Park City, UT

While Park City is known as a great base for skiing and snowboarding, it’s also a beautiful place to visit in summer, offering golf courses and 400 miles (644 kilometers) of public trails to explore on foot or horseback, or by bike. In January, this mountain community in the state of Utah swells with an influx of cinema buffs attending the Sundance Film Festival.

Stay at one of the many ski resorts and enjoy a wide range of winter activities. Although Park City has a shorter snow season than some other ski areas, its snow fields are easy to access and its facilities are excellent.

Take a trip to Utah Olympic Park and book a bobsled ride on the luge track used in the 2002 Winter Olympics. In winter, the sled is on blades and travels up to 80 miles (128 kilometers) per hour. In summer it travels on wheels and is a bit slower, but still reaches speeds of 70 miles (112 kilometers) per hour.

Thrill seekers should also visit the nearby AlpineSlide, which operates in both summer and winter. It’s one of the longest slides in the world.

If you prefer to be more in control, take a ride on the Alpine Coaster. An automated lift system takes you to the top of a track and then sends you down the mountain in a toboggan-style car equipped with a handbrake so you can manage the speed. If you visit Park City in summer, book a spot on the Xtreme Zip zip line and experience a 435-foot (132-meter) vertical drop.

Back in the center of town, visit some of the cultural attractions, such as the Park City Museum, which offers walking tours of the historic district. In summer, Park City hosts the Kimball Arts Festival, one of the best of its kind in the country.  

Park City is accessible by car or bus. Once within the city, visitors typically walk or drive between attractions. There are free bus services between major resorts and attractions, and a trolley that connects the Old Town Transit Center to Main Street.