Visiting Salt Lake City
Visit www.visitsaltlake.com for detailed travel information.
Visit www.utah.com for detailed Utah travel information.
It's Easy To Get Here
The Salt Lake International Airport is a major western transportation hub. Over 700 daily flights from all major domestic airlines whisk passengers in and out of our Rocky Mountain city. And since the airport is less than 10 minutes from downtown, you’ll spend your time in the city, not in a cab. If you travel by road, Salt Lake is located at the intersection of Interstates 80 and 15, offering easy access from nearly everywhere in the country.
It's Even Easier To Get Around
The Salt Palace Convention Center is located in the heart of downtown. It is surrounded by more than 7,100 hotel rooms, and some of the best shopping, dining, sports and nightlife Salt Lake has to offer. Chances are you can walk to almost any place you want to go. But if you decide to explore further, Salt Lake offers UTA TRAX light-rail service with a downtown Free Fare Zone and over 100 additional routes covering an 1,800 square-mile area. In addition, Salt Lake also offers a variety of limo and taxi services.
Within Walking Distance Of Downtown
Clark Planetarium & IMAX Theatre
Delta Center (Utah Jazz)
Family History Library
The Gateway Entertainment District
Gallivan Center
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
Historic Temple Square
Salt Palace Convention Center
Salt Lake Art Center
Social Hall Heritage Museum
Utah State Capitol
Abravanel Hall (Utah Symphony)
102 Restaurants & 65 Bars
Capitol Theatre (Ballet West and Utah Opera)
Within 15 Minutes of Downtown
Cathedral of the Madeleine
City Creek Canyon
Children’s Museum of Utah
Library Square
Fort Douglas Military Museum
Olympic Cauldron Park
Liberty Park & Tracy Aviary
Historic Temple Square
International Peace Gardens
Pioneer Memorial Museum
Raging Waters Water Park
Red Butte Garden
Utah Museum of Fine Arts
Rio Grande Depot
Utah Museum of Natural History
Trolley Square
Utah Olympic Oval
Utah’s Hogle Zoo
Wheeler Historic Farm
23 Public Golf Courses
Heritage Park & Old Desert Village
Stay An Extra Day (Or Two)
Salt Lake is the perfect base camp for venturing out to the surrounding National Parks. All are within a half-day’s drive and provide an incredible excuse to come early or stay late.
Utah Parks and Monuments
Arches National Park – 4 hours
Bryce National Park – 5 hours
Canyonlands National Park – 4 hours
Capitol Reef National Park – 4 hours
Cedar Breaks National Monument – 4 ½ hours
Dinosaur National Monument – 3 hours
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area – 3 hours
Golden Spike National Historic Site – 1 ½ hours
Grand Staircase-Escalante Ntl Monument – 5 hours
Lake Powell National Recreation Area – 5 hours
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park – 5 hours
Timpanogos Cave National Monument – 45 minutes
Wasatch-Cache National Forest – 20 minutes
Zion National Park – 5 hours
Western Regional Parks
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona - 5 hours
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming - 4 hours
Great Basin National Park, Nevada - 4 hours
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - 6 hours
Yellowstone National Park, WY and MT - 5 hours
Shopping
Within walking distance from downtown, The Gateway is an open-air shopping and entertainment destination including shops, restaurants, theatres, and the restored 1908 Union Pacific Depot. Experience the Olympic Legacy Plaza and “dancing waters” of the Olympic SnowFlake Fountain.
Trolley Square is a unique complex of restaurants, shops, theatres, and night spots, housed in the city’s former trolley barns, just seven blocks east of downtown. Transportation to Trolley Square is provided by motorized trolleys from downtown hotels at a nominal fee.
Geography
Salt Lake lies in a mountain valley with the Wasatch Mountains to the east and north, rising above the city to 11,500 feet. The Oquirrh (pronounced “oaker”) Mountains border the western edge of the valley and rise to 9,500 feet. Salt Lake’s official elevation is 4,330 feet above sea level. The city is situated on land once covered by prehistoric Lake Bonneville. This ancient lake existed within portions of Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, with an elevation rising from 4,200 feet to 5,200 feet at some points. The eastern and northern portions of the city are located on a series of terraces, or former benches, which are known locally as “the benches”.
Population
Utah’s population is 2,233,169 (2000 Census), and Salt Lake County’s population is 898,387.
Utah's Liquor Laws
Years ago, Utah’s liquor laws were fairly restrictive. Now, if you want a drink, you just order a drink. Like every other upscale U.S. city, we have bars, brewpubs, and restaurants that serve liquor 7 days a week. The only difference you may encounter is that some bars are called private clubs and charge a nominal membership fee – say $4 for a 2-week period – rather than a cover charge. Other than that, going out for drinks in Salt Lake is just like going out for drinks in any other metropolitan destination.
A World of Things to Do
Abravanel Hall – home of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, this beautifully acclaimed hall has more than 12,000 square feet of 24-karat gold leaf and one mile of brass railing in the interior.
Antelope Island State Park – perfect place to view the Great Salt Lake and experience the vast solitude of the Great Basin. Roam where the buffalo roam.
Beehive House – the beautifully restored home of Brigham Young, built in 1853-54. A National Historic Landmark.
Canyon Adventures – including skiing, biking, hiking, picnicking, as well as just exploring. Canyons include Big Cottonwood Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Millcreek Canyon, Emigration Canyon, and City Creek Canyon.
Capitol Theatre – restored theatre with performances by national theatre touring companies, the Salt Lake Opera Company, and Ballet West.
Clark Planetarium – multi-media presentations including Science Shows, Cosmic Light Shows, IMAX Films, Traveling Exhibits, and an exhibit which includes a rock brought back from the moon. Also discover fascinating fun at the gift shop located inside the planetarium.
Family History Library – world’s largest genealogical library.
Golf – Utah offers many of the nation’s most challenging and scenic golf courses.
Great Salt Lake – the second saltiest body of water in the world – “America’s Dead Sea”.
Heber Valley Historic Railroad – one of the only dozen authentic steam-powered trains still operating in America.
Historic Temple Square – the symbolic heart of the worldwide Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – the “Mormons”. The Square includes the Temple, the Tabernacle, and two visitor centers. The public is invited to complimentary rehearsals and performances by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings respectively.
Hogle Zoo – visit over one thousand animals from around the world.
International Peace Gardens – displays representing countries from across the globe.
Kennecott Copper Mine – world’s largest open-pit copper mine.
Lagoon/Pioneer Village – amusement park which features Wild West shootouts and rides on the stagecoach in the re-created 1880s country town.
Old Deseret Village – a re-created historic village which duplicates a typical town of the 1847-1869 eras.
Park City – once a wealthy mining town and now a ski and summer resort with many specialty shops along historic Main Street.
Recreational Activities – Hiking, camping, river rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, National Parks, State Parks, National Monuments, and site seeing.
Red Butte Garden and Arboretum – 30 acres of gardens, 200 acres of natural area, tours available.
Salt Lake Arts Center – houses many changing exhibits in its grand 8,000 square foot gallery.
Shopping – The Gateway is an open-air shopping and entertainment destination including shops, restaurants, theatres, and the restored 1908 Union Pacific Depot.
South Temple Street – some of the wealth characteristics of Salt Lake in the late 1880s and the early 1900s is reveled.
Utah Museum of Fine Art – displays works of art ranging from ancient Egyptian objects and Italian Renaissance paintings to European and American art from the 17th century and the present.
Utah Museum of Natural History – a journey through time.
Utah Shakespearean Festival – located at southern Utah State College in Cedar City has garnered a reputation as one of the finest in the nation, held each year during the summer months.
Utah State Capitol Building – Corinthian style marble and granite capped edifice houses all of the state’s government…widely recognized as one of the most attractive state capitol buildings in the nation.
Utah Olympic Park – year round Nordic and free-style ski jumping facilities.
