We started 2026 with the most magical, winter wonderland trip to Park City, Utah with our kids.

We planned this trip because my daughter had never seen snow, and when she missed the tiny dusting we got here in San Antonio last year, we decided to book an affordable snow trip we would all enjoy.

In this guide, you’ll find fun things to do with kids, best places to eat, and the best hotel to stay in during your visit to Park City, Utah. I’ll also share how we saved thousands by booking our hotel, flights, and rental car with points!

>>> Download my free Points and Miles guide so you can start saving thousands on your travels! And as always, feel free to message me over on Instagram for one-on-one help!

Flights to Park City, Utah

We flew Southwest nonstop from Austin to Salt Lake City and paid 27,000 points + $11.20 per person round trip. Unfortunately, our Companion Passes had just expired at the end of 2025, otherwise each kid would have flown for just the price of taxes ($11.20).

Out-of-pocket cost: $44.80

>>> For more information on how to earn Companion Pass, download my free guide that breaks it all down for you!

Do You Need a Rental Car for Park City?

Yes, absolutely get a car for your Park City trip. Since you’ll likely fly into Salt Lake City (SLC), you’ll need one to drive the 40 minutes or so to your hotel.

We booked a rental car through Avis for 5 days for only $262 and used our Capital One Venture X rewards to “erase” that purchase (26,200 miles).

Check out this post to learn how to erase travel purchases with Capital One Venture X miles.

Out-of-pocket cost: $0

The Best Hotel in Park City with Kids

We stayed in two hotels on this trip. Three nights in Park City and one night in Salt Lake City before our departure flight.

For Park City, we booked the Hyatt Place Park City, and I cannot recommend it enough! It was in the perfect location – only a few minutes’ drive to all the best spots. It was renovated recently and is probably the nicest Hyatt Place I’ve been to.

The rooms are so spacious and breakfast is included for elite members, which is always a plus when traveling as a family! (The easiest way to become an Hyatt elite member is by opening up a Hyatt credit card!)

Since we booked on points, the destination fee was waived, which saved us another $30 per night. Included in this fee are:

• family movie and popcorn on Saturdays
• live music on Fridays
• shuttle to Canyons Village nearby
• access to fire pit and complimentary smores
• two bottles of water daily
• coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cider all day
• discounts on ski rentals
• and more!

We used 3 Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Awards to book 3 nights at the Hyatt Place Park City. Each night was valued at 18,000 points per night, which means opening one card can get you at least 4 nights here!

For our last night in Utah, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City. This hotel was in the middle of downtown and only a few minutes from the airport. We used our Globalist status for free breakfast in the club. However, if you don’t have club access and would like to take advantage of free breakfast, I would recommend Hyatt Place Salt Lake City Downtown/The Gateway or Hyatt House Salt Lake City Downtown, which can both be booked for less than $200 a night (or 8,000 points).

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $0

When is the Best Time to go to Park City, Utah?

We originally booked our Park City trip for early December, but after realizing there may not be enough snow, we rebooked for the middle of January. The temperature was so great that we often had to take off our jackets outdoors.

Fortunately, there was a good amount of snow when we arrived, but we considered rescheduling because it wasn’t looking like we were going to get any. Thankfully, there was a good snowstorm a few days before our trip!

When we go back, I think we’ll try for at least end of January, but will probably end up booking for February, just to make sure we get snow, since that’s the whole reason for our trip.

Things to Do in Park City, Utah with Kids

I’m not kidding when I say this trip can be done super affordably. As you can see above, our hotel, flights, and rental car cost us a whopping $44.80 for our family of four. We wanted to enjoy as much “winter wonderland” as possible, but the kids did not want to try skiing. And I think that’s the biggest reason we were able to do this entire trip for less than $1,000, all in.

Here are some of the things we loved, as well as how much we paid out of pocket.

Snow Play

When I tell you the Hyatt Place Park City was the perfect hotel, I absolutely mean it. They had several areas that were PERFECT for snow play. We spent hours building snowmen, throwing snowballs, and making snow angels. It was so nice to be able to walk right outside and enjoy the snow – especially for my Texas kids!

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $0

Sledding

The Hyatt Place Park City also has several sleds that you can use for free! Just stop by the front desk to pick them up.

Head to the Park City Public Library, which is only about 10 minutes away, for the best free sledding during your visit.

Sledding was our family’s favorite activity! Be prepared to spend hours here once you arrive.

The field was not busy at all, except for one other family and several people who came by with their dogs. I loved that there was a small hill to get the kids comfortable, but they quickly moved on to the bigger hill for the rest of our time there.

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $0

Ice Skating

Should you go ice skating when visiting Park City?

Absolutely, yes!

You can find the Resort Center Ice Skating Rink at the base of Park City Mountain Resort.

Tickets are $25 per person and include skate rental, which I thought was really affordable. Although we walked right up and purchased tickets at the rink, I recommend reserving online if possible, because they only allow 10 tickets per entry time.

Since my kids and husband are beginner ice skaters, I really appreciated that there were skate helpers available, which definitely makes the experience more enjoyable for beginners.

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $100

Tubing

One of the employees at our hotel hyped us up for tubing and the kids were so excited to try.

The most popular tubing in the area is at Woodward Park City, but there is also Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah – about 40 minutes away.

Full transparency, our tubing experience at Soldier Hollow was a disaster and we will be trying Woodward next time we visit.

Although I cannot recommend tubing at Soldier Hollow, I do think it could have been a fun experience if we were properly prepared.

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $108

Utah Olympic Park Alf Engen Ski Museum

The Ski Museum at Utah Olympic Park was a treat! It’s actually free to enter, but the kids and I tried a virtual ride which was $15 per person. The ride consists of sitting on a moving chairlift in front of a big screen to experience what it’s like to ski, mountain bike, bobsled, and ski speed fly. The entire experience lasts only a few minutes, but I think it’s great for some gentle “thrills”.

Although there were some interactive activities, expect to get through the museum quickly if you have young kids. We only had enough time to check out the ski museum, but if you have more time you can do a guided tour or even try bobsledding!

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $45

Historic Main Street

Wandering Main Street is a must-do when you visit Park City. This charming little street is full shops and restaurants, making it the perfect place to grab some souvenirs.

We parked in a parking garage nearby – $1 per hour up to 4 hours.

Here are some stops you can’t miss:

Dolly’s Book Store is a perfect spot to grab some sweet treats and a souvenir book for your kids to remember your trip!

Rocky Mountain Chocolate is located right out front of the bookstore, so don’t forget to grab a treat on your way out.

Rocky Mountain Shirt Co. has affordable t-shirts and sweaters for only $12.99!

Outfitter Trading Co. has the cutest mugs and magnets.

Java Cow has sweets and fun hot chocolate flavors that make the walk down the street so worth it.

However, there is a free trolley that strolls down Main Street if you choose not to walk the length. 🙂

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $149.46

Natural History Museum of Utah

Our family LOVES natural history museums, so when we saw that there was one in Salt Lake City, we had to add it to our itinerary.

The museum is open 10 am – 5 pm every day, except for Wednesdays when they close at 9 pm.

Adult tickets are $24.95 and kids’ are $20.95.

However, by using the ASTC Passport Program, you can get in FREE! If you are already a member of a science center or museum that participates in the ASTC Passport Program, you can get free general admission at many other museums outside your local area – which is what we did! Check for participating museums here.

This museum is 4 floors of interactive exhibits and fun – including Past Worlds (dinosaurs, anyone?), Native Voices, Life, Land, and First Peoples.

As homeschoolers, we find that natural history museums are always a great addition to our trips!

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $0

Where to Eat in Park City, Utah

To save on food, our family always gets groceries on our way into town. We were able to buy enough to cover 3 lunches in our hotel room for less than $100. This is one of our favorite ways to save money when we travel, because food adds up fast.

However, here are some restaurants you can try during your visit:

Baja Cantina

Located at Park City Mountain Resort, this Mexican restaurant would be a great after skiing or ice skating.

From a native Texan, their Mexican food was pretty good and I highly recommend having a dirty soda while you’re there, specifically “The OG” with extra coconut. Such a treat!

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $102

The Bridge Cafe and Grill

The Bridge Cafe and Grill is a safe choice for picky kids, as they serve American food with a Brazilian flair. While they have burgers, pancakes, and chicken fingers for the littles, adults can enjoy Brazilian-inspired breakfasts like the Brazuca omelet, or lunches like a Carioca sandwich.

The Bridge Cafe and Grill is located on Main Street near the town lift, which makes it a perfect place to take a break from your shopping.

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $94.54

Cafe Galleria

In Midway, Utah, you can find Cafe Galleria. This restaurant was a treat because our family was able to dine in an alpenglobe, which made the kids feel like they were in a real snowglobe. The globes are heated and quite comfortable.

We ordered pizza and pasta but they have a good selection of food on the menu.

You do have to book the alpenglobe before visiting, and there is a fee of $35 if visiting during the week, or $50 on the weekend. This fee does not include food.

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $93.64

And because we wanted to do this trip as affordably as possible, we stopped at Walmart on the way into Park City and bought chips, cookies, a case of water, sandwich stuff, and more! This covered multiple meals for us during our stay.

Out-of-Pocket Cost: $92

Is Park City, Utah an Affordable Family Trip?

I was so surprised by how affordable our Utah trip was!

With hotels, flights, and rental car being free, we were able to spend less than $1,000 on food and activities.

Add Park City, Utah to your travel destination list if you want a memorable and affordable family vacation!