Photo by Sam Horine

January 2018 marked my one year anniversary with something that I covet greatly. It’s my best travel buddy and something I can rely on when all else fails. Dear Chase Sapphire Reserve, consider this my open love letter 🙂 I couldn’t let this month pass me by without celebrating our mutual love for one another. I marked my calendar and mapped my party routes and off we went to Park City to soak in some Indie films, snowy mountain vibes and all the comfort food and baileys I could get my hands on.

Park City transforms into a madhouse during Sundance Film Festival, and unless you have connections or reservations galore, you’ll be another body wandering aimlessly along the streets. My favorite hangout during my five days in Utah was Chase Sapphire on Main, a hub for cardmembers and non-cardmembers to get warm, rest their feet, eat a few bites from local restaurants, charge their phones and get a chance to listen in on film panels with cast and directors from various movies. I loved getting Maggie Gyllenhaal’s take on her film “The Kindergarten Teacher.”

Cast parties kept me busy once the sun went down because if Paul Rudd is in the house, I’m going to make sure I’m there, too…doing my best to keep all of my Clueless quotes to myself. Peter Dinklage, aka Tyrion Lannister, was present as well sipping from a goblet of wine a la Game of Thrones set. Kidding about the goblet part, but that would’ve been pretty great.

Photo by Sam Horine

Eat

My very first stop on Day 1 was the Chase Sapphire On Location Food Truck because Top Chef winner Kristen Kish was serving up a ricotta donut + hot chocolate, and who doesn’t want a part of that? Kristen was one of my favorite people to run into while at Sundance since I can definitely relate to her unconventional lifestyle and love of travel.

If you’re on or near Main Street, I highly recommend Handle and their fried chicken deliciousness. Look, I probably should’ve ordered a salad like the rest of my dining companions, but sometimes my will power fails me. You can take the girl out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the girl. Other eateries on the Chase Sapphire Six Guide to Park City include No Name Saloon, Chimayo, Burgers and Bourbon, Grappa and Ghidotti’s.

Winter Games

It’s funny to me when people venture to Sundance and don’t see a single film. Hey, no shame in traveling for the parties, events, free food and skiing. It’s not a bad way to spend a few days in Park City while hanging with the Sundance crowd.

Ski Park City Mountain – Park City is the largest ski area in the U.S. with 7,300 acres, 348 trails, 41 lifts, eight terrain parks and 13 bowls. Calling all thrill-seekers…

Utah Olympic Park Bobsled – If you’re an adrenaline junkie, hop in the Comet Bobsled near downtown Park City where participants ride up to 70+ mph and over 103 ft of vertical drop full. Yes, please 🙂

Sleep

Sometimes hotels get it right, and then sometimes hotels get it really right. Park City Peaks Hotel just gets it, and I knew I’d love this establishment from the minute I checked-in.

They make living and breathing and hotel living easy by offering the following (hoteliers take notice):

Breakfast until 11AM (not 10, but 11 y’all), a friendly bar scene for those single travelers like myself, coffee/snacks for purchase for those in a hurry, a beautiful gym with 24 hour access, indoor and outdoor pool/jacuzzis for some RnR after hitting the slopes, free hot chocolate with marshmallows AND cookies from 4-6PM (my kinda happy hour). The living was easy here, and my only complaint was that it wasn’t located on Main Street, thus needing an Uber/Lyft/shuttle to and from the action.

Travel

Getting into Park City requires about a 40 minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport. An Uber will run you about $45, but that’s 45 x 3 points on your Chase Sapphire Reserve card!

Special thanks for Chase Sapphire for bringing me out to Utah to celebrate independent storytelling and the best credit card perks around! Until next year, Sundance 🙂