30 Fun Things to do in Park City With Kids (Summer)
Updated June 30, 2024
Park City is an incredible little town in the mountains of Utah probably most famous for its incredible mountain slopes and skiing in the Winter. However, it is an incredible summer destination as well and there are so many fun things to do in Park City with kids!
Outdoor – Things to do in Park City With Kids
1 | Jordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir is a great place to visit when you are in Park City. This is one of the more popular state parks in Utah given its close proximity to Salt Lake. It is just 40 minutes East of Salt Lake and there is plenty of recreation opportunities including camping, boating, swimming, fishing and hiking.
There is also an Aqua Zone at the top of Jordanelle Reservoir and it is an inflatable water sports park. It is designed to allow up to 65 people to run, jump, swing and swim on it.
2| Guardsman Pass Scenic Drive
There are tons of scenic drives nearby Park City and it is so fun to take a little day trip to the mountains or lakes nearby. Why not stop by a bakery on Main Street and grab yourself a picnic lunch to take with you. This drive is so incredible in the summer because of all of the fields of wildflowers.
It is so awe inspiring and you’ll see tons of evergreens, aspen trees and beautiful mountain views. There are some amazing scenic lookouts around almost every corner making this drive an incredible way to spend your day in Park City.
To find Guardsman Pass from Park City, you will follow Prospect Street through the old part of town and then continue south into the mountains. Prospect will turn into Highway 224- Guardsman Pass Road.
Note: Be careful on this road if it is stormy at all. The road is steep and has washboards in certain areas which can make it scary to drive during a storm.
3| Scenic Ski Lift Ride
A really fun activity is to take a scenic ski lift ride. There is a ski lift right on Historic Main Street you can take or you can ride on one at Deer Valley Resort, Canyons or Park City Mountain. Most Park City resorts operate summer lifts to bring people up the mountain. There is a lot to do once you’re on top including hiking, picnics and mountain biking.
4 | Hiking
Hiking is one of the all-time best summer activities. There are so many different trails in the mountains you can explore and hike including if you ride up scenic ski lift rides. You will find endless opportunities and one of the best parts is that there are summer wildflowers blooming everywhere!
Here are some of the most popular hikes: Armstrong Trail, Bald Mountain, Lofty Lakes Loop, Iron Canyon Trail and Glenwild Loop. Check out this post here for my top 10 favorite hikes in Park City.
Check out this post next for the best Park City hikes
5 | Aqua X Zone
Aqua X Zone is a really fun experience at Jordanelle Reservoir- just 20 minutes outside of Park City. It is an inflatable water sports park. It’s open to swimmers ages 6 years and up. The floating park features slides, rafts, swings and much more and is a perfect summer activity for those really hot days. This is such a fun group activity for family or friends.
Where: 515 State Rd 319, Heber City, UT 84032
6| Canyon Drives
This area of Utah is so breath taking and scenic that heading on a canyon drive is a must. There are many scenic canyons nearby including Emigration Canyon, Big Mountain Pass Highway, Echo Canyon, Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Provo Canyon and Mirror Lake Scenic Byway. This post will let you know more information about these amazing canyon drives.
7 | Adventure Pass
Even though Park City is famous for their winters and tons of snow, there are still tons of adventures in the summer. I recommend getting the Mountain Resort Adventure Pass. You’ll be able to spend all day doing tons of fun stuff on the mountain including rock climbing, biking, hiking, mini golf, the alpine coaster, the alpine slide, scenic gondola rides, gem panning, a zip-line and more! There is seriously so much to do!
Where: 1345 Lowell Ave, Park City, UT 84060
8| Alpine Slide
The Alpine Slide is a must when visiting Park City! It is one of the longest slides in the world- offering over 3,000 feet of luge-like track. There are four different tracks so you can race your friends or family down the track and it is so fun and thrilling.
You sit in a little sled where you can control your own speed so you can go as fast or slow as you are comfortable with. The luge style slides on the mountain are not only thrilling, but also incredibly scenic. If your kids under 16 want to participate- they can sit in your sled with you making this activity fun for the whole family.
Where: 1345 Lowell Ave, Park City, UT 84060
9| Mcpolin Farm
Most people will notice the white iconic barn while driving into Park City, Utah. It is an absolutely beautiful farm and true landmark of Park City. The iconic white barn dating back to 1886 was actually purchased by Park City in 1990 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Mcpolin Farm is a great place to stop and take some pictures and you can actually walk along the nicely paved pathway that cuts across the farm. There is a ½ mile hiking trail that loops off of the paved path which is really fun thing to do in Park City. Dogs are also allowed on this trail too!
Things to do in Park City With Kids
10 | Camping
Camping is super fun in Utah and Park City is no exception. No matter what type of camping you are planning- tent, car, RV or glamping, there are many locations in Park City or nearby that will be truly epic. Rockport and Echo State parks located in Summit County are great options for places to camp as well as Jordanelle State Park and Wasatch Mountain state Park just 20 minutes from Park City. Check out this website for some great camping options in and nearby Park City.
11| Swaner Nature Preserve
The Swaner EcoCenter is a nature preserve and Utah State University Distance Education site located at Snyderville Basin in Park City. Swaner is a 1200-acre wildlife refuge with a 10,000-square foot building that has interactive computerized displays about the surrounding environment.
The center offers weekly nature tours, wildlife viewing opportunities, summer camps and environmental education. There is also a 100-acre farm and 10 miles of trails so there are plenty of things to do and the area is beautiful and a great place to spot wildlife.
Where: Where: 1890 Bonanza Dr #102, Park City, UT 84060
12| Ride the Trolley
The Trolley which cruises up and down Main Street is a true Park City icon. Riding on the trolley can be a fun activity especially if you have kids and the best part? It’s free! The trolley is definitely a unique transportation experience and it’s quite charming! It is also the best way to get up Park City Main Street since the street is so steep!
13| Roast S’mores
Roasting S’mores over a fire in the summer is a huge Utah tradition- Park City is no exception. In fact, many of the hotels you will stay at in Park City will include S’mores as one of their amenities. Many offer S’mores packs and fire pits all around the hotel to roast them.
Cooking the perfect s’more is truly an art and the act of roasting them is a fun time for all with everyone laughing and telling stories around an open fire. Waldorf Astoria, Montage Deer Valley and St. Regis Deer Valley are just a few of the hotels that have S’mores on offer. This is an activity you won’t soon forget.
Note: Try making a S’more with a Reese Peanut Butter cup instead of Hershey’s Chocolate, you’ll thank me later.
Park City Events/Happenings
14| Park Silly Market
The Park Silly Market is one of Park City’s biggest summer traditions. From June-July and then in September on Sunday mornings from 10 am- 5 PM, Park City’s main street fills up with tons of stands (like a mini farmer’s market) including people selling handicrafts and unique items to food and beer stands. There is always live music and lots of kid-friendly activities and this event is dog friendly as well.
If you are staying near Main Street- you can just walk right on out to the market. If you are staying somewhere else in Park City, the best option is to park at Park City High School (which is free) and then take the city bus (also free) to Main Street. You can try to park on Main Street in the China Bridge parking structure, but parking fills up very fast and is limited.
Main Street is pedestrians only on Sundays so this is a fun time to come for a visit.
15| Savor the Summit
Savor the Summit is Utah’s largest outdoor dinner party and it is seriously so fun. The annual Savor the Summit is popular among locals and visitors alike. A huge “Grande Table” is set down the center of Historic Main Street. Park City’s distinguished restaurants will serve more than 2500 people at this event.
The event sells out each year so make sure to make a reservation with your chosen restaurant. Many different Park City restaurants participate and have their own unique menu with pricing and their own beer or wine offerings.
16| Park City 4th of July Parade
Celebrating the 4th of July in Park City is so much fun. The festivities really begin on July 3rd with free live music, tons of family activities and a firework show at Canyons Village. Then there are tons of festivities on the 4th of July including the famous old-fashioned 4th of July Parade at 11:00 AM.
The parade begins at the top of Main Street and has over 70 festive and fun floats. If you are staying on Main Street, you might be able to see the parade from your hotel room! There are tons of fun events in the park all day after the parade. And then to wrap things up at night, there is beer garden for adults and BBQ’s for families. Then to finish the night- a huge firework show!
17| Deer Valley Free Concerts
Every Wednesday there are free concerts that take place at Deer Valley which are absolutely phenomenal. They take place from June to September and include a plethora of musical performances from the Utah Symphony to country, Beethoven to Indie artists. Make sure to bring your blanket or lawn chairs and your favorite picnic snacks. This will be sure to become a Summer tradition.
Where: 2250 Deer Valley Dr S #501, Park City, UT 84060
18| Summer Gallery Stroll
During the Summer, Park City Art Galleries put on a fun event the last Friday of every month where over 20 galleries in Park City participate. The Summer Gallery Stroll is an event where people are able to come on the last Friday of the month from 6-9 PM and stroll through over 20 galleries for free while also enjoying light refreshments! This is such a fun activity and most of the galleries are within walking distance of one another.
19| Thursday Nights at Newpark Ampitheatre
A must do in Park City on Thursday nights is to head to the Newpark Amphitheatre. There is a free summer concert series and they have a full schedule of bluegrass, rock and Americana planned for the evenings. The performances/happenings take place at a really cute and quaint outdoor Amphitheater in the Redstone area of Kimball Junction.
Where: 1388 Center Dr, Park City, UT 84098
Sports in Park City
20|Golfing
There are over 15 amazing golf courses in Park City. Your hardest decision will be which golf course you should choose. There are many public and private courses to choose from and even golf courses designed by William Neff or a championship course by Rees Jones or choose the local Park City Golf Club.
Want to know a secret? Golfing is extra fun here because the Park City mountain location actually adds distance to your shot! Don’t believe me? Come and give it a try. It’s also the perfect place to golf in the summer because the temperatures are much milder than many other golf destinations.
21|Fly Fishing
Park City has some really great rivers for fly fishing. Just a little bit away from downtown Park City are two of the fishiest rivers (Provo and Heber River) in the Rockies. Both of these rivers are Blue Ribbon fisheries- quality fly fishing locations where the state ensures the water is plentiful, the shores are accessible and the fish keep jumping.
If you would rather go still water fly fishing then the nearby reservoirs- Strawberry, Echo, Rockport and Jordanelle are stocked with plenty of fish. Some people have even caught 25+ inch fish from these lakes. You might even go home with your own big fish story! For the best information about fly fishing in Park City, head to this website.
22|Horse Back Riding
Horseback riding is another incredible option while visiting Park City. There are many places to go horseback riding here and the views are absolutely beautiful. Horseback riding is one of the best ways to enjoy the beautiful mountain vistas. Park City guides have kind and emotional horses who are very responsive and love to go out on the mountain trails and have made the journey many times.
Some of the local horseback riding tours include Red Pine Adventures, Destination Sports and Adventure and Bolder Mountain Ranch in Park City. Sunset rides are incredible because it is the perfect time to spot wildlife! If you are looking for more of an upscale adventure and private tour- check out Adventures at Stillman Ranch and Blue-Sky Utah- each have thousand-acre plots for you to enjoy an afternoon ride. If you go to Blue Sky, you can enjoy an incredible three-course meal after your adventure.
This photo is from when I went horseback riding in the Winter, but it’s also very popular in the Summer.
23| Mountain Biking
Mountain Biking is a very popular summer activity in Park City. Park City is actually the first ever international mountain biking association’s gold level ride center offering over 400 miles of trails. There are trails for all skill levels including challenging downhill trails and fun family-friendly rides.
If you didn’t bring your own bike, you can rent bikes from Jans, Cole Sport or White Pine. One of the best places to go for mountain biking in Park City is the Rail Trail. If you are looking for a challenge- head to Round Valley. And lastly, if you are a thrill seeker, you can ride the ski lift up the mountain in Deer Valley and find amazing thrilling biking trails there.
24| Utah Olympic Park
The Utah Olympic Park is a Winter Sports park that was built for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics. The venue is over 400 acres and houses one of only four sliding tracks in North America, six Nordic ski jumps, a museum all about the Olympic Winter games and tons of adventurous activities.
Admission to this park is free which is a huge added bonus. There is a balcony outside you can come and sit on while watching national ski teams from around the world practice on the Nordic and aerial jumps in the summer. The national athletes actually do spins and flips into a swimming pool and it is super cool to witness.
Where: 3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City, Utah 84098
25| SUP at Deer Valley
There are many beautiful lakes around Park City, but many people don’t know that there is actually a small series of ponds that are incredible for stand-up paddle boarding. Also known as Pebble Beach at Deer Valley- it is the such a great place for SUP because there are no speed boat wakes to mess up your perfect form.
You’ll be surrounded by gorgeous views of mountains and can seriously spend so much time here. You can bring your own board or if you don’t have one, you can stop at Park City SUP to rent. They also offer classes, guided tours and demos if you are just starting out.
Where: 1375 Deer Valley Dr, Park City, UT 84060
Adventurous Things to do in Park City
26| Hot Air Balloon Ride
Why not try something really unique and head on a hot air balloon ride! If you happen to be visiting in September, there is always a big Hot Air Balloon Festival called Autumn Aloft that you\’ll want to check out.
Where: 2530 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060
27| River Rafting
There are some amazing river rafting opportunities near Park City. There are refreshing white waters in the Weber River and Provo River. You can board a raft with friends or family and take an incredibly thrilling ride down the river.
If you aren’t wanting to go alone, there are many guided river rafting options including: Park City Rafting, Utah Outdoor Adventure, All Seasons Adventures and Destination Sports and Adventure. You can join a rafting tour that is anywhere from two hours to a full day.
28| River Tubing
Another adventurous and fun activity in Park City during the Summer is river tubing. River tubing is really popular on the Weber and Provo Rivers. Barefoot Tubing is Weber River\’s premiere river tubing rental and shuttle company.
You can rent high quality tubes and life jackets and their company will even shuttle you to the river. The rapids on these rivers is a class II mild whitewater river. This is seriously such a fun thing to do in Park City with a group of friends or family. The rivers stay in the 60s and 70s all summer long- making this a perfect activity for a hot day.
Where: 1400 Round Valley Way, Morgan, Utah 84050 Who: Bare Foot Tubing
29| Zip-line
There is a really fun Zip-line in Park City called the Flying Eagle located at Park City mountain. It is a seated zip-line that is a total blast. You can actually fit two people on the ride and it starts and ends at the same location- so you can keep riding it over and over.
30| Rent Electric Bikes
Park City launched their electric bikes in 2017 and they have been really popular ever since.
They were the first electric bike shares in the United States! These bikes are so fun to rent and ride all over Park City during the summer. It might take just a minute to get the hang of electric bikes, but once you do- it is so fun and thrilling!
Where: 1890 Bonanza Dr #102, Park City, UT 84060 Who: Pedego Bikes
As you can see, You can still easily find many things to do in Park City with kids. Park City is an incredible Summer destination. It’s truly an outdoor lover’s paradise. It’s still a great place to visit, even without the winter snow!
Where to stay in Park City
I recommend staying at Park City’s Summit Watch. I have stayed there many times with my family and we have always enjoyed our stay. It is in the perfect location right on Main Street with tons of shopping and dining just a quick walk away. They are condo style so they provide their own kitchens as well which is really nice so you can cook some nights or make yourself a yummy breakfast in bed.
Check out this post next for the best pet friendly places to stay in Park City
So there you have it! Some of the best things to do in Park City with kids!
Planning a visit? What things in Park city with kids do you plan on doing?