Utah

OpenRoom put together a mini guide of things you might want to know before your trip to Utah! Nevertheless, don't forget to scroll down to the comments to see tips & tricks from travelers who've been there!

PARK CITY

📍 Where to find activities

→ Historic Main Street — The center of Park City. A walkable street with shops, restaurants, art galleries, and bars in historic buildings from the town's mining era.

→ Park City Mountain Resort — A large ski resort accessible directly from town. Skiing and snowboarding in winter. In summer: hiking, mountain biking, and scenic chairlift rides.

→ Deer Valley Resort — A ski resort adjacent to Park City, known for its upscale experience and groomed terrain.

→ Utah Olympic Park—Built for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Activities include bobsled rides, ziplines, ropes courses, and a museum. Open year-round.

→ Hiking and mountain biking — Park City has an extensive trail network. In summer, the mountains around town are used for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running.

→ Sundance Film Festival — An independent film festival held in Park City for decades. The 2026 edition was the final one in Park City before the festival relocated to Boulder, Colorado.

→ Park City is about 30–45 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport.

📍 Where to eat

→ Historic Main Street — Restaurants ranging from casual to upscale. Après-ski dining in winter.

→ The resort villages (Park City Mountain, Deer Valley) — On-mountain and base-area dining.

📍 Where to go out

→ Historic Main Street — Bars, lounges, and après-ski spots. The nightlife is active during ski season and festival periods, quieter in the off-season.

📍 Where to find culture

→ Park City Museum — The history of the town from mining through the Olympics.

→ Egyptian Theatre—A historic theater on Main Street with live performances and film screenings.

→ Art galleries along Main Street.

→ Park City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and is set to host events for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ Salt Lake City, Deer Valley, Jordanelle State Park

MOAB

📍 Where to find activities

→ Arches National Park — A national park with over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Delicate Arch (the arch on Utah's license plate) is the most iconic. Other formations include Landscape Arch, the Windows, Double Arch, and Balanced Rock. The park has scenic drives and hiking trails through red rock desert.

→ Canyonlands National Park — A vast park of canyons, mesas, and buttes carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers. The Island in the Sky district has overlooks (Grand View Point, Mesa Arch, and Green River Overlook) accessible by car. The Needles and Maze districts are more remote.

→ Dead Horse Point State Park — A dramatic overlook high above the Colorado River. Sunset views and stargazing.

→ Colorado River — Whitewater rafting, kayaking, and calm-water float trips through red rock canyons. Outfitters in Moab offer half-day to multi-day trips.

→ Mountain biking — Moab is a destination for mountain biking. The Slickrock Bike Trail and trails around the area draw riders from around the world.

→ Off-road / 4x4 — Jeep and off-road tours through desert terrain.

→ Stargazing — The area has minimal light pollution and dark skies.

→ Main Street Moab — A small-town main street with restaurants, gear shops, outfitters, and cafés.

📍 Where to eat

→ Main Street Moab — Restaurants, breweries, food trucks, and cafés. Casual dining geared toward outdoor adventurers.

📍 Where to go out

→ Moab has minimal nightlife. A few bars and breweries on Main Street. This is an adventure and outdoor destination.

📍 Where to find culture

→ Moab Giants — A dinosaur museum and park.

→ Petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks — Sites around Moab with ancient rock art and fossilized footprints.

→ The geology and desert landscapes of the national parks.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, Monument Valley, Capitol Reef National Park

📍 Climate by season

Utah has a dry, high-altitude climate with significant variation between the mountain towns and the desert.

Park City (~2,100m altitude):

Winter (November–April) — Highs of -3 to 5°C (27–41°F). Lows -12 to -5°C (10–23°F). Heavy snowfall. Ski season.

Summer (June–September) — Highs 24–30°C (75–86°F). Cool nights. Hiking and biking season.

Moab (~1,200m altitude):

Spring (March–May) and Fall (September–November)—Highs 18–28°C (64–82°F). The best times to visit for outdoor activities.

Summer (June–August) — Highs 35–40°C (95–104°F). Extremely hot.

Winter (December–February) — Highs 5–10°C (41–50°F). Lows below freezing. Fewer visitors.

📍 Areas that may not be safe

None found. Nevertheless, make sure to double-check prior to visiting a place that it is safe!

(Picture credit: Louis Pescevic)