The next day, we took a tour to the Homestead Crater and Swiss Village. We booked through Park City Travel & Tours and participated in Tour 2A. Our tour guide was so kind, as willingly watched our pup while we visited some of the locations on the tour.
We drove away from Deer Valley towards the Homestead Crater. During the drive, our guide explained how the Swiss settled in this part of Utah many years ago. Having lived in Switzerland with similar mountain views, I completely understand why the Swiss would choose here when relocating. I could not get enough of the constant visual access to the breathtaking mountains. Everywhere I looked, these snowcapped beauties were visible. They were so crystal clear it felt like I could reach out and touch them. There is something about the proximity to a miracle of nature like this that just fills the body with calm.
The Homestead Crater is a miracle of nature in its own right. It is a geothermal spring, but sits within a limestone rock formation that is shaped like a beehive. According to their website, “over 10,000 years in the making, The Crater formed when melting snow on the Wasatch Mountains seeped deep within the earth. Two miles below the surface, the earth’s interior heated the water. The hole at the top of the dome lets in sunlight and fresh air while the interior stays heated by the mineral water at a constant range of 90 – 96 degrees Fahrenheit.”
We had to wear life vests to swim. My daughter was initially scared but soon got the hang of it and then didn’t want to leave!
After the crater, we continued along with our tour, stopping at a chocolate shop (very Swiss) and a cheese and ice cream shop (even more Swiss). With the stunning mountains in the background the whole time, I realized quite quickly I could get used to Utah.
The next day, it was off to Salt Lake City. We booked one night at the Hyatt Regency before heading back to Chicago the next day. The hotel is very centrally located with a gorgeous interior. Being in the “big city” was a strong contrast to where we had just come from. The mountains were still very visible in the background, though, so I was happy.
The hotel created an adorable set up for my daughter. She was thrilled and spent hours playing with it.
We wandered around the city for a bit, stumbling across Temple Square. Sadly, it was under construction so there wasn’t much to see. From what I could tell, the church was massive, with stunning towers overlooking the city.
Across the street was a shopping center, with lovely fountains entertaining the crowds.
After our day wandering downtown, we had a relaxing night at the hotel. The next day, it was back to Chicago, cowboy hats in hand.
We truly enjoyed this amazing visit to Utah, so much so that we are already planning out trip back!
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