Reel It In
No matter the season, Utah's rivers are ripe for fly-fishing.
Hard-core fishers can dip into the Provo and Weber rivers within hours
of landing in the state. Dedicated outdoorspeople can ski in the morning
and fish for trout in the afternoon. The following two outfits offer
much fun.
Wasatch Guide Service
(877-947-8824) takes the experienced out on the waters and sets up
fly-fishing clinics for the uninitiated, welcoming groups of up to 60
per time slot. Go here to check the fishing reports.
Also running half- and full-day trips on the rivers is Utah Pro Fly Fishing. Check out their blog at bit.ly/wX2gH9.
Don't forget Utah state fishing licenses, which cost $8 for one day and $16 for a seven-day permit.
Park City
At the Canyons Resort, the latest options for fun are the two new zip lines, which are available year-round. For the faint of heart, an 800-foot line runs through the Red Pine area; for the more adventurous, a 2,100-foot line with a 10 percent grade crosses the canyon between Lookout Peak and Red Pine Lodge. For snowshoers, the resort has expanded its programs, which can be combined with a gourmet lunch at Lookout Cabin. The Cabin restaurant at the 358-room Grand Summit hotel has been converted to meeting space; the property offers a total 15,000 square feet of event space.
The 178-suite Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City at Canyons Resort is now fully open. Modern comfort food and shared plates are the hallmarks of the new restaurant, Escala Provisions Company, while its offshoot, the Escala Provisions Market, is a small grocery perfect for stocking condo refrigerators. The property has 7,000 square feet of function space, including a 2,100-square-foot ballroom.
Last August, the 220-room Montage Deer Valley was awarded Silver LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Montage is the first LEED-certified hotel in Utah. The ski resort on Deer Valley's Empire Pass features more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space and 35,000 square feet of outdoor event space.
The Homestead Resort in nearby Midway, Utah, closed this past December for a renovation project. When the hotel reopens in April, all 147 guest rooms will have been redone and the golf course improved. The Homestead and its neighbor, the Zermatt Resort, both entered into agreements in September to be managed by Gemstone Hotels and Resorts. New amenities at the properties will come from Soul Centers in the form of arts, education, health, well-being and recreation programs. The Homestead offers 13,000 square feet of meeting space; the 404-room Zermatt has 28,000 square feet of meeting space.
The restaurant at the 175-room Waldorf Astoria Park City is now called The Slopes by Talisker, featuring an eclectic menu and an extensive wine list. The property offers 4,200 square feet of meeting space.
Meeting Hotels
Lodging in this mountain Eden includes the 450-unit Westgate Park City Resort & Spa, 350-room Canyons Grand Summit Hotel, 227-room Lodges at Deer Valley, 220-room Montage Deer Valley, 199-room Park City Marriott, 185-room Newpark Resort, 181-room St. Regis Deer Valley, 181-room Yarrow Resort Hotel & Conference Center, 180-room Stein Eriksen Lodge, 178-room Hyatt Escala Lodge and 175-room Waldorf Astoria Park City. For a complete listing of area properties, visit mcvenues.com.
Airport Transit
Salt Lake City International Airport, about a 35-minute drive from downtown Park City. Transfer to Park City, $74 roundtrip
Taxes
Room tax, 3%; sales tax, 7.45%; total tax on hotel rooms, 10.45%. At the St. Regis Deer Crest (in Wasatch County), room tax is 11.6%.
Group Venues
While the technical definition of a yurt (Merriam-Websters: "a circular domed tent of skins or felt stretched over a collapsible lattice framework and used by pastoral peoples of inner Asia") makes dining in one sound like a cold evening of rusticity, many resorts have gussied up the concept to offer fun events on the slopes. At Park City Mountain, the Viking Dinner Yurt hosts up to 40 for a six-course meal, complete with piano entertainment. Guests arrive by Sno-Cat-pulled sleigh. (435) 615-9878
Host an elegant reception at one of Park City's sleek art galleries. Moving to new space on Main Street is the Gallery MAR, featuring contemporary artists and hosting receptions for about 100. (435) 649-3001
Outdoor Activities
For those who would rather stroll than slide, Park City offers a plethora of snowshoeing (and hiking) options. Among the outfitters who organize tours are All Seasons Adventures (435-649-9619), Exclusive Excursions (435-640-2907) and Mountain Vista Touring (435-640-2979).
Golf
Golfers love playing in high altitudes, where the ball flies at the first swing. Among the layouts available for tournaments are the Homestead Resort (888-327-7220), Jeremy Golf and Country Club (435-649-2700), Park City Golf Club (435-615-5800), Park Meadows Country Club (435-649-2460) and Victory Ranch Club (435-785-5000).
Contact
Park City Convention & Visitors Bureau, (800) 453-1360
Salt Lake City
Next month, a 23-acre, multibillion-dollar project called the City Creek Center opens downtown. The Silver LEED-certified, mixed-use development covers three blocks and features retail stores and restaurants (as well as residences and offices). One end starts at the Salt Palace Convention Center, where attendees can slip easily into Nordstrom's for a quick shopping spree.
To take advantage of Utah's 300-plus days of sunshine each year, a project installing almost 200,000 square feet of solar panels at the Salt Palace Convention Center finishes up this spring. The 6,006 panels are expected to generate about 17 percent of the annual energy used by the facility.
The Natural History Museum of Utah at the University of Utah reopened last November in a new building overlooking the city. The 163,000-square-foot Rio Tinto Center houses the museum's 1.2 million specimens and objects. More than 41,300 square feet of space features displays from the Great Basin and the Colorado Plateau, as well as nine themed exhibitions. A number of rooms with great views welcome events, including the Canyon, which seats 375 for a dinner and holds 700 for a reception.
Construction on a new 162-room Embassy Suites in West Valley City, just southwest of Salt Lake, starts this year. The hotel will open in 2014.
Meeting Hotels
Salt Lake's center offers the 515-room Marriott Salt Lake City Downtown, 499-room Hilton Salt Lake City Center and 381-room Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown.
Nearby are the 850-room Little America Hotel, 775-room Grand America Hotel, 362-room Sheraton City Centre Hotel Salt Lake City and 359-room Marriott Salt Lake City Center.
Convention Center
Salt Palace Convention Center; exhibit space, 515,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 67; (801) 534-4777
Airport Transit
Salt Lake City International Airport, about six miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $20
Taxes
Room tax, 6.85%; sales tax, 5.75%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12.67%
Group Venues
Reminiscent of the indoor gardens in Europe of bygone days, the Orangerie at the University of Utah's Red Butte Gardens is filled with Mediterranean and exotic plants in full flower. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out on the outdoor plantings and the city in the valley below, and large doors open onto patios offering extra space during the warmer months. The Orangerie hosts up to 150 for dinner or 400 for a reception. (801) 585-9563
Built to inspire innovation in budding Da Vincis, the Leonardo Museum features a variety of interactive exhibits pertaining to science, technology and art. The third-floor auditorium seats 194, and after-hours events are welcomed for up to 2,000. (801) 531-9800
Contact
Visit Salt Lake, (801) 534-4900 or (800) 541-4955