Park City, UT possible ski trip....... need advice

Planning first family ski trip. Have free airfare to Salt Lake. Need advice on where to stay etc etc. More kid friendly the better

 

Why not just stay in Salt Lake? I LOVE Alta since its ski-only, but you really can't go wrong with anything out there.

 

Hotels in PC are generally going to be more expensive than if you stay in SLC. All the major ski areas (Brighton, Alta, Solitude, Snowbird, Canyons, Deer Valley and PC) are roughly 30 minutes from downtown SLC. Alta is my personal fave, too, but no knuckle-draggers allowed.

 

with a 5yr old in tow I'd like to drive a little as possible and the wife will insist on something that looks lodgy or upscale

 

best resort for young kids?

 

Sorry ... Gotta defer on that one. I always crash at the cheapest hole in SLC I can find. I just need someplace to sleep, not luxury.

 

Deer Valley has the best ski school in the country, perfect for kids. Expensive.

 

yeah, this will be the "glamping" version of a ski trip....


Glamping

 

The Stein Erikson is 5-star and has an excellent brunch deal - so if you want to get laid, that's my recommend. Marriot is nice, PCMR too.

 

Best for young kids as in what? Best day care, best ski school, best combo/drop them and leave them and feel comfortable?
To be honest, all the big name resorts have good schools. But if you are thinking pampering, overall kid and wife friendly, than really any of the Park City area resorts will be best. They all (Deer Valley, Park City and Canyons - the last two will be one resort next year) have cake walk slopes. Park City has a large area for kids with a magic carpet lift, an easy chair lift, lots of gentle slopes and everything.
They will be good for the kids too.
How much do you want to spend?
You want top notch accommodations and eating? Deer Valley. Bring all you would have spent on airfare and then some.
You still want to spend more than you should and leave your kids in good hands for lessons and/or daycare? Park City and Canyons will also fit the bill.
But I would recommend PC over the other two.
All hotels in that area will be plenty expensive, many dates won't even be open at this point.
As for the drive as little as possible, one positive to that area is the free city bus system. So you could get a less expensive hotel out at the Kimball Junction area (far north end of the area) by the Olympic park - ski jumping, bobsled, etc. and ride the bus for free. It won't be a fancy lodge, so you're out of luck on that one.
You could also look at Solitude. They have a nice little village and are trying to be the "Deer Valley" of the Cottonwood resorts. Not as big, not as crowded, not as expensive. You can choose to stay in the SLC valley and drive the ~15 min to ski, or stay at Solitude and not drive, but have the choice to drive down to the SLC valley for food/shopping/whatever if wanted.

 

Canyons...... Went a few years back...



I used to do Park City, Alta, Snowbird, Sollitude, Deer ect... Simce they opened the Canyons I have not been back to the above... Even for kids it's open and good...

 

Canyons has been there for decades, many owners/names, many configurations.
It will be part of Park City next year, no more Canyons.
And being a local with the option to go there at any point in time...I pretty much never do.

 

If your looking at going this year and you want to stay on or very near a specific resort I would avoid park city this year they are only at 67 inches for the year whereas snowbird is at 150+. Which incidentally is also not good for snowbird but still not bad.

That said I am actually going on a trip to SLC this feb for skiing. I am staying in SLC cause I don't mind driving to wherever has the best conditions. To do that for snowbird you need 4wd so consider that a factor. Also check out powder mountain if all you care about is the skiing/snowboarding.

As for things to do in SLC they have a great piano bar called the tavernacle. Also there is a few good Brazilian steakhouses. And in park city there is a restaurant called zoom that is pretty good. Let me know if you have any other questions its one of my favorite places.

 

You hush. I love that place because there is nothing around.

 

No input specifically to Utah, but having worked the lodging industry in Colorado ski country in the past, let me point out that timing will be important, as far as lodging prices as well as crowds.

Between January 5th & President's day weekend rates will be lower. They go up PD weekend & stay there through the end of March. After April 1 they go back down through the end of the season, & surprisingly, sometimes April conditions are the best for skiing, though the locals can sometimes be getting surly & tired of tourist season by then. .

So, if you can make your stay happen between 5Jan & 13Feb, do so. Else wait til April.

 

This, for kids in SLC Canyons is the best, Park would be next, and they are 10 miles away or whatever. Plus you can ski into town, grab lunch or whatever, jump on a chair and head back.

We stayed at the Canyons in some DOPE condo's that we had about a 5 min walk through a field or free shuttles to the lift. Really nice place, and I believe they have expanded since I've been there.

Park City was awesome, that little town is a great ski town, and like I said, you can ski into town which is pretty cool.

We didn't hit Alta, regret that, but I don't think it's uber kid friendly from what I've read. Not bad, just more geared towards diehards, which they like.

 

Great advice on the dates, noticeable price drop first week of Feb.

Had a change of venue though... SLC is out due to flights.

No looking to fly into Denver.

As far as kid stuff.. we have never ski'd so either a good kids school or availability of snow tubing ice skating etc would be a huge plus so the kid gets to do something fun.
A quick snowmobile trip is probably in the cards.

budget is not what it eeds to be for this type of trip. Under $400 per night would be best. Want something nicer than a flop house for a guys ski trip but not the Waldorf for $900 a night either. Anything with a lodge feel and easy access to a "ski Village" or the slopes. Just so we don't have to try to drive everywhere.

 

Copper Mtn. Grab the latest Skiing Magazine, has a great writeup of "Colorado's Best Kept Secret-Copper Mtn."

For learning and having the most accessible beginner/intermediate terrain that is easily accessible, fun, and just newbie friendly it's the best I've skied in CO.

Keystone is up there too, they have a dope snow fort, like legit at the top of the main mtn. but the bottom becomes dicey for beginners, everything runs to 1 location more or less and it's a bottleneck of people bombing it, and newbies.

Copper also has some great deals if you call out there and speak with someone. They have onsite everything as most do, and their ski school staff is excellent. They have almost an entire village for beginners too now that I think of it. Has slower, smaller, easier to load lifts, that all hit this village, then they have the separate part of the Mtn with all Blues and greens and a halfway high speed lift that makes this area perfect for starting out.

Plus you can ski in, ski out, or have a very minor walk to the lifts. Tons of Apre's for afterwards, and you can watch the halfpipe from the bottom bars. Also has iceskatting, shops, and stuff like that for night life.

Plus Frisco is close(Old town feel but lots to do), and Dillon with some outlet malls for the womenz if you allow it. Right off the highway.

I recommend the Dam Brewery(Dillon), Moosejaw(Frisco), and if renting rent off site, recommend Sports Authority in Dillon for that, which happens to be next to the Safeway for groceries.

If you go, I recommend a condo, cook some meals(you can access the condo easily at lunch too), and grab a few on the mountain/in town.

 

Snowmass.

 

If your looking in Colorado and you have never been skiing before then I would suggest keystone. It is a good place and has the benefit of being part of the epic mix ticket that Vail resorts puts out so it's cheaper than other areas like aspen/snowmass. The terrain is reasonable for a beginner with some better stuff as well and breck is close by as well for a change of scenery. The ski school there is decent as well and is reasonably priced. You can get a shuttle to the area from the airport so no need to rent a car which saves you some coin.

Once your family has a ski trip or two under your belt I would check out either aspen or steamboat. Both offer great terrain when your willing to explore. Also I personally like beaver creek but perhaps that is because I have a time share there and have been skiing there for 20 years so I know where to go. It's expensive there but the ski school program is very good IMO. It does get crowded though.

Ps all of the places mentioned are snowboard friendly and they have good programs for learning that as well so if your or your children want to try that it would be no problem. I enjoy doing both.