It feels like a million years ago that we were on vacation with our dear friends in Deer Valley / Park City, Utah. In reality, it was just a week ago (another trip to the West Coast this weekend for my sister’s wedding sure makes time confusing). Deer Valley was the perfect ending to a fabulous summer, filled with lots of activities and simple family fun with great friends. Here is a recap of our trip with recommendations.. Deer Valley is a PERFECT summer getaway (particularly at the end of the summer after Utah schools start up… everything was empty which was perfect!)
Utah
During the summer months, the ski resort turns in to a kids’ haven. Ropes course, zip line, alpine sledding, tubing, and more. The day that we went, the park was empty, and the kids got to take as many rides as they wanted to with no wait (we were told the wait can usually be up to an hour per ride). To say that the kids had a blast is an understatement — maybe their favorite day of the whole summer. Super fun for all, us included.
Trampoline. And believe it or not, I went on it as well and did flips and flops, and I was EXHAUSTED out of my mind after a good 100 seconds on it.
Alpine slide. We must have done this about 10 times.
Ready to zip line!
#Gear
Even the little girl loved the alpine sledding and activities.
The next day, we headed to Utah Olympic Park which is similar to Park City mountain but more mature and advanced. More like an amusement park for adults. Bigger zip lines, bigger tubing, higher ropes course. Cruzzie, who is almost 7 was able to participate in most of the activities, but Tusia and I were at the base most of the time on a kid’s playground and climbing wall. It was beautiful and thrilling, also not to be missed. It is also where ski jumpers and racers train, so we watched ski jumpers in all their gear do crazy tricks and jumps into a pool — a highlight that we we will always remember.
In the summer, ski jumpers practice at the Olympic Park by jumping into water. Makes sense! And super fun to watch. Credit: Ken’s Instagram.
A for REALS ROPES COURSE and Cruzzie crushed it.
Beautiful scenery
Don’t ask, but we went to a sheep herding competition. We thought, WHY NOT? So we drove 30 minutes to the beautiful mountains and watched sheep herding, long jumping for dogs, obstacle courses for dogs, etc…it was like a big petting zoo and animal attraction in the middle of nowhere. When in Utah, do what Utahans do (I just made that word up).
Sheep herding competition.
Watching dogs race.
We went on lots of hikes — going up gondolas and hiking down, hiking up a mountain and going down a chairlift, and every other variation. The nature is incredible, the air is fresh and the altitude is high. The mountains are calming and relaxing, and it was fun to be together on hikes in a setting other than Oregon.
Friends that are family.
Chairlift family selfie….I am surprised I didn’t drop my phone.
Star hiker.
Aspen trees in Deer Valley #NotMeta
Miscellaneous activities
We also got a haircut, ate ice cream, went to a wedding, watched lots of US Open, cooked, crushed La Croix, played Hearts (I suck), and had a solid and wonderful vacation together…..and NOW SCHOOL STARTS (sigh sob tear gasp).
Adventurous family for sure! Glad everyone had a great time!
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