Sun Valley · Since 1936
Sun Valley Lodge
The original resort lodge, with an outdoor pool and ice rink.
Official details for Sun Valley LodgeIdaho · Couples · Two nights
Sun Valley & Ketchum
A classic ski town in the Idaho mountains.
Sun Valley opened in 1936 as the country’s first destination ski resort, and Ketchum next door still has a small-town Western feel. Fly into Friedman Memorial in Hailey, about 12 miles south, stay at the Sun Valley Lodge or the Limelight, ski or hike Bald Mountain, raise a glass at the Pioneer Saloon and drive north to the Sawtooths.
Ski resortMountain townOutdoors
YOUR ROUTEKMYR to KSUN
STRAIGHT-LINE DISTANCE~1746 NM
ILLUSTRATIVE FLIGHT TIME~11 hr 53 min
WEEKEND STYLETwo nights · Shuttle, taxi or rental car
Time illustration: direct distance at 150 KTAS plus 15 minutes for departure and arrival, matching the discovery page. Use ForeFlight for your actual flight plan.
01 / Aviation & getting around
Land at Hailey in a narrow valley.
KSUN, Friedman Memorial in Hailey, is a towered field at 5,320 feet with a 7,550-foot runway in a narrow canyon. Arrivals and departures normally use opposite directions; read the airport’s procedures before you go.
The FBO
Atlantic Aviation Sun Valley
208-788-9511Friedman Memorial Airport, Hailey, ID
Terrain on three sides; departures often go out the way you came in. Compute performance carefully. No live fuel price is shown.
Mountain flying: high density altitude on summer afternoons, mountain wave and strong winds over the ridges, afternoon thunderstorms from July to September, and winter snow and icing. Consider a mountain-flying course before you go. About 1750 nm from Myrtle Beach: two long days each way with several fuel stops. Plan a week, or overnight on the way out and back.
02 / Where to stay
A 1930s lodge or a modern hotel.
Rates and availability need travel dates. Holiday and summer weeks book early.
Ketchum · Hotel
Limelight Ketchum
A modern hotel near Bald Mountain’s River Run base.
Official details for Limelight KetchumLocal guide
More places to stay
Inns and condos around the valley.
Visit Sun Valley for More places to stay03 / Where to eat
Steaks and après.
Reserve weekend dinners.
Saturday dinner · Steakhouse
The Pioneer Saloon
A Ketchum classic with prime rib and Western décor.
Official details for The Pioneer SaloonLocal guide
More restaurants
Cafés and dinner spots in Ketchum and Sun Valley.
Visit Sun Valley for More restaurants04 / Things to do
Baldy, the Sawtooths and Hemingway.
Mountains in every direction.
05 / What’s happening
Sometimes the season is the reason to fly.
This prototype links to the local visitor site. It does not yet match events to your travel dates.
Late November–April
Ski season
Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain.
Sun Valley Resort for Ski seasonSummer
Sun Valley Music Festival
Free summer concerts in the pavilion.
Visit Sun Valley for Sun Valley Music FestivalOctober
Trailing of the Sheep
Sheep parade through downtown Ketchum.
Visit Sun Valley for Trailing of the SheepConcerts, festivals & local happenings
Check the local calendar when choosing a weekend, and confirm dates and tickets with the organizer.
06 / Suggested itinerary
Friday in. Sunday home.
A sample long weekend. This is a two-day flight each way; plan a week. No bookings or availability confirmed.
Day trip version
Just for the day
- Arrive
Land at KSUN mid-morning.
- Midday
Lunch in Ketchum.
- Afternoon
The lodge and the ice rink, then back to the airport.
DAY 1
Arrive
- Arrival
Land at KSUN, subject to weather, density altitude and your actual flight plan.
- Afternoon
Walk Ketchum.
- Evening
Dinner at the Pioneer Saloon.
DAY 2
Explore
- Morning
Bald Mountain.
- Afternoon
The Hemingway memorial and a skate at the lodge.
- Evening
Dinner in Sun Valley Village.
DAY 3
Morning & home
- Morning
A drive toward the Sawtooths.
- Before leaving
Compute takeoff performance for the morning temperature and allow time at the FBO.
- Fly home
Mountain afternoons bring wind, turbulence and storms; leave early.
Longer stay · Add a day
With an extra day
- Morning
Bald Mountain.
- Afternoon
A drive toward the Sawtooths.
- Evening
Dinner at the Pioneer Saloon.
07 / Good to know
Keep the weekend easy to change.
These details make the difference between an appealing list and a usable getaway.
Book in this order
Lodging and FBO first.
Very long flight
About 1,750 nm: two long days each way.
Airport
Narrow valley and opposite-direction procedures; brief them well.
Best seasons
June to September, and ski season.
Reviewed · Destination 182
Reviewed November 5, 2026.
Picks and links reviewed by WingAway Weekends. Hours, prices, menus and availability change often, so confirm directly with each place before booking. Spotted something out of date, or have a favorite we missed? Email us at [email protected].
WingAway Weekends helps you discover the destination. Use ForeFlight and current official aviation information for route, performance, weather, NOTAMs and preflight decisions. Flight planning and PIC responsibility stay with the pilot.