Sundance, Elevated: A Rare Aura Mini-Guide to Park City + Salt Lake City
Sundance week is often described like a sprint: premieres, panels, parties, and lines. But Rare Aura’s approach is different: we treat Park City and Salt Lake City as a winter destination first, and a film festival second. And if Utah still has a “buttoned-up” reputation in your mind, consider this your recalibration: the cocktail culture is serious, the dining scene is quietly excellent, and the experiences, mountain, art, wellness, and adrenaline, are anything but predictable.
Stay
Park City / Deer Valley
The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Collection — A true Rare Aura favorite and one of the most extraordinary stays in the region. Set on a private 3,500-acre ranch just outside Park City, Blue Sky blends wild Utah landscape with refined Auberge design. Expect fireplaces in every room, immersive outdoor experiences, an on-site whiskey distillery, and a sense of seclusion that feels worlds away from the festival crowds.
The St. Regis Deer Valley — Glamour on the mountain with legendary St. Regis Butler Service, the kind of place that makes the entire weekend feel handled.
Waldorf Astoria Park City — Slope-side access at Canyons Village, plus ski-butler ease for a seamless “wake up, gondola, glide” kind of day.
Salt Lake City
The Grand America Hotel — Salt Lake’s grande dame: classic European-style luxury and a Forbes Five-Star spa for post-premiere recovery.
Asher Adams, Autograph Collection — A newer, design-forward stay inspired by SLC’s historic depot, perfect if you want something architectural and downtown-centric.
Drink
Park City
High West Saloon — Park City’s premier whiskey stop: historic, atmospheric, and exactly the kind of place Sundance stories get better.
Alpine Distilling Social Aid & Pleasure Club — Craft cocktails with a more “clubby” sensibility: refined, curated, and ideal for a late-night toast.
No Name Saloon — Heated rooftop patio energy on Main Street, loud in the best way, and extremely Sundance-coded.
Salt Lake City
Water Witch — A James Beard Award finalist cocktail bar that’s helping rewrite what people assume about Utah nightlife.
Lake Effect — Dinner + craft cocktails + live music.
Dine
Park City
Riverhorse on Main — A Park City institution with serious credentials (including Forbes Travel Guide recognition) and a Main Street dining-room glow that always feels like an occasion.
Firewood on Main — Everything cooked over wood fire; the menu shifts nightly; it’s all flavor, warmth, and mountain modernity.
Glitretind (Stein Eriksen Lodge) — Dining framed by Deer Valley views, ideal when you want classic luxury Sunday brunch.
Salt Lake City
Log Haven — A romantic fine-dining icon tucked into Millcreek Canyon: waterfall-adjacent, lodge-like, and genuinely special.
Do
Bobsled at Utah Olympic Park — A real Olympic track, pure exhilaration against a backdrop that feels otherworldly.
Heli-ski with Powderbird — The rarest flex: access to backcountry terrain by helicopter when you want your weekend to feel truly once-in-a-lifetime.
Spa reset at The Grand America (SLC) or Montage (Park City) — Forbes-rated spa indulgence in the city, alpine wellness on the mountain, pick your recovery aesthetic.
Bonneville Salt Flats (half-day escape from SLC) — Ethereal landscape, perfect for a cinematic day trip between screenings (and an unreal photo set).
Rare Aura Note
Whether you’re settling into a fireside suite at Blue Sky, sipping something unexpected on Main Street, or trading screenings for snow-dusted trails and alpine spa rituals, Park City and Salt Lake reveal a side of Utah that feels anything but predictable. This is a place that knows how to surprise, where mountain quiet meets cinematic energy, and where every day can unfold with intention.
If Sundance is on your calendar, consider this your invitation to experience it beautifully. And if not, let this be a reminder that some of the most compelling destinations are the ones that defy expectation.
