Park City, Utah: The Ultimate Travel Guide While Working Remotely
Park City, Utah: The Ultimate Travel Guide While Working Remotely
If you’re working from home like me and need a change of scenery or just need a vacation, Park City is the place to go. Instead of taking time off work, I thought I’d find a place where I could get some work done during the week and have fun on the weekend. So, I headed to Park City, Utah for 9 nights.
Park City features a small-city vibe and tons of adventure, especially skiing and snowboarding. In this guide, I’ll share with you how I worked remotely, what I did for fun, and some other travel tips for a memorable trip to Park City. If you’re looking for things to do in Park City away from the snow, that’s also an option.
Where to Stay in Park City
The Westgate is one of the most convenient areas to stay in Park City, Utah. This resort community is located in the epicenter of all the activities and where all the lifts are located. In the past, I’ve stayed at Snowbird Resort so it was nice to be so close to the heart of Canyons Village this time around in Westgate.
While you can book a stay on Westgate’s website, I found a great deal on Airbnb at the Westgate. I also enjoyed staying here because it was a great place to set up my work space. The room was spacious and there was also a small kitchen, perfect for meals at home. There was also a convenience store located here with plenty of food, drinks, and alcohol. Many stores in the area don’t sell alcohol, so it was nice to have that option close by.
Tip: I didn’t know this until a few days after arriving, but you can check your board or skis with the ski valet when you arrive. If you let them know when you’ll be heading out in the morning. This lets you avoid lugging your gear around when heading to and from the mountain.
Top Things to Know About Park City
To make the most of your experience, here are some of my key takeaways from my time in Park City.
Booking Your Trip
Book your Park City trip in advance. I booked both of my trips last year several weeks in advance and I paid about twice as much as I should have. With that said, I’m in the process of booking for later this year and early next year so that it’s much more affordable. I can almost book 2-3 trips for the price I booked one last year a few weeks ahead.
The Mountain
The mountain is huge, so knowing where to go makes a big difference. When I checked in at the Westgate, I got some tips from one of the people working there. I stayed on the Canyons side of the mountain for my trips. It seemed easier and I heard there was more snow on that side.
Make sure to arrive early on the days it snows or after a big overnight dump because the lines will be deep. Not to worry though because the mountain will suck up the crowds if most of the runs are open.
Ski Passes
During my time in Park City, they still had limited passes they were selling per day. I booked my passes a few weeks before my trip. However, there must have been additional tickets because I did see people buying at the ticket stations.
Lifts
Orange Bubble Express: This is the main lift I took each morning. It’s quick and if you go to the top, you can make your way over to the next two lifts.
SaddleBack Express: There are several fun runs off this lift to warm up. I usually made as many passes as I could before the crowds started showing up. Most of the runs are blue (intermediate skier) with a few black diamond runs (advanced skier).
Tombstone Express: This seems to be one of the more popular lifts on the canyon side of the mountain. However, I did see several collisions from people being reckless given the crowd.
Other Activities
If you want to spend some time away from the mountains, there are other great things to do in Park City.
Explore downtown
Enjoy good food
Go on a hike
Have a spa day
Places to Eat
When I visited Park City, most restaurants were only taking limited guests given the pandemic and were completely booked. Therefore, I stay in the Canyon Village area. These were a couple of spots I checked out.
Drafts Burger Bar: This was my go-to for lunch when boarding and at nights for a burger and beer. It’s connected to the Westgate so it was a simple walk down the hall. It was also nice to be able to grab a quick bite and head back to the slopes. The Cluck Norris, Ghost Burger, and Southern Hospitality were all great choices.
Red Tail Grill: It seemed to be packed here during the day, but I only ate dinner here. I tried it a few times and the food was okay. Although the waiter kind of let it slip that the brisket wasn’t that good, I got it anyway. I probably should’ve listened. In all honesty, the menu was slim.
Other popular spots that may be worth trying are Butcher’s Chop House & Bar, Fletcher’s, and Silver Star Cafe.
Working Remotely
It was pretty easy to work from the mountain. I didn’t have any WiFi issues. While I was fine to work in my Airbnb, there are a few coworking spaces in Park City including Assemble Park City and Kiln. I had a great set up to ensure I have as much desktop space as I can get.
My remote work setup includes:
Traveling To, From, and Around Park City
Flying
I flew Delta, but they do charge you for checking baggage. If you can find a flight with Southwest, you don’t have to pay for checking your gear.
When going to the Salt Lake City airport, arrive very early. The lines can be long when flying out. In fact, I was stuck in line for about an hour on a Sunday morning. I immediately set an appointment for TSA PreCheck after this.
Luggage
This 68-liter backpack with wheels is my travel bag. I used the Dakine Tour Snowboard Bag. It fits a board, boots, snowboard clothes, and goggles. It's a great bag, but it did get busted the second time I used it on the way home. With that said, I’ll be purchasing a more bulky bag with wheels this season.
Park City Transportation
Getting an Uber to and from the airport is extremely easy and it’s about a 30-minute drive. There is also the option for free public transportation via the Main Street trolley which offers routes to major locations. Some hotels also offer a shuttle option.
Key Takeaways
Park City, Utah is an excellent place to get away but continue to work remotely if needed. Aside from being a snow lover’s dream, there are activities for many in Park City. Overall, Park City is an awesome place to vacation. Just don’t forget to book your trip as early as you can!
