Playtime in Park City, Utah

A while ago, Eve went away on a long weekend trip with our mom to Park City. They felt like getting away to somewhere they could breathe fresh air, enjoy a new view, and relax. While looking at places to go, flight prices to Salt Lake City were really low so they decided to head to Park City, where we have spent many days on the slopes, skiing with our family growing up. This time though, there was no snow, only crisp mountain air, and sunshine (and a little….no, a lot of shopping).

xxx Ivy & Eve

Stay

Washington School House Hotel- This 12-room boutique hotel is in an old converted school house dating from the late 1800’s. Located a block off Main Street, you’ll enjoy a little peace an quiet (Main Street can be a bit boisterous at night) while still being close to all the action!

The Caledonian- This trip, we stayed at The Caledonian condos located right on Main Street. Most condos have balconies and hot tubs to enjoy post-hiking or while enjoying your morning coffee. Each condo is privately owned so they all have their own homey feeling. We loved being able to use a kitchen to prepare pre-dinner drinks and appetizers to enjoy on our balcony. We would definitely stay here again!

Deer Valley Resort- For a more luxe “resort” experience stay at any of the Deer Valley lodges or condos. Our family has stayed at several of the lodges and condos over the years as they are all ski-in ski-out locations which is REALLY important for us when we go skiing. There is a plethora of restaurants, bars, shops, and the Deer Valley spa, which we highly recommend post skiing. There is a free shuttle service offered to town which is just a short trip down the hill.

Eat and Drink

Atticus Coffee and Teahouse- Part cafe, part bookshop, Atticus was our go-to for breakfast and pick-me-ups during our trip. They have delicious custom tea blends (that you can also buy to take home) and coffee drinks as well as the most delicious peanut butter oat bars. The best part about ordering your drink is that they come in three unique sizes: Willow (small), Alice (medium), and Hagrid (large).

Collie’s Sports Bar- For casual dining, we’d recommend Collie’s. Perfect for drinks, lunch, or food while watching a game on TV. This place serves up lots of local beers and what we would call “fresh” bar food. The salads we ordered were delicious and wings in Collie’s “Bobby-Q'“ sauce were SO GOOD.

No Name Saloon- THE classic Park City establishment. Famous for their Buffalo Burger and strong drinks, this place is perfect for a drink and bite on their heated rooftop patio or grab a seat at one of their several bars. Perfect for people watching! (21+)

Fletcher’s- Delicious food all around. We went here for our last night’s meal and it definitely was the send-off we were hoping for. They have an extensive wine list with great bottles for all budgets and tasty cocktails to go alongside fresh, local dishes. The standouts of the night were the Short Rib Grilled Cheese, Grass Fed Beef Carpaccio, and the Blueberry Bread Pudding.

High West Saloon- High West is Utah’s first legal distillery since prohibition since they opened back in 2009. While the distillery is outside the city, the saloon is located just off Main Street and is the perfect place for a bite to eat, and lots of whisky! We had lunch and whisky tasting on our first day and came back for drinks again during our stay! Beware: the Bacon Caramel Cashew Popcorn is highly addictive! (21+)

Shabu- Self-proclaimed as “Freestyle Asian Cuisine”, Shabu serves up delicious sushi, Japanese, and Asian inspired dishes. The waitstaff was very friendly and guided us through the menu to help craft the most delicious and memorable meal! Standout dishes were the Jalapeño Yellowtail, Blistered Green Beans, and Chef’s Selection Hot Pot! They also have a great selection of sake!

Harvest- We wish we had gone here for breakfast earlier on during our trip because this place is SO good! Owned by Emma who hails from Australia, Harvest’s menu consists of on-trend Aussie dishes. Ivy can attest that Aussies are OBSESSED with breakfast foods (she recently visited friends there). This place makes breakfast feel like a happy, healthy, pretty, celebration on a plate! We loved our Avocado toast, Corn-Zucchini Cakes, Coffees, and warm Golden Mylk (coconut milk with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and pepper).

Play

Hiking- Many of the ski hills turn into the perfect summer hiking trails. We took the ski lift From the Park City Mountain Village up the hill and hiked back down. You can also stay on the ski lift for a scenic view ride. There is also a lift up the mountain from right on Main Street for even more convenience!

Outdoor pursuits- There are many outfitters that you can hire for fishing, horseback riding, and other outdoor adventures. There are also loads of biking trails that you can (and should) take advantage of!

Shopping- Main Street is packed with outdoorsy shopping establishments like Patagonia, Gorsuch, and a plethora of ski shops. There are also loads of cute boutiques. Our personal favorites are Mary Jane’s and Olive and Tweed. Both had cute and relatively affordable women’s clothing, accessories, and shoes. We left with much heavier suitcases!

Park Silly- Durning June-September, every Sunday Main Street turns into a giant market full of artisans, food vendors, music, and even a Bloody Mary bar!

Egyptian Theatre- This small historic theater plays host to many well known musical acts, comedy acts, and plays. We happened to come into town when Al Jardine was playing so we (of course) bought tickets and sang along to our favorite Beach Boys songs all night long!

Scottsdale, Arizona: A Desert Getaway

Last year, if you had told us that our new favorite weekend getaway location would be in the middle of the desert, we would have probably laughed out loud. Arizona has never really been on the top of our travel list and yet, when we found ourselves in desperate need to get away and just relax, Scottsdale kept popping up in our search results. On a whim, we decided to test it out and boy, are we happy we did! We were so pleasantly surprised at how awesome this little desert town is that we find ourselves daydreaming of the place A LOT.

We booked last minute trip after seeing a killer deal at The Saguaro Hotel on Guilt Travel, which ended up being the perfect base for our Scottsdale adventures. One of the greatest parts was how easy it was for us to get there. Usually, flights out of our local airport are super expensive but this direct flight was amazingly affordable! We left at 6:00 am, took a quick 1.5-hour plane ride, grabbed a taxi from Phoenix, checked into our hotel, and were at brunch sipping mimosas by 9:30 am!!! Both of these deals made it perfect for our spontaneous trip to Arizona. We have put together our favorite places to eat, drink, stay and play. 

xxx Ivy & Eve

Stay

The Saguaro Scottsdale- $$-$$$ This hotel screams fun! With bright colors everywhere you look, it's impossible not to be in a good mood. We chose to stay here because of its central location, super fun vibe, and great price! This hotel was the perfect place for our weekend getaway. We definitely recommend this place for a girls weekend or bachelorette party (Eve actually planned one of her friends bachelorette weekends there last fall!). We found this hotel on one of our favorite travel sites Guilt Travel. We wouldn't recommend this hotel for someone looking for a very quiet relaxing weekend since there were quite a lot of screaming girls (in bachelorette parties) but if you are visiting Scottsdale with friends it's ideal. The hotel offers bikes you can take for a spin, two pools, and a spa facility where you can choose from a number of treatments. 

TIP: It obviously get REALLY hot in Scottsdale in the summer and come July monsoon season hits and lasts until the end of August where you'll get torrential rainstorms out of the blue. these storms don't last long though so it isn't too bad if you don't mind getting a little wet. We recommend going End of September-June for the best weather. June gets HOT (100+) though so be warned! 

Eat

Diego Pops- $$ This trendy Mexican restaurant is located in downtown Scottsdale. Their menu includes the typical tacos, and burritos you'd expect but it also includes a few poke bowl options. And if your not hungry just their drinks are worth a visit. The menu features a variety of tropical cocktails, a tequila flight or even a fun snow cone margarita! 

Saguaro Restaurant- $$ Located at The Saguaro Hotel this was the perfect place to grab breakfast or lunch before or after our pool time. they also have a smaller poolside menu with similar options for lunch. We loved their guacamole, nachos, and street tacos alongside a pitcher of frosé! 

Arcadia Farms- $$$ Located in old town Scottsdale this classic brunch place is perfect for any girls weekend. This was our first stop on the trip and helped get us into vacation mode. (All the mimosas we consumed may have helped.)  We also recommend heading next door to the Arcadia Farms Marketplace. This is an awesome place to grab food to go or purchase some fun gifts!

The Montauk- $$$ This place was amazing! With lots of fresh food options, it was the perfect lunch spot to sit under the misters and enjoy the hot Arizona weather. We loved their frozé and a refreshing rose cocktail. Eve went back for brunch and can tell you it is equally good then!

The Original ChopShop- $ We grabbed a quick breakfast here early one morning before wandering around old town Scottsdale. With the slogan "just feel good food" this place was the perfect place to fuel up before a day of pursuing shops and laying by the pool. For the morning menu, they specialize in superfruit bowls and parfaits that look good and taste great, along with fresh juices and some tasty breakfast sandwiches. 

Prado- $$$-$$$$ This restaurant is located in the Omni Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley which is a little ways outside of Old Town (10-minute taxi). We enjoyed a leisurely dinner of Spanish wines and many tapas-style dishes on the patio and enjoyed the sunset views of Camelback Mountain. 

We brought Mom along for this fun weekend!

The Henry- Also located in Paradise Valley, The Henry is a perfect place for a larger group because this place is HUGE! There's a large patio, lounge, and expansive dining room. They have a good wine list and tasty dishes. Our favorites were the short rib potstickers and the grilled branzino fish. 

Berdena's- This cute coffee shop is perfect for an afternoon pick me up. They have a tasty selection of freshly baked bars, cookies, and pastries as well as delicious coffees. Eve tried their cherry cold brew and tonic drink and she still dreams about it to this day!

Play

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art- $$ Enjoy a bit of culture and escape the heat! This museum has great contemporary art exhibitions and a beautiful sculpture garden.

Shopping in Old Town- (Free) Right outside the Saguaro Hotel, Old Town is a great place to enjoy a leisurely stroll in the morning or afternoon when it's not too hot out. With dozens of cute boutiques and some fantastic southwestern shops within a few blocks, you can have a blast without working up a sweat.  

Scottsdale Fashion Square- (Free) Just around the corner from Old Town this indoor mall is a great place to cool down and indulge in some serious retail therapy.

The Saguaro Hotel Spa- $$$ The perfect addition to any vacation. We all had a massage treatment in the morning to start our days off on the right foot. Be sure to look on their website for spa deals. 

Hike- (Free) Scottsdale is known for a number of great outdoor activities, hiking is one of the most popular. However, depending on the time of year you go, you may have to wake up really early to avoid the 100+ temperatures that are regular some parts of the year. We recommend hiking Pinnacles Peak Park for its views of the Valley. 

We recommend checking out Experience Scottsdale's website for more ideas!