After about six years of living in Utah and moving away I finally made it out to explore Park City while in town on vacation! We took a chill day trip to Park City had so much fun.
Park City is was an old mining town that has become a popular and trendy getaway location. Made famous by the world class skiing Park City is the perfect day trip or weekend getaway from Salt Lake City. Big bonus that it is only 35 minutes away!
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Walk Park City Main Street
The first place we stopped by was Main Street. This is a whole streeted lined with cute boutique shops, local restaurants and fun art sculptures. Take your time and explore the area. Wander in and out of fun shops that sell everything from souvenirs to high end fur coats to art galleries.
Main Street is also home to the Sundance Film Festival which takes places each year in January. The theatre, Egyptian Theatre, can be visited all year round.
There are several cute historic buildings and cabins that line the street (and side streets) so keep your eye out for those! Main street and several of the restaurants with outdoor seating are dog friendly. So feel free to bring along your furry friend as you explore.
Parking: There is street parking that has a three hour limit but those spots fill up fast. There are also several parking garages that offer a lot of public parking. Just be careful because not all parking costs the same.
Eat Brunch or Lunch
Depending on how early you arrive in Park City, you’re probably going to get hungry soon. Main Street is the perfect location to grab lunch with dozens of choices all very close together. There are restaurants in every budget range so everyone can find something that fits their travel style.
We ate at The Eating Establishment on their cute outdoor patio. I had some hot chocolate and the grilled chicken cobb sandwich. It was yummy and kept me full as we continued our day.
If you want dessert (like I always do) I highly recommend the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for delicious chocolate treats or a caramel apple to share!
McPolin Barn
Next we went out to The McPolin Farmstead to see the big white barn. It is the most picturesque spot nested in the foot hills. I loved getting to see it surrounded by the colors of fall. If you need family pictures taken, this would be a great spot!
The area is preserved land and the barn is an Utah historical sight that is 100 years old. It is from the areas mining history and is a great place to let kids run around.
I recommend parking across the street at the trailhead parking. There is an underground tunnel that will take you right up to the barn and home.
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Park City Overlook
Next we went looking for an overlook spot of Park City. There are a lot of beautiful hikes in the area and many of them would offer a great view of the city. I love hiking so this would’ve been a great option. However, we had hiked the day before and were not wearing the right shoes or clothes at all so we opted for an overlook spot we could drive to.
Masonic Hill offers great views of the city and the ski runs on the opposite mountain. If you choose to go here as well please be cautious and respectful as it is a residential area. The roads are public though so you will not be trespassing or anything.
Scenic Drive Home
After the overlook we chose to go home for dinner but you could try another local restaurant for dinner if you wanted to!
The drive through Big Cottonwood Canyon allows you to see more fall colors and is open from late spring through fall.
The winding mountain roads are fun to drive, offer great views and can take you to several more awesome hikes if you aren’t quite ready to head home yet.
Day Trip to Park City, Utah
This is a fun and relaxing Park City day trip but there is so much more that Park City has to offer as well. In 2002 Utah hosted the winter olympics and you can explore several activities related to that like bobsledding. In the winter, skiing and snowboarding alone can fill several days. So if this day trip itinerary is too slow for you be sure to check out these other things to do in Park City. (coming soon)
Have fun exploring all the city has to offer.
Be sure to check out other parts of Utah too. The national and state parks have soo much to offer. One of my favorites is Goblin Valley State Park which is so fun to explore. Plus big bonus for being dog friendly!
