Utah's Fun Central
by Sabrena Suite-Mangum
Downtown Park City
photo: mark maziarz
Stein eriksen lodge, a park city landmark
photo: Park city chamber of commerce and visitors bureau
Most savvy travelers know all about Park City skiing. Home to the majority of the 2002 Olympic Winter Game venues, Park City resorts play a big part in Utah’s trademarked claim to the Greatest Snow on Earth®. That’s why it may be hard for outsiders to understand that there’s more to this place than powder-pleasure. Dig deeper and discover a treasure trove of opportunity in a place that’s always run contrary to “Utah as usual.”
Even though Park City is just 20 minutes from Salt Lake City, the state capital, locals tend to think of themselves as “in Utah, but not of Utah.” It’s a fair assessment. As a Utah native I know that the short Interstate-80 drive up Parley’s Canyon can seem like a journey into a completely different land.
Much of Park City’s unique cachet is rooted in its rough-and-tumble heritage. Unlike the majority of Utah settlements founded by Brigham Young and his devout Mormons, Park City’s past is steeped in the hunt for silver, zinc, lead and gold, and the requisite vices attending mining camps—bootlegging, partying and the like. Park City pioneers were more interested in finding riches in the here-and-now than in building Zion. In 1900 more than 100 saloons served the town’s 10,000 residents. By then miners were using “long-board” skis to get to the mines and before long they’d built a recreational “ski” jump near an adit. When the bottom fell out of the mining industry in the mid-1930s, the would-be ghost town looked to the snow to resurrect its fortunes. Soon there was a fresh mountain of treasure. Now home to three major resorts, the nation’s most accessible ski town still knows how to have a good time.
Everything here shouts “resort oasis.” Even the grocery stores have a certain cabinesque architectural design. Park City’s attention to luxury and lavishness may mean life moves a little slower (well, than on the slopes); but this town’s culture and nightlife can hold their own with any locale. More than 20 bars and clubs mean plenty of choices for ambience and style when it comes time to grab some demon rum. In celebration of the town’s free spirits (pun intended), Park City has even adopted its own signature drink, Royal Street Café’s Blueberry Mojito.
In addition to drinking establishments (can you say “hot toddy?”), other options abound for the après-ski crowd including art galleries, wine-tastings and plays.
The town’s greatest contribution to the U.S. arts scene comes each January (17 – 28 this year). Sundance Film Festival, the nation’s largest independent cinema fest, is a premier showcase for new work from across the globe. To the industry it ranks in importance with similar events held in Cannes, Venice and Toronto.
What began as a low-profile venue for small-budget creators working outside Tinseltown’s system, now draws coveys of Hollywood stars. Their entourages and the paparazzi descend on Park City like locusts. Corporate sponsors and high-end retailers rent local bars for VIP events and private parties.
And while I’ve yet to be invited to an A-list bash, I did attend a 2006 screening of Thank You for Smoking. I rolled into town in a 10-year-old Subaru Outback, fought crowds, traffic and insane parking, before hitting the premiere’s red carpet in a parka and galoshes. The glitz, glamour and star-spotting were worth the modest trek—only 36 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport. Admittedly, it’s fun to get caught up in the high-voltage energy, but the marketing aspects are really over the top. So much so, the festival is promoting a desire to get back to its original intent. Last year, participants received “Focus on Film” buttons; so cheesy corporate sponsors beware!
With the mantra “by filmmakers for filmmakers,” the alternative Slamdance Film Festival takes place at the same time and place as Sundance. This fete cinematique champions a back-to-basics approach to filmmaking—and lures new directors who create with uber-limited budgets. Past festivals have attracted screenwriter Joshua Marston (Maria Full of Grace) and directors Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball) and Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). So, besides recognizing great art, Slamdance has also contributed to the Napoleon Dynamite-inspired Tater-Tot® revival.
Of course, during the peak of ski season and especially during the festivals, rooms fill up fast. However, with just a little planning it’s pretty easy to get in on the fun. Park City offers more than 6,000 lodging units. The plethora of hotels, condominiums and bed-and-breakfast inns equals more than 23,300 beds. You can find a place to rest your head.
There’s a spot for every taste and budget. Among the most prestigious is the landmark Stein Eriksen Lodge. Named for the 1952 Giant Slalom gold-medal winner and long-time Deer Valley resort director of skiing in Park City, these accommodations rack up their fair share of accolades. Sensational spa treatments reflect Eriksen’s Norwegian heritage with names such as Nordic Princess and Norseman Vichy, but it doesn’t take four-star or five-diamond honors to present a swanky spa experience in Park City. More than a dozen luxurious establishments offer treatments aimed at relieving the effects of the dry air and strong sun inherent in Utah’s mountain climate.
And then there’s the food. Home to only 7,000 year-round residents, Park City benefits from more than 100 restaurants—many of them among the nation’s finest. The Riverhouse on historic Main Street became Utah’s first restaurant to earn the coveted DiRoNa award for “excellence in dining.” It’s also the state’s only recipient of a Mobil Four-Star Rating. Chenez and Shabu present more award-winning cuisine—both restaurants frequently find their way into publications like Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and Saveur. Fodor’s rated Washo, purveyor of French-Asian cuisine, among the world’s top 10 restaurants, and, 350 Main won Salt Lake Magazine’s most recent annual Best Restaurant Dining Award.
For less pretension and pocketbook strain, Main Street Pizza and Noodle and Wasatch Brew Pub, both located on historic Main Street, serve up great food and atmosphere. Whatever your dining pleasure, Park City can satisfy. In fact, it’s got any and every winter desire covered. And, come summer it’s a mountaintop experience of a different—but equally delicious— flavor.