Salt Lake City

Utah's capital and gateway to the state's national parks loop, with Temple Square, Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch's top ski resorts all within an hour.

Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, lies in the Salt Lake Valley at the western foot of the Wasatch Range, with the Great Salt Lake—the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere—to the northwest. Founded by Mormon pioneers in 1847, it remains the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and its streets are numbered on a grid starting from Temple Square, making it easy to find your way around. The 2002 Winter Olympics made it an internationally known ski city, and it's the most common start and end point for road trips around Utah's "Mighty Five" national parks. Sightseeing falls into four areas: downtown, with Temple Square, the Tabernacle Choir, the State Capitol and sunset at Ensign Peak; the eastern foothills, with the Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Garden, This Is the Place Heritage Park and the zoo; the Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island to the northwest, for bison and lake sunsets; and Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons and Park City in the Wasatch to the east, for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. With more time, head west to the Bonneville Salt Flats or south to Timpanogos Cave. The climate is semi-arid continental: summers are hot and dry (30s °C in Jun–Aug), winters cold and snowy, with occasional inversion smog downtown in winter. Ski season runs Dec–Apr, while May–Oct is best for hiking and city sightseeing. The international airport is about 10 km from downtown, with a direct TRAX light rail connection; downtown is easy to get around on foot and by light rail, but renting a car is advisable for the canyons and the lake, and in winter check traction and chain requirements for mountain roads or take a ski bus. Plan on 3–4 days (plus extra for skiing). Utah has relatively strict alcohol laws, and drinking in restaurants is subject to specific rules.

Top sights

• Temple Square – The headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church), and the heart of the city, made up of the Salt Lak…
• Utah State Capitol – A neoclassical state capitol on Capitol Hill, with an ornate interior of murals and a dome, and steps overlooking the Salt Lake Valley.
• Antelope Island State Park – The largest island in the Great Salt Lake, where bison roam freely. Sunsets over the lake and floating in its salty water are classic exper…
• Little Cottonwood Canyon (Alta & Snowbird) – A glacier-carved canyon famed for “the best snow on earth,” home to the Alta and Snowbird ski areas, with summer gondolas and wildflowers.
• Salt Lake Tabernacle & Tabernacle Choir – Known for its column-free great dome and giant pipe organ, with free rehearsals by the Tabernacle Choir and daily organ recitals.
• Great Salt Lake State Park & Saltair – The closest shoreline of the Great Salt Lake to the city, with a marina and Saltair, good for sunsets and walks on the salt flats.
• Utah Olympic Park – The ski jump and bobsled tracks of the 2002 Winter Olympics, where you can ride a bobsled down a real track and visit the Olympic museums.
• Big Cottonwood Canyon – Home to the Brighton and Solitude ski resorts; in summer and autumn, you can hike to alpine lakes such as Lake Blanche and Silver Lake.
• Natural History Museum of Utah – A museum built into the hillside at the Rio Tinto Center, with a dinosaur hall considered one of the most spectacular in the U.S. and a ter…
• Red Butte Garden – A foothill botanical garden with spring tulips, summer outdoor concerts, and trails with views over the city.
• This Is the Place Heritage Park – Marks the spot where Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, with a pioneer village recreating 19th-century life.
• Utah's Hogle Zoo – Utah's only large zoo, with African savanna, polar bear and Asian highlands exhibits, ideal for families.
• Liberty Park & Tracy Aviary – The largest park in the city, home to Tracy Aviary, one of the oldest independent bird parks in the United States.
• Ensign Peak – A short hike north of downtown that reaches the summit in about twenty minutes, with views over the city center, the State Capitol and the…
• Cathedral of the Madeleine – Salt Lake City's Catholic cathedral, with a Romanesque exterior and Gothic Revival interior, where vivid stained glass and murals stand out.
• Beehive House – Brigham Young's former home, whose rooftop beehive decoration symbolizes industry; a free tour offers insight into early Salt Lake City lif…
• Clark Planetarium – A planetarium in The Gateway shopping district; the permanent exhibits are free, while the dome theater and IMAX cost extra.
• Gilgal Sculpture Garden – A quirky sculpture garden hidden in a residential neighborhood, best known for a sphinx with the face of Joseph Smith.
• Utah Museum of Fine Arts – A comprehensive art museum on the University of Utah campus, with collections spanning European classical, American West and Asian art.
• Bingham Canyon Mine – One of the largest and deepest open-pit mines in the world, more than 4 km wide and over 1.2 km deep, visible even from space.
• Loveland Living Planet Aquarium – Utah's largest aquarium, with a shark tunnel, penguins and a touch pool, an excellent indoor option for kids.
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument – A high-elevation cave protected by the National Park Service; a steep trail climbs to three interconnected caves with colorful formations.
• Bonneville Salt Flats – A vast expanse of pure white salt, the birthplace of land speed records, with rain puddles that form a 'sky mirror'.
• Lagoon Amusement Park – Utah's largest amusement park, opened in 1886, combining roller coasters, a water park and a pioneer village.
• Hill Aerospace Museum – A free aviation museum beside Hill Air Force Base, displaying more than a hundred military aircraft and missiles indoors and outdoors.

Where to eat

• Red Iguana – A family-run Mexican restaurant known for its many moles, repeatedly named Utah's best Mexican restaurant.
• Takashi Sushi – Chef Takashi Gibo opened it in 2004, and it is widely regarded as Salt Lake City's best sushi restaurant.
• The Copper Onion – A popular downtown New American bistro, best known for its ricotta gnudi and burger since opening day.
• Ruth's Diner – A classic diner in Emigration Canyon, housed in a former streetcar since 1949 and famous for its Mile High scone.
• Pretty Bird Chicken (Downtown) – A local fried chicken brand founded by Iron Chef America champion Viet Pham; the Regent Street location often has long…

Itineraries

• Utah's Mighty Five National Parks Crossing in – A one-way crossing from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City, covering Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands.
• Salt Lake City, Grand Teton and Yellowstone Loop – From Salt Lake City, drive through Grand Teton and across Yellowstone, then return via Craters of the Moon in Idaho.
• Salt Lake City & Wasatch Range Skiing – Based in Salt Lake City and Park City, ski Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley, and Park City Mountain, with evenings spent in…