Hello, hello!
Happy Thursday!
Today, I’m recapping the first part of our trip to Park City over winter break 🙂 .
Here’s the deal…I have A LOT of Park City content on my blog already, so I’m not going to post all 4 billion pictures from this trip and make it a seven part series (you’re welcome). Instead, I just picked some highlights and will try to keep this to two posts. #wellsee
I’m linking other Park City related posts (including a Q&A) at the bottom of this post for those of you who want a bit more this morning.
Per usual, we take a family ski/snowboarding trip right after Christmas and ring in the New Year somewhere snowy. If you missed my recent TOP 10 TIPS FROM A SKI MOM post that I published last week, make sure you swing over there and check that out. There are SO MANY great places to take your kids skiing and snowboarding, and we’ve tried many (Smith and Andrew have tried a ton), but for our family, we like Park City. It’s convenient flying from Dallas, and it’s familiar now, so we keep going back year after year. Just like Nantucket, some places just speak to your people more than others, and this one speaks to us.
We left DFW and arrived in gorgeous Salt Lake City on Tuesday, December 27th. We arrived but our luggage did not.
No worries!
We visited Walmart…
…to get essentials and as you can see, Smith was thrilled.
We got pjs, undies, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo…those things, settled into our accommodations and…
…headed out to dinner at Butcher’s 🙂 .
The next morning was supposed to have been a ski day for the family…but with no luggage and therefore no gear, the boys decided to rent some items for the day and hit the mountain while the girls decided to head into town on this snowy day…
…ski school was super sweet and let us change out our dates since we didn’t have our luggage. The three of us enjoyed all the snow! In all of our years visiting Park City, this year had the BEST weather!!!! It wasn’t too cold (mid-20s), but there was a ton of snow! We had more snow this week than any other trip.
The boys came down the town lift and met us for lunch. While they were there, we got a notification that one of our bags had arrived in Salt Lake City! Woohoo! After lunch, Andrew and I drove back to the airport and found ALL of our bags. Yessssssss!
We celebrated having a change of clothes with dinner at Overlook. This was our first time eating here and loved the pretty trees out front!
Now that we had our gear and clothes…
…we were back in business for our official first day of skiing/boarding. This day is kind of wonky because we had “other plans” (see below) but since we had just missed our first ski day, we had to make it a hybrid. It wasn’t ideal, but we made it work.
Andrew was going to ski/board with the big two while the little girls did half a day of ski school (not a full day because our day got wonky).
But me? This year, my family told me I wasn’t allowed to ski because I am terrible. And complain the entire time. And am a danger to myself. And others.
So…
…I set out to snowshoe for the first time 🙂 .
I have a lot of thoughts on this…
#1: When I decided not to ski (woohoo!), I still wanted to do something outside and active while my family skied, so after polling you guys, I landed on snowshoeing. That first day in Park City (I should have taken a photo), I went to a ski shop and asked questions about it. They COULD NOT have been nicer and were super, super helpful. They gave me three different places around Park City ideal for snowshoeing and then tips for what to wear/how to navigate it/what snowshoes to wear. I ended up purchasing these snowshoes because the price difference wasn’t very much, and I can keep them in our ski bags with their other ski stuff.
#2: For this trip, we had rented a car (we don’t always rent a car in Park City) which worked well because after the girls were in ski school and my family hit the mountain, I could drive to where those guys told me to snowshoe. I drove, I parked and I got out with my “normal” ski gear on to keep me dry and warm along with my Sorel boots to clip into the ski boots (they said any snow boot would work), my sunglasses and my belt bag where I kept my wallet, phone, my Airpods case and the car keys. They told me NOT to put on my snowshoes until I was in the snow (don’t walk across the parking lot in them) as they’ll damage the shoes.
#3: So, I popped my Airpods in, turned on a podcast, walked to a “path” that was designated by a sign and a lot of footprints, put on my snowshoes and headed up. Since I was brand new, unfamiliar with the area, alone and trying not to be eaten by a bear/murdered by a crazy mountain person/caught in an avalanche, I walked/hiked/snowshoed up and around this mountain area but only with a view of the road below (I never let it out of my eyesight). I could have twist and turned more up into the woods but since I didn’t know where I was going, I kept the road in my vision as to not be a future Dateline story.
It was a BIG workout and I LOVED IT…
…I had the best time walking and exploring. The weather was spectacular. It was SO MUCH better than skiing for me. Now, was I doing it correctly? Who knows? Did I have fun? YES!!! I ended up snowshoeing three different days on this trip and loved each time.
Meanwhile back on the mountain these guys were having a blast!
So, a few months ago, we made reservations to tube as a family on this day at 2:00 PM…
…this was not supposed to have been a ski day, but when the luggage got lost, we turned it into a ski/tubing day. We made our reservations at Woodward Park City which is this huge indoor/outdoor ski/activity center right outside of town. We were SO excited to tube together as this is one thing we can all six do at one time.
We had the BEST time! Here’s the thing though…it was VERY crowded even though we had tickets and reservations. It took us one hour just to get from the bottom all the way to the top and go down one time. By the time we got to the bottom, it was 3:00! We could have gone again…but no one wanted to stand out in the cold for an additional hour just to wait. I think we’ll try this again next year but pick a different time. If you have experience let me know. I’m wondering if it would be better to go earlier in the morning before it’s super crowded? You would think since they require reservations for specific times, you would be able to go more than one time, but it was just so crowded.
The next day…
…was Day Two of ski school for these cuties!
And Day Two of snowshoeing for me!
This girl had a FUN day at ski school!
Even after skiing all day long in the snow, she still wanted to play in it.
Kensington’s face. Bahaha! They spent their day on the mountain while I snowshoed in the morning and then read in the afternoon. #winning
Around 3:00 when everyone was off the mountain, they ice skated. There is a rink right there on the mountain, so it’s super convenient.
And we wrapped up our night at Prime. This is one of my personal favorite spots in Park City.
And that was PART ONE!
Don’t forget, if you’re interested in other Park City posts, here’s a little sampling below:
I’m also sharing our favorite dessert to make while we’re skiing as a family HERE, so stop by and check that out too!
Have a great day, friends! I’ll see you tomorrow! xx
Ramona says
Amazing trip recap. You make me want to try snowshoeing and go to Utah even though I despise the cold. Can’t wait for part two! And maybe three too. 🤗
Becky Przy says
Oh, I love your Park City recaps. I love Park City! I go during the summer/fall since I don’t ski, but I would love to see how pretty it is all snowy and everyone out skiing! I should pack up my snowshoes and go;-). This last trip, I stayed at the Marriott vacation club that is in the background of your second picture–take me back!
Have a great Thursday!
Elspeth Mizner says
I love reading about your trips and I’m so happy you found a fun hobby!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Molly says
My husband is a former pro-snowboarder and I am terrified of skiing and snowboarding and I have to say this has inspired me that we could do a trip together with our kids. Snowshoeing in the morning and reading in the afternoon sounds like a DREAM.
Mix and Match Mama says
DREAM!!!
Laura says
I’m in a similar boat! My husband’s passion in life is snowboarding, but I’ve never done any snow sports in my life and I’m also terrified! So this sounds more my style too!
Erika Slaughter says
AHHHH!!! I love Park City so these posts are always extra fun to read!
Paula says
I laughed at the Dateline comment because that would have been me. I would have had a dozen storylines already written out. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Nicci says
We are headed for spring break first time to park cities. We are staying in a house right by town lift! Do we even need to drive to the base of the mountain or will town lift get us there and end of the day ski down to get home? Very excited to go to Park Cities
Mix and Match Mama says
If you can ski a blue, you can do the town lift. It’s mostly green but there is a “blue”ish portion. We only go to the mountain because that’s where ski school is located. In my next post, I’ll show a day where just the three big kids and Andrew went out, and they just used the town lift.
Peyton Cline says
I am like you and HATE skiing while my husband loves it, so I am so glad you shared the snowshoeing idea!!! That is much more my speed!!!
Kate says
This makes me want to take a trip! Speaking of question… if we use your travel agency is it possible to get some price quotes before committing to the trip or is it a done deal. There are several places I’m interested in going but honestly have no idea of the cost. Thx!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh for sure! You don’t commit to anything until you have every detail. We’d love to help!
Lisa N says
How fun but more than that how BEAUTIFUL! I know zero about skiing and snowshoeing…. Do you walk in snow shoes or glide them like on skis?
Mix and Match Mama says
That’s a good question! I walked (took steps), and it was really cool how my feet really did kind of “stay above” the snow, so I didn’t sink in.
Adrienne Miller says
Woodward is the worst! Next year venture over to Soldier Hollow for tubing. It’s a 15 minute easy ride from PC. They require reservations as well but customer service is so much better. You can make a day of it and have lunch in Midway before or after. So many cute places in their Main Steet. Less crowded than PC as well.
Mix and Match Mama says
Thank YOU!!!!!!
Sara says
Salt Lake resident here to say the same thing! Definitely go tubing at Soldier Hollow. It’s so fun and your family will love cute little Midway! My in-laws have lived there for over 20 years and we love spending time there.
Sara says
LOVE the snowshoeing adventures!! Do they have anyone who works the path, just in case you get lost and/or almost murdered?! 🤪 you were SO brave!!!
Mix and Match Mama says
I never saw anyone “official”. It was like a state park type place.
Ani Martinez says
Such a fun read – we just got back from our first ever ski family vacation. Some of us LOVED it, some of us hung in there, but we are all looking forward to going back again next year 🙂
Karah Stracener says
We usually go skiing as a family every year and I have fallen in love with Steamboat, Colorado. I love when it snows on a ski vacation. It makes it so magical and beautiful. This year we aren’t going skiing but your posts are making me want to plan next years trip to Park City. My husband has always wanted to go to Telluride as well. Would you pick Park City over Telluride??
Mix and Match Mama says
We loved Telluride too! I think it depends on where you’re coming in from. It’s easier for us to get to Park City than Telluride with flights and driving. I always say that Telluride is the prettiest ski town we’ve ever been to though.
Laura says
So happy to hear about snowshoeing. Relaxes me to just think about it! ha! Also, it does get crazy busy at the snow tube area at our nearby “mountain”. But, like the slopes, it’s the least busy in the morning. It looks fun, but I agree – waiting in the cold doesn’t sound ideal!! And! Props to making a not-fun thing (no luggage at arrival) something fun (getting some great new items like your bag), even if Smith didn’t seem too happy about it in the Walmart pic! 😉 Yay for it working out!
Elizabeth says
I’m going to Park City tomorrow! Been reading your past Park City posts to prepare. Can’t wait to read your part 2.
Mix and Match Mama says
You’re going to have so much fun!!!
Lauri Wertz says
We went tubing at Soldiers Hollow in Midway last year when we were in Park City. It was definitely crowded, but we had a 6p-8p reservation and probably went down 8-10 times.
Mix and Match Mama says
That’s fabulous!
Crystal D says
What a fun time. As I read through your schedule, I keep thinking, “Man, I bet the kid slept great (and hard) each night!” Funny, as moms we love wearing out our families in healthy ways. 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
Amen to this!
Kristy says
I’m so glad you decided to snowshoe and not ski! I remember thinking you need to be a ski lodge mom somehow. You enjoy your family skiing but you don’t have to ski! And now I want to try snowshoeing too! Park City is a really fun summer spot too for fly fishing, mountain biking, paddle boarding, and ebiking. We just bought a place there, but it’s not in town. It’s closer to Deer Valley and soon to open Mayflower!
Alyssa says
Hey Shay, I know your family loves Park City but have you ever tried Sun Valley? Oldest ski resort in the west and Ketchum is an adorable town. Not too busy.. just right! Just thought I would try to put it on your radar if you haven’t been!
Mix and Match Mama says
I’ve always wanted to go there!
Kerry says
So happy that you found a winter sport you love! I *think* for next time, you may have had the snowshoes on the wrong feet. I could totally be wrong and am not trying to be an internet jerk, but all my pairs have the shape following your foot/should, so those rounded corners should be on the outside of your foot and the straighter side should be inside your food 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
I very well could have because I know nothing about the sport, so it’s likely I did it all wrong…but these shoes had a big L and a big R on the bottom where I put my feet, so I know that I at least had them on the right foot.
Michelle says
If you have a car, you can drive to Soldier Hollow to tube near Midway (~30 min drive). It was much cheaper and we were able to go down about 6 times in about 1.5 hours! Also the ice castles next door were pretty fun!
Melissa says
Fun! Did you share the hotel or VRBO details?
I know you’ve shared your bouts with motion sickness. I deal with it on boats and drives through the mountains. Does the altitude usually bother your family? Did you experience motion sickness on this trip?
Mix and Match Mama says
Since we like to stay in the same condo year after year (if possible), I don’t share that info since it’s probably not as safe as sharing a hotel with a lot of rooms in it. We stay in the heart of Park City though! No one experienced any altitude sickness this trip. In the times we have experienced it, it’s always been in Colorado which does have a higher elevation. Everyone stayed super healthy!
Joanne says
Oh yes, I’ll take snowshoeing over skiing any day of the week (I did actually break my leg skiing and have never wanted to try again!). BUT I LOVE snowshoeing.. the whole family has a set and they really do work well with any snow boot.
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
I laughed so hard at your thoughts on your Day 1 of snowshoeing! That is my mind completely–the anxiety in me starts to imagine all of these different scenarios of what could happen. I love it!
Sheaffer says
Love this post! I WANT to love to ski. I WANT to be good at skiing. I’m just not. Sounds like I need to try my hand at snowshoeing!
Stephanie says
We went to Woodward yesterday at 11 and we went as many times as we wanted with very minimal waits if any wait at all. I don’t know if it was because it was morning or it’s after everyone’s Christmas break but we loved it! As I’ve seen in the other comments soldier hollow is the other one to try and I’ve heard there is faster tubing!
Gina R. says
We try to hit Woodward on Sunday mornings while lots are attending church. We never wait too long and get plenty of rides in.
Mix and Match Mama says
That’s a pro tip right there! Thank YOU!
Ashley says
Hi! My husband and I are going to Park City in a couple weeks and I would love to try snowshoeing as I am little hesitant to snowboard but I still want to participate in an outdoor activity. Would you mind sharing the three places where you snowshoed while you were there?
Mix and Match Mama says
Email me Ashley! I’d love to connect and share details with you. mixandmatchmama@yahoo.com