways to experience it is on a horse drawn sleigh ride. We took a sleigh ride with Snowed Inn Sleigh Company and it was nothing short of magic!
To get the full experience, you’ll want to time your visit during or after a fresh snowfall. When we visited, huge flakes were falling all around, it felt like we were inside a snow globe!
Each sleigh is pulled by two beautiful draft horses. The ride is about 30 minutes long and takes you a little way up the ski run and around the base at Park City Mountain Resort.
The sleigh rides are offered only once a day at 6 pm and it often sells out so I recommend making reservations in advance.
For an even more enchanting winter experience, you can book a sleigh ride and dinner. During the experience, you’ll take a scenic sleigh ride to the rustic Snowed Inn Lodge where you’ll enjoy a cozy fireside Western-style dinner with live music. They usually offer two dinner experiences each day, but they also book up quickly.
Another unique option is dinner at the Viking Yurt. This four-hour dining adventure begins with a snow machine sleigh ride up the mountain to a cozy yurt.
Once you arrive, you’ll indulge in a gourmet multi-course meal featuring hearty Nordic-inspired cuisine. It’s a little on the pricey side but is a fun and memorable experience for a special occasion.
The Aprés Lounge at Montage in Deer Valley also offers a cozy dining experience inside a yurt. You won’t get the full sleigh-ride experience but it is a slightly cheaper option.
The sleigh rides and dinners are usually available through the end of March, but check the websites for exact dates, times, and prices.
Take a Guided Tour of Utah Olympic Park
Discover the legacy of the 2002 Winter Olympics at the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center at Utah Olympic Park.
The center includes the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. Both museums are free to visit and include artifacts and memorabilia from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
To get the full experience, I HIGHLY recommend taking a guided tour of Utah Olympic Park. On the tour, you’ll take a shuttle bus around the 400-acre venue which is still actively used as an official US Olympic training site.
Athletes are usually training at the park 4-5 days a week, so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to see them in action.
During our visit, we were able to get up close to the sliding track and watch the skeleton racers as they flew around curve 12. They are reaching speeds of 80+ mph and it is mind-blowing to witness in person. If you blink, you’ll miss them!
Another highlight of the tour is standing on top of the 45-story tall Nordic Ski Jump. It is surreal to be standing in the same spot that Olympic gold athletes once stood.
The jump is dizzyingly high, and I can only imagine what was going through the athlete’s minds right before they pointed their skis and took off. After hitting the jump, they are in the air for the length of 1 1/2 football fields! It is so incredible, and I have a greater appreciation for what these athletes are capable of doing!
You’ll also be able to stand at the top of the Men’s Olympic Luge start gate, watch skiers training on the moguls, visit the summer training jumps, and learn so much about the different winter Olympic sporting events held here. Our guide was so knowledgeable and engaging, we loved the tour!
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even book the Winter Bobsled Experience where you’ll have a chance to ride in a bobsled down the actual Olympic sliding track with an experienced driver!
Dine in an Alpenglobe at Café Galleria
Midway is a charming European-inspired mountain town just south of Park City. It was settled by Swiss immigrants in the 1850s and has been nicknamed the “Little Switzerland of Utah”.
One of our favorite things to do in winter is enjoy a cozy, private dining experience inside an alpenglobe at Café Galleria in Midway.
These heated, transparent domes provide a warm and intimate setting to enjoy wood-fired pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. I’ll be honest, the food is mediocre, but it’s worth it for the unique experience.
During our visit, reservations for the Alpenglobes varied from $25-$45 depending on the day of the week and the time. Each globe can hold up to 8 people and the reservation is for a 2-hour period.
If you aren’t able to get a reservation for an alpenglobe, the inside of the restaurant is still cozy and rustic with a great ambiance.
The Stein Erickson Lodge at Deer Valley also offers alpenglobe dining. The views are fantastic from the outdoor deck, but the reservations are much pricier at $200-$250. We prefer Cafe Galleria where you’ll get a similar experience for a fraction of the cost!
After your meal, explore around the cute town and be sure to stop by the Heber Valley Milk & Artisan Cheese Factory. You can’t visit a Swiss-inspired town without enjoying fresh cheese!
They have a variety of creative and delicious cheese and cheese curd flavors, dairy-fresh ice cream, homemade jams, and unique gifts. You can even watch the cheese-makers in action through the plexiglass window.
They also offer farm tours during the warmer months, and other events like cheese-making classes. Click the link above for more information.
Go Tubing at Soldier Hollow
The Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway served as an Olympic venue in 2002 for several events, including cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, and the biathlon.
Today, it is home to some of the longest tubing lanes in Utah. We have visited several times and it is always such a blast for the whole family!
They have a “magic carpet” conveyor belt that will take you to the top of the hill where you’ll find 6 different tubing lanes.
The lanes are about 1,200 feet in length and you can race each other down, or tie your tubes together and go down in a group. It is so much fun!
There are limited tickets for each 2-hour session, so I recommend making reservations in advance. On select nights, they even offer night tubing under the lights with music pumping through speakers.
Just keep in mind that they don’t issue refunds for bad weather, so check the weather before making your reservation. It started raining when we were there and the runs were closed for about 20 minutes due to lightning.
The tubing hill is generally open from the beginning of December through the end of March, but check the website for updated hours and pricing.
Ice Skate at the Resort Center Ice Rink
The Resort Center Ice Rink is located in the heart of the Park City Resort Village and offers an element of magic.
It is surrounded by shops and twinking lights, and it feels as if you’ve been transported to a quaint European village.
We love ice skating here, but it can get crowded. Try to go during the week or a little later in the season to avoid the crowds. Also, keep in mind that parking reservations are required until 1 pm, so if you visit in the evening you can avoid that.
Another option is the Midway Ice Rink. This is the largest outdoor ice rink in Utah and offers the quintessential small town winter ice skating experience!
Relax at the Homestead Crater Hot Springs
The best way to escape the cold is by soaking in the geothermal springs at the Homestead Crater.
This unique natural hot spring is located inside a 55-foot tall beehive-shaped limestone dome. You’ll walk through a tunnel that has been carved through the dome to reach the crystal-clear pool.
The water is a constant 95 degrees year-round and feels so good on a cold winter day!
There are limited spots in each 1-hour swim session, so you’ll want to make reservations in advance.
We’ve only done the swim session, but they also offer snorkeling and paddle board yoga. The water is 65 feet deep so you can even sign up for a scuba diving session!
Hit the Slopes
Park City is a haven for skiers and snowboarders and is known for having the best snow on earth.
This claim is actually scientifically backed up. There are three factors that play into creating the best snow conditions. This is referred to as the “Goldilocks Effect”.
It takes into consideration the frequency of storms, the amount of snowfall, and if the storms are “right-side up”, meaning that the heavy snow falls first and the lighter snow is on the top.
Utah has the perfect conditions when it comes to all three factors, making it the best snow on earth!
Park City is home to two world-class ski resorts, Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort.
Park City Mountain Resort is the largest ski area in the U.S., featuring over 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, perfect for all skill levels.
Deer Valley Resort is a luxurious, skiers-only resort known for its well-groomed runs and upscale amenities.
If you are planning to visit multiple resorts throughout the season, you may want to consider purchasing the Epic Pass which gives visitors access to 38 different resorts throughout North America and Europe.
In 2015, The Canyons Resort merged with Park City Mountain Resort, so the resort now encompasses two different base areas that are about 4 miles apart.
If you are visiting for just one day, you’ll want to only focus on one area. If you purchase a 2-day pass, you’ll be able to experience two completely different parts of the mountain.
The Park City side is better for beginners with more easy green and blue runs.
The Canyons Village side is geared more toward advanced skiers and snowboarders with more black diamonds and fewer green and blue runs.
Driving and parking can be tricky so it’s best to utilize public transit when possible. Also, keep in mind that a parking reservation system has been implemented.
Check the Park City Mountain website for updated information about parking reservations and the shuttle bus schedule.
Explore Main Street Park City
Main Street in Park City is one of the most beautiful Main Streets in America, especially in the winter!
This historic street dates back to the 19th century when it was a booming mine town. Many of the original Victorian-era buildings are still standing and have been converted into shops, restaurants, and homes.
There is a fun energy in the air with tourists milling about and fresh snow falling down.
The town is surrounded by snow covered mountains and you can even take the Town Lift right from Main Street to the upper mountain at Park City Ski Resort.
A few highlights on Main Street include the Egyptian Theater that first opened in 1926 and later held the first Sundance Film Festival. The Park City Museum is also worth popping into, and you need to try a caramel apple from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory!
It’s a great place to spend the afternoon wandering through all the different shops and picking up unique gifts and souvenirs.
Go Snowshoeing or Cross Country Skiing
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are fantastic and inexpensive ways to experience Park City’s winter wonderland.
White Pine Touring is one of the best places to go cross-country skiing. They offer groomed Nordic ski tracks that range from 3 km to 10 km in length.
The tracks are great for beginners and more experienced skiers alike. Rentals are available at the center, or you can bring your own equipment.
We recently learned that the Park City Resort allows cross-country skiers to hike up the ski runs after the lifts are closed and ski down for free!
If you’re interested in snowshoeing, Round Valley is a great place to go. You’ll find 16 miles of packed and groomed trails that are free to the public.
Click the link for a list of all the snowshoe trails around Park City. If you don’t have your own snowshoe equipment, there are several rental shops around town.
You can also book this aweseome guided snowshoe excursion through the backcountry with an experienced guide.
Stay at Black Rock Mountain Resort
We stayed at Black Rock Mountain Resort last fall and had such a great experience that we knew we wanted to stay here again when we came up in the winter!
Black Rock Mountain Resort is the perfect home base for experiencing all that Park City has to offer. It is centrally located near Park City, Heber, Midway, and Deer Valley.
They even offer a complimentary shuttle to the resorts and Main Street Park City. This is such a huge perk to not have to worry about driving and making parking reservations at the ski resorts!
They also have a ski rental shop at the hotel which is so convenient. You can just grab your equipment and go without dealing with the hassle of waiting in a long line at the ski resort rental shops.
Black Rock Mountain Resort is a condo-style hotel with beautiful spacious suites that sleep anywhere from 4-14 people. There’s something for every budget and group size.
This time we stayed in the 2 room suite that sleeps up to 6 people. It’s perfect for families, and we especially loved having a fully-equipped kitchen and a washer and dryer.
After a long day of winter adventures, it’s so nice to come back and relax in the resort’s hot tub.
I was surprised at how warm the swimming pool was too, even in the snow!
The outdoor pool is surrounded by snow covered mountains and it’s extra magical to be out there when the snowflakes are falling down.
Yes it’s cold when you get out of the water, but I love that they have a sauna and steam room right when you get inside so that you can warm up before heading up to your room.
The huge game room is also a hit. We spent hours playing pool, ping pong, air hockey, and board games.
If you’re hungry, there’s no need to leave the resort. The Overlook Restaurant at Black Rock Mountain Resort is one of the best restaurants in Park City. The food is amazing and you can enjoy your meal with a view.
Every mouthwatering dish is beautifully presented and tastes divine.
The portions are generous so you can fuel up with a hearty breakfast before spending a day outdoors. The comfort dinner dishes also hit the spot after a long day on the slopes.
After discovering Black Rock Mountain Resort, it’s the only place we’ll ever stay at when we visit Park City!
I’m excited to share that they are offering my readers a 30% discount on your entire stay, as well as a $30 nightly credit that can be used at the onsite Overlook Restaurant or market. This is such a fantastic deal! Just click this link to make your reservation, or use code SMJYSW at check out.
A Few More Things to Do in Park City in the Winter:
- Dog Sledding: For a unique experience, try dog sledding at Rancho Luna Lobos about 20 minutes from Park City. You can also take a tour of the kennel to meet the pack, go on a snowshoe adventure, or even join the Musher Program.
- Midway Ice Castles: The Midway Ice Castles at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway is a magical winter wonderland with life-sized ice castles illuminated by colored lights.
- Snowmobiling: For unforgettable adventure and beauty, book a guided snowmobiling tour to explore Park City’s backcountry with an experienced guide.
- Fat Tire Bikes: Park City has a great network of packed snow trails perfect for fat tire bikes. You can rent bikes or take a guided tour with White Pine Touring.
- Woodward Park City: An action sports paradise with outdoor terrain parks, tubing hills, and an indoor skate and trampoline park.
- Donut Falls: This 3.3-mile out-and-back trail is fairly easy and leads to a waterfall that pours through a hole in a rock. The waterfall often freezes in the winter which is so cool to see!
I hope this guide will help you plan the perfect winter getaway in Park City, I have no doubt it will be a memorable trip!
Other posts you might like:
- The Best Things to Do in Park City in the Fall
- The Best Things to Do in Park City in the Summer
- 15 Fun Things to Do in Utah County With Kids
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