Planning a winter trip to Utah? Whether you’re headed to Park City, Salt Lake City, or anywhere in between, this is your destination for the ultimate travel guide for Utah in winter! From skiing and hiking to ice castles and sleigh rides, I’ve got you covered with all the best things to do in Utah in the winter!
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10+ Best things to do in Utah in winter
Brrrr, It’s that time of year again when Utah becomes a real-life snow globe and turns into the ultimate playground for snow lovers and adventure seekers alike. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect winter wonderland where the fun never melts away, Utah is the place to go!
In this post, I’m going to be covering ALL the best things to do in Utah in winter, whether you’re a snow bunny, adrenaline junkie, or someone just looking for a frosty fiesta.
Skiing in Utah
Alright, let’s start with the obvious, skiing and snowboarding. Utah is home to some of the best powder on the planet and has eight of the best ski resorts within an hour’s drive from Salt Lake City. Since we lived in Utah for a few months, we purchased the Ikon Pass which gives you access to some of the most iconic mountains in the world.
Depending on what pass you purchase, you can ski as much as you want with no blackout dates at 47 different destinations. Skiing in Utah can get pricey so if you plan on going a lot, I recommend purchasing a ski pass! Epic pass is another good option if you’re interested in the best skiing in Utah.
We mostly skied at Brighton Ski Resort Utah and Solitude during our stay since they were the closest, but as I said, there are so many other great ski resorts in Utah, like Park City and Deer Valley that are only a short drive away!
If you haven’t gone skiing in a while and need a refresher (like I did), most Utah ski resorts offer both group and private lessons. I enrolled in an all-women’s workshop at Brighton at the beginning of the season, and it really helped to gain back some of my confidence! I highly recommend taking classes if you’re feeling rusty and are a little nervous about getting back on the slopes.
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Things to do in Salt Lake City Utah
Hike Ensign Peak Trail
If you’re looking for winter activities in Utah besides skiing, you have to check out Ensign Peak. Ensign Peak is located at the north end of the Salt Lake Valley (a mile from the State Capital) and has the best views of the entire city (well, on a clear day when the smog isn’t too bad). You can hike Ensign Peak any time of year, but it is especially beautiful in winter!
Ensign Peak trail is also pretty well maintained, and although it’s a bit steep in certain areas, it’s only a mile round trip and suitable for most adults and children. The views are excellent throughout the hike (which makes the steep parts worth it), and in my opinion, it is one of the ultimate photo spots in Salt Lake City!
Build a snowman at Liberty Park Utah
It’s not every day that your girl gets to build a snowman (remember, I’m from Florida), so this is something I was really looking forward to when we lived in Utah. Of course, my husband thought he was being funny and completely butchered the head (see photos below), but we still had a lot of fun!
If you have yet to hear of Liberty Park Salt Lake City Utah, it is a spacious park located in the heart of Salt Lake City and has walking/running paths, playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, tons of room for recreational activities, and more! We took advantage of the park since it was so close to our Airbnb and walked our dog Melvin there almost daily.
Note: If you’re visiting other areas of Utah that are at a higher elevation (especially the ski resorts), you will likely experience more snow than we did in Salt Lake City.
Iceskating at Gallivan Center
If you’re looking for some of the best winter activities in Salt Lake City, you have to go ice skating at Gallivan Center! It’s especially fun during the holidays when they have all of their Christmas decor and lights up.
East Gallivan Plaza is located right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City and transforms into an outdoor ice rink November-February. It’s only $10 to skate (including skate rentals) and is first-come-first-serve.
The ice rink also has a concession stand with lots of delicious treats including hot chocolate. Such a fun thing to do during the day or night, and the perfect family-friendly activity if you ask me!
Need some help planning your Utah vacation? Check these related reads!
Winter activities in Midway Utah
Snowmobiling in Utah
Snowmobiling Utah was the first winter activity we did in 2022, and was the perfect way to kick off the new year! It was a little bit of a splurge, but the views were well worth it, and I was happy to check this off my bucket list!
Many places offer snowmobile rentals in Utah, but we booked with Wasatch Excursions, located in Midway, Utah, and had the best experience! We did a two-hour guided rental on the two-person ski doo, which is perfect for beginner to intermediate riders. They also allow you to switch drivers throughout the excursion if you choose to do so.
In addition to the breathtaking views, our tour guide was AMAZING! They guide you every step of the way and even take photos & videos of you throughout the excursion, which I really appreciated as a blogger. Overall, highly recommend going snowmobiling if you visit Utah.
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Ice Castle Midway Utah
If you’re looking for a place more magical than Disney World, THIS IS IT! Midway Utah Ice Castles is an award-winning frozen attraction located in five locations across the country. They are built with 25,000 tons of ice that are hand placed by ice artists and made into the most beautiful ice-carved tunnels, LED sculptures, slides, and more!
Midway Ice Castles Utah recently opened this January and will be open for the remainder of the winter. Depending on what day of the week you go, tickets vary from $11-$22 for adults/kids, and I recommend booking online in advance, as it gets busy!
This indeed was the best bucket list experience, and we had such a fantastic time exploring the ice tunnels, going down the slide, and taking a MILLION photos. I could not have asked for a better IG photo spot!
I highly recommend it if you’re visiting Utah and looking for a fun, family-friendly activity. This is definitely something unique to do that you won’t find anywhere else!
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Cafe Galleria Midway Utah
If you’re looking for a unique dining experience that you probably won’t find anywhere else, I would definitely suggest checking out Cafe Galleria in Midway! Although I wasn’t overly impressed with their food (maybe it was just what I ordered), we truly enjoyed eating lunch in a private alpenglobe with a beautiful view of the mountains.
Cafe Galleria was built in the 1800s and is a rustic Italian restaurant located in the charming town of Midway (also known as “Little Switzerland”). They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner and are a popular dining destination due to their acclaimed alpenglobe private dining shelters.
Their menu has everything from sandwiches, to steak, to pasta, and delicious pizza that is prepared in a wood-fired oven. They also have a really good wine selection and the best chocolate molten lava cake!
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Things to do in Park City Utah
Snow tubing in Utah
If you’re looking for fun things to do in Utah with kids, Woodward Park City is by far the best place to go snow tubing in Park City Utah! It was a little expensive for only two hours, but it was such a fun experience that it was worth it.
HOW IT WORKS: When you walk in, you grab a tube at the bottom and take a magic carpet up to the top of the hill. The slides are built into the snow (You won’t fly out..I promise), and there are mats at the bottom to help slow you down. You can also connect to other people when sliding down, which is a lot of fun!
I would recommend booking online in advance to secure your time slot, as it does get very busy. This helps to ensure that too many people aren’t tubing all at once.
In addition to tubing, Woodward Park City offers skiing, has a huge indoor/outdoor action sports facility and has an indoor restaurant & bar. Overall, we had such a great time and would definitely recommend it, especially if you’re bringing the whole family!
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Park City sleigh ride
If you’re looking for one of the best things to do in Park City in winter that’s fun for the whole family, you HAVE to go on a Park City sleigh ride dinner. The Snowed Inn Sleigh Company is an unforgettable Western experience that offers horse-drawn sleigh rides up to their lodge for Western-style dining and live music.
A real cowboy guides the horse-drawn sleigh, and they pick you up on the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort. It’s about a 10 min sleigh ride to and from the lodge, and you are provided with a warm blanket during your journey.
Once you arrive, you are greeted with warm cider and live music until dinner starts. The price includes a three-course menu, and there are a couple of different entree selections to choose from. I got the prime rib, and it was delicious! The lodge also has a full-service bar, but alcohol is not included in the price.
We went in December, right before Christmas, and although the weather in Park City wasn’t the best the night we went, it was truly a unique experience that I’ll never forget. I would highly recommend it, especially if you visit during the holidays!
Things to do in West Valley City Utah
Utah Grizzlies hockey game
If you’re looking for something fun to do one night when you’re visiting Utah, grab some tickets to a Utah Grizzlies hockey game at Maverik Center! We went on a Saturday night and it wasn’t overly packed so I still felt really safe with covid and all. Tickets were also super affordable and we had awesome seats!
Maverik Center is located in West Valley, Utah (about 15 mins from Salt Lake City) and is a huge event center that holds a variety of events, but is mostly importantly home to the Utah Grizzlies. It has tons of different food and drink options, and quite the beer selection from some local breweries.
I’m not a big sports person, but my family and I had a great time and we’ll definitely be going again!
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