An ice climber scales Provo Canyon’s Stairway to Heaven section outside of Provo, Utah

Visit Utah

Right now, Provo is probably a sweltering 90 degrees, typical for August and not the kind of Fahrenheit cities boast about on Instagram. But travel is a planner’s game, and for fall getaways, Allegiant Airlines has a new direct route from San Diego to Provo—a first for each city. There are already flights from SAN to Salt Lake City, but this one brings San Diegans straight to its sister city 45 minutes down the road, best-known for hiking, a thriving craft soda scene, and Brigham Young University.

Visitors who stay in town are treated to an almost comical bevy of natural wonders. The subterranean alterna-verse that is Timpanogos Cave National Monument connects three cave systems, twisting and turning underneath a 12,000-foot peak by the same name. It’s the second-tallest in the Wasatch mountain range east of Provo. Provo Canyon features some of the state’s best ice climbing during winter months, like the aptly named Stairway to Heaven section. A thousand feet of vertical rock covered in ice serves as a tangible reminder of gravity as climbers inch ever closer to the sky kingdom.

As for other mountaineering activities, they make wall posters and entire movies about the skiing in Provo. With 450 acres of groomed terrain winding below Mt. Timpanogos, Sundance is just 12 miles outside town, as are many other world-class mountains and resorts. There’s plenty of hiking, whether the moderate and popular Y Mountain (which gives a sprawling birdseye-view of Utah Valley and the BYU campus) or Provo Peak via the Slide Canyon trail in Uinta National Forest a bit further.

After an active day, it’s possible to find a stiff drink at restaurants like Black Sheep Cafe, as well as dives like City Limits Tavern, but Provo’s a dream for the sober-curious crowd and sugar fixers. An estimated 80-90 percent of the population is Mormon (who don’t typically drink much alcohol), so Provo is peppered with noncaffeinated soda joints serving a rainbow of flavored options. Try local chain Sodalicious, Station 22, which boasts an entire wall devoted to tonics from across the globe, or The Wash, which is open late and serves creative diner food like mochi waffles and loaded fries plus a full menu of specialty booze-free sodas, floats, and sugary concoctions.

For those looking to use Provo as a base camp for wilderness exploration, this direct flight gets San Diegans even closer to Utah’s outdoor action. Provo is further south than SLC, delivering adventurers to the state’s famous desert shrines, like Goblin Valley National Park and Arches National Park, which are both a few hours’ drive from Provo’s airport.

It’s a straight shot to some divine inspiration.

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Main Street in Park City

Stay

Just a few minutes’ drive from Park City’s Main Street, the 8,500-foot elevation at Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley puts you at eye level with mountaintops and ski lifts. Dark woods and a Scandinavian design add to the remote mountain lodge feel, and the rooms here are luxurious—several come with a hot tub on their own private balcony. In the off-season, the resort has easy access to several mountain biking and hiking trails, and relaxation options abound when you return. Lounge at one of two outdoor pools, get a treatment at the 23,000-square-foot spa with Vichy showers, or play the world’s largest Pac-Man game while enjoying a cocktail in the game room. The resort is reopening on July 1.

Stein Eriksen Lodge

A few slopes west, Montage Deer Valley is another luxurious home away from home with five restaurants on-site, complimentary car service to Park City, and a mountain bike valet. If you come back in the winter months, they have an exclusive Veuve Clicquot après-ski yurt. The resort is reopening on July 1.

Currently under construction is the billion-dollar Mayflower Mountain Resort and development, which will have residences and the world’s largest ski beach when it’s complete.

The Veuve Clicquot yurt at Montage Deer Valley

Eat

Although Park City is small, the variety in the dining scene is as impressive as the number of celebrities who visit regularly: high-end sushi, gourmet Mexican, vegan, hip cafés—it’s all here, but be sure to visit one of the classic eateries during your stay.

Start off with a “Goblet of Fire” cinnamon-spiced tea latte or frozen hot chocolate at Atticus Coffee & Teahouse, then browse the collection of used books and quirky literary gifts (they’re open for takeout and outdoor dining). Don’t let Twisted Fern’s strip-mall location on Snow Creek Drive fool you. Inside is a sleek and modern temple to Utah’s produce, fresh fish, and locally raised meats, which chef-owner Adam Ross presents in dishes like a hash with trout fillet, chicken-fried portobello mushrooms, and elk sirloin with cacao glaze. The restaurant is open for dine-in and curbside pick-up Tuesday through Saturday.

A cocktail at High West Distillery

Marc Piscotty

Whiskey fans won’t want to miss tasting the American Prairie Bourbon and line of ryes at High West Distillery & Saloon. Get a flight of their four flagship spirits and pair it with a charcuterie board, bowl of chili, or the popular extra-large pretzels with beer cheese. They have reopened for dine-in only.

For a white-tablecloth dinner, Glitretind Restaurant at Stein Eriksen Lodge has a small-plates menu with several elegant dishes, like roasted quail salad, duck confit beignets, and ahi chowder, and mains of wild game and fish. The wine list is nearly 90 pages long—the restaurant houses 15,000 different wines in its cellar, the largest collection in Utah.

Views from the chair lift

Do

In Deer Valley, take one of three chairlifts to access miles of mountain biking trails, four of which were designed by Gravity Logic, the company that built the famous trails at Whistler Mountain Bike Park.

If you want something a little less intense, ride the Silver Lake Express lift to access the hike up Bald Mountain, which will give you the elevation gain (to almost 12,000 feet after less than two miles) and a clear view of the surrounding Uinta Mountains and alpine lakes that dot the forest below. Or, you can take the Sterling Express lift straight to the top and then hike down to mid-mountain.

The view from hiking Bald Mountain

Photo courtesy of Deer Valley Resort

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in the April 2020 issue and was sent to press before the mandatory stay-at-home order. The story has been updated to reflect the most current information. Snow Park Amphitheater in Deer Valley is closed, and the Deer Valley Concert Series has been canceled. The Park Silly Sunday Market has been postponed until next summer; several of the market’s vendors are selling their goods online at parksillysundaymarket.com.

The post Where to Eat, Drink, and Stay in Park City appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Snowboarder at Kirkwood

Kirkwood

California

Take flight! Skip the six-hour drive to Mammoth and book a quick 90-minute plane ride instead. The seasonal Alaska Airlines flight to the popular ski destination kicks off December 19 and runs through April 13. With evening flights Monday–Sunday and morning flights on Saturday, it makes taking that last run down the mountain as easy as the bunny slopes. alaskaair.com

Mammoth Mountain is always swarming with cool kids, but this season it may have some competition with the reopening of June Mountain on December 13. Mammoth’s neighboring resort, with a summit of 10,090 feet and 35 trails, of which 35 percent are considered beginner, is offering free lift tickets to kids 12 and under all season long. junemountain.com

January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. First-timers aged eight and up visiting Snow Summit and Bear Mountain can get free rentals throughout the month (except January 1–5 and 18–20) when you buy a lesson online, starting at $70. For advanced riders, the Red Bull Plaza at Bear Mountain has SoCal’s only superpipe, and was ranked No. 3 out of the U.S.’s top parks by TransWorld SNOWBoarding. In town at Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Lake Brewing opens this month.

Utah

Snowbird is installing Utah’s only new chairlift, a detachable quad that’ll reduce ride times by 50 percent. Also being cut in half are lift ticket prices at Snowbird and Alta for the day of arrival at Salt Lake International Airport (pre-register at alta.com or snowbird.com).

Brighton Resort will open a girls-only terrain park, with design help from free-skier Grete Eliassen, Burton, and Red Bull.

Watch the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup, taking place at Deer Valley Resort (January 8–11) and the U.S. Grand Prix at Park City Mountain Resort (January 17–19).

Learn skating techniques at the official training ground of winter Olympians in Park City. The Waldorf Astoria Park City offers private ice-skating and speed-skating lessons with a U.S. national speed-skating team member. South Korea 2018, anyone? parkcitywaldorfastoria.com

For an après-ski cocktail in a cozy setting, head to Park City’s Washington School House. The former school turned luxury boutique hotel is très chic. washingtonschoolhouse.com

Colorado

Kimpton’s Sky Hotel in Aspen finished its facelift—’70s ski-lodge chic—just in time for this ski season. With refreshed rooms, a newly designed outdoor area complete with a 24-hour heated pool, and the revamped restaurant and lounge called 39 Degrees, the Sky Hotel is primed for a wintery vacay. Plus, it’s steps from Aspen Mountain’s challenging and picturesque landscape. theskyhotel.com

With six top spots to hit the slaopes in Colorado, picking just one mountain to master can be difficult. Opt for The Epic Pass instead and gain unlimited, unrestricted skiing and riding all season long at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Eldora in Colorado. The Epic Pass is also accepted at Canyons in Park City, Utah; Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood in Tahoe, California; Afton Alps in Minnesota, and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Plus, Epic Pass holders receive five free days at Verbier, Switzerland, and five free days at Arlberg, Austria. Epic Pass is $689 for adults and $359 for children ages 5–12. epicpass.com

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