• 1. Where to Stay
• 2. Where to Eat
• 3. What to Do
• 4. Insider’s Tip
• 5. An Oddball Day

Kicking up powder at the Canyons Resort.   (Photo: Courtesy of the Canyons)

To maximize your on-mountain time, book one of Delta or JetBlue’s early-morning flights to Salt Lake City out of JFK or Newark and drive (or shuttle) the 35 minutes to Park City. If you’re traveling between March 26 and April 15, hold on to that boarding pass: All out-of-staters are eligible for a free half-day of skiing upon arrival. (Register for the promotion here.)

The only decision left to make (and it’s a big one) is which mountain to tackle. Choose Deer Valley Resort if you’re a skier who likes to be pampered (also if you don’t like sharing the slopes with snowboarders). Centrally located Park City Mountain Resort is a mecca for rail-jibbers and funbox-fliers; its four terrain parks are considered tops in the country by Transworld Snowboarding. And for those who just want to get lost, the backcountry access and sheer diversity of terrain at the colossal (3,700 acres) Canyons Resort is unmatched.

Though each resort has admirable après-ski options, locals know to gather at these Main Street watering holes: the classy Spur Bar for a quiet cocktail, Sidecar for down-and-dirty dancing, and loud, smoky No Name Saloon for a drunken group discussion on the day’s shredding conditions.

Published on March 7, 2007 as a web exclusive.