Fulfilling My Americana Summer Dreams in Park City

America and I celebrated milestone birthdays this year: 250 for her, 40 for me. Both big! Some Independence Days I elect to spend on my own (no pun intended). For America250, though, I sought a little more pomp and circumstance to mark the moment in history.

What feels quintessentially American? Like Elle Woods, I imagined an invitation to a clam bake or trip to the Cape, but none arrived. I joyfully jumped at the opportunity, then, to spend the holiday in Park City, Utah. Wasting no time, I wheeled out my rolling rack and pulled every piece of red, white, and blue clothing that I own.

Everyone knows Park City as the host city of the Sundance Film Festival (which, unfortunately, ended its run in Park City earlier this year) and as a popular ski town in the winter, but I longed to fulfill my Americana summer dreams in the picturesque mountain town.

A fourth-generation (big city) Texan, I admit that I’m a bit of a travel snob when it comes to direct flights. DFW International Airport affords us that luxury; we can fly almost anywhere in the world directly! To my delight, accessing Park City couldn’t have been easier. The flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Salt Lake City takes less than three hours, and then it’s a quick 30-ish-minute drive into Park City via a black car service or even an Uber.

For our all-American holiday, my friend Jennifer and I stayed at Pendry Park City, a modern alpine lodge located in Canyons Village. Built in 2022, Pendry Park City is sleek and modern, and its contemporary design highlights the natural beauty of the mountains surrounding it. We stayed in one of the three-bedroom residences, which ruined us (in the best way)! In addition to two king-sized bedrooms with en suite bathrooms (mine had a deep soaking tub!), the third bedroom offers bunk beds, making it perfect for families.

The 1,500-square-foot residence felt downright decadent, with ample room to spread out, including a full-sized kitchen and a living room with a plush sectional surrounding the fireplace and TV, where we watched World Cup games. (We also watched the epic Argentina v. Cabo Verde game at Dos Olas Cantina at Pendry Park City, which was so fun!)  Three consecutive mornings of having room service delivered to your six-person dining table can spoil a gal quickly! An enormous carafe of coffee! Eggs Benedict! Brioche French toast! Freshly squeezed orange juice! Eloise at The Plaza Goes West, giddy up.

“When you’re here in the winter, it’s hard to imagine all of this being green, and when you’re here in the summer, it’s hard to imagine all of this covered in snow.” That’s what a native told me, and I believe it. Whether you visit in summer or winter, Pendry Park City serves as the perfect home base.

A Tribute to the Great American West

Compass Sports serves as the on-site adventure guide at Pendry Park City for essentially any activity that sparks your interest. During the summer, that means a whole lot of mountain bike and e-bike rentals. I sought four proverbial wheels instead of two, however. Compass Sports coordinated a horseback trail ride with Red Pine Adventures that felt like the perfect way to spend the morning of July 3. As if we were auditioning for a reboot of Yellowstone, Jennifer and I — two bona fide city slickers — got suited and booted for the occasion at hand. My horse, Jaws, and her horse, Jerry, calmly led us through wildflower-filled meadows and up rocky, narrow paths to spectacular views of the Red Pine Canyon. It felt like the perfect tribute to The Great American West, and I highly recommend that you carve out a few hours in your Park City itinerary to spend with these majestic, hard-working creatures.

We followed our adventure on horseback with another innately American activity — we went shopping! After lunch al fresco (a July luxury us Texans don’t take for granted) at Le Depot Brasserie, where Jennifer and I shared a decadent Croque Monsieur, we strolled Main Street, popping into the charming shops that ranged from quaint to Kemo Sabe. At the latter, I begrudgingly fell in love with a Lindsey Thornburg x Pendleton wool cloak. I resisted the $1,595 temptation and settled for a scoop of cookies-and-cream ice cream from Dolly’s, a famous indie bookstore that also sells the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Eating a waffle cone as you meander down Main Street — is there anything better?

The Perfect Home Base in Park City

Because I haven’t been in the saddle in many moons, I smartly booked a 60-minute massage for later that afternoon. I say “smartly” because, when I dismounted that horse, I could barely walk. I felt downright *jostled.* Spa Pendry is Pendry Park City’s full-service spa. Though moderate in size, it’s well-appointed and a welcome respite, whether you’ve been shredding the slopes or cosplaying as a cowgirl.

Pendry Park City also features a can’t-miss Japanese grill restaurant with a posh sushi bar, Kita. For dinner on our first night, we sat on the patio. It was warm when we arrived, and chilly by the time the sun went down. Kita, of course, offered us blankets, but the brisk mountain air (in JULY!) delighted me. (Cheap thrills!) Our amiable waiter knowledgeably guided us through the menu. As a result, we ordered a lot. The highlights:

• Tempura Squash Blossom — a summer delight, it oozes with fontina and mozzarella with hints of lemon, miso, and honey
• Cucumber Salad — fresh and summery, with a kick!
• Hotate Batayaki — two-piece scallop nigiri to start the night off right
• Wasatch Roll — a crowd-pleasing sushi roll with hamachi, crab, cucumber, avocado, mint, yuzu kosho
• Stir Fried Rice and Japanese Cheesy Corn — what’s a steakhouse without a killer offering of sides?

The ‘Main’ Event

Located immediately adjacent to Pendry Park City, Canyons Village also hosted a multi-day Fourth of July celebration called “Forum Fest” that’s free and open to the public. In addition to an abundance of food and drink offerings, Forum Fest schedules everything from yoga and sound baths to cornhole tournaments and lots of live music. Forum Fest bustled for the duration of the holiday weekend, and we particularly loved the patriotic drone show. A burn ban prohibited fireworks, and the drone show didn’t feel like a concession prize. It dazzled and delighted the packed crowd of all ages.

On the morning of Independence Day, we returned to Main Street to secure a prime standing location for Park City’s cherished Fourth of July Parade. Admittedly, I’m quite cynical about parades because most of them are lame. Park City’s Fourth of July Parade, however, transported me to Pleasantville. Decked-out and effusive Americans packed Main Street. The joy was palpable. Firetrucks and marching bands. Lady Liberty and plenty of patriotic Bernese Mountain Dogs. George Washington even crossed the Delaware. Echoes of Toby Keith (RIP) reverberated. What can I say? I felt proud to be an American.

Highlighting America in her best light, Park City showed that 250 never looked better! Americana Summer dreams delivered.