Midway is a day trip full of outdoor fun to enjoy all day long. Especially in winter, you won't want to miss this! Located 1 hour southeast of Salt Lake City, depending on where you are coming from you may want to come from Park City, or if you are more south you can easily get to Midway from Provo.
Your first adventure should be the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center. Here you can find cross country skiing, ski lessons, 2002 Olympic memorabilia, and what I recommend for anyone looking for some family fun, snow tubing.
Soldier Hollow's Tubing is one of my favorite winter activities. This is perfect for any little kiddos or really anyone who doesn't want to deal with the hassle of skiing or snowboarding. Instead, just go sledding down a giant hill! They provide the tubes for you and I've never seen them run out of tubes. There are plenty there for everything to use. Once you are done, just leave the tubes there and you're on your way! There is a moving belt you stand on that carries you and your tub up to the top. Really this is one of the easiest winter activities you can do.
These hills aren't your everyday backyard hills. They are pretty big and you can start going pretty fast. There are multiple runs to choose from. Some will go a little faster than others, so make sure to ask an employee once you get there. You can also go as a group which works perfectly for little kids who might be too scared to go alone. We went on a pretty busy day but were still able to go down the hills as much as we wanted before getting tired. They give you hour blocks so make sure to get there on time! Also, you'll want to make sure to book online beforehand. We saw a few families that were sadly turned away because everything for fully booked out for the day.
After a fun morning of tubing, head over to downtown Midway. This is a small-town feel area that is swiss themed! Here you'll find little shops to explore and bites to eat. Cafe Galleria has igloos you can eat in for an Italian dinner. The Corner Restaurant is a fancy spot for food and drinks but make sure to make reservations in advance or be prepared to sit at the bar. Lola's Street Kitchen is a quick order-at-the-counter diner that also has freshly baked bread. The grilled cheese was delicious!
On the main street, you can also find a nice ice skating rink. Here you can have fun with the kids while trying not to freeze. Or have a romantic date night while still trying not to freeze. When we went they were in the middle of a hockey game so we had to come back later that night. So it might be smart to check ahead of time to see when the free skate hours are. Midway's elevation is a lot higher than Salt Lake City's, so remember that the temperatures will easily be 10 degrees lower. Make sure to bundle up and grab some hot cocoa after!
Some other things in the area that you should check out if you have time are the Zermatt Resort and Spa - step into the Swiss Alps at the bakery at the front for some delicious sweets. They even have a carousel that sadly isn't open in the winter months.
Across the street from the Zermatt, you'll see the Midway Crater. This is a hot spring inside of a large crater you can swim in. I actually learned how to scuba dive here. The waters are pretty warm and it's about 60 feet deep!
On the other side of town, you'll find the Heber Valley Milk and Cheese shop. Here you will find local cheese and other goodies to sample and purchase. Just beware of the smelly cows outside you can thank for the delicious cheese and ice cream. I recommend getting at least one bag of cheese curds for the drive home.
Things to note: There are no major groceries stores or liquor stores, you'll have to drive 10 minutes to Heber. In Heber, you'll find tons of big fast-food chains and traffic. In Midway, it'll feel pretty small town, but really you'll only be a ten-minute drive from a Starbucks or a Subway.
I fully recommend ending your long Midway day with a trip to the Ice Castles. This is any Frozen girl's dream. Walkthrough giant ice rooms made entirely of ice. At night the lights make everything glow. This will easily take 40 minutes to explore all the hallways and caves. You'll even have a chance to ride some slides made entirely out of ice. The pictures will be amazing, just make sure to bundle up and grab some more hot cocoa on the way out!
Let me know if you take a trip to Midway! What was your favorite part? Come back again soon for a Midway Summer trip post. As there is just as much fun to explore in the summer months here in Utah.
What is your favorite thing to do in Midway?
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