Hotel at a Glance: Shadow Ridge Resort Hotel and Conference Center

Shadow Ridge Resort Hotel and Conference Center is located at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, the alpine village's premier ski resort. But there's plenty to do on the mountain even before the snow falls, including hiking, mountain biking, and taking scenic chairlift rides to look at fall foliage.

• Take a dip in the heated outdoor pool or relax in the indoor hot tub or sauna.
• Perk: A bottle of wine is included with this getaway's second option.
• Thrill rides: Race down the mountain's luge-like track on the alpine slide.
Distance to Main Street: half-mile walk

Park City, Utah: Historical Mining Town Turned Ski Mecca

Park City has humble roots as a mining town nestled in the Wasatch Range east of Salt Lake City—but in the past 30-odd years, the town has blossomed into an international outdoor recreation destination. That’s largely due to Park City Mountain Resort, a venue for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games halfpipe and alpine giant-slalom events. In the warmer months, you can weave through groves of trees on miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails. The Alpine Coaster, open year round, hurtles down the mountain at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

Back in town, Park City's former saloons and boarding houses have given way to more than 100 independent boutiques, 30 art galleries, and 50 restaurants along historical Main Street. For about 10 days each January, Park City glams it up Hollywood style as the host of the Sundance Film Festival. When Sundance isn’t in town, you can catch a play, concert, or comedy show at the circa-1929 Egyptian Theatre. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb in the early ’20s launched a nationwide fascination with ancient Egypt, and hundreds of Egyptian-revival theaters were built across the country. Today, Park City’s carefully preserved theater is one of only six of its kind remaining in the United States.

Located on the main drag, the 12,000-square-foot Park City Museum chronicles the town’s history with artifacts and interactive exhibits. In the eerie museum basement, you can check out the former territorial jail—nicknamed “the dungeon” for its dim lighting, stone walls, and rusted leg irons. In the space between cells, Wanted posters showcase the outlaws, murderers, and thieves who passed through the subterranean slammer.