Park City is a great base for exploring Utah. Some of the best trips are under an hour away, and a few famous ones, like Zion and Bryce, are really overnight trips. Here is what is worth the drive, sorted by how far you will go.
Close to Park City (under an hour)
- Salt Lake City (about 40 minutes): Temple Square, the Natural History Museum of Utah and the city’s restaurants make an easy day. The museum is open daily, and tickets are about $25 for adults.
- Midway and Heber (about 20 to 30 minutes): Soak in the geothermal Homestead Crater, which stays about 90 to 96 degrees year-round (reserve ahead; a one-hour soak was $30 at last check), or visit Soldier Hollow in winter for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. See our Midway winter guide.
- Sundance Resort (about 45 minutes): The Sundance Film Festival is moving to Boulder in 2027, but the resort itself is staying open. Summer brings hiking, biking and a scenic chairlift, and winter skiing usually opens in late November or early December.
- Utah Olympic Park (in Park City): Tour the Olympic legacy venues and museums, or try summer and winter rides. Admission to the museums is free.
Worth a longer drive (about an hour or more)
- Antelope Island (about an hour): Bison, big views of the Great Salt Lake and hiking, for about $15 per vehicle. Open year-round.
- Mirror Lake Highway: A scenic mountain drive in the Uintas, with lakes and fall color. It is seasonal and closes for the winter, so check UDOT before you go. Passes are about $10 for three days.
- Bridal Veil Falls (Provo Canyon): A free waterfall stop, but the area is under a multi-year reconstruction project, so check Utah County’s notice the week you go.
- Bonneville Salt Flats: A long day, roughly two hours each way, with no services or shade. Best from summer into fall. Winter and spring flooding can make the surface unsafe to drive on.
Overnight trips: Zion and Bryce Canyon
Zion and Bryce are both in southern Utah, several hours away, so plan to stay overnight rather than drive both ways in one day. Each park charges $35 per vehicle at last check. Since 2026, international visitors age 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person at Zion and Bryce, and the annual non-resident pass covers that surcharge. Check the National Park Service pages for current rules, winter conditions and shuttle details.
Where to stay
Park City’s central location puts all of this within reach. If you stay with us near Deer Valley East Village or Jordanelle, you are close to the road to Salt Lake, Midway and the Uintas.
Staying nearby? Browse our homes near Deer Valley East Village and Jordanelle. Book direct at staypcu.com and use code STAYPCU10 for 10% off.