I know very little about Park City, UT. They have the Sundance Film Festival there. People from all over the world go there to ski. That’s pretty much it.
I need information. Well, no, I guess I don’t need it, but I really really want it. See, I’ve been offered an opportunity there, and I’m pretty sure I’m taking it, but I’m a little nervous about it, and as a human being, I suffer from the delusion that knowing more things about a place somehow makes it less… I don’t know, I don’t want to say “scary” because it’s not. It’s kind of exciting. Exhiliarating, even.
But humor me. Feed me information about Park City, UT. Please.
The United States Ski and Snowboard Association has its headquarters in Park City, including a big training facility (the “Center of Excellence”). Many Olympic athletes and high-level competitors live in the area.
My boyfriend’s family is from there, I visited last winter* - super pretty, awesome if you like outdoorsy things and being one with nature and being able to bring a dog almost everywhere. Kindof scary to drive, but I imagine you’d get used to it. Can have snow into May or early June.
It’s a dry cold, if you’re dressed for it it’s not so bad. Storms can blow in fast.
*Albeit not in the city proper, but in a cabin on the side of a mountain about 5 miles away.
It’s got gorgeous views, there’s tons to do inside and out and it gets super fucking snowy and cold. Not necessarily at the same time; it can be sunny w/ snow on the ground or dry and freezing.
Cost of living is pricey; there are bedroom communities down below the ear pop.
It’s beautiful but over-priced. But beautiful, though. The town proper is a super clean version of an old mining town – neat history, neat architecture. If I could afford to live there, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
I’ve owned a condo on Main Street in Park City for about 6 years. I consider Park City and Moab to be the only sane towns in Utah.
I quite like Park City and could tolerate living there. it’s an odd juxtaposition of ski-rats, cowboys and fallen Mormons. Nobody much talks about religion, fortunately. Living right downtown is expensive but the price drops off fairly rapidly due to the ridiculous overbuilding of condos outside of Park City proper.
The bus transportation is quite excellent and free, but it takes forever to get anywhere if you are on the outskirts of the bus lines (Kimball Junction for example).
The liquor laws are much improved as they got rid of that stupid “You must join a club if you want to drink in a bar” law. Otherwise, you have to buy hard liquor in a state liquor store. 3.2 beer is sold 24/7.
If you like snow skiing (or boarding) you’ll be in heaven. If you like water skiing, you’ll like it as well. There are several good lakes nearby (Echo, Rockport, Jordanell, Deer Creek). They are also good for wind surfing, sailing, fishing and the like. Other outdoor activities abound. You are more or less surrounded by the Wasatch Forest. And if you really want to get away from it all the Uintah Wilderness Area is nearby. I will never forget a week I spent hiking across there.
The town is small, but a resortsy. So it is cute rustic rather than really rustic, but there is enough authenticity to keep it from being Disney.
Even so you are still only about 30 minutes from Salt Lake City, which is more cosmopolitan than it is sometimes given credit for. Both the symphony and ballet are good. Most major rock bands will have a date in SLC on their schedule. And if you do decide you need to escape, the airport is also less than an hour away.
Local politics are liberalish, but state politics are rabidly conservative.
For the record, 3 and 4 have changed. They can pour doubles now on mixed drinks, and the nagging ‘finish your drink before you get another’ has been stricken from the books.
Funny thing about #3, I guess they thought it would make you drink less, but it didn’t change how much I ordered. I would just get a drink when I had the waitresses ear and I was half done or so. I always ended up just pounding down 1/2 a beer quickly while the waitress waited. Seemed to have the opposite effect.
1.) Close to Park City ski area, and there’s a lift from downtown
2.) Dolly’s Books is still there.
3.) lots of restaurants, and, despite what others say, the liquor laws are less arcane than in the rest of Utah
4.) Lots of art galleries
5.) The headquarters for Mrs. Field’s cookies is downtown!
6.) Lots of interesting boutique stores
7.) The Park City Museum and Territorial Jail is there. They jailed the Industrial Workers of the World (the “Wobblies”) there during a strike, and they made the IWW logo in candle smoke on the wall. It’s still predserved.
8.) I judged a science fair there, and learned that in a couple of days the students and teachers were getting the day off yo go skiing. I wish my high school had programs like that.
9.) Even in the summer, there’s good hiking, and spelunking nearby
10.) i don’t know if they still have them, but they used to have outdoor rock concerts in the summer.