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Start with a stroll around the city center, making sure to stop at the architecturally impressive Temple Square, the heart of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Within blocks, you’ll find museums, theaters, historic buildings, and shopping havens, including the Gateway and Center outdoor malls. Then, branch out into the surrounding neighborhoods to capture more of the flavor of the city.
Then, branch out into the surrounding neighborhoods to capture more of the flavor of the city. Like most Utah municipalities, Salt Lake City is based on a grid plan that was devised by Brigham Young in the 19th century. Most street names have a directional and a numerical designation, which describes their location in relation to one of two axes. Streets with "East" or "West" in their names are east or west of (and parallel to) Main Street, which runs north–south; and "North" and "South" streets run parallel to South Temple Street.
The numbers tell how far the streets are from the axes. (For example, 200 East Street is two blocks east of Main Street.) Addresses typically include two directional references and two numerical references—320 East 200 South Street, for instance, is within the east 300 block of 200 South Street. Generally, in speech and in written addresses, abbreviations shorten these to, for example, 320 E. 200 S or South; the word "street" is never used. Three of Salt Lake's most prominent streets are named after the Mormon Temple: North Temple, South Temple, and West Temple, indicating that the streets run parallel to the north, south, and west borders of Temple Square. Main Street borders the Square's east side.
With an array of free hands-on exhibits and state-of-the-art full-dome and IMAX theaters, Clark Planetarium is a great family attraction, and it's reasonably priced, too. Traipse across a moonscape and learn about Utah's contributions to spaceflight, but save a few minutes for the Planet Fun Store.
If downtown Salt Lake City is growing fast, this historic manufacturing and railroad district on the southwest side of downtown is positively booming. Many of the neighborhood's handsome late-19th-century and early-20th-century warehouses and factory buildings have been converted into mixed-use developments, and in seemingly every direction, shiny new condos and apartments are going up. Many of the city's hottest drinking, dining, and shopping venues are in the Granary District, including Fisher Brewing, Laziz Kitchen, Water Witch, and The Pearl. West 900 South, between 300 West and South West Temple, is especially rife with buzzy places to eat and drink.
Salt Lake's oldest (and second-largest) park contains a wealth of intriguing amenities, including the Tracy Aviary, the Chase Home Museum, several playgrounds, a large pond, a swimming pool, and volleyball and tennis courts, on its eight square city blocks, which total about 80 acres. Weekly farmers' markets on Friday nights and the city's biggest Pioneer Day celebration (July 24) mark a busy summer schedule annually. Within walking distance of a number of inviting neighborhood restaurants, it's also a nice place for a stroll before or after brunch or dinner.
Running parallel to and just north of Big Cottonwood Canyon, this lush, steep-walled mountain canyon east of Millcreek and run by the Salt Lake County Parks office and the U.S. Forest Service is a wonderful destination for hiking, picnicking, camping, and mountain and road biking, and the meandering 9-mile drive up into the canyon is itself beautiful. There's also an inviting restaurant, Log Haven, located less than halfway up Mill Creek Canyon Road. Certain trails are open to bikes only on odd- or even-numbered days, and dogs are welcome but can only be off-leash on odd-number days. There are about two-dozen well-maintained trails within the Millcreek Canyon system, ranging from shorter (3 to 5 miles) scrambles to challenging 13-mile round-trip adventures, but even the relatively quicker jaunts entail elevation gains of at least 1,000 feet. Good bets if you have only two or three hours include the 4.4-mile loop to Dog Lake and the 3-mile round-trip trek from Elbow Fork to Lambs Canyon Pass—wildflower viewing on these trails is especially dramatic from mid-June through mid-September. Although accessible on foot year-round, the upper section of the canyon closes to vehicles from November through around mid-June, depending on snowfall. Note that the upper half of Mill Creek Canyon Road is expected to be closed to road bikes due to road construction from 2024 through 2026.
Stop and admire the sleek copper and granite form of this contemporary museum on the University of Utah campus before stepping inside to learn about the formation of the region's incredible landscape of parks, mountain ranges, lakes, and basins. Immerse yourself in prehistoric Utah, home to prolific research on dinosaurs and some of the most famous fossil recoveries in history. Superb rotating exhibits, which can touch on anything from environmental themes to the ancient cultures of Asia and Africa, typically take place once or twice a year.
With more than 21 acres of display gardens and another 80 undeveloped acres laced with 5 miles of hiking trails, this tranquil, mesmerizing nature space provides many enjoyable hours of strolling. Of special interest are the Perennial, Fragrance, and Water Conservation gardens, the Daylily Collection, the Water Pavilion, and the Children's Garden. Lectures on everything from bugs to gardening in arid climates, workshops, and concerts are presented regularly. The popular Summer Concert Series attracts well-known musicians, from Bonnie Raitt to Pink Martini, as well as prominent performing arts companies like Ballet West. The pristine amphitheater seats approximately 3,000 people on its expansive lawn. The excellent Botanic Gift Shop offers books, soaps, sculptures, and fine gifts.
Designed by Moshe Safdie and built in 2003, this spectacular contemporary structure has become the city's cultural center and one of the country's most architecturally noteworthy libraries. Inspired by the Roman Coliseum, it features a six-story walkable wall that serves as both sculpture and function, allowing for great views and a path up the building. From the rooftop garden you get a 360-degree view of the valley and mountains. Hemingway Café (the on-site branch of the Salt Lake Roasting Co. coffeehouse), the outstanding Art at the Main gallery, a handful of shops, a writing center, and a public radio station provide ways to spend the entire day here. Kids can fall in love with reading in the Crystal Cave and Treehouse Room in the huge children's section. Other noteworthy features include a Teen Lounge, an extensive Alternative Press/Zine Collection, and a collection of beehives on the rooftop where visitors can learn about beekeeping and honey harvesting. There are several other libraries in the system, including the Tudor-style Sprague Library that opened in 1928 in the city's popular Sugar House neighborhood.
When Mormon pioneer and leader Brigham Young first entered the Salt Lake Valley, he chose this spot at the mouth of City Creek Canyon for the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a role it maintains to this day. The buildings in Temple Square vary in age, from the Tabernacle constructed in the 1860s to the Conference Center constructed in 2000. The centerpiece of the square, the striking Salt Lake Temple isn't open to the general public but is a sacred pilgrimage destination for members of the faith. Built of blocks of granite hauled by oxen and train from Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Temple opened in 1893, 40 years to the day after the start of its construction.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Square is the attention to landscaping, which turns the heart of downtown Salt Lake City into a year-round oasis. The Church takes particular pride in its Christmas decorations, which make a nighttime downtown stroll, or horse-and-buggy ride, a must on December calendars. Some of the square's notable buildings include the Beehive House, Brigham Young's restored 1854 home; the Family History Library, which houses the world's largest collection of genealogical data, and where Mormons and non-Mormons alike can research their family histories; and the stately 1911 Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The Salt Lake Temple and parts of Temple Square are currently undergoing a four-year renovation and restoration, which is expected to be completed sometime in 2025.
The State Capitol, built in 1912, hosts Utah's legislature annually from January to March. The exterior steps offer marvelous views of the Salt Lake Valley. In the rotunda beneath the 165-foot-high dome, a series of murals, commissioned as part of a Works Progress Administration project during the Depression, depicts the state's history. Don't miss the gold-leafed State Reception Room, the original state supreme court, and the Senate gallery. Free guided tours are offered on weekdays from 9 to 3 (on the hour), except on holidays.
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