The holiday destination of Park City, in Utah, is famous for its three world-class ski resorts: Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley and The Canyons. Together they form one of the USA's largest ski areas. The outstanding facilities for winter sports offered at Park City earned the resort town several of the 2002 Winter Olympic events. The Canyons resort features 8 mountains, 146 trails and 3,500 acres of diverse terrain, suited to every style and ability. Deer Valley Resort boasts thrilling chutes and bowls and caters for everyone, from families to individual ski and boarding champs. Lessons and child care are available. From deep powder bowls to long groomed runs, gentle beginner slopes to steep chutes, four world-class terrain parks and the 2002 Olympic Superpipe, Park City Mountain Resort has something for everyone.

Park City was a former silver mining town in the 19th century. Its Main Street is a restored historic district that adds a different dimension to the character of the town, which now boasts stylish condos and the state's most sophisticated resort community. Home to the Utah Olympic Park, Park City affords an abundance of skiing for all levels.

Park City's historic Main Street is lined with quaint shops and galleries that make for very satisfying browsing. The town has a wide variety of shopping opportunities, everything from handmade furniture, books and art collectibles to brand-name bargains in a factory outlet mall. Sportswear, particularly ski-gear, abounds. Each of the three holiday resorts in the town also have their own shops for visitors.

Park City boasts a plethora of restaurants, at least 100 of them, catering for everything from fast food to haute cuisine, budget to bank-breaking, steak to sushi. Try the Grub Steak Restaurant in Prospector Square, specialising in steak and seafood and featuring a famed 45-item salad bar. There is fine dining along with beautiful views at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in the Park City Hotel, and the elegant Grappa Italian Café in Main Street serves Italian specialities and award-winning wines. El Chubasco is a fantastic Mexican restaurant, and Café Terigo serves excellent seafood, pizza and Mediterranean cuisine.

Despite Utah's rather stringent liquor laws, there is no problem having a well-oiled night out in Park City, which boasts more than 20 nightclubs and bars. Most operate as private clubs and visitors may purchase temporary membership for a nominal fee. Favourite nightlife venues include the O'Shucks Bar & Grill, the Bacchus Wine Bar and the Harry O's nightclub. Apres-ski is just as lively a party here as anywhere else in the world.

E-mail: webmaster@parkcity.org

Website: www.parkcity.org

Telephone: (435) 615 5001

Transport: There is a UTA bus, Route 90, that offers transportation between Salt Lake City and Park City from 6:12am to 7:29pm Monday to Friday. A one-way ticket is $5.50.