Marriott's Summit Watch

Fresh off an extensive renovation, this ski-in/ski-out gem is in the thick of the action – right on Main Street in downtown Park City. Marriott’s Summit Watch has a warm, modern Craftsmen feel to both the interior and exterior, which fits right in with the downtown’s historic vibe. Gather your crew around the trail map with highlighters and plot your course for the day, deciding on the all-important lunch spot while you’re at it. Once everyone’s bundled to your satisfaction, take the short walk to the Town Lift – realizing when the lift keeps stopping that a few of you need more practice timing the whole chair thing just right. (You’ll nail it next time!) Return weary but triumphant, stop by the ski storage area to ditch your gear, then see who’s game for the après ski scene. Being this close to town gives you options galore. The heated, year-round indoor/outdoor pool will have the kids campaigning for a stop before and after dinner, so have your answer ready. Switch things up one evening with a fierce ping pong round robin tourney in the game room before crashing in front of a movie back at your villa.

Settle into your tasteful one- or two-bedroom vacation residence, stashing away all that fleece and SmartWool until duty calls on your first official ski day. Fill up CamelBaks in the kitchen sink while stuffing pockets with energy bars and hand warmers just in case. The fireplace in the main living area and/or whirlpool tub in the master bathroom will be ready for your grand return from your overly ambitious adventures. Dinner’s a cinch if your grocery shoppers actually stick to the list you gave them (doubtful, but maybe). And the open plan space makes the ideal movie night setup, so you can pop that second bag of popcorn without missing the best song, or a critical piece of the plot.

If your homemade dinner doesn’t exactly work out as planned (aka too tired to deal), move to Plan B. You’re walking distance to tons of dining options downtown, and you can window shop the whole way there, stopping to drop not-so-subtle hints about new ski jackets you’re liking. The downtown location’s ideal no matter what the season. Deer Valley ski area is just a mile away, and the Park City Municipal Golf Course is open for Nordic cross-country skiing once the snow hits. Gorgoza Park is a huge hit with the littles ones, with lift-served tubing, mini-snowmobiles and the Fort Frosty play area. Summer’s full of farmers markets and concert series, plus big annual events like Deer Valley Music Festival, Kimball Arts Festival and Savor the Summit. You’re a mile from Park City Golf Club, or you can head for the Utah Olympic Park and compete for fastest times down the alpine slide (18 banked turns!). Or pack a picnic and rent bikes – this whole area is a mountain biking mecca, with the Rail Trail, Town’s Loop, Mid-Mountain and Wasatch Crest Trail all nearby.