BY Tessa Woolf
Park City has a long history of reinventing itself: What started as a silver-mining settlement in the late 1860s transformed into a skiing mecca nearly a century later, and a few decades after that, a celebrity magnet with the launch of the Sundance Film Festival in 1978. Still another heyday arrived in 2002, when the Olympics thrust the Utah city into the global spotlight (that honor is set to repeat itself when the Winter Games return in 2034). True to form, Park City is once again in the midst of a renaissance, this time fueled by new businesses, cultural shifts, and Deer Valley Resort’s landmark East Village project, the largest resort expansion in ski history.
This winter season, Deer Valley debuts an entirely new side of the mountain: a sleek, skier-only portal at the East Village that allows access to new peaks. From a 10-passenger gondola connecting the East Village and Park Peak, to seven new lifts serving beginner and expert terrain, the resort has expanded its footprint with more than 4,300 acres of skiable terrain, nearly 100 brand-new runs, and a base area designed from the ground up. Expect shorter lift queues, 1,200 new day-skier parking spots, and a full luxury base with world-class lodging, dining, and shopping.
If Deer Valley represents what’s next for the town’s landscape, the Sundance Film Festival represents a cultural turning point. As the annual event prepares to take its final bow in Park City after more than four decades, it marks the end of an era—and the dawn of another. Co-founded by late actor and Oscar-winning director Robert Redford, who passed away in his Utah home in September, this winter’s festival (January 22–February 1) will honor Redford and celebrate the event’s own rich history in Utah through archival screenings, alumni panels, and community events honoring its indelible impact.
“The lore of Sundance is going to continue,” says local filmmaker Cole Webley, whose Omaha premiered at the 2025 festival. “Park City is a great community and a great town, and I’m excited to see what other wonderful things are born out of it. I know that Sundance leaving won’t be the end of its significance to art, to culture—and to Utah.”
Through every reinvention, one thing has remained constant: the locals who keep the town’s spirit alive, anchoring its mountain charm as a North Star amid change. The next chapter is still being written—but if history is any guide, Park City’s future will be as magnetic as ever.
Off- piste flavors
A Culinary Trail Beyond the Slopes
Park City’s dining scene has never been more varied. At Firewood, everything from crispy pork belly and yellowtail carpaccio to coal-smoked asparagus and bison rib eye is kissed by an open flame, a love letter to elemental cooking. Over on Main Street, Handle remains a must for locals and visitors alike. The inventive craft cocktails and seasonal, locally sourced dishes—such as the sweet chili–glazed cauliflower with sriracha vinaigrette, rich mushroom bolognese, and hearty fried chicken—have cemented chef Briar Handly’s restaurant in the culinary Mount Rushmore of Utah.
Kita, the modern Japanese steakhouse at Pendry Park City, offers a palate-pleasing array of small plates, Wagyu steaks, and seafood, as well as a robust cocktail, sake, and wine menu. Find pizza nirvana at Matilda, the newest eatery from the Aussie-turned-Utahn entrepreneurs behind local favorites Five5eeds and Tilly’s Charcoal Chicken. The secret to Matilda’s Neapolitan-style pizza is its signature sourdough crust, perfected after countless hours of testing.
For Southern comfort food with a Western twist, head to Tupelo and dig into the beloved “Beef and Barley,” featuring Mishima Reserve sirloin, heirloom squash, garlic puree, kale, and barley risotto. Cap it all off with a scoop (or two) at Mack’s Finest Gelato, where seasonal flavors like lemon ricotta with wild blueberry and Amarena cherry prove that dessert can distract you from the picturesque mountain landscape.
Toast of the Mountain
Where the Après is as Epic as the Powder
Long after the lifts stop running, The Après Lounge at Montage Deer Valley keeps the energy up. Here, you’ll find skiers trading stories over Veuve Clicquot, oysters, and truffle fries in a yurt-style retreat made for golden-hour lounging. Just down the mountain, Chute Eleven ups the ante with seafood towers and caviar bumps in an atmosphere that is both exclusive and effortlessly cool. Returning to the hot spot this season is Slopeside Sets, a series of lively music acts featuring world-renowned DJs and electronic musicians.
Closer to town, Le Depot Brasserie on lower Main Street lures sunseekers with craft cocktails and foie gras–topped burgers just steps from the Town Lift. For a livelier crowd, Pendry Plaza transforms into the social hub of Park City Resort: Friday nights bring “Party on the Playa” at Dos Olas Cantina, while Saturdays heat up at The Pool House with rooftop DJs, dancing, and panoramic views.
High-Altitude Hit List
Must-dos, from Gondolas to Galleries
When visiting Park City in the winter, skiing is a non-negotiable. This season, in addition to the Deer Valley expansion, the resort is offering the ultimate bragging rights with the First Tracks experience—exclusive guided access to Bald Mountain before the public arrives. Park City Mountain’s Sunrise Gondola—a 6,500-foot, 10-person ride just steps away from Pendry Park City—will nearly double the uphill capacity out of the Canyons Village base area, getting you from cappuccino to carving in record time.
Off the snow, the town’s creative pulse is found at Gallery Mar and Relevant Galleries, where works by artists like Bridgette Meinhold, David Yarrow, and Russell Young draw collectors year-round. For retail therapy, Cake Boutique delivers the latest from it-girl brands such as Agolde, Jenni Kayne, and Westman Atelier, while Colorado’s celebrity-favorite Kemo Sabe recently hit Main Street. Ask about the in-store speakeasy to enjoy a drink while you shop.
To unwind, Spa Montage at Montage Deer Valley tempts with oxygen-infused facials from Skin Design London’s Fatma Shaheen. Or head to Alpine Distilling to craft your own gin with one of America’s most awarded distillers. If fast and furious is more your speed, Utah Olympic Park’s Winter Bobsled Experience is not for the faint of heart: A professional pilot takes passengers down the 2002 Winter Games Sliding Track, reaching up to 70 miles per hour.
Venture farther afield to Midway, about a 30-minute drive from Park City, to experience a charming, Swiss-inspired village. There, you’ll find Midway Farm Store, the outpost of Instagram’s homesteading sweetheart, Ballerina Farm. Founders Hannah and Daniel Neeleman’s newly opened storefront offers pasture-raised meats, baked goods, and homewares. Also make time for The Pizza Yard, where wood-fired pies draw locals as well as visitors, and Dandelion Gelato for European-style scoops. On the way back to Park City, learn the process of making cacao beans into chocolate bars at Ritual Chocolate, an organic, small-batch chocolatier.
