I'm a New Yorker who went to Utah's Silicon Slopes for the first time. 9 things surprised me.

• Silicon Slopes is a hub for tech and skiing in Utah.

• The region includes Salt Lake City, Park City, and suburbs like Draper and Provo.

• I recently visited the opulent ski hub and was surprised by active tech offices and city amenities.

Silicon Slopes is a region of Utah known for business and tech that includes Salt Lake City, Park City, and surrounding suburbs like Draper and Provo, among others.

It's also a growing wealth enclave where celebrities like Tan France and Post Malone have purchased estates.

In January, I left my home in NYC to visit the area, also known for its high-end ski scene. I expected to find luxury hotels and homes, active ski slopes, and tech offices with startup vibes.

I found all that — but there were nine surprises during my three-night trip exploring Salt Lake City, Park City, and Draper.

I traveled by train from Denver to Salt Lake City and was in awe of the views.

I flew from my home in NYC to Denver and boarded a 15-hour Amtrak train to Salt Lake City.

It wasn't my first overnight Amtrak train ride. In 2021, I took a 30-hour ride from NYC to Miami. The biggest difference between these two rides was the views.

In 2021, I had decent views of the East Coast, from towns to shorelines. But the sights between Colorado and Utah were on another level. I rode through Rocky Mountain National Park and watched the snow-capped forest landscape transition into red rocks and canyons as the train made its way to my destination.

I was surprised to find I could watch the passing landscapes from a window-filled observation car.

My train trip to Miami was on an Amtrak Viewliner, a one-story train. My recent Amtrak trip to Salt Lake City was on a Superliner, a double-decker train.

On board, I was surprised and excited to find a communal car on the top floor designated for sightseeing since the Viewliner did not have one. The car had two rows of windows and an array of seating options, such as booths and swivel chairs.

When booking my trip, I was shocked that Salt Lake City didn't have many luxury hotels.

Most major cities I visit have an array of luxury accommodations, so when booking my trip to Salt Lake City, I was dumbfounded when I only found a couple of five-star hotels.

I selected the Grand America Hotel — the city's first five-star hotel built in 2001 to serve the 2002 Olympics.

Since its opening, the hotel has been known for hosting A-listers. While hotel representatives declined to reveal any celebrity guest names, a representative of Grand America told BI that they have hosted visiting NBA teams.

The Grand America Hotel was also listed in the top 40 hotels in the world in CN Traveler's 2024 Reader's Choice Awards.

For $340 a night, I couldn't believe how luxurious my room was.

I spent one night in an executive suite with a king-sized bed. The room has a base rate of $340, though Business Insider received a media rate for the one-night stay.

The hotel was as lavish as many I've booked in the $500-$1,000-a-night price range. My room was 880 square feet, with a living room, a bedroom, and a Juliet balcony. I appreciated the spacious marble bathroom and thick, cozy robes with satin lining hanging in the walk-in closet.

After a night in Salt Lake City, I headed to Draper, a nearby suburb I didn't realize was a tech hub.

Since Salt Lake City is the metropolis of the Silicon Slopes, I expected most of the tech scene to be there. However, I found that the nearby suburb of Draper has created a booming tech community. I visited a large building that served as offices and a coworking space for several companies, giving techies the chance to network daily.

I was surprised by the wealth of activities inside tech offices.

I got private tours of two companies inside the building — Bamboo HR and Pluralsight. The offices were modern and sleek, with intentional color palettes and cozy seats, as I'd expect from any tech office.

But work aside, these spaces had activities for breaks that would make it hard for me to get back to my tasks — pickleball, rentable bikes for trail riding accessible from the property, and, most surprising to me, an indoor golf simulator projected onto a movie theater-sized screen.

That afternoon, I headed from Draper to Park City and was surprised to find luxury housing visible from the downtown area.

In most wealthy towns I visit, the luxury housing is spread out on the outskirts of town, away from the public eye.

That's the case for most of Park City, too.

However, in the downtown area, I spotted many modern and high-end homes layered among older houses on hilltops overlooking the streets. I thought it would be nice to live in a luxury mansion in a walkable neighborhood.

In the same area, I was shocked when a skier was lifted a few feet above my head.

I knew Park City was known for skiing, but I didn't expect to see an active ski lift nearly at arm's length while strolling through the downtown area.

It made sense when I learned that this part of Park City sits between two major ski hubs — Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort.

Park City had public amenities I rarely see in New York, like bathrooms and electric firepits in courtyards.

Finding a public bathroom in New York City often becomes an unwanted adventure. I've even left hangouts early to go home.

So, I didn't expect to see a vibrant sign pointing to one in downtown Park City. I didn't go inside, but all the public restrooms in Park City I saw on Google Maps had five-star ratings.

I also found lit, electric firepits surrounded by benches in courtyards between stores and restaurants.

My trip to Salt Lake City, Draper, and Park City was full of surprises.

From Park City's unexpected amenities to Salt Lake City's affordable luxury stays, these unexpected delights made me certain I'll return to the Silicon Slopes.

Read the original article on Business Insider