Jared and I celebrated a *quite* belated anniversary getaway in Park City over the weekend (our anniversary is in July🙃). Jared booked this getaway in the springtime, I believe getting a better hotel rate because this was the shoulder season in Park City. 10/10, we would absolutely recommend staying in Park City at the tail end of fall. There were still enough leaves for a lovely fall ambience, the weather was perfect, and the crowds were--well, somehow there were still lots of crowds. We did go over Fall Break though, so that's a likely explanation.
This was my first time staying in Park City, and really exploring there at all. I've driven through a few times, seen Olympic Park with my family, even stopped for pizza once with Jared, but this was my first time walking up and down the downtown streets and stopping into shops and art galleries, and finding some of the most delicious food we've ever had in strip malls near our hotel.
The only thing written into our itinerary was Jared and I having our first ever *spa* experience. There is the time in life before you have been to a spa, and it feels like an intimidating and other-wordly place. Then there is the time in life after you have been to a spa, and it still feels like an intimidating and other-worldly place haha. Jared booked us a 50-minute couples massage so that we could gain access to the spa amenities at Westgate Hotel, including a cute jetted hot tub area with a waterfall, plus a dry sauna and steam room and "resting lounge" with fancy snacks and cucumber water. Exactly how you would imagine a spa to be. Jared was inspired to book us this spa experience after we had the best time celebrating our 10-year anniversary at Post Hotel in Leavenworth, WA. It's basically a hotel that doubles as a spa (but not officially), with access to incredible saunas, steam rooms, cooling rooms, cold plunges, infinity pools, and reflexology zones available to all guests included with the price of an (expensive) overnight stay. Post Hotel has probably ruined all other spas for us forever. But! We didn't get a massage there, and we did here in Park City. My massage therapist had a vendetta against the knots in my neck/shoulders. I thought my massage was going to end with a trip to the hospital from my neck snapping or something. But to her credit, I felt SO good afterward, and there wasn't bruising or anything. So . . . worth it? Next time I'm going to have to demand light pressure, because I think I'm a naturally tense person and I'm just always going to have stiff knots in my neck/shoulders and I'm ok with that.
Other Park City things: We found some great food. Most noteworthy was Mack's Finest Gelato in an unassuming strip mall. The owner studied with gelato maestros in Italy, and his flavors were life changing. We went back twice because it was so incredible. I don't feel the need to travel to Italy for gelato anymore now that I've tried this stuff just an hour from where we live. Every flavor we had was incredible--almond, maple pecan, pear cinnamon sorbet, sweet cream, and dulce de lecce.
Our second-best foodie experience was in the same strip mall: a restaurant called "Nosh" with absolutely no ambiance, serving up the best Mediterranean lamb platter I've ever had. Everything was perfectly seasoned. Our third-best foodie experience was also in a strip mall, but the ambiance was excellent there at "Five 5eeds" australian-style cafe. I ordered Moroccan eggs and discovered I don't need Moroccan eggs in my life, but Jared got a chicken focaccia sandwich that was incredible. Next time I want to try their Park City Grain Bowl and green drink.
We spent Saturday afternoon walking up and down main street, stopping into Davanza's for a slice of pizza, our mouths hanging open at Gorsuch, a chalet-style luxury ski shop with the fanciest home good and clothing selections I have ever ever ever seen. I was glad I wore my fancy outfit that afternoon or I wouldn't have even felt comfortable being in there. I knew Park City had a fancy reputation, but wow. This was VERY fancy.
We were also able to watch the BYU-Utah football game in our hotel room, which is a treat for us. Jared and I like watching football, but neither of us have been "football people" in the past, at least not enough to justify paying for a streaming service to watch the games. But we really loved spending an evening with snacks and the game, sitting by our hotel fireplace. We might have to splurge for football season next fall after we've settled into our new home.
