Kimball Junction Hotels and Things to Do
Start Your Park City Vacation Right. Here.
Interested in staying in Kimball Junction and saving big on your Park City vacation? As locals in the know, we’re here to help you get the most out of your trip, from our favorite Kimball Junction hotels to the best restaurants, and so much more.
Our Top 10 Kimball Junction Tips
- Consider staying in Kimball Junction, or at least visiting. Kimball Junction offers lodging at unbeatable prices, quality restaurants that are local favorites, popular attractions, and quick access to the major downtown sights.
- Newpark Resort is a Kimball Junction lodging favorite. Newpark offers a great price, contemporary feeling decor, walking distance to lots of shops and attractions. Bear Hollow is a great choice for families and those seeking larger, fully appointed condos.
- Kimball Junction is also home to several other trusted national brands, including the Hampton Inn & Suites, Best Western Plus Landmark Inn, and Holiday Inn Express.
- Not technically in Kimball Junction proper, the Hyatt Place Park City is one of newest hotels in town and our staff pick for Best Bang for the Buck. It is a great all-around choice for quality, price, and access to Canyons Village, Kimball Junction, and downtown Park City.
- Eat like a local by dining in Kimball Junction. Kimball Junction is filled with locally popular restaurants. Not only are the choices excellent, they are a fraction of the price you will expect to pay in town. Our favorites are listed below.
- Visit the Utah Olympic Park! Try the zipline, alpine coaster, bobsled, and more in this year-round adventure destination. For the more intellectually-minded, visit the free Olympic museum, filled with cool artifacts and information about the 2002 Salt Lake games and beyond.
- Whether you have kids or not, be sure to check out Jupiter Bowl. This is not your father’s bowling alley. Jupiter Bowl is a swanky joint with good food and a full bar.
- You'll obviously spend time in downtown Park City, of course! It isn’t very far away, and there's lots for us to share regarding Old Town and Main Street, so be sure to visit our Park City Essentials page and How to do Main Street right page.
- When skiing Park City Mountain from the Canyons Village, try to avoid the base area between 10 a.m. and noon, when the crowds and lines are a bit overwhelming. Everyone is trying to get up the mountain all at once. As soon as you get past this bottleneck, the crowds spread out nicely across the mountain.
- Park City Mountain base area, the resort access point near downtown, is a parking lot nightmare on the weekends and holidays. Avoid it like the plague if you don't arrive by 9 a.m., or pay the $20 for parking in the covered lot under the Lodge at the Mountain Village. The savings in time and frustration is well worth it.
- While we love skiing at Park City Mountain, and do so often, be sure to spend at least one day at Deer Valley Resort, where you'll enjoy less crowded slopes and incredible on-mountain food options. Also, don't shy away from spending a day at Snowbasin, Snowbird or Alta. When staying at Kimball Junction, you can quickly jump on the freeway and arrive at one of these incredible resorts within 30-45 minutes
The Local Scoop on Kimball Junction
What is Kimball Junction? It’s the area of Park City located closest to I-80, and it serves as the town’s link to the outside world. Locally known as “New Town,” Kimball Junction is known for all-around value, abundant parking, quality lodging, local restaurants, and shopping. The area contains most of the basic commercial space for Park City, including grocery and big-box stores, plus plenty of smaller local and boutique shops, all of which were built relatively recently compared to downtown with its storied history. Staying at Kimball Junction means easy access to the freeway as well as convenient driving to Old Town and Main Street, located about 8 miles south. If you want to stay in newer properties, Kimball Junction is the place for you. All that recent development means there are plenty of hotels to choose from. Visible from anywhere in Kimball Junction, the striking collection of ramps, courses, and buildings that make up Utah Olympic Park towers over the area from the mountainside, open for year-round public enjoyment.
Lodging
Drive a little and save a lot when staying in Kimball Junction. The eight miles into town is typically very quick, less than 10 minutes on the road (unless it’s peak ski season). It is well worth the drive to save hundreds of dollars per night on your lodging if location isn’t your number one priority. Travelers who prefer familiar brand names will be comfortable here, where many of the chain hotels in Park City are located, including Hyatt Place, Best Western, Holiday Inn, and more. Those aren’t the only options in Kimball Junction, though. There are plenty of independent offerings to enjoy, all bringing exceptional value as a result of their non-resort, non-downtown location.
Slope Access
Transportation will be required to visit any of Park City’s famous ski areas. Whether you are looking for a relaxing afternoon at Deer Valley Resort or an exhilarating morning at Park City Mountain Resort, you are going to need a bus, car, or other means of transportation to get there. In order of proximity, Canyons Village is closest, Park City Mountain is next, followed by Deer Valley, just a few minutes further down the road. Bear in mind that wherever you go, parking can be an issue during the height of the season. Arrive at the resort early to avoid clogged parking lots that may necessitate creative travel solutions.
Utah Olympic Park
Everyone staying in Park City, especially in Kimball Junction, should visit Utah Olympic Park. Sun or snow, there is always something amazing going on in this sprawling athletic campus. The active visitor can enjoy ziplines, a bobsled course, Nordic ski jumps, ropes courses, extreme tubing, a climbing wall, and more, depending on the time of year. For those more interested in seeing than doing, guided tours of the facilities are available. A walk through the free museums—which cover the history of skiing and the legacy of the Salt Lake Winter Game—is a must.
The Atmosphere
Kimball Junction has the advantage of a comfortable, familiar atmosphere. Walkable streets lend themselves to wandering between recognizable stores and chain restaurants (Home Goods, Bed Bath and Beyond, Starbucks) as well as locally-owned boutiques and restaurants (Wish, Hearth and Hill, Chop Shop).
The Final Word
Kimball Junction is the perfect access point to both Park City and Salt Lake City. With easy access to Salt Lake International Airport and all three Park City ski areas and an array of shopping, lodging, and dining options, Kimball Junction is the perfect choice for both Park City veterans and first-time visitors alike.
While you're here, stay with us
The following are our favorite Kimball Junction properties, based on quality, service, amenities, location, and price. Search using the date picker above for a complete selection of Kimball Junction hotels and Park City lodging options, or select one of our suggested properties below.
Hyatt Place Park City
Newpark Resort
Hampton Inn & Suites
Bear Hollow Village
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Best Western
Silverado Lodge
Kimball Junction Map
Kimball Junction is the collection of neighborhoods, complexes, hotels, stores, and restaurants in Park City closest to I-80. It is approximately a 10 minute drive from Historic Main Street, Park City Mountain, and other popular Park City attractions. From here, Salt Lake City is only a short distance away.
Where to eat
Kimball Junction is the place to find all of your regional and national favorites, in addition to great local eateries. One of our favorite places to get something healthy and hearty, Vessel Kitchen, is located here, as are other well-known eateries like Red Rock Brewery, Ghidotti's, and Sushi Blue.
Vessel Kitchen
Maxwell's
Red Rock Brewery
Ghidottis's
Myrtle Rose
Sushi Blue
Summer vs Winter
Kimball Junction is a great place to visit in the summer. Utah Olympic Park is perhaps the single coolest place to visit in Park City during the summer, and sits right above the Kimball Junction area. Catching a ride on the ziplines, tackling the adventure courses, or taking part in a bit of extreme tubing are all guaranteed ways to have a memorable summer afternoon. Kimball Junction is also a great place to access the extensive trail systems that run all through and around Park City. There are plenty of access points and trails criss-crossing Kimball Junction, and exploring them could takes weeks all by itself. Summer is also a great time for concerts in Park City, with several free concerts taking place in and around Kimball Junction.
