A Fall Weekend in the Mountains // A Salt Lake & Park City Travel Guide

My travel bucket list has always included a "fall foliage" destination. Growing up in the south, the foliage typically changes from green to brown in a day (not really something to write home about). I always thought I'd plan a trip up to the northeast (which is still on the table!) but after a family trip to Utah, I can safely cross "experience peak fall foliage" off of my list. October is a gorgeous time of year in Utah (PEEP THIS JAW-DROPPING VIDEO). It's shoulder season, so many of the locals are soaking up the last of mountain biking season before the first big snow. When we visited in mid-October, the weather was sunny and 72 degrees during the day and mid-30s at night ... and the trees were a beautiful mix of yellow, orange, red and green. Perfect fall weather!

My family and I made the trip to Salt Lake City, Park City and Heber Valley for a family wedding. My aunt and uncle moved out to SLC a while ago and raised my two cousins in the area, which is where my cousin Caroline met her now husband. Because Utah is a special place for them, they decided to host a wedding in the mountains (peep their venue, HERE)! And wow oh wow was the scenery stunning.

This was my first time exploring Utah, so I did quite a bit of research prior to traveling! I always like to make the most of my time - a good balance of exploring, relaxing, eating and family time. I wanted to share my finds in a mini travel guide!

Although we didn't get to hit all of these spots, I'm going to keep them on my list!

A few things to note ...

1. Utah has strict alcohol laws, so be aware. You technically can't stand up from a table with your drink in your hand. It has to remain on the table. AND - you can't have two drinks at once (like if you had 3 sips left of one cocktail and decided to order another). I found these rules were more strictly held to in SLC vs the ski towns.

2. Most spots stop selling alcohol at 10pm. However, if you find a spot that will continue to serve cocktails, you'll have to purchase with food.

3. When we visited in October of 2022, the Church of LDS was working on a complete renovation of the Temple. And every single bit of that building is covered. Just a quick heads up if you're headed that way soon! They're projected to reopen in 2025.

THURSDAY

We hopped off of the plane and headed to Hall Pass, which was minutes from the airport. It's like a boujee food court (bao, tacos, etc) with a brewery. We hung out for a while before heading downtown. Another lunch option I considered was Laziz Kitchen (downtown location).

Drive around Temple Square, which is the HQ of the LDS community.

Since we were unable to see the Temple, we decided to pop over to the Utah State Capitol (3 blocks away) and wander around Memory Grove Park + City Creek Canyon (which is adjacent to the State Capitol).

If we had more time, we would have grabbed a local brew from Beer Bar!

DINNER OPTIONS IN SLC -

Finca (Spanish food)

Feldman's Deli (sandwiches - on the way out of town in the direction of Park City - closes at 8pm)

The Copper Onion

Oquirrh

The family and I decided to head on towards Park City for dinner, and booked a table at Silver Star Cafe (which was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives). It's a quaint little spot with a killer view - definitely be sure to make a reservation. I had the Mahi Mahi and it was incredible. They do two menus each night, one menu is pre-set and the other is al la carte (traditional). We'd all highly recommend.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY (Park City + Heber)

What's a tip to Utah without an adventure! I noted a couple of fun outdoor activities for the family to do ...

1. Horseback riding was one of the first activities I thought about when researching ... Red Pine Tours offers a 1.5 hour tour and is ~$150 per person. Pricey but COOL.

2. Bloods Lake & Lackawaxen Trail. A popular trail from Park City ~2.8 miles in and back. Would be a great Friday or Saturday morning activity.

3. Silver Lake also looks like a pretty hike! A tad more involved with a 4.7 mile distance.

My mom and I ended up hiking the Bloods Lake Trail, which was incredibly gorgeous (check out my TikTok on the hike, HERE). It's located close to Park City and only ~30 minutes (up a MOUNTAIN) from Heber City, which was where we were staying. NOTE: This is a popular hike, so be sure to arrive early to get a parking spot! ... maybe pack a little bit of toilet paper in case the state park bathrooms are out. We started our hike ~9:50am and ended right around 11:20ish! We stopped to take a lot of pictures, so build in some time for admiring the scenery!

Heber City foodie options ...

The Mercantile (pub-esque)

The Lakehouse at Deer Creek (nicer menu + dinner views)

Back40 (more casual atmosphere)

Heber Brewing Co. (local brews with light bites)

Park City foodie options ...

The Eating Establishment (brunch)

High West Saloon (a MUST)! We loved this western-inspired saloon. They make their own spirits and have the best cocktails!! The food is 10/10.

Firewood (pizza)

Grappa (upscale Italian)

SUNDAY

Sleep in and have coffee by the fireplace in your hotel or Airbnb! One of the perks of traveling to the mountains from living down south is the ability to sit fireside.

The Salt Lake City airport is ~1 hour away from Heber/Park City. I'd recommend padding your drive time just a little bit, as the mountain roads are your only way into the city and can get crowded (or are susceptible to natural events).

We loved our trip out west! Utah is stunning in the fall and definitely a destination worth remembering.