Kiley McKinnon, Co-Founder at Halfdays, goes way back with skiing. This Vermont native started skiing when she was 3 with the help of her Dad, a former ski racer himself. Kiley fondly remembers leaving school early every winter Friday, so she and her family could hit the slopes. It’s no wonder Kiley went on to be an Olympic Aerialist for the United States in 2018!

As a former Olympian, Kiley has skied just about every ski resort you can think of. So which ski resort/mountain town would Kiley give the gold medal to? Park City.

Ski Spots

Park City is the largest ski resort in the U.S. With 7,300 acres and 330+ trails, there’s terrain for everyone, from beginners to professional racers and even Olympians. Wondering which runs our former Olympian recommends? Keep reading to find out!

Ninety-Nine 90

The Ninety-Nine 90 chairlift takes you to some great runs at the very top of the mountain. Expert-level skiers can ride this lift to some gnarly double black diamond runs, and enjoy the scenic view of the city from the top!

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Sanctuary

One of Kiley’s favorite runs, Sanctuary, is exciting from top to bottom! This intermediate run is long and windy and lined with beautiful houses. Kiley recommends cruising Sanctuary with all your friends and stopping along the way to take advantage of the stunning photo ops!

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Where To Stay

Lodging in Park City is definitely not one-size-fits-all. That’s why Park City has a diverse offering of condo-hotels (no, we didn’t make that term up), and privately-owned vacation homes. With so many great options to choose from, we asked Kiley for her faves.

Washington School House Hotel

The Washington School House is an iconic historic landmark located on Main Street. After the completion of a total interior renovation, this fabulously preserved gem reopened as a boutique hotel. With only 12 rooms, this quaint and cozy stay is not easy to reserve, but omg is it worth the early preparation (& price) when you do!

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Trail’s End Lodge

Trail’s End Lodge, located in the Deer Valley area, boasts an unmatched ski-in, ski-out location for its guests. The hotel itself is beautiful as well, with outdoor hot tubs to take in the grand views and floor-to-ceiling fireplaces to warm your bones. The Lodge even provides complimentary full breakfasts and après drinks and snacks during the winter months.

stayparkcity.com

Where to Après in Telluride

After a day spent skiing, boarding, and shredding on the mountains you are warranted to an afternoon of aprésing and toasting to the ski gods for more powder days to come. So, here’s where our Park City girl, Kiley, recommends we grab an afternoon drink!

Corner Store Bar

Serving up a local’s favorite après scene at Park City Mountain Resort for over 30 years, the Corner Store is the best place at the base for a brew. Offering a full bar, and a huge, outdoor patio, you can usually vibe out to live music and ski boots up after an active day!

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Umbrella Bar, Canyons Village

We like to think this bar is named after Rihanna’s smash hit. But on another note, if you find yourself at the base of Canyons Village, the Umbrella Bar is the place to be! This hot spot aprés bar is in the middle of all the action and on a nice sunny day, you’ll feel like your aprés game has peaked!

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Other Activities

While Park City is most often thought of as a ski destination, its off-slope activities are plentiful. For when you want to give your ski legs a break, or just try something new, consider one of Kiley’s recs!

Utah Olympic Park

You can watch all different types of athletes train year-round at the Olympic Park. If you want in on the action yourself, you can tube down the ski jumps, take a ride on the alpine slide, zipline, bobsled, and even hit the water ramps (if you’re feeling crazy)! Who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself doing a flip and becoming an Olympic aerialist yourself ;) Pro Tip: Make sure to check when things are open at the Park because certain activities are only available during the summer months.

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Sleigh Ride

Ready to live out your winter wonderland dreams? At Park City Mountain you can take a sleigh ride up to the Viking Yurt which is located 1,800 vertical feet up from the base of the mountain. The ride is about 25 minutes and ends at the yurt where a six-course dinner is served. These rides book up fast so be sure to book far in advance if you want to claim your spot. It’s definitely an experience you don’t want to miss!

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Where to Eat

If there’s anything we appreciate more than a good ski day, it’s a good restaurant. Which Park City has a lot of, so Kiley gave us her top 2 restaurant recs!

High West Distillery

High West is Utah's first distillery since the 1870s and the only ski-in gastro-distillery in the world. Located in Old Town Park City, at the bottom of Quittin' Time ski run and next to the Town Lift, High West Distillery serves up mountain-crafted cocktails, delicious food, and old town western vibes! What’s not to love?

@drinkhighwest

Five Seeds

One of Kiley’s all-time favorite spots is Five5eeds, a breakfast/lunch cafe with fresh and exciting dishes inspired by Australian food. If you go here (which you absolutely should) make sure to try their coffee!

@five5eeds

Whether you’re just learning to ski or you’re an Olympian skier, this resort is perfect for everyone! What’s that? We hear a girl’s Park City trip calling your name! Get packin’!