ChatGPT takes on the Utah Valley

I don't fully understand technology but I am a fan. I'm this way about a lot of things. People assume because of how much I travel, I must be into airplanes. I seriously could not care less. Ask me what plane I flew on and at best I can tell you if it had seat-back tv's or not. Planes allow me to get from place to place so for that, I'm happy they exist. Ditto for cars.  

Same with tech. I'm not the most online person but I'm also not the least. If I can handle something from the comfort of my couch (ie. shopping, paying bills, researching my next adventure), I'm all for it. As such, I've become vaguely aware of the growing importance of AI and all the concerns that surround it. Since I have no interest in generating fake images and prefer my ramblings to come directly from me, I just didn't see where I would have any use for it. 

That has changed. Recently, I had some time off in Provo, Utah and knew I wanted to explore the surrounding areas. I did some research and came up with a list of things that sounded interesting. Where I was getting tripped up was in coming up with a sensible routing that did not involve a lot of backtracking but also did not miss anything along the way. I had a dozen windows open on my phone, doing lots of cross referencing on google maps and generally just getting frustrated. Then I recalled a good friend's burgeoning parasocial relationship with ChatGPT. I've given her a lot of grief for it- during our last conversation, I vehemently insisted she break up with her imaginary friend. But what she was onto something? What if, as she insists, it can answer any question? To test that theory, I typed in the following prompt  "Create a day trip from Provo that includes Sundance, Bridal Veil Falls, Park City and Midway. Include driving times and suggestions on what to see and do. Include scenic stops." Not one minute later, I had an itinerary that would have taken me hours to create. 

It welcomed, nay insisted on follow up questions. I wanted to know where the good photo spots were. It added those to the list. What are some good places for lunch? How about craft beers? The itinerary was reworked and those were added. Anything I haven't asked about that's worth a stop? A new version was generated. AI may be the thing that renders us all obsolete and destroys all creativity but as far as travel planning, this thing has the potential to be a game changer. 

To feel it out, the following is a day in the Utah-Valley as prescribed by ChatGPT.

First stop, at only 15 minutes from Provo was Bridal Veil falls. Chat had suggested we do the easy 10 minute walk to the base of the falls. It was closed due to construction and looked like it had been that way for awhile. We later learned it will not reopen until 2027, so kind of a rocky start for Chat.

Next stop: Sundance Resort. We were in the in between times. It was too cold to hike the trails yet not cold enough to ski. The lifts that would take you up into the mountains were firmly in the off position, which is a possibility that Chat had entertained so no points deducted there.

The resort itself and a couple of the shops and restaurants were still open and xmas decorations were going up. Even without the lift, it was a worthwhile stop.

Next up was a mini-Swiss village in the middle of the Utah. The town of Midway was settled by Swiss inhabitants in the 1850's partly due to its geographic resemblance to the Alps, The town has fully embraced its Swiss roots and there is even a glockenspiel that goes off every hour on the hour. 

Among Chat's recommendations were the outdoor globes at Cafe Galleria. I'm sure they are super cozy on a snowy day but how much must that suck for the waitstaff that has to transport dishes and drinks in the middle of a frozen tundra. 

Another Chat suggestion was the Heber Valley Cheese Farm, where you can take cheese making classes. Or if you are short on time, you can just check out the cows and perhaps gorge yourself on cheese samples.

The day was quickly getting away from us. Chat's tight schedule had gone by the wayside after the second stop but we could still make one last stop. Park City is a cute ski town that is also home to the Sundance Film Festival. 

By the time we got there, it was too late to go to the suggested museums or the Olympic park but as with Sundance resort, it made for a nice stroll.

You can tell the town has the potential to be pretty happening. As it was, we were able to find some signs of life at the Chat-approved  No Name Saloon, where we had a couple of drinks before returning to Provo.

My verdict, after the first time using Chat to plan a day: it's good. It's an excellent tool for working out logistics. The driving times and suggestions were pretty on the nose but part of the fun of traveling is stumbling across new and unexpected places. This is something AI will never be able to replicate. I may not be totally sold on it...but I'm happy it exists.