Set against the rugged backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake City lies at the heart of a metropolitan area with more than one million residents, each privileged to have on their doorstep one of the most striking landscapes of any American city.
(Photo: r. nial bradshaw via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
In recent times Salt Lake City has emerged as the economic and cultural heartland of the region, as well as an important hub for medicine and education. Mountain villages, the surrounding countryside and the city’s conurbation are all packed with varied outdoor and indoor pursuits. If you’re planning to visit the city and are keen to make the most of your time, we’ve picked out some of the most unique things to see and do below.
Marvel at a magnificent state capitol
Perched atop a hill overlooking Salt Lake City, the Utah State Capitol is one of the state’s most distinctive landmarks. Widely considered one of America’s most architecturally impressive state capitol buildings, it draws large numbers of visitors every year who come to admire its eye-catching neoclassical design, breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding mountains, and fascinating rooms, corridors and chambers that are steeped in history. Free guided tours of the attraction run at regular daily intervals on Mondays to Fridays.
350 State Street / Mon-Thurs 7am-8pm Fri-Sun 7pm-6pm
Take a guided tour of a unique natural landscape
One of the earth’s flattest terrains, the Bonneville Salt Flats make for a magical excursion from Salt Lake City. Situated about a 1.5-hour drive west of the city, this unique natural landscape spans some 30,000 acres and offers a unique visual experience in a serene – almost spiritual – setting. Visitors can walk along the seemingly endless salt crust and capture panoramic photos of the awe-inspiring flatness. There are also opportunities to enjoy views of the Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, and to admire the famous Tree of Life Sculpture by Swedish artist Karl Momen.
You can book a guided tour of the Bonneville Salt Flats at GetYourGuide
(Photo: Southwest Adventure Tours / Courtesy GetYourGuide)
Learn about Utah’s diverse ecosystems
If you’re keen to learn more about Utah’s remarkable natural landscapes and ecosystems, then a visit to the Natural History Museum of Utah will certainly satisfy your cravings. Teeming with engaging exhibits and artefacts, the museum explores the state’s rich history of palaeontology by showcasing fascinating gems and minerals, preserved artifacts from Utah’s prehistoric peoples and other items, all of which together tell the story of how the region has evolved over millions of years of natural and man-made change. Visitors can also take in stunning views of the Salt Lake Valley from the museum’s Sky Terrace.
301 Wakara Way / Thurs-Tues 10am-5pm Weds 10am-9pm
(Photo: Scarlet Sappho via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Take a stroll around a botanical garden
Set within the grounds of the University of Utah, a few miles from Downtown, Red Butte Garden is the state’s official arboretum and draws large numbers of visitors each year who come to explore its world-class plant collections. With its themed gardens and hundreds and thousands of springtime blooming bulbs, the botanical venue is a positive delight to stroll around for anyone with an interest in horticulture, or who simply wants to enjoy a leisurely walk in a scenic setting. As well as the lush vegetation on display, the garden also hosts a renowned outdoor concert series.
300 Wakara Way / Sun-Weds 9am-7.30pm Thurs 9am-5pm Fri-Sat 9am-9pm
(Photo: Andrey Zharkikh via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Retrace the steps of Olympic legends
You may have missed your chance to become an Olympian, but a visit to an Olympic Park offers perhaps the closest chance to live those unfulfilled dreams. After playing host to the iconic Salt Lake City Winter Games back in 2002, the Utah Olympic Park became etched into the event’s long and illustrious history, with its legacy still burning brightly today. At the park, visitors can try their hand at a host of adrenaline-fuelled Olympic-themed activities, such as ziplines, airbag jumps, extreme tubing and a bobsled run. There might not be any medals at the end of it, but the fun is in the pretending.
419 Olympic Parkway / Mon-Sun 9am-6pm
Delve into the local art scene
An acclaimed cultural venue, Art at the Main, features diverse works by Utah artists who run the gallery as a fully functioning cooperative. Nestled within the atrium of the city’s Main Public Library, it is a visually striking space, with soaring roofs, windows and fountains providing an impressive setting for visitors to meet and engage with the on-site artists and peruse the works on display. There is also a strong altruistic component to the gallery, including supporting public arts education through demonstrations, small classes and the opportunity to mentor college-level art students. Furthermore, every winter the gallery expands to include a holiday market, where artists offer smaller paintings, cards, jewellery, glass and pottery pieces for sale.
Salt Lake City Public Library / Mon-Sat 12pm-6pm Sun 11am-5pm
An equestrian-themed painting at Art at the Main Gallery (Photo: Art at the Main Gallery)
Board a historic streetcar trolley
For a fun, family-oriented introduction to Salt Lake City, the historic trolley tour, which takes place aboard replica retro streetcars, passes many of the city’s most important cultural and historical landmarks. Dressed in colourful period costumes, an on-board motorman and conductor regale passengers with fascinating facts and stories while pointing out notable buildings such as the State Capitol Building, the Union Pacific Depot, the Olympic Stadium and the architecturally eye-catching mansions of the Historic District. There will also be plenty of stops for photos along the way.
You can book a Salt Lake City trolley tour at GetYourGuide
Discover an array of exotic marine life
Situated in Draper, 20 miles south of Salt Lake City, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is a popular family attraction, with an exhilarating collection of underwater species on display, including sharks, rays, seahorses, octopus, piranha, Gentoo penguins and even a rescued Green sea turtle. There’s also a 300,000-gallon shark tank with a walk-through tunnel, a four-storey high rainforest gallery, and a banquet room with a floor-to-ceiling window into the shark tank. For the landlocked residents of Utah, it offers a great opportunity to get up close and personal with aquatic wildlife, but visitors from further afield will no doubt enjoy it too.
12033 Lone Peak Parkway, Draper / Mon-Sun 10am-6pm
Marine life at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (Photo: The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium)
Hit the slopes
A visit to Salt Lake City can be as relaxed or as action-packed as you like, but those with a predilection towards the latter may want to consider building a skiing trip into their adventure during the winter months. Alta Ski Area, in Cottonwood Canyon, is an exceptional ski resort in Utah’s imposing Wasatch Mountains, 26 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. One of the oldest ski resorts in the US, it has 2,200 acres of terrain, 116 trails and an abundance of off-piste powder lines. It’s renowned for some challenging slopes including steeps, tree skiing and some rock hucking, but beginners shouldn’t be put off as there’s also a liberal spread of cruising slopes. Visitors can also make use of five charming, rustic ski lodges for overnight stays.
10010 Little Cottonwood Canyon Road, Alta
A Winter skier in full throttle at Alta Ski Area (Photo: Alta Ski Area)
Catch a basketball game
There are few more quintessential American activities than watching live basketball – and visitors to Salt Lake City can do just that at the Delta Center, a state-of-the-art facility located in Downtown where Utah’s flagship sports franchise, the Utah Jazz, play their home matches. Packed crowds flock to the arena to watch the team Those who really want to soak up the atmosphere arrive early to grab a beer or other refreshments. As an added bonus, the seating in the stadium is extremely vertical so you can see the whole court even from higher-up spots. Tickets are often available on general sale.
Take in some magnificent sculptures
Created by the English photographer Thomas Child in the mid-twentieth century, the Gilgal Sculpture Garden is a small public city park in the eastern section of the city where visitors can enjoy a total of twelve stunning and highly original sculptural arrangements, featuring over 70 stones engraved with scriptures, poems, and philosophical texts. Open to the public seven days a week and with no admission charge, the garden is a truly unique space that creates both a visual treat and a sense of discovery for all who visit.
749 East 500 South / Mon-Sun 8am-8pm
Stone sculptures at Gilgailgal Sculpture Garden (Photo: Gilgailgal Sculpture Garden)
Explore a nearby island
To the north of Salt Lake City, Antelope Island is the largest in the Great Salt Lake. A magnet for hikers, mountain bike riders and even horseback riders, its back-country trails provide spectacular views. You can spend a starry night in one of several campsites, stroll along sandy beaches, take a dip in the lake’s salty waters, or step back in time with a visit to the Historic Fielding Garr Ranch. For twitchers, millions of birds congregate along the shores surrounding the island, while visitors should also keep their eyes open for an array of fascinating fauna, including herds of free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep and the pronghorn antelope from which the island takes its name.
You can book an Antelope Island guided tour at GetYourGuide