10 Things to do in Park City, Utah

Note: This post is sponsored by Kia. Thank you for letting my crazy crew of 6 borrow a Kia Sorento for our week long adventure in Park City, Utah.

We spent a week 7,000 feet above sea level in Park City, Utah with our family of 4 and both of our mom’s. Escaping the heat of Texas to adventure in the mountains was delightful. We spent as much time enjoying the outdoors as possible. It was my first trip the mountains in the summer and we will absolutely be back!

Free things to do in Park City, Utah

Park City, Utah is all about the outdoors! This list of 10 fun, free things to do in Park City, Utah in the summer includes lots of free things to do along with a few don’t miss mountain activities and shows that do require an admission fee. Not to worry, I will share how to get the best bang for your buck and have the most fun with your fam!

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1. Ride the trolley on Main Street

The Main Street trolley is totally free and super easy to hop on and off. Just wave like a maniac on the side of Main Street, and the jolly trolley driver will open the doors and welcome you aboard! 

2. Park Silly Sunday Market

This Sunday market has everything from face painting to a bounce house to a bloody Mary bar! It’s a street festival meets chic craft fair and it happens every single summer Sunday! (The Silly Market runs through Sept. 23 for the 2018 season.)  There were gorgeous handmade woven baskets, kid toys, oil paintings, National Park prints, homemade popsicles, fresh popped caramel corn, and so much more.

Parking on Main Street is tricky, the easiest and most convenient option for drive-in visitors is to park at Park City High School for free and take the free City Bus to Main Street. We found a parking spot at the City Park & Library and walked about a half mile up a paved trail to Main Street. It was a great walk next to a babbling stream, musical playground, and colorful, triangle mural under a bridge.

3. Swaner Preserve and Eco Center

The Swaner preserve protects 1,200 acres of land, including a historic farm. It also has 10 miles of hiking trails open to the public. There’s even a 4 story look out tower to hike up and spy animals. The interactive exhibits are fun for kids and adults and always changing. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person and the preserve is closed on Monday and Tuesdays.

Insider’s tip: Grab a pizza to go at Maxwells for lunch or dinner! It’s delicious!

4. Mountain Town Music

With multiple venues, there is almost always a free show to catch in Park City, Utah. Find the full schedule here.

Park City Mountain Adventure Park

Park City Mountain Adventure Park has so much to offer families in the summer months. From mini golf to zip lines, scenic lift rides, and our favorite, the alpine slides! For the best bang for your buck, purchase the all day adventure pass and ride all the rides as many times as you want. The cost of the adventure pass is determined by height. If you are 54′ or taller the pass is $72, if you’re under 53″ the pass is $45. You can also purchase individual tickets to specific rides.

5. Alpine slide and coaster

Like I said above, our very favorite ride was the alpine slides. The slides start with a chair lift ride up the mountain and then there is a short hike down a paved path through gorgeous aspen trees to the top of the slides. You have to be at least 38′ to be a passenger on the slide. My 2 year old daughter, Mila, was exactly 38″ and squealed with delight the whole way down!

6. Kids Rope Course

I loved that if there was a line for a ride, it was no big deal for one adult to jump out of the line and take the kids to do something fun. The kids rope course or zip line never had a line and Maxwell was a huge fan.

Kid Friendly things to do at Olympic Park

Olympic Park has lots of fun options for summer activities. It is fair to note that the activities in Olympic Park are geared towards adults, but the freestyle show and museum were a big hit with my crew. My mom and I did zip lines and extreme tubing, while Andy and his mom took the kids to the freestyle show and museum.

7. Alf Engen Ski Museum

This free museum is dedicated to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and located inside the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center. I loved the exhibit showcasing 30 years of ski fashion and Maxwell loved the Downhill and Slalom ski game! While the museum admission is free, tif you choose to ride the the mountain sport simulator it costs $5 per person.

8. Flying Ace All Stars Freestyle Show

Maxwell was mesmerized by the flipping and twisting he witnessed at the freestyle show. He sat super still, completely immersed in the show, exactly as you see in the picture below. The show happens every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer at 1pm. Adult tickets are $12, kids 3-12 are $7, and kids under 3 are free!

Best parks in Park City, UT

After naps most days, we would take the kids to a city park to play in the gorgeous weather. The 2 parks listed below quickly became our favorites, and they happen to only be s short drive from one another. You can absolutely hit up both parks in one afternoon.

9. Matt Knoop Memorial Park

The shaded play ground has 3 main sections: a large climbing structure, a smaller playground, and a large sand pit area complete with 2 diggers. There is also a family sized see saw that was a huge hit with our crew.  Another family favorite was the pump track just a few minute walk down a trail. There are picnic tables, bathrooms, and gorgeous views!

Insiders Tip: There is a great grassy field with a gorgeous mountain backdrop for a some quick family pictures!

We spent a lot of time on this wild see saw!

10. Willow Creek Park

Willow Creek Preserve includes 17.5 acres of fun! My kids loved this playground that resembles a barn. There is also tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and soccer fields. The Willow Creek Preserve also includes a 2.4 acre off leash dog park with a pond just for the pups! In the winter, the pond is used for ice skating.

11. McPolin Farm

I have to add this to the list of free things to do in Park City because LOOK AT THAT BARN! It’s gorgeous. Type in 3000 Highway 224 Park City, Utah 84060, but I promise you will notice it. The farm was bought by the Citizens of Park City in 1990 and there are seasonal events held at the barn. I recommend just pulling over and snapping a few pics!

Have you ever visited Park City in the summer? We will be back so leave all the recommendations in the comments!