7 Tips to Ski Like Salt Lake City

They don’t call Salt Lake “Ski City” for nothing — how does 500 inches of snowfall a year sound?

Here are seven insider tips to help you make the  most of your visit.

Don’t waste that first day. Book an early morning, non-stop flight into Salt Lake City (SLC), and you’ll be on the slopes by noon at Alta, Brighton, Snowbird or Solitude via Lyft, Uber or rental car. You can even take public transportation via UTA’s TRAX light rail and Ski Buses. Plus, if you pre-purchased a Ski City Super Pass, good at all four Ski City resorts, your TRAX and Ski Bus transportation is free.

Choose from 19,000 rooms to sleep in. Whether you love chic boutique hotels like Hotel Monaco, familiar brands like Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton, or Airbnb, there’s an accommodation choice for you at a price point you’re comfortable with.

Don’t forget breakfast. There are a whopping 2,000-plus eateries scattered throughout Utah’s capital city. Tuck into pork belly benedict at Pig & a Jelly Jar, chicken and waffles at the Hub & Spoke Diner, tomato and avocado bagel from Toasters or coffee and a croque madame at French Eva’s Bakery Boulangerie. And that’s just for starters.

Did we mention snow sports? Salt Lake City has four world-class mountains to brag about — Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude, each of which has its passionate devotees. Head up early to Alta for fresh tracks in Supreme Bowl or be among the first to dip into Snowbird’s Mineral Basin. At Solitude, get to know Honeycomb Canyon, or be an early bird at Brighton for the Milly Express chair.

Mountains at Snowbird Ski Resort. Photo: Jfunk | Dreamstime.com

Don’t skip après ski. Adults and kids old enough to indulge in locally brewed beer can enjoy one of the most vibrant brewpub scenes in the country, from classics like Squatters and Desert Edge Brewery; revived breweries like Fisher Brewing Company and Epic; or edgier options like Kiitos Brewing and RoHa Brewing Project. Consider buying a Salt Lake Brewery Pass, which offers $5 off at each of the 13 participating breweries and brewpubs.

Get cultured. Try a Broadway-style show at the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater, take a seat at Abravanel Hall to hear the Utah Symphony or watch Ballet West at The Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, home to the Utah Opera. Or buy tickets to a Utah Jazz game at Vivint Smart Home Arena, or check out the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum.

Ready for dinner? Options range from George for Southern fare; Stratford Proper for pizza, pasta and burgers; White Horse Spirits & Kitchen for a modern American brasserie menu; Pallet for small plates and charcuterie; Current Fish & Oyster for seafood; Seasons Plant Based Bistro for vegans; and Avenues Proper for green curry mussels or a bacon-wrapped meatloaf sandwich. Other Ski City classics include Takashi for sushi and Red Iguana for authentic Mexican. Finally, if painting the town red is on the agenda, try Beer Bar/Bar X, Whiskey Street, Lake Effect or The Vault at Bambara.