From Mountain Highs to Salty Lows: Our Park City and Great Salt Lake Adventure

September 11, 2025

Episode 5 of Marrying Your Passions

After exploring the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, we headed southwest to Park City, Utah, for a perfect mix of luxury and exploration that embodied making passions part of everyday life on our epic 2024 epic summer road trip.

Park City: Our Year-Round Mountain Paradise

We found Park City nestled in the Wasatch Mountains, offering everything we hoped for. This alpine community is home to Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain, and the Utah Olympic Park. This was our second time visiting the area.

We spent four days enjoying a timeshare resort - though we kept our cat Gremlin on the down-low since cats weren't explicitly permitted. After weeks of teardrop camper living, having space to stand up fully in the shower felt like pure luxury!

Culinary Discoveries That Stole Our Hearts

Edge Steakhouse is Nathan's all-time favorite restaurant. Despite the name, their chefs get excited about creating custom vegetarian dishes - from risottos to curries. We love the dark, moody ambiance, impeccable service, and yes, they scrape bread crumbs off our table after their flaky bread service. It's pricier than usual, but we make reservations every time we're in the area.

We also discovered Tekila Mexican Grill and Cantina - a second-floor spot with mountain views and fantastic margaritas.

Adventures Beyond the Dining Scene

In our 2021 visit, we visited Park City Museum for the local history we love exploring. So we decided to discuss it in this episode. This comprehensive museum tells Park City's transformation from mining boom town to ski resort, with immersive displays including an original territorial jail and mining exhibits.

The Utah Olympic Park showcased the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games legacy. The massive ski jumping ramps are impossible to miss, and we enjoyed the free museum with artifacts and interactive displays. We watched young athletes training on the Nordic jumps - some looked like middle schoolers fearlessly launching down ramps to land in pools!

Our Salt Lake City Detour: Car Service and Culinary Surprises

A car service appointment in Salt Lake City led us to Vertical Diner - "the world's best plant-based diner." This spot delivers all the comfort of traditional diner food without the heavy aftermath. Their creative takes on classics proved plant-based dining can satisfy anyone.

The Great Salt Lake Reality Check

When we asked our server about visiting the lake, she laughed and said, "We don't go to Great Salt Lake." We decided to go anyway!

The lake looks beautiful from afar, and we enjoyed the museum with fascinating history and photos from when the area hosted elegant parties. But attempting to reach the water? Picture more flies than grains of sand and Nathan sinking into sticky, gloopy muck while Alicia retreated to safety.

Was it a disaster? Absolutely. Would we recommend it? Surprisingly, yes.

Our Wyoming Interlude: Laramie's Hidden Charms

Our eastward journey included Laramie, Wyoming. At 7,000 feet elevation, we experienced 80-degree days and 50-degree nights.

We returned to The Great Untamed, a local meadery where community gathers and the owner's mom proudly explains her son's craft.

Sweet Melissa's Cafe surprised us with excellent plant-based comfort food. Even arriving 30 minutes before closing, they served fresh, delicious food with genuine warmth.

Our Key Takeaway: Trust Your Curiosity

Our biggest lesson? Just go do the thing.

Don't let others' opinions stop you from having your own experience. Use reviews for practical information, but don't let them substitute for curiosity.

Great Salt Lake was exactly as terrible as everyone said, but now we have the story and knowledge from personal experience. Sometimes "failed" adventures make the best memories.

The same principle applies in reverse - don't write off unlikely places. Some of our best experiences come from embracing the unexpected.

What's Next?

Our journey continues toward Branson, Missouri, with a stop in Nebraska. Each destination teaches us something new about making room for spontaneity while staying open to unexpected discoveries.

Whether you're planning your own adventure or looking to incorporate more exploration into everyday life, remember: the best experiences often combine good planning with willingness to embrace the unexpected.

Keep following along as we continue marrying our passions to everyday life, one mile, one campsite or hotel, and one meal at a time.