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Breweries and Distilleries
When you imagine Utah, breweries and distilleries may not be the first thing that come to mind. After all, Utah has historically ranked as the state with the lowest alcohol consumption on average. With that said, there is certainly no shortage of locally brewed favorites. Wasatch Brewery and High West Distillery were among the first of many to open-shop in the beehive state.
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Dining
The dining scene in Salt Lake City is booming. Cultures from around the world are represented by authentic eateries, many of which are locally owned. From breakfast to late-night food truck stops, you’ll always be able to find a great bite to eat. Also, fun fact: there are a handful of restaurants in Utah that serve fresh seafood that is flown in daily.
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Hiking
Nestled at the base of the Wasatch Mountain Range, you’re never far from great hiking when you’re in Salt Lake City. The foothills where neighborhoods meet mountain-sides are covered in trail networks, perfect for a morning or afternoon hike. Ensign Peak, The Living Room and Mount Olympus are a few local favorites of varying intensity, but there are plenty more worth exploring while you’re here.
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Rock Climbing
Salt Lake City is host to some of the most renowned climbing on planet Earth. From granite boulders and cliffs in the Cottonwood Canyons, to the plastic holds of world-class climbing gyms, beginner and advanced climbers are sure to find what they're looking for in Utah's capital city.
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Shopping
If you enjoy shopping, then you know that sometimes it is more about the experience than what you end up buying. After all, locally owned stores tend to exude a sense of their city’s culture. Sure, you can easily find the most common stores when you need them, but the most enjoyable shopping might just be in the local boutiques and shops throughout the city. Plus, as you’re browsing the stores you might just pick up a few tips from the locals about what to do while you’re visiting.
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Skiing
Utah is home to The Greatest Snow on Earth® and there are 10 ski resorts less than an hour away from downtown Salt Lake City waiting to be explored. For many, it's the unmatched access to world-class skiing that spurs a trip to Salt Lake City. Beginner-friendly slopes, Olympic terrain parks and knee-deep powder await in the winter. During the summer months, many of the resorts are open for hiking, mountain biking and family fun.
Salt Lake City Inspiration
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12 Family-Friendly Activities Near SLC
From roller coasters to ski slopes, discover 12 fun family activities in and around Salt Lake City.
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Day-tripping a Women-owned Business Enclave in Salt Lake City
While the lure of Salt Lake City’s shopping and dining experience attracts tourists to downtown, less than 10 blocks away is the trendy and unique 9th and 9th and Maven District neighborhoods. It’s brimming with 40-plus women-owned businesses that are helping to boost the local economy, as well as each other.
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Destination Ski City: Culture Élevé
After a day of skiing, soak up Salt Lake City’s culture and nightlife: Enjoy a live performance and explore delicious dining options and great bars. Check it out!
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Discover the Breweries of the Wasatch Front
Over the past two decades, Salt Lake’s breweries have grown into a culture all their own. Here’s what you need to start planning a pub crawl with this collection of Salt Lake’s most popular breweries.
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Family and Budget Guide to the One and Only Ski City: Salt Lake
With 11 family-friendly resorts nearby, Salt Lake City skiing, dining and entertainment options make Utah one of the best ski destinations in the western U.S.
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Fervor on Foot: Tracking Salt Lake's Food and Spirits
Salt Lake City, Utah is a walkable town with a flourishing and ever-evolving food and spirits culture. Find a neighborhood district to stroll, taste, touch and see!
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Hike + Dine: Salt Lake City
Here are a few of Utah's Salt Lake City best hiking trails and eateries to check out during your next visit.
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How-to Guide for Salt Lake City Conference Attendees: Food, Drink and Fun
Here’s everything you need to know to get the most out of your time before, during, and after your conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Insider's Guide to Salt Lake City Neighborhoods
Check out these neighborhoods on your next trip to Salt Lake City
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Meet the Women Leading Utah's Food and Beverage Renaissance
When it comes to food and beverage in Utah, there are key influencers who have been the proponents of change, growth, and the role of women in Utah’s food scene.
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More Than Coffee: The Caffeinators of Salt Lake City
The unique Salt Lake City coffee community is ready to embrace you. When you visit Utah, try all the capital city's coffee shops and styles to find your favorite cup.
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Salt Lake City’s Must-See Street Art
Salt Lake City, Utah has more than 80 murals and art installations to discover. Come and see how these urban street artists showcase their own flavor and perspective.
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Salt Lake City’s Rainbow Colors Fly Year Round
Take a trip to Salt Lake City, an LGBTQIA+ friendly city, which over the past two decades has become a destination for those who enjoy both a hip urban atmosphere and easy access to the great outdoors.
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Salt Lake's Tattoo Scene: Inclusivity is the New Frontier
Traveling for tattoos is second nature for those seeking the perfect piece. Keep Salt Lake, the Crossroads of the West, in mind when planning your next piece.
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Short List: Local Salt Lake City Nightlife Picks
Make the most of winter's shortened daylight by extending your Utah ski trip into the night. Sure, some resorts offer incredible night skiing — so, okay, after that — but then the night really gets going in downtown Ski City.
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Step Into an Artistic Vision
The columns of Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre slowly appear as you climb to its perch above downtown Salt Lake City. The theatre sits on the campus of the state’s flagship university with metropolitan lights below and mountains behind that rise several thousand feet off the valley floor to provide a backdrop to the east and south.
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The Hands That Shape Temple Square
If you visit Salt Lake City, you should visit Temple Square. Breathtaking architecture and landscaping will awe and inspire you. Learn more!
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The Salt of Sound: Live Music in Salt Lake City
Check out the live music scene while visiting Utah. Salt Lake City’s numerous music venues offer something for every music lover. Watch Salt of Sound for a taste.
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The Spice of (a New) Life
Some of the best food in Salt Lake City is served in the Spice Incubator Kitchen. Come visit this international culinary kitchen for a treat to your taste buds.
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Utah’s Women Make History
Walk in the footsteps of Utah’s earliest women’s suffrage leaders at sites throughout downtown Salt Lake City. Along the way, view public art installations commemorating voting rights and stop at trail-adjacent local women-owned businesses.
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Utah's Rum Underdogs
Utah distilleries are becoming very popular. Distillery 36 is rising to the top of the list. Drink in their story and then let’s toast with Brigham agricole rum!
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V Is for Variety
Gary Vlasic, Salt Lake City’s premier event designer, creates spellbinding experiential design in a city that offers unparalleled freedom and space.
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Where to See Women's Art in Utah
There’s no shortage of art galleries in Salt Lake City and across Utah's Wasatch Front. Beyond the major metropolitan areas, there are also small artist communities across the state where artists seeking a slower pace have flocked for decades. Here are a few recommendations for where you can experience art in Utah.
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Where’s the Meat?
Taking the blue highways, finding a local diner or picking up fresh fruit from a family-run farm store gets us that much more in touch with the flow of seasons and feeling grounded in our sense of place as we travel. And shrinking the circle of our food sourcing has become a priority for many people even, and especially, while on the road.
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You Are Where You Eat: Salt Lake Latino’s Perfected Flavors
Here is a guide for a day — or weekend — packed with some of the Salt Lake City's best Latino cuisine, brought to you by the hands who have cared and perfected their flavors for centuries.
Ave Maria mural by El Mac & Retna in downtown Salt Lake City.
The Eccles Theater is easily recognized by its spectacular five-story glass lobby and distinctive chandeliers.
The Living Room Trail offers scenic views of Salt Lake City.
More Activities
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Bonneville Salt Flats
As the ancient Lake Bonneville dwindled into what is now Great Salt Lake, it left behind the Bonneville Salt Flats — vast stretches of nearly perfectly flat desert floors. The Salt Flats are best known as the location where landspeed world records have been set numerous times, but they are also a serene backdrop for photo opportunities and art exhibits. They cover much of the stretch between Salt Lake City and Wendover, Nevada. If you’re going to visit, be sure to stay on public lands and travel responsibly.
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Eccles Theater
The Eccles Theater hosts popular touring Broadway shows and concerts in downtown Salt Lake City.
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Great Salt Lake
There’s a lot to do at Great Salt Lake. As you know, it is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for swimming and floating. It’s also a great place to see wildlife, being that the lake is one of the largest (and saltiest) inland bodies of water in the Western Hemisphere. Herds of bison roam Antelope Island State Park, and hundreds of uncommon bird species can be seen at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. A quick half-hour drive from downtown Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake is an idyllic place to spend a mellow day experiencing one of Utah’s most famous natural spaces.
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Hale Center Theatre
Housed at the Mountain America Performing Arts Centre in Sandy, the Hale Center Theatre performs many well known live stage plays and musicals throughout the year.
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Hogle Zoo
Hogle Zoo has long been one of Utah’s favorite attractions, dating back to 1931. It’s truly a world-class zoo with 42 acres nestled in a canyon setting and hosting over 800 animals. It has received accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for its excellence. It’s only 15 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City in Emigration Canyon, right across the street from This Is The Place Heritage Park, a great spot to experience Utah’s pioneer history.
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Natural History Museum of Utah
The Natural History Museum of Utah boasts the largest collection of horned dinosaur fossils in the world, and is packed with other fascinating and engaging exhibits to orient you to Utah’s unique geology and ancient history.
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Red Butte Garden
Sharing the same property as the Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Garden is a perfectly calm follow-up to the museum. Expect to learn about the state’s natural vegetation and see plenty of exquisite garden arrangements.
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Temple Square
As you may know, Utah was settled by Brigham Young and pioneers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (popularly known as Mormons) in 1847. In the years that followed, Salt Lake City’s streets and buildings were built to follow a grid system, at the heart of which is Temple Square. The gardens in the square and Salt Lake Temple’s architecture are magnificent. Regardless of religion, Temple Square is a beautiful cornerstone of Utah’s heritage that is well-worth visiting and access to the grounds, museums and visitor centers outside the temple are free to visitors.
