Park City is more than just epic ski vacations — here's why
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If you're an ardent fan of winter sports, you're no doubt already familiar with Park City, Utah. Many events during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games took place at this year-round tourist destination. From the beauty of the great outdoors to the glamour of the Sundance Film Festival, the city offers a wide range of activities all winter and summer long.
It's a posh vacation spot for tourists seeking the beauty of the mountains no matter what the season. During the winter, Park City houses the U.S. Ski Team. In the summer, it hosts the training center for the Australian Freestyle Ski Team. The historic Egyptian Theatre, the home base of Sundance, brings films from across the globe to audiences. Celebrities are often spotted throughout the week-and-a-half-long festival that takes place in late January -- so if you're headed here then, be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Whether you have a love for the great outdoors or want to cross paths with the rich and famous, Park City has something to offer for everyone.
Related: Your guide to attending the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
Getting to Park City
Park City is one of the most accessible vacation destinations in the country. It's just 25 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). Shuttles from the airport to Park City are frequent and can drop you off directly at your hotel.
The top airlines that serve SLC are AeroMexico, Alaska Airlines, American, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, JetBlue, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, SkyWest, Southwest and United. SLC is the fourth-largest hub for Delta flights in the U.S. Check out the Delta Basic Economy guide for some tips. The second most popular airline at SLC is Southwest Airlines. If you've got a Companion Pass, it makes the trip to Salt Lake even more affordable.
Where to hit the slopes
As you can imagine, if Park City was host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, its slopes are world-class. Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort are the two major ski resorts in town -- with more than 2,000 and 7,300 acres of terrain, respectively. The slopes are open from November to April and cater to thousands of visitors.
During the Olympics, the mountains were home to award-winning athletes. The Park City Mountain Resort held four Olympic events while Deer Valley Resort hosted two Olympic events. As a visitor, you get the privilege to use the same slopes where the U.S. Ski and Snowboard teams both won medals.
Don’t know how to ski or snowboard? Both resorts offer lessons for beginners. With hundreds of trails, the slopes at Park City offer a unique winter sports experience for all.
Related: Kids ski free -- Save on your family's next ski vacation
Where to stay near the slopes
While Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort are awesome for snowy-weather activities, you have other options -- especially if you're using Marriott Bonvoy points.
These are the Marriott properties in Park City:
- The St. Regis Deer Valley -- Category 8, 100,000 points per night on peak ski dates
- Marriott's Summit Watch, Marriott's MountainSide and Hotel Park City, Autograph Collection -- Category 6, 60,000 points per night on peak ski dates
- Sheraton Park City and AC Hotel Park City -- Category 5, 40,000 points per night on peak ski dates (or use a 35k free night certificate during standard dates)
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points, get instant elite status and even free night certificates with the following cobranded credit cards:
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn three free nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
Related: What is Marriott Bonvoy elite status worth in 2020?
Visit Utah Olympic Park
Ever wanted to visit an Olympic village? You're in luck: The Utah Olympic Park offers tours year-round. The village includes the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. The facilities also offer an intimate look into the history of Utah’s winter sports.
During the summer, Olympic Park offers summer tubing and bobsled, zip-lining and ropes courses. The Nordic ski jump used by Olympic-level athletes gets converted into a summer tubing hill. With a custom plastic surface, the ride smoothly glides just as well, if not better, than on snow. The activity is perfect for thrill-seekers as speeds can get up to 50 miles per hour.
From December to April, you can join the Winter Bobsledding Experience. Gear up to use the very same sliding track used for bobsled, skeleton and luge events during the Olympics. You can also enjoy tubing down the Soldier Hollow, the longest tubing lanes in the state. The skating rink at the Utah Olympic Park features a unique skating program that complies with the national and international standards of Learn to Skate USA. With world-class instruction in speedskating, hockey and curling.
Where to stay near Olympic Park
The Utah Olympic Park is about eight miles from downtown Park City. While there isn’t lodging within walking distance of the park, some of the closest hotels are just a short 10-minute car ride away. The Hyatt Centric Park City offers ski-in and ski-out access to the Park City Resort and the Wasatch Adventure Guides slopes. With 120 deluxe guest rooms, the hotel is a cozy home-away-from-home. Pair your stay at the Hyatt with the World of Hyatt Credit Card to get the most for your dollar.
Related: What is World of Hyatt elite status worth in 2020?
Experience the beauty of summer
Even if you don't ski, Park City is the perfect destination to explore the great outdoors -- especially in the summertime. If you’re interested in hiking, biking or camping, visit the nearby Uinta National Forest. Other trails include The Armstrong Trail or the Mid-Mountain Trail at Deer Valley Resort.
When you’re done touring the trails in Park City, join a hot air balloon ride. Soar above the scenic greenery of Utah’s national parks and mountain resorts. For fishing and river rafting lovers, the forest offers beautifully preserved lakes and rivers, such as the Logan, Weber, Ogden, and Provo rivers.
Where to stay
Sunrise Lodge by Hilton Grand Vacations is a beautiful mountain resort nestled in the Canyons Resort and next to the Sunrise Lift. The resort offers free shuttles to restaurants and shops on the main street. With guest rooms and full suites with kitchen amenities, the Sunrise Lodge is perfect for families on vacation. You will fork over plenty of Hilton Honors points though since rooms are usually only bookable here with Premium Room Rewards (Think: 220,000 points per night.) It makes the nearby Waldorf Astoria Park City look like a bargain at 80,000 to 90,000 points per night for a Standard Room Reward. For a few less points per night, look at the DoubleTree by Hilton Park City – The Yarrow, which is often just 60,000 points per night during peak ski dates or as low as 36,000 points on other nights.
Don’t forget to use your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card to earn extra points on the trip and enjoy free breakfast due to its benefit of complimentary Diamond status.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Head to Sundance and Slamdance
In late January, Park City is home to the largest independent film event in the country: Sundance Film Festival. Thousands of movie-lovers, industry executives and celebrities from around the world come for the 10-day festival. The entire town transforms into a film mecca with The Egyptian Theatre is the crown jewel. The festival has a total of nine venues scattered throughout town. Transportation around Park City is easy year-round with a free public transit system.
Even if you can’t afford Sundance credentials or are unable to buy tickets, there are tons of free events happening in the city. Stop by the Festival Headquarters at the Sheraton Park City, the New Frontier Lab or any sponsored event venues for fun on a budget. You might even spot celebs at local coffee shops and restaurants.
Another option is to visit Slamdance Film Festival during the last week of January. The artist-led festival focuses on low-budget and emerging talent as an alternative to Sundance. Though smaller than Sundance, Slamdance’s tight-knit community offers a more accessible and intimate experience.
Where to stay for the festivals
When finding a hotel during Sundance, it’s important to stick close to the festival’s bus route. There are three Marriott hotels directly on the route: Marriott's MountainSide, Marriott's Summit Watch and Sheraton Park City. The Sheraton is also Sundance’s festival headquarters and the location where industry members can pick up their credentials. Staying at the Sheraton means that celebrities come to your front door. The lobby is often known for celeb spottings and hosting industry meetings.
Bottom line
Park City can be your home base for many different types of vacations, from a traditional ski vacation to active adventures in the summertime to exhilarating film festivals. Choose the face of Park City that you want to see and use your airline miles and hotel loyalty points to help you plan an affordable trip. Just plan for those peak ski dates or trips that coincide with Sundance.
