Utah is home to some of the most incredible landscapes in the country, in our opinion. From epic mountains to incredible canyons, Utah has all of it. Utah is also home to one of the largest ski resorts in the world, Park City, as well as Bryce and Zion canyon. To say Utah is an adventurer’s dream would be an understatement.
Park City is a stellar ski town, but did you know it also has incredible shops and restaurants?
In the areas like Zion, one can often find inexpensive lodging- but don’t expect it to be luxurious. Think more…basic accommodations near the national parks.
Park City on the other hand, is typically referred to as the West’s most bougie ski town and everything will cost money: transportation, lodging, meals, etc. When booking hotels, the majority of the rates do not include breakfast. Rates during high season can sore about $800 for a standard room at a five star hotel. If you plan far enough in advance, you may be able to secure a property at a decent points value (i.e a year in advance).
Dining in Park City is also on the upper end of the scale. Beverages range from $15 USD per glass of wine up to $45 USD. Appetizers at a high-end restaurant are in the $20 range and entrees will start around $30.
Typical food & beverage costs range depending on how high-end the hotel brand is, but we typically budget $350 per day for food & alcohol. Transfers to & from the hotel to the airport (SLC) range as well, but we typically budget $100-150. Ski Passes can be purchased online prior to your visit at a discounted rate.
When to visit Utah depends on your activities. If you're a ski bum, February-March are the best months. If you're looking to explore the national parks, spring and fall are the optimal time with the best weather. Given the diversity of offerings, there's no real shoulder season or low season. Expect summers to be very hot in the parks, but cool in the mountains.
Check out some of our favorite Utah hotels and what we like and don’t like about each of them.
Utah has so much to offer and we typically wish we had more time to explore! Here are our recommendations for a successful trip.
Ski trip only:
National Parks:
Did you know that over 5 million people a year visit Zion National Park?
Max and I absolutely love Park City. It’s become a frequent winter adventure for us, thanks to our little camper. We were ecstatic to experience the newly renovated Grand Summit on this trip.
As some of you know, Max and I are huge skiers. We live for winter and LOVE ski-in-ski-out hotels