31 Unforgettable Places to See in Salt Lake City, USA

If you are a traveler and love to visit new places and find attractive adventures, here is a fast rundown of a few of the places to see in Salt Lake City. Browse this insider’s information on places to see in Salt Lake City in this article. The capital and largest city of Utah in the United States is Salt Lake City, which is frequently abbreviated to Salt Lake and is also known as SLC.

Places to see in salt lake city

Plan on spending a chunk of your time exploring Temple Sq., the official headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and many more places to see in Salt Lake City.

This walled neighborhood on the coronary heart of Salt Lake Metropolis hosts spectacular nonsecular buildings – such because of the Salt Lake Temple – in addition to lush gardens and hovering sculptures.

However there’s extra to do: The Nice Salt Lake supplies a spectacular setting for mountain climbing and picnicking, whereas the close-by Wasatch Nationwide Forest is cross-hatched with scenic trails.

Plan a go to the slopes in Park Metropolis or close by Snowbird Ski Resort in case you’re searching for an adrenaline-fueled day trip.

1. Antelope Island

Antelope Island was founded by John C. Fremont and Package Carson in 1845 and was named after an antelope they shot in gratitude for its meat, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The island, situated inside the Antelope Island State Park, is the most important within the Nice Salt Lake and is house to every kind of animal akin to Pronghorn Antelope, Bighorn Sheep, American Bison, porcupine, badger, coyote, bobcat, and tens of millions of waterfowl. You may as well go to Fielding Garr Ranch, which is the oldest Anglo construction in Utah nonetheless on its authentic basis.

2. Arches National Park

Positioned simply exterior of Moab, the Arches Nationwide Park is known for preserving greater than 2,000 pure sandstone arches, together with the world-famous Delicate Arch, which is one of the awesome places to see in Salt Lake City.

The park is situated on an underground salt mattress, which helped create the arches, balanced rocks, distinctive spirals, and sandstone “fins.” The park can also be wild -popular for its abundance of wildlife and plant species.

3. Spiral Jetty

Constructed in 1970 by American sculptor Robert Smithson, this piece of artwork was constructed fully of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, earth, and water, which is one of the great places to see in Salt Lake City, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The 1,500-foot-long counterclockwise coil is situated on the northeastern shore of the Nice Salt Lake close to Rozel Level and is barely seen when the extent of the Nice Salt Lake falls beneath an elevation of 4,197.eight ft.

4. Temple Square

Temple Sq.’s three-block, 35-acre plaza is house to just about 20 points of interest associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

It is anchored by the towering Salt Lake Temple – the place, amongst different issues, weekly conferences of the church’s governing our bodies are held – and different fascinating buildings just like the expansive Tabernacle and the Gothic-style Meeting Corridor, which provide perception into the historical past and improvement of the church.

You must also cease by the Household Historical Past Library, the most important family tree library on the earth. As soon as you have toured the sites, stroll via the sq.’s scenic gardens and previous the gurgling fountains.

Current vacationers advocate taking a free, guided tour of the sq. and in addition, point out that you do not have to be notably religious to search out it out of curiosity.

Excursions should not be scheduled, however, educated docents can be found day after day between 9 a.m. and 4, 7, or eight p.m., relying on the month.

Excursions start on the hour and meet on the flagpole west of the temple. Guests are additionally welcome to attend the Sunday morning live shows within the Tabernacle, in addition to the Thursday night choir rehearsals (7:30 p.m.), each placed on by the famed Tabernacle Choir.

5. Wasatch Mountains Climbing

The Wasatch Mountain Vary stretches 160 miles from the Utah-Idaho border and is taken into account the western fringe of the larger Rocky Mountains and the eastern fringe of the Nice Basin area, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The mountains have changed into a preferred mountain climbing vacation spot for locals to simply benefit from the lovely canyons and valleys whereas nonetheless being in shut proximity to a big city space.

6. Great Salt Lake

Clocking in at roughly 1,700 sq. miles, the Nice Salt Lake is the most important pure lake west of the Mississippi River, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The lake’s title comes from the character of the water:

The evaporation course of (the one exit out there for the lake’s water) leaves behind salty mineral deposits. Salt Lake Metropolis’s guests and residents benefit from the space’s many mountain climbing trails, ample picnic spots, and boating and fishing alternatives.

In accordance with current guests, the Nice Salt Lake can also be wonderful for swimming and for recognizing wildlife – together with bison – on the way in which to the park. Vacationers advocate stopping by the customer middle, highlighting the informative and pleasant employees as particular perks.

Probably the most common entry factors are Antelope Island, a state park situated just a little greater than 60 miles northwest of Salt Lake Metropolis. You possibly can attain the island by following Interstate 15 to exit 332.

7. Snowbird Resort Horseback Riding

Snowbird Resort was named the primary ski resort in North America in 2008 by Exterior Journal, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Snowbird provides a preferred horseback tour that begins by driving Snowbird’s Aerial Tram to Hidden Peak.

The company then experiences down Mineral Basin’s trails with the horses and path guides, the place they’re then taken on a scenic tour that features waterfalls, wildflowers, and variations of wildlife.

8. Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park

Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park encompasses 56 square miles and is well-known for being house to Bryce Canyon, which was created by erosion alongside the eastern facet of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Bryce is made up of distinctive “hoodoos,” which have been fashioned by wind, water, and ice erosion of the river- and lake-bed sedimentary rocks.

Sightseers typically take the scenic drive, which provides 13 viewpoints over the canyon. There are eight-day- mountain climbing trails and two in single-day mountain climbing trails — excellent for rookie and skilled hikers alike.

9. Liberty Park

In case you’re trying to benefit from the nice outside without leaving the town limits, head over to Liberty Park’s 80 acres for any variety of outdoorsy activities, which is one of the stunning places to see in Salt Lake City.

There is a pond, bike paths, concession stands, rides, picnic areas, playgrounds, and tennis, and volleyball courts.

Liberty Park can also be house to an aviary and a greenhouse, each of which current guests advocate exploring, as nicely as simply merely having fun with the peace and tranquility. Additionally, they advocate this park for households, as there are many kid-friendly actions.

This park sits fairly in central Salt Lake. It is open every day from daybreak till nightfall, and admission is free (though a small payment is required to make use of a few of the sporting services).

Liberty additionally hosts a number of annual occasions all year long. For extra info, take a look at the park’s web page on the Salt Lake Metropolis site.

10. Stonebridge Golf Course

Stonebridge Golf Course is situated in West Valley Metropolis, solely minutes from downtown Salt Lake. The course was designed in a links-style format by the U.S., which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Open champion and well-known course designer Johnny Miller was named after the pink rock bridges discovered across the course.

Because of the location of the course — within the coronary heart of the Wasatch Valley — the property is dotted with a number of lakes and creeks which make for a difficult — but skillfully -challenging — sport.

11. Park City

Park Metropolis was made for powder hounds. Sitting about 30 miles southeast of Salt Lake Metropolis, Park Metropolis is house to 2 main alpine ski spots that sprawl throughout acres upon acres of mountain terrain, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Park Metropolis Mountain Resort welcomes skiers and snowboarders of all talent range to traverse groomed trails, powder-filled bowls, and terrain parks.

And Deer Valley Resort caters solely to skiers (snowboarding is prohibited right here), providing groomed runs and glades steeps together with a number of on-site eating places.

In case you’re simply beginning out, all resorts have skilled instructors available that will help you be taught the slopes – whether or not it is via children’s ski college, group instruction, or non-public classes.

Those that aren’t avid skiers can nonetheless discover issues to do. Park Metropolis’s quite a few artwork galleries and museums will hold guests entertained.

In the meantime, within the spring and summer season, the ski resorts remodel their runs into mountain climbing and biking trails, and round city vacationers can hit the hyperlinks at Park Metropolis Golf Course or peruse the realm’s farmers markets.

12. Alta Ski Resort

Positioned within the Wasatch Mountains, Alta Ski Resort opened in 1939, making it one of many oldest ski resorts within the nation, which is one of the awesome places to see in Salt Lake City.

Well-known for its “powder” snow, Alta is an extremely -desired spot for devoted skiers preferring the “no snowboarding” rule that solely a handful of resorts within the nation provide. Widespread Snowbird Ski Resort is accessible from Mount Baldy at Alta Ski Resort.

13. Red Butte Garden

Full of meticulously landscaped plots, gurgling fountains and nice pathways, Crimson Butte Backyard is a good place for budding botanists in addition to guests searching for a quiet respite , which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Housed on the College of Utah campus in northeast Salt Lake Metropolis, the backyard is split into sections, every dedicated to a particular kind of plant or ecosystem.

Current guests mentioned you need to put together to spend a chunk of your day right here, as there are loads to see.

Additionally, many really helpful coming right here throughout the hotter climate for a live performance – simply keep in mind to convey your individual picnic blanket. Crimson Butte Backyard additionally hosts a wide range of academic lectures and kid-friendly actions.

14. Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

The historic and cultural points of interest are attention-grabbing, however, let’s face it, snowboarding is likely one of the principal causes many vacationers to go to Utah, which is one of the memorable places to see in Salt Lake City.

And Salt Lake Metropolis is in shut proximity to a few of the state’s greatest slopes, together with these discovered on the Snowbird Ski & Summer season Resort.

Sprawling throughout 2,500 acres with a 3,240-foot vertical drop, this ski resort options 169 runs that cater to each novice and superior skiers. In accordance with current guests, the slopes right here rival these in Colorado.

Winter is not the one time to get pleasure from Snowbird, although. The resort additionally options quite a few warm-weather actions, together with mountain climbing, biking, fishing, and even zip-lining.

The scenic aerial tram, which takes vacationers up 2,900 ft to the highest of Hidden Peak, is one other spotlight. Current guests mentioned the views are superior.

15. Salt Lake Temple

Notice that the temple began an in-depth renovation on Dec. 29, 2019 that features making structural adjustments, enhancing its accessibility and including extra customer services. Consequently, it’s presently closed. The temple is predicted to reopen in 2024.

Rising a whopping 210 ft over the sq., this spectacular six-spire construction is the common icon of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While you’re not allowed to enter the church itself, current guests mentioned that the gorgeous grounds are price touring.

16. Salt Lake City Public Library

Whether or not you wish to learn or admire lovely structure, the beautiful and modern Salt Lake Metropolis Public Library might be great to you, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Positioned within the downtown space and opened in 2003, the library has greater than 500,000 books and loads of cozy corners preferred for hunkering down with the story.

Current guests mentioned the structure alone is cause sufficient to go to, whereas others appreciated the pleasant employees and on-site cafe.

There is additionally a wide range of outlets and cafes round Library Sq. (simply exterior the library), to not point out a rooftop backyard overlooking the encircling Wasatch Mountains for individuals who wish to learn exterior.

17. Family History Library

Sitting in Temple Sq., the Household Historical past Library homes tens of millions of genealogical information profiling greater than three billion deceased folks, making it the most important library of its type on the earth.

Recommended Resources to Help You

The library was based within the late 19th century to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints piece collectively their household historical past.

At this time, guests are welcome to peruse the information – all meticulously preserved – and probably monitor down a couple of ancestors of their very own.

Reviewers mentioned this can be a must-visit place for everybody, particularly family tree buffs because the employees are pleasant and extremely useful and the assets are astounding.

The Household Historical Past Library is open Monday through Saturday from eight a.m. to 9 p.m. and 1 to five p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free.

The library recommends that you just plan forward, organizing household info that you have already got and figuring out what you wish to discover.

This may make it simpler for the reference guide that will help you along with your search. For extra info, go to the Family Library site.

18. Bonneville Salt Flats

The Bonneville Salt Flats is a salt pan leftover from the Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City. The flats have been named after U.S. Military officer Benjamin Bonneville, who explored the realm in the 1830s.

The flats have been housed to many velocity -record makes an attempt because the early 1900s, and have additionally been utilized in main movement footage akin to Independence Day and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s Finish.

19. Big Cottonwood Canyon

About 30 minutes southeast of Salt Lake Metropolis, Massive Cottonwood Canyon, situated within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Nationwide Forest, is house to 2 ski resorts and can also be a preferred mountain climbing, mountaineering and mountain biking space, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Even when you aren’t getting out of your automobile, you’ll be able to take within the views on a scenic 15-mile byway main via the canyon, which takes about one hour to finish.

The current guests mentioned it’s a lovely drive. Within the mid-1800s, miners sought gold and silver within the canyon and guests can see the stays of previous mines right here and there.

What’s extra, Solitude and Brighton ski resorts each provide full-service, year-round services. Plus, a number of mountain climbing trails will be discovered at Brighton, resulting in Twin Lakes, Lake Mary, Lake Martha, and Canine Lake.

20. Mount Olympus and Ensign Peak

Ensign Peak was the primary summit climbed after the Mormon pioneers arrived in 1847. For the Church of Latter-Day Saints, Ensign Peak is the sacred floor.

In 1996, the bottom of Ensign Peak was designated a metropolis park, the place a mountain climbing path will be accessed to benefit from the surrounding vistas and Mount Olympus, which is likely one of the most acknowledged and visual mountains within the space. From Ensign Peak, you’ll be able to even see northwest to Antelope Island.

21. Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Nationwide Forest

The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Nationwide Forest boasts 2.1 million acres of Mom Nature, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Encompassing seven wilderness districts as a whole, this national park provides a various array of landscapes – starting from verdant fields to rocky mountainsides – in addition to loads of alternatives to hiking, biking, and camping.

Current guests raved about the fantastic thing about the realm and extremely advocate bringing a digital camera and sporting sturdy strolling footwear, as there are many trails you will wish to discover (many differ in size and talent degree, so verify the site earlier than you go to correctly plan forward).

If you do not have time for a hike, think about a scenic drive as an alternative. The 37-mile Mount Nebo Scenic Byway is common for its beautiful views of the Utah and Nephi valleys, particularly throughout the fall when the leaves change.

22. Brighton Ski Resort

Open to guests since 1936, the Brighton Ski Resort is likely one of the oldest snowboarding and snowboarding resorts in the nation, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Positioned on the high of Massive Cottonwood Canyon, the resort has been voted by locals as the perfect resort for a child- and family-pleasant terrain six years in a row.

23. Hogle Zoo

Residence to greater than 800 animals, Hogle Zoo permits guests to get up close and private with its residents. Guests can feed the zoo’s giraffes, rhinos, and gorillas (for extra charges), an exercise that current visitors cherished.

Remember to pay a go to Zuri. This African elephant was born in the zoo in 2009, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City. In 2014, the zoo added the African Savanna exhibit, which is house to giraffes, zebras, ostrich, and African lions.

Take the zoo’s Safari Specific Prepare to see the exhibit with ease. Different on-site points of interest embrace a carousel and splash pad.

Most guests agree that, though this is not the perfect zoo within the nation, a go-to right here is definitely worth the value of the entry. Current guests have been particularly happy with the dimensions of the animal enclosures and in addition famous that the employees are pleasant and educated.

24. Clark Planetarium

Clark Planetarium options display on Earth, close to Earth and past, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Right here, you’ll be able to step inside a large twister, make a volcano, see a 6-foot Rand McNally Earth Globe, take a look at one of many largest actual moon rocks on public show, and go to the Lunar Lander exhibit to be taught extra concerning the forces of gravity, acceleration, and inertia.

Current guests have been impressed with all of the interactive and high-tech displays and extremely advocate the planetarium. The Hansen Dome and Northrop Grumman IMAX theaters additionally provide exhibits on all the pieces from moon landings to volcanos to cosmic gentle exhibits.

25. Natural History Museum of Utah

Head to the Historical Museum to be taught about the formation of the area’s parks, mountain ranges, lakes, and basins, in addition to displays on anthropology, entomology, zoology, mineralogy, botany, and way more, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The Nice Salt Lake exhibit is a must-see, with interactive displays on one of many areas’ most original options. Children will particularly benefit from the Our Yard exhibit, with loads of hands-on actions to spark their curiosity, although current guests say the entire museum is family-friendly, with loads to see and do.

The museum is open day by day from 10 a.m. to five p.m. (with prolonged hours till 9 p.m. on Wednesdays). Tickets are $14.95 for adults; $12.25 for younger adults ages 13 to 24; and $9.95 for youngsters ages three to 12.

On Wednesday nights after 5 p.m., admission is $5 for all. The museum sits about 2 miles north of the Hogle Zoo and is greatest reached by automobile. For extra info, take a look at the museum’s official site.

26. Bonneville Shoreline Trail

The Bonneville Shoreline Path was fashioned in 1990 as an effort to protect a preferred mountain biking, jogging, and strolling path alongside a pathway between Emigration Canyon and Dry Canyon on the east facet of Salt Lake Metropolis, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

At this time it stretches for greater than 100 miles with a risk of doubling in size over the subsequent few years. The path creates a boundary between city subdivisions and nationwide forest wilderness, which permits these dwellings within the metropolis to have quick access to their pure environment.

27. Albion Basin, Little Cottonwood Canyon

Little Cottonwood Canyon is situated within the Wasatch-Cache Nationwide Forest alongside the eastern facet of the Salt Lake Valley, about 15 miles from Salt Lake Metropolis, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The Albion Basin is thought for being house to many uncommon plant species, and the Utah Native Plant Society provides wildflower walks via the basin regularly.

28. Secret Lake, Little Cottonwood Canyon

Secret Lake is a small alpine lake in Albion Basin that is changing into a protected watershed for Salt Lake Metropolis.

Every year, the water melts off from a number of hundred inches of snow that retains the mountain tops white nicely into July. The Secret Lake is surrounded by quartz monzonite and the Alta and Snowbird ski resorts.

29. Guardsman Pass, Big Cottonwood Canyon

Massive Cottonwood Canyon is a 15-mile-long canyon that provides mountain climbing, biking, rock-climbing, tenting, and fishing in the summertime, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

Within the winter, the canyon’s two ski resorts, Brighton and Solitude, are extraordinarily common.

Guardsman Move is situated at the high of the canyon, and in the winter it turns into a preferred snowshoe mountain climbing -destination for locals and guests alike

30. Snowbird Resort, Terrain Park

Snowbird Resort’s Terrain Park is located in the course of the Mid-Gad raise exit on the Massive Emma run, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

The terrain park is common for snowboarders and skiers alike who wish to take a look at their expertise and be taught new ones, as there are totally different obstacles for all ranges of expertise.

31. Snowbird Resort Tram

Snowbird’s Aerial Tram, which opened in 1971, takes visitors on a 10-minute journey up a 1.6 -mile cable, coming to a cease on the high of Hidden Peak — 2,900 -vertical -feet later, which is one of the unforgettable places to see in Salt Lake City.

From the outlook, you’ll be able to see into the Sake Lake Valley and benefit from the unimaginable Rocky Mountain vistas.