Park City First Timers' Guide: Lodging, Après and Locals' Secrets

Vacationing at a new ski town can feel like moving to a new city, particularly if you've made a tradition of visiting the same resort for years. With new slopes to explore and restaurants to try, a little local insight can mean the difference between a "tourist's vacation" and one filled with authentic experiences. Use this guide to make the most of your first trip to Park City, Utah.

Park City at a Glance

Park City features three world-class ski resorts, including Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons. Each offers unique lodging options ranging from mid-mountain condos to luxury private ski homes. If you've never experienced Deer Valley Resort, you might find the sheer number of slope-side ski homes extraordinary. The wide availability of ski-in/ski-out vacation homes nestled directly on the slopes makes this resort an ideal choice if you strongly value convenience. Skiing right out the back door eliminates time spent lugging skis, shuttling to the base, or even (and this is where you're getting spoiled) taking that first chairlift from base accommodations.

Park City proper offers lodging within a block of Main Street for easy access to fine dining, live entertainment and nightlife. Main Street also features the Town Lift, a unique double chairlift that takes skiers directly to the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort. For greatest convenience, look for accommodations on Park Avenue, Woodside or Daly Avenue. Guests of Canyons Resort will find space and privacy with accommodations near the resort base. Recent improvements have turned the resort into its own thriving community, complete with fine dining, shopping and its own après scene.

Of course, experiencing Main Street after-hours is worth the five-minute ride from Canyons. If it's your first time to Park City, you'll have a difficult time covering every après hot spots, including the more than 20 bars, clubs and pubs on Main Street alone. To start, the High West Distillery should certainly top your list. This ski-in bar and fine dining establishment is located just off Park City Mountain's Creole run and serves unique cocktails with locally made High West Whiskey and 7000' Vodka. Butcher's Chop House, the new SILVER lounge and the No Name Saloon are other must-sees if you make a night of Main Street. The Cena Lounge at Deer Valley Resort, Umbrella Bar at Canyons and Legends at Park City Mountain Resort are all good resort options.

Locals' Secrets

Every ski town has its secrets, and Park City locals keep their favorite powder stashes, crowd-free runs and good eats closely guarded. The Silver Star Café, located mid-mountain at the Silver Star at Park City community, has remained one such hidden gem for the last two seasons, although the sunny outdoor plaza, homemade pizzas and pitchers of beer have earned this locally owned café a degree of growing notoriety. For a more powder-filled secret, a (relatively) easy hike to Pine Cone ridge rewards visitors with a near-empty mountain face in an area still covered by Park City Mountain's ski patrol.

Deer Valley Resort's Deer Crest Mountain, an area oft-neglected due to slower-moving lifts, is a sunny, perfectly groomed playground of wide intermediate runs, breathtaking scenery and sparse crowds, making it a great spot for beginner skiers seeking an intermediate challenge. Canyons Resort, at 4,000 skiable acres, holds too many hidden powder stashes and lift-served ski runs even for locals to fully discover. The newly opened Iron Mountain area offers 300 new acres of terrain waiting to be explored.

Off-mountain gems include Karleen's Uptown Fare, a tiny café nestled unassumingly at the top of Main Street, Adolph's Swiss Restaurant, and Good Karma, a classic Indian restaurant that discretely becomes an American diner come morning. This Prospector area eatery serves hearty pancake stacks, homemade breakfast potatoes and Persian omelets.

Experiencing all that Park City has to offer in just one visit might be impossible, but this town's close proximity to the airport makes Park City an easy option for long weekends and quick retreats. Knowing a few insider tips can make the difference between a nice getaway and an unforgettable vacation. If you take no other advice, stay ski-in/ski-out or in Old Town; try the High West Distillery Cowgirl Kiss martini; and don't leave without a slice of pizza from the Silver Star Café.