See Park City Olympic Park Utah Crater Cheese Farm & Jordanelle

Park City has more than ski slopes. This four-hour outing links an artisan cheese farm, a warm volcanic crater, Olympic venues, mountain views, and old-town shopping into one compact ride through northern Utah. I like the wide mix of stops and the chance to see places that are awkward to connect without a car. I also like that private transport, bottled water, snacks, and hotel pickup are included.

The tradeoff is pace. Several stops last only 10 to 30 minutes, so you get an overview rather than a long visit. The Homestead Crater swim and Heber Valley Railroad ride cost extra, and the schedule may feel tight if you want to shop, eat, or linger in Park City.

Key points to know before booking

• The tour covers seven distinct sights in about four hours, with most of the drive time already folded into the schedule.
• The Homestead Crater is a short visit unless you pay for the 40-minute swim, which must be arranged separately.
• Olympic Park is the strongest stop for many visitors, especially when athletes are training on the bobsled, luge, or skeleton track.
• Cheese tasting adds a local food stop that breaks up the sightseeing and gives you something to take home.
• Park City Main Street is an orientation stop, not a full shopping afternoon. You can use the free trolley or walk downhill.
• The small-group vehicle holds no more than 20 people, with pickup from several Park City hotels.

What this Park City day tour is really designed to do

At $125 per person, this is best understood as a sightseeing circuit, not a series of full attraction visits. You are paying for a driver, private air-conditioned transportation, hotel pickup, snacks, bottled water, and a route that ties together Park City, Midway, Heber Valley, and Jordanelle.

That matters because these places are spread out. Without your own car, seeing a cheese facility, volcanic crater, Olympic venue, historic main street, lake, Swiss-themed resort, and railroad depot in one morning would be difficult. The tour gives you a useful first look at the area, especially at the start of a Park City stay.

I would not book it if you want long meals, serious shopping, or a relaxed afternoon at one attraction. I would book it if you want to get your bearings, hear local stories, and decide which places deserve a return visit.

The advertised departure is 10:00 a.m. from 1300 Snow Creek Drive. Pickup times at listed hotels run from about 9:45 to 10:00 a.m. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and the maximum group size is 20. Several guides have received strong praise, including Mike, David, Richard, and Dave. The common thread is friendly service, local knowledge, punctual pickups, and useful background on Park City and Utah.

Heber Valley cheese tasting, a small but tasty first stop

The tour begins at Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, described as the local Midway Artesian Dairy and Cheese facility. You have about 30 minutes to see how the cheese is made from beginning to end, sample the products, and shop for favorites.

This is one of the more distinctive stops. Park City sightseeing can easily become a parade of mountain views and resort buildings. A working food facility gives you something concrete: a look at a local product, a tasting, and the chance to buy something for later.

Thirty minutes is enough for a quick visit and samples, but not for a long food tour. If you love cheese, you may wish the stop were longer. Still, the timing works well as an introduction to the Midway area.

The tour includes snacks, but the cheese shop is separate from that provision. If you want to take cheese home, bring room in your day bag and check any storage needs before buying.

Inside Homestead Crater, Utah’s warm volcanic pool

The Homestead Crater is the tour’s most unusual stop. This is a fully enclosed natural volcanic crater warmed by hot springs, with water said to remain around 90 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The formation was first identified by local Indigenous people.

The scheduled visit lasts about 15 minutes, which means you should think of it as a look inside the crater rather than a full water experience. You can see the unusual interior and learn why the site is different from an ordinary swimming pool or hot spring.

A 40-minute soak and swim is available as an upgrade, but that ticket is not included in the $125 price. It also requires advance reservations. This point matters. Do not assume that the standard tour price gives you swimming access, and do not expect the driver to add it spontaneously if the schedule is full.

I would choose the swim upgrade only if the water experience is a main reason for booking. If you are mainly curious about the geology and want to keep moving, the short visit may be enough.

Park City Main Street, with just enough time to get oriented

At Park City Main Street Historic District, you arrive at the top of Main Street. From there, you can walk downhill past shops, restaurants, pubs, and historic buildings, or use the free trolley and hop on and off as you wish.

This is a smart way to introduce yourself to town. The top-down route helps you understand the layout quickly, and you can mark places to return to later. Main Street is one of the few stops where your visit can become more personal. You might browse, grab a drink, take photos, or simply enjoy the old buildings.

The scheduled time is about 30 minutes, so keep your expectations sensible. That is enough for a short walk and orientation. It is not enough for a proper meal or a serious shopping session.

One negative review came from a family expecting more flexibility for shopping and a private chauffeur-style service. The guide explained that the outing followed a set schedule. That exchange points to an important booking rule: this is an organized sightseeing tour, even when the group is small. You can make brief choices at stops, but you cannot redesign the route around personal errands.

Jordanelle State Park and the mountain water views

Jordanelle State Park receives about 15 minutes. The purpose is mainly visual: a close view of the reservoir, surrounding mountains, and open Utah scenery.

This is a photo stop rather than a park outing. You will not have time for a long walk, boating, or a full day beside the water. Still, it gives the tour some breathing room after the tighter urban and indoor stops.

The value here depends on the weather. On a clear day, the water and mountains provide a strong contrast to Park City’s streets and resort buildings. On a cloudy day, the stop may feel brief. The tour requires good weather, and poor conditions can lead to a different date or a full refund.

Zermatt Swiss Village in Midway

The stop at Spa at Zermatt introduces you to Zermatt Swiss Village and Resort in Midway. You can step off the vehicle, look around the Swiss and western-style lobby, and perhaps buy homemade chocolate or cakes from the on-site bakery. A restaurant is also available if you want a meal, though the short 15-minute schedule is not suited to a full sit-down lunch.

The property also has volcanic tar pits, adding another unusual detail to the Midway portion of the outing. It is an eclectic stop: part resort, part themed village, part local curiosity.

I would treat this as a quick look and snack opportunity, not a spa visit. The tour does not include spa treatments, and there is no reason to expect time for one. The chocolate and bakery items may be the most practical way to enjoy the stop without risking the rest of the schedule.

Heber Valley Railroad, a historic depot from the roadside

The Heber Valley Railroad stop lasts about 10 minutes. You will see the historic depot, steam engine, and classic western carriages as the train prepares to leave for Vivian Park.

This is a glimpse rather than a train ride. The full round-trip journey takes about 90 to 120 minutes and is sold as part of another full-day option. Tickets are not included in this tour.

That distinction is easy to miss, so plan carefully. If riding the train is your priority, choose the longer rail-focused experience instead of hoping to board during this four-hour circuit. If you simply enjoy old locomotives and want a quick photograph, the depot stop gives you a taste without consuming half your day.

Utah Olympic Park, the tour’s main event

Utah Olympic Park is likely the strongest stop for sports fans and anyone curious about the 2002 Winter Olympics. The park hosted Olympic events and remains a training site for bobsled, luge, skeleton, and other winter athletes.

The scheduled visit is about 30 minutes. From October 25 through March 1, training is listed for the bobsled, luge, and skeleton track. Seeing athletes practice can make the visit much more exciting than simply looking at old venues.

You may also visit the Olympic Museum, and there is a chance to meet an Olympian, Paralympian, or athlete in training. That possibility is not guaranteed, so think of it as a bonus rather than part of the promised program.

Several people singled out Olympic Park as their favorite part of the outing. One visit included skiers practicing jumps, while another praised the Olympic venue as a must-see part of Park City. I agree with the emphasis. If you are choosing this tour for one major stop, this is probably it.

The limitation is time. Thirty minutes lets you see the site and perhaps the museum, but it is not a full sports center visit. If you want to explore every exhibit or watch training for a long stretch, plan a separate return trip.

Utah Film Studios and the U.S. Ski Association

The route also passes Utah Film Studios and the United States Ski Association headquarters. The studio is associated with productions including Blood and Oil and Yellowstone, featuring Kevin Costner and other stars.

This is a drive-by detail, not a scheduled stop for a studio tour. The same applies to the ski headquarters. You see where national skiing operations are based, but you should not expect an indoor visit or behind-the-scenes access.

Still, these details help connect the area’s two public identities: Utah as a film location and Utah as a serious winter sports center. They work best as commentary from the guide while you ride between the main stops.

The guides and the ride itself

Guide quality can shape a short sightseeing tour, and this one appears to depend heavily on the individual leading your vehicle. Mike received especially strong praise for his background on Utah, Park City, and Midway, as well as his friendly and respectful manner. David was described as funny, accommodating, and well prepared. Richard was praised for being local and well informed, while Dave handled a rescheduled outing and was described as friendly and punctual.

You should expect commentary rather than silent transport. The most successful visits seem to come when the guide explains what you are seeing and keeps the schedule moving.

The ride is in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water and snacks. Maximum capacity is 20, though some departures may be smaller. The tour returns to the original meeting point, which makes it easy to continue with your Park City plans afterward.

Is $125 a fair price?

The price is fair if you value convenience and variety. You are not paying $125 for admission to a single major attraction. You are paying for transportation between scattered sites, a guide, hotel pickup, refreshments, and a route that would take planning and driving on your own.

The value drops if you already have a rental car and intend to spend a long time at only one or two places. You could then choose your own pace and pay only for the activities you want.

Remember the extra costs. The Homestead Crater swim is not included, and neither is the Heber Valley Railroad ride. Most listed stops have no separate admission charge under this tour, but shopping, food, and optional activities are your responsibility.

The experience is popular enough that it is booked about 17 days ahead on average. That is a useful hint for planning, especially if your Park City dates are fixed.

Who should book this four-hour outing?

I would recommend it for first-time visitors, couples, families, solo visitors without a car, and anyone who wants a broad introduction to the Park City area. It is also useful at the start of a stay, since it helps you decide where to spend more time later.

Families should know that younger children may find the quick stops and driving tiring, although most people can participate and service animals are allowed. The tour is offered in English.

I would skip it if your main goal is a long crater swim, a full train journey, a relaxed shopping day, or extended time at Olympic Park. Those experiences need more time than this schedule allows.

Booking is nonrefundable and cannot be changed for personal reasons. If the operator cancels because of poor weather or too few bookings, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund. That policy makes travel insurance worth considering if your plans are uncertain.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a practical overview of Park City and nearby Midway without renting a car or building the route yourself. The cheese tasting, crater visit, Olympic Park, lake views, and Main Street stop give you a varied morning, and strong guides can add real value.

Skip it if you dislike fixed schedules or want deep time at one attraction. The tour is at its best as an introduction, not a complete visit to every place on the route. For many people, that is exactly the point: get oriented, enjoy the scenery, then return on your own to the stops that caught your interest.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately four hours, including travel time between stops, and returns to the original meeting point.

What time does the tour start?

The scheduled start time is 10:00 a.m. Pickup from listed Park City hotels generally begins around 9:45 a.m. and runs until about 10:00 a.m.

Where does the tour begin?

The main meeting point is 1300 Snow Creek Drive, Park City, Utah 84060. Hotel pickup is offered at several listed Park City properties.

Is swimming at Homestead Crater included?

No. The 40-minute crater swim requires a separate ticket and advance reservations. The standard tour includes a short visit inside the crater.

Is the Heber Valley Railroad ride included?

No. The train ride is not included. The tour provides a brief look at the depot, steam engine, and classic carriages. A separate full-day option includes the round-trip train journey.

What is included in the $125 price?

The price includes private transportation, an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, snacks, and the guided sightseeing route. Optional crater swimming, the railroad ride, food purchases, and shopping are not included.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum capacity of 20 people.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered a different date or experience, or a full refund.