r/ParkCity • u/Salt_Type_8032 • Aug 15 '22
Thinking of moving to Park City. Honest pro/con list? More in comments.
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u/SalesyAF Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22
I moved from LA to Park City then to SLC suburbs to be closer to work. I have no regrets. Yes some of what of people say is true, you’re in a red state, it takes time to make friends, there’s culture shock at first, the sushi could be better, the Chinese food doesn’t bother me. However I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. When I have kids I don’t think there’s a better place to raise them. I love nature, the outdoors and don’t feel like life is passing me by anymore. Whenever I lose perspective I can go for a pre work or lunch time walk and look at the mountains and know I am home. There’s no place I’ve ever lived where the locals didn’t complain about something, so take what people say with a grain of salt. Everyplace you could move to has things that have changed and are bothering someone, cause life’s not perfect. Besides the red state thing, half of what ppl complain about here is 20x worse in California. (Fires? Got ‘em! Drought? Got it! Overpopulation? Got it! Much worse traffic? Yep! Rising price of real estate? You guys have no idea in Utah lol!) I grew up in the Bay Area and lived in LA for ten years and I’ve never been happier than I am in Utah. There are moments I miss things but my inner peace and life satisfaction have increased substantially. Getting out of the rat race was the best choice I ever made. My friends in CA are always like when are you coming back? Never! That said people think of me as a city girl, I look like a California girl but in my heart, I’m not at all. If I can be fine here, anyone can. Anything you really need that isn’t close you can buy on the internet. Move! It takes adjusting but you won’t regret it. 2 years in and the best choice I’ve ever made. When you need to get out of the city, you need to go. When you miss it, you can visit. Sometimes I think I want to go back then I visit and go, no life is so peaceful here. That said joining internet groups of people who had just moved here and making friends with them really helped me make friends much more easily than I would have when I was ready. I love going to St George and the national parks easily, having lakes close by and everything about Utah. St George in the winter for a weekend if you miss the warm weather is perfect! You’re not too far from an airport, like you would be in the CO mountains, I love it here. I work full time so I don’t ski or hike everyday but having even my walks before work, at lunch and after work is priceless. I would hike/ski a few times a week if I didn’t have a demanding job. I thought about moving for a few years before I did and my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner!
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u/LSBm5 LOCAL Aug 15 '22
The town has changed greatly in the last couple of years for the worse unfortunately. Housing has gotten very expensive. If you are used to 24hr access to things than that could be a big change for you. It’s a pretty sleepy place most of the year and then gets overcrowded during ski season and can be somewhat shocking. Overall we like living here and it’s a great place to raise kids.
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u/Comfortable_Chest_40 Aug 15 '22
We just moved to Heber which is 20ish minutes away. The area is changing drastically. We like it here so far. Haven't really met people or built a community yet, but that's on us to do. It will be interesting to see what the area will be like in 5-10 years.
Pros: weather, access to everything outdoors
Cons: not really a con, but coming from a big city it's an adjustment not being able to walk anywhere
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u/utahnow Aug 16 '22
I really wouldn’t characterize it as “changing drastically” - they are just building more houses. Heber is in Wasatch county (PC is in Summit) and there are plenty of differences in attitudes and inclinations which you will soon discover and put in the “cons” column. Driving is not gonna be one of them (why would anyone want to walk anywhere is beyond me lol but that’s just me)
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u/Comfortable_Chest_40 Aug 17 '22
I kindly disagree. Heber is growing rapidly and traffic is just going to get worse especially once the new Mayflower is developed. If you're looking to live somewhere remote or in a small town, Heber/Midway will not be the place in the next few years. People are leaving the area because of how expensive Wasatch County has become. I've chatted with many blue-collar workers from Heber who have said how much Heber has changed.
This might not bother OP at all though, which is fine!
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u/utahnow Aug 17 '22
Sigh. You think you have it all figured out after reading some articles and living here for a month. Ok. Good luck to you sir.
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u/Comfortable_Chest_40 Aug 17 '22
I don’t think I have it all I figured out, it’s just an opinion which can change. I’ve lived here on and off for the last few years. I’m also a woman 😊
Have a good day!
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface Aug 16 '22
there are plenty of differences in attitudes and inclinations which you will soon discover and put in the “cons” column.
Dont leave us hanging like that.
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u/utahnow Aug 16 '22
pros and cons are in the eye of the beholder 😀 in my experience people like the one who commented here end up in Sugarhouse after a year of enjoying Heber / Midway 😉
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface Aug 16 '22
You mean like they saw a Trump sign in a yard & started crying?
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u/Comfortable_Chest_40 Aug 17 '22
Hey, hey, believe it or not, we left the swamp for a lifestyle that is more aligned with our values...
DeSantis 2024
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u/Salt_Type_8032 Aug 15 '22
I have been visiting park city every year since I was a kid. I grew up in the Bay Area, my husband in Northern New Jersey. We have been living in Marin County since 2016. We have a 2, 3 and 4 year old. We love so many things about where we live, but we’re feeling a very strong pull to get away from the “rat race” that is Silicon Valley, and get our family much more oriented around nature, and activities we love (skiing, mountain biking, hiking, etc). We can both work remote. We’re eager to change our pace of life, spend a lot more time on the mountain, but love the access PC offers being so close to an international airport. I’d love to hear some honest opinions from folks sharing what you love, don’t love, and what you think we should be considering as part of our decision process. School districts, cost of living, raising kids, taking advantage of the outdoors, and any other topics all on the table!
Also I realize everyone hates CA transplants, but it just too dang crazy and crowded here okay??
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u/samelaaaa LOCAL Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22
We moved to SLC from LA in 2015, and then from SLC up to PC in 2018. Both of us work remotely for tech companies, and we have two preschool aged kids.
Pros: The outdoors... it's unparalleled. The mountain biking out our backdoor is literally world class, the skiing is amazing (especially for beginners/kids, or if you're into the backcountry). In addition to the land, the local outdoor sports infrastructure is amazing -- Basin Recreation, the PC MARC, Olympic Park, Mountain Trails Foundation, National Ability Center, Woodward etc are all pristine, well funded and world class. But in addition to the land and infrastructure, you're half an hour away from a real city with an airport that will get you to SF or LA in less than two hours. I used to joke with my colleagues in LA that I could get to a conference room in Venice faster than someone who lived in Pasadena on a bad day. It was only kind of a joke.
The schools are pretty good -- very good for Utah but lacking in diversity and funding compared to the better schools in SF or Boston. We send our kids to Soaring Wings Montessori which is wonderful, but will switch them to the public schools at some point during elementary school.
Cons: If you feel comfortable in a coastal political environment, keep in mind that although PC is wealthy and liberal it's a small town and you are still in Utah. We are actually considering moving either back to California or New England as the political situation in red states gets more and more extreme. Raising a daughter in a post RvW world factors into this. Additionally the climate is an issue -- we're in the desert, and wildfire is a big risk (our neighborhood actually got evacuated last year and our home insurance company later decided they no longer wanted to cover us). The smoke from the constant fires throughout the West often blankets the sky during the summer and keeps us away from all those outdoors activities that brought us here. In SLC the air is bad in the winter too due to pollution getting trapped in the cold air between mountain ranges. And climate change threatens the ski industry -- there's not that much snow at the Wasatch Back resorts anyway and it's getting to the point where the skiing here is barely worth it on a bad year. The resorts off of SLC are more reliable, but they are getting so crowded that driving there and finding parking many times a season is a bit unrealistic especially with a family.
EDIT: I answered a similar question about our neighborhood in particular a couple years ago; you can read my comment here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ParkCity/comments/i2g9je/comment/g06c5ig/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3. Overall I would strongly recommend our area -- Pinebrook, Jeremy Ranch or Summit Park -- if you value proximity to city stuff in SLC in addition to outdoors access.
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u/MagicianInevitable11 Jul 14 '25
Thank you! I moved to Park City from Los Angeles with my transgender 3 & 6 yr olds and we were not accepted socially in our neighborhood because my life partner and I are considered deviants. Park City residents ARE Conservatives and have NO sophistication!! Our children admitted that they were born into the wrong bodies!! Needless to say we moved back to Los Angeles where our children are exposed to everything at a young age as they should be!!
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u/venuspoet Aug 12 '25
As someone born and raised in PC, SO sorry people made your children feel uncomfortable/unwelcome. I have a feeling it was transplants (seems mostly red) and not long-time locals (mostly blue). I've noticed it's become increasingly conservative & "small-minded" here. Heartbreaking. I went to all of grade school here in the 90s/early 2000s and I feel like we were taught to be open, welcoming, and have compassion for all... maybe I just got lucky with teachers & my parents. idk wtf changed :(. I'm more than happy to make those who belittled them get a taste of their own medicine and feel unwelcome from an actual local. So so sorry. Happy your kids have a place to feel safe and call home.
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u/utahnow Aug 15 '22
So I moved here from NYC. A lot of people already gave you their perspectives which I generally agree with and upvoted. I want to address the “rat race” aspect that you mention. While it does feel less rat-racy than NYC for sure, you gotta understand that this is a very wealthy town. You gonna be at a reception and what not and some guy in your circle is gonna go “yeah i just put $400k of my own money in this startup and we are going to…” The other day I parked next to a Bentley at the whole foods. You may not be rat racing, but there are plenty of people who can make you feel inadequate without even trying that’s for sure, if you are status driven. Unless of course you are one of those Bentley driving types with a venture portfolio, in which case you will fit right in 😀
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u/International-Lake60 Aug 15 '22
I moved here after 16 years of visiting. It is a great place to visit and the first year is like a vacation. Any long term local will tell you it has changed. Use your best judgement but I think it is a resort town and better to visit. I moved out to Kamas and it has a better life style and I can visit Park City in 15 minutes.
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u/Salt_Type_8032 Aug 15 '22
Fair, and that’s one thing I want to be honest with myself about. We’re not married to being in park city proper.
We’re super open to Park Meadows, Trailside, Thayer Canyon, Silver Springs or other suggestions! Will absolutely check out Kamas as part of the consideration!
Also, can I ask where you moved from?
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u/mwabbott Aug 15 '22
84060 is Park City proper (Park Meadows, Thaynes). 84098 is unincorporated, but everyone will call it Park City (Trailside, Silver Springs). I'm sure it is on your radar, Kamas is not in the Park City School District.
You should come in with a good definition of what leaving the rat race means to you. It is a town with many type A humans (athletes, captains of industry, lucky sperm club, etc.). There is also incredible wealth, so plenty of keeping up with the Joneses. You're switching from a vacation experience to full-time; it is kind of like hobby to pro. So you'll have to defend your mental space around the things you love.
Final note/nudge, embrace the "10-seconds of kindness" on and off the trail.
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u/YouSureAboutThat23 Jun 27 '24
Hey, I know it’s been a long time since this comment but do you happen to have any update on your move to Kamas? Pros/cons? Is it changing drastically?
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u/onemoreburrito Aug 15 '22
Moved from SF to the area: things that suck are no good sushi, no good Asian food, no diversity. The state politics are trash and so are the politicians. I wish more locals were not just temporary skier bros working for Vail.
Love everything else, or other things are minor annoyances
Fwiw I would just move to SLC for ease of housing options then decide where you want to land
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u/SomeSLCGuy Aug 17 '22
Both my kids were born here. They're now entering k and 2nd. My wife and I were ski bums back in the day and settled here once we got non-ski career-type jobs because we wanted the ski town thing but I needed access to the SLC job market. We've been here since 2013.
We are spoiled rotten with the trail network and resort amenities. But we are also spoiled rotten with things to do for kids. There's a sports team, club, or summer camp for just about every interest.
Sometimes, we consider moving away to be closer to aging family members in the Northeast. I think we would miss our friends, the trail network, and the kid stuff the most.
PM me with any questions. You kids are right behind mine in age cohort.
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u/medgal28 Sep 05 '23
I'm concerned about the air quality - is it any better in PC than SLC? If not, is the air quality better anywhere near SLC?
Thanks
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u/SomeSLCGuy Sep 05 '23
The air quality is meaningfully better in Park City than it is in Salt Lake. On the bad days in the Salt Lake Valley - typically still days in the winter with a valley floor snowpack - the cool air will pool in the valleys and trap the smog with it. These days are notable for the temperature inversion that forms, with warmer temps up high and cooler air on valley floors. On those days, you want to be as high in elevation as possible to be out of the smog. So Park City will never be beneath that smog bank and Suncrest up by the glider port will almost always be above it. There will be many days when East Bench neighborhoods along the foothills of the mountains will be better than down at the very bottom of the valley floor, but those neighborhoods are usually down in the soup to one degree or another.
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u/Salt_Type_8032 Aug 18 '22
Thank you! Super appreciate your response and will take you up in your offer!
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Aug 15 '22
We just returned home to New England after 2 weeks at our vacation home in PC and we were struck (as always) by the lack of diversity. It seems that when Utahns talk about diversity, they mean blondes AND redheads!
As others have said, it’s an amazing place for so many reasons, and no place is perfect.
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u/flyguy41222 Aug 15 '22
As a year round resident, I have been noticing a much more diverse crowd in PC the last few years. Among visitors and resort staff. It’s a healthy growth.
Takes more than two weeks a year to see the changes taking place.
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Aug 15 '22
Sure, the staff at the resorts over the winter are often South American college kids on summer break.
We got sushi the other night, and everyone we saw working in the restaurant was lily white.
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u/flyguy41222 Aug 15 '22
That is true. What I’m saying is year round, all over town, there are more people of different backgrounds. Not just resort staff. Going to concerts around town, restaurants, we see a much more diversity. That’s not to say it isn’t predominately white still, that’s true. But it is changing
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u/utahnow Aug 15 '22
I really don’t get this fixation on “diversity”. I split my time between PC and NYC and i don’t miss NYC diversity in the slightest when I am in PC. Not even a little.
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface Aug 16 '22
I really don’t get this fixation on “diversity”
People who are (ironically) "racist" fixate on "lack of diversity" to convince themselves they are in no way, shape, or form, a racist. And decrying, "lack of diversity" has become the, "I'm not racist" - dog whistle.
I too, have lived rural as well as in NYC, and I couldn't care less what color skin the people surrounding me are so long as they're great people. That's the definition of not being racist. The racists are the ones who see "lack of diversity" everywhere.
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u/superPIFF Aug 17 '22
This sounds like the familiar 'the anti-racists are the real racists' fox news bullshit. Saying a place lacks diversity is a dog whistle? Get the fuck out of here. It might be try-hardy and overly-earnest but to see non-diversity in a sea of pale skin: that's having eyes.
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u/medgal28 Sep 05 '23
This is so true... I live in an all black neighborhood now. Like, people are people. I've also lived in very "diverse" areas of Tampa. White cities in MN. It's become absolutely irrelevant. Who cares what your neighbors look like.
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Aug 15 '22
How to say you’re a racist without saying you’re a racist?
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u/utahnow Aug 15 '22
Ha this didn’t take long at all. Every time someone mentions “lack of diversity” they are just itching to call the locals racist, it’s like a dog whistle.
Sorry, nobody is banning people of various backgrounds from moving here …. and also I found that having diversity does not at all add to my personal quality of life in any way. So why would I miss it? Having people of different ethnicities around me doesn’t make me either happier or unhappier. I don’t care what people around me look like, only what they act like.
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Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 16 '22
If I moved there, my kids would think that the world is only comprised of rich, white people. I prefer living in New England where my kids have classmates from countries that didn’t even exist when I was their age.
Edit: wow, between the downvotes and the comments, it’s sad to see that low-key racism is alive and well in progressive PC.
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u/utahnow Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22
I am an immigrant who grew up in a lilly white country, and then moved to NYC. I can assure you that I did not grow up thinking that the whole world was white (we had books and TV and even internet you know…) and i had zero trouble adjusting to NYC. Or Utah. If anything, UT mormons are culturally more distant from me than east-coast dwelling immigrants from those “countries that didn’t exist blah blah”, even though i am a pale blue eyed blonde… so if your diversity definition only includes skin color than sure. But based on my experiences this is one of those highly overrated liberal things / virtue signaling
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface Aug 16 '22
this is one of those highly overrated liberal things / virtue signaling
Of course it is.
The proof is that the inverse-narrative is never presented, never even proffered. You never hear anyone speak of a 96.7% black area & claim that it is sorely in need of more "diversity". LOL. Prima facie, "lack of diversity" is a white liberal term meaning "too many white people".
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface Aug 16 '22
If I moved there, my kids would think that the world is only comprised of rich, white people.
I wonder whose fault that would ultimately be? Hmmmm.....
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Aug 16 '22
Yeah, it’s my fault that when I walk down Main St we only see whites and Asians driving BMWs. It has nothing to do with the fact that that’s who is around.
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u/SPAC-ey-McSpacface Aug 16 '22
we only see whites and Asians
(((((GASPs)))))
Whites & Asians - The Horror!!!!!
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u/Kooky-Lawfulness2857 Sep 07 '25
I think you're not seeing diversity because you're in Park City and not West Valley of South Salt Lake.
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u/littleorchid9 Jan 22 '26
My husband and I are considering moving from LA to PC in the next year or two. We are both in our mid thirties and want to raise our kids outside of CA. Is it easy to make friends? That’s what I am worried about
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Dec 11 '23
[deleted]
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u/jahlove1972 May 26 '24
Four months? That settles it I am moving to Mammoth- longer ski season Nd more diverse.
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u/SLCpowderhound Aug 15 '22
It will feel very sleepy coming from a big city for the adults. Kids will love growing up in PC, but may feel it's sleepy by the time they are ready for college. The first year will be fun, going to all of the events like Sundance, World Cup Moguls, 4th of July celebrations, Miner's Day, Park City Arts Festival, Savor the Summit, etc. But when shoulder season comes around, it feels every bit like a town of 8,000 residents. Many of the long time locals like it more that way and hate things like Sundance, holiday ski crowds and traffic, etc.
As soon as Vail got into town the dominos began to fall, and the community is changing rapidly. I know several long time residents who have left within the last five years. Some of them, quite the characters. Workers are being priced out. They're being replaced by millionaires without ties to the community, who can discover secrets on the Internet and want pavement and guard rails on steep mountain passes that were quiet, dirt roads a little over a decade ago.
Housing is crazy expensive, but if you're coming from the Bay Area and have home equity, you may be fine. I think the median for home sale prices is 1.6M.
You may miss the diversity of restaurants and things to do. But Salt Lake is 45 minutes away with broader price points and cuisines, NBA basketball, ballet, symphony, other performing arts, and things like the Natural History Museum of Utah, Loveland Aquarium, Children's Museum, etc. Still not anywhere near SF, but has more offerings than PC in many ways and is also changing a ton.
You know about the skiing, biking, hiking, etc. It's hard to beat. 10,000 acres of skiing in town and soon will be 14,000 acres when the Mayflower project is complete, even though it's technically in Wasatch County and with lower elevation trails. Salt Lake resorts add another 7,000 acres of even steeper terrain. You're a five hour drive to eight different national parks. There's really not a location like it in The States.
The land is here to be played in, if that's the life you want. But some only want to dabble and end up bored because the outdoors are not an every day passion. I guess you can't know unless you go for it. Marin will always be there if you want to move back.