There are many websites listing all the places you can visit while staying in Salt Lake City, so here we add just a few of our favorites. These are places we have enjoyed during our stay in this city, and if you’ve got some free time on your hands during your visit, we’re sure you’ll enjoy them too.
Temple Square and its surroundings
We love this place and since we live less than a block away, we usually come down for late afternoon walks. It has beautiful flowers during most of the year, and we usually sit down under the shadow of a tree and share some ice cream.
Ensign Peak
Ensign Peak Park is a nice little historic spot at the north end of the city with an incredible view of the Salt Lake City skyline. You can park your car very close and it only takes a few steps to see a really nice sight.
Capitol Hill
Salt Lake City’s Capitol Hill has both impressive architecture and beautiful surroundings. A packed walking path winds amongst blossoming cherry trees in the springtime. Nearby, City Creek runs through Memory Grove Park and eventually makes its way down to the City Creek Mall in the center of downtown. Memory Grove is especially nice to get away from the tourists that may be around Temple Square and the Capitol.
City Creek Mall
There is a brand-new mall in the center of downtown Salt Lake City for all of you shoppers. It is really interesting not only because the roof recedes to reveal open sky during agreeable weather, but most especially because of the creek that runs through the center, which is full of trout!
Millcreek Canyon
This canyon has a good number of hiking trails including the Pipeline Trail, which is relatively level, Desolation Trail, which leads to a beautiful overlook, and the Alexander Basin Trail, which is really strenuous but leads to one of the prettiest sights in the Wasatch Front.
Big Cottonwood Canyon
There are some really incredible hikes in this and nearby Little Cottonwood Canyon, and if you aren’t up for a hike, you’ll find the drive alone to be stunning. The long summer days and budding wildflowers make for the perfect scenery in the nearby Wasatch mountains. We’ve made so many memories following these trails that are just a stones throw from the City Center. Our favorite hikes here are Lake Blanche (challenging), Dog Lake (not as challenging), Donut Falls (least challenging).
Little Cottonwood Canyon
This canyon is near and dear to Nico’s heart because at the very end of the road lies the lovely classic ski area of Alta. When the snow isn’t falling, the Alta area is still worth visiting as it serves as a trailhead for many hikes in the Albion Basin and Wasatch Front area. Perhaps the most well-known is Cecret Lake. Three hundred feet of elevation gain and one mile round trip provides access to alpine panoramic views usually reserved for those who venture deep into wilderness.
Park City
Only 30 minutes from the airport lies Park City, known for the famous Sundance Film Festival and much more. We enjoy walking main street, eating ice cream from Java Cow, and most of all dining at the High West Distillery – they sure do make some good whiskey.
The Bayou
The Bayou is our favorite restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City. This cajun-inspired tavern often has live music on the weekends and has really great food. Our favorite is the jambalaya with crawfish. The other thing that makes Bayou stand out is its full-fledged beer/drinks menu. They’ve got load of not only local beer, but hard-to-find imports as well. Keep in mind this is not a family friendly place – everyone needs to be 21+.
National Parks
If you have the time to spare, it is well worth it to visit the numerous national parks in Utah and the surrounding states. In Utah alone there is Arches and Canyonlands (3.5 hrs drive), Capitol Reef (4 hrs drive), Bryce Canyon (4.5 hrs drive), and Zion (4 hrs drive). Just north of Salt Lake City in Wyoming are the famous Grand Tetons (5 hrs drive) and Yellowstone (5.5 hrs drive).