Are you looking to build your dream retirement home in a community full of friendly retiree, who are as active and engaged in living the good life as you are? Do you love hiking, biking, and skiing, with a heavy dose of arts and culture on the side? Do you thrive amongst amazing physical beauty and the convenience of over 100 restaurants and taverns? Does it bring you joy to spend an afternoon wandering art galleries? Do you want the convenience of excellent health care facilities, free public transportation, and a nearby major airport?

If you’re thinking, yes, yes to all the things, then Park City, Utah is definitely the retirement community for you. Founded in 1868 and incorporated in 1884, Park City is a former silver mining town in the Wasatch Mountains. Known as one of the “best” mining towns for its plethora of “modern” conveniences (such as electricity and running water!), Park City grew quickly. But as mining waned in the early decades of the twentieth century, the once booming mining town needed a new selling point. It reinvented itself as a tourist destination, a center for winter sports, and an incubator of the arts. Now it boasts a charming downtown full of unique shops, fine and casual dining, art galleries, and performance spaces. With a population of about 8,000, Park City is small enough to feel like a community, but large enough to offer grocery stores, medical facilities, and other urban conveniences.

Enjoy being outdoors? Park City has loads of all-season outdoor activities

Our winter sports facilities are so fantastic that in 2002, when Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics, about half of the competitions were actually held in Park City.

1. You can’t beat the skiing.

The first ski jump was built in Park City in 1930, and by 1946, the first resort, Snow Park (now Deer Valley) was developed in the city.  Now we have two world-class ski resorts—Deer Vally and Park City Mountain Resort. In 2018, Deer Valley was named the top resort in America by SKI Magazine. Within an hour’s drive, there are other top resorts—among them Brighton, Snowbird, Alta, Powder Mountain, Solitude, and Snow Basin.

2. There are over 400 trails for hiking and mountain biking.

There’s even a mountain biking school where you can take a beginner’s class to get oriented, if you’re more accustomed to city and paved-trail biking. And in early summer, the landscape is awash in greenery and rich color—an explosion of wildflowers and a reawakening of aspen trees.

The 1,200 acre Swaner EcoCenter and Preserve is a fun, free place to wander, with educational events such as nighttime star-gazing.

3. There’s boating, paddle-boarding, wake-surfing, boating, and fishing.

For bigger watercraft, the Jordanelle Reservoir and State Park are a few minutes outside of town, and Pebble Beach at Deer Valley Resort is perfect for non-motorized watercraft.

4. Want to try snowmobiling, snow biking, snowshoeing, or dog sledding? Park City offers them all.

5. If golf is your game, you’ll never get bored. We have seven courses. 

6. We’re a short drive from many diverse, beautiful, and exciting national parks—Canyonlands, Zion, Bryce Canyons, and Arches, just to name a few.

Park City is community-oriented and highly livable.

1. We have excellent healthcare providers and facilities.

Our award-winning Park City Hospital, which opened in 2009, offers comprehensive medical care. Additionally, we have several urgent care clinics and private healthcare providers. You’re also less than an hour away from Salt Lake City’s world-renown medical facilities, such as the University of Utah Hospital and the Intermountain Medical Center—both of which landed top spots on the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Hospitals list. 

2. We have over 100 restaurants and bars.

If you’re looking for quick and casual or fine dining, if you prefer craft beer with live music or a quiet nightcap, our food and drink offerings have you covered.

3. You’re less than an hour from an international airport.

If you live in Park City, we’re not sure why you’d ever want to leave. But if you do need to travel, you’re less than an hour from the Salt Lake City airport.

4. We have bowling, movies (and of course film festivals!), indoor pools, horseback riding, and outdoor concerts.

Basically, whatever you’re into entertainment-wise, you can find it here.

5. We have free public transportation.

The Park City Transit bus service is free and runs daily, from 5:30 a.m. till 2 a.m.

You can build your dream home in Park City—and it will hold its value.

If you want to design your own retirement home, Park City and the surrounding areas are great places to do it. Not only does Utah have one of the lowest property tax rates in the country, but residential real estate here tends to increase in value in a short period of time.

Their aren’t many houses on the market, though, so if you can find a gorgeous piece of property, it makes sense to custom-build.

Park City has more festivals and cultural activities than many large cities.

1. We have tons of film festivals.

Most people know that Park City hosts of one of the most prestigious film events in the world—the Sundance Film Festival. But did you know that the Slamdance Film Festival also happens in Park City at the same time, and that often, it’s much easier to get tickets? There are also other film festivals throughout the year—the Park City Film Festival, the Park City International Film Festival, the  Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival, and the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival.

2. Into gallery-hopping?

Park City has over 30 art galleries and a monthly last Friday gallery stroll. There’s always something new to look at!

3. We have a thriving year-round music and performing arts scene. 

The Kimball Art Center hosts rotating exhibits, sponsors special events and free art talks, and offers community art classes. For the past 50 years, its put on a huge summer arts festival each August.

Both the Egyptian Theater, an art deco treasure built in 1926, and the more contemporary Eccles Center host traveling musicals, plays, dance events, comedy, and concerts. Park City Live hosts touring musicians, and DeJoria Center hosts marquee-name performers.

We also have multiple summer music festivals and concert series, featuring national and local acts. Many of these events, such as the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series at Deer Valley Resort, are free.

You can check out more events listings and unique offerings, such as the Spring Gruv pond-skimming tradition (on skis, in costume!) here. 

Park City is full of senior citizens, who want to get out and play.

As an active retiree, you’ll be in good company.

Utah and Park City are often ranked in the top ten among best states for retirement living—by Motovo Real Estate, by personal finance news provider Kiplinger, by Investopedia, by WalletHub, by the Motley Fool, and the list goes on. Money Savings Pro named Utah the second-best state to retire, based on life expectancy, tax friendliness, low violent crime, and low healthcare costs. And Park City is the “oldest” city in that second-best state, based on median age.

Park City has an active Senior Center that’s open daily, organizes special events, and shows bi-weekly movies. There are several local “senior adventurer” groups in the Park City area, if you run a search on Meetup. There are also plenty of senior members at the Wasatch Mountain Club, which is based in Salt Lake but often pursues activities in the Park City area.

Why build your retirement home in Park City!

If you’re searching for the best place to build your fabulous retirement home, Park City is worth your serious consideration. It’s a place that caters to both senior citizens and an active lifestyle, so there is no better place to combine the two! Living here will keep you young at heart for many years to come.