Salt Lake City: Things To Do

Salt Lake City’s activity mix is unusual: it is simultaneously a gateway to five National Parks, the starting point for eight world-class ski resorts, the center of LDS Church history, and a city with a growing arts and food scene. Most visitors come for one or two of these, but the overlap makes multi-interest itineraries unusually productive. This guide covers the full range with entry costs and logistics as of 2026.

Temple Square

50 W. North Temple, downtown. The 35-acre headquarters campus of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most-visited tourist site in Utah, drawing more than five million visitors per year. The main structures:

Salt Lake Temple — The centerpiece of the campus, constructed between 1853 and 1893. Currently undergoing major seismic restoration through 2026; phased reopening is expected during that period. The exterior can be viewed from the public grounds. The temple interior is restricted to LDS members in good standing.

Tabernacle — Home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and an acoustically exceptional 19th-century hall. The roof’s domed construction — held together with wooden pegs and rawhide rather than nails — was an engineering achievement in its era. Free organ recitals Monday–Saturday at noon. Sunday Tabernacle Choir broadcasts (9:30am rehearsal open to the public, 9:30am broadcast) are held weekly.

Church History Museum — 45 N. West Temple. Free. Covers the history of the LDS Church from its 1830 founding through the present. Open Monday–Friday 9am–9pm, Saturday 9am–6pm, Sunday noon–6pm.

Family History Library — 35 N. West Temple. The world’s largest collection of genealogical records, open to anyone. Free access to records and staff assistance. Open Monday–Friday 8am–5pm, Saturday 9am–5pm.

All Temple Square areas are free to enter and open to visitors of all backgrounds. The grounds are most striking during the December lights display (mid-November through January), when millions of lights cover the trees and buildings.

Skiing and Winter Sports

Eight resorts are within 45 minutes of downtown Salt Lake City, served by Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon (southeast of the city) and Park City (northeast via I-80).

Alta — Little Cottonwood Canyon, 34 miles from downtown (approximately 45 minutes in normal traffic; chain restrictions apply on canyon roads in winter storms). Skiing only — no snowboarding. 5,000 acres, 116 trails, average 500 inches of snowfall annually. Day lift tickets approximately $130–175 as of 2026 (early-season and midweek discounts available). Alta is regularly cited as one of the top powder skiing destinations in North America. The village is simple — no apres-ski scene to speak of — but the skiing is exceptional.

Snowbird — Adjacent to Alta via the Peruvian Ridge connector. Skiing and snowboarding. 3,240 acres, 3,240-foot vertical drop, 169 trails. Open from approximately Thanksgiving through late June or July in good snow years (one of the longest seasons in North America). Day lift tickets approximately $130–175. The combined Alta+Snowbird pass covers both resorts.

Park City Mountain — 32 miles east via I-80 (approximately 35 minutes). The largest ski resort in the USA at 7,300 acres, formed by the 2015 merger of Park City and Canyons resorts. 330 trails, 41 lifts, ski-in/ski-out access to Park City town. Day tickets approximately $180–220. The best option for those who want resort amenities alongside skiing.

Deer Valley — Adjacent to Park City. Skiers only; widely rated the USA’s best resort for service, grooming, and overall experience. 2,026 skiable acres, 103 trails. Day tickets approximately $200–250. The resort opens to snowboarding starting with the 2026–27 season per a recent ownership decision — check current policy before booking.

Brighton and Solitude — In Big Cottonwood Canyon (25 miles from downtown). Both are well-regarded and less crowded than the Cottonwood Canyon resorts. Day tickets approximately $80–130.

UTA Ski Bus — UTA (Utah Transit Authority) runs ski buses from several downtown hotels and TRAX stations to all eight resorts in winter. Fare approximately $4.50 each way. Check ski.utah.com for current schedules and pick-up points.

Natural History Museum of Utah

301 Wakara Way, University of Utah. A 2011-built museum designed specifically to showcase Utah’s extraordinary fossil record. The “Past Worlds” hall holds some of the most complete dinosaur skeletons in any museum in the country, drawn from excavations in the Morrison Formation and other Utah sites. Entry approximately $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for children (ages 3–12). Open daily 10am–5pm. Allow two to three hours.

Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island

Antelope Island State Park — 4528 W. 1700 S., Syracuse (40 miles northwest of downtown, approximately 50 minutes by car). A 42-mile-long island in the Great Salt Lake, accessible by a 7-mile causeway. Home to a herd of 700 bison descended from 12 animals introduced in 1893, as well as pronghorn, coyotes, and migratory birds. Entry approximately $15 per car as of 2026. Hiking trails include the 3-mile Frary Peak Trail (highest point on the island, with views of the lake and Wasatch range) and the beach area at Buffalo Point. Fall (September–November) is the best season for birdwatching; the Great Salt Lake hosts millions of migratory birds during these months.

The lake itself is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, with salinity levels three to five times higher than the ocean. Swimming at the Antelope Island beach is possible but the high salinity makes it unusual — you float extremely easily.

Hiking: Wasatch Front

The Wasatch Mountains rise directly behind the city to more than 11,000 feet, with trailheads accessible within 20–30 minutes of downtown.

Mill Creek Canyon — 3800 Mill Creek Canyon Rd. A paved 8-mile canyon road (fee approximately $3 per car on weekends) with multiple trailheads. The Desolation Trail to the Upper Millcreek Canyon overlook (11 miles round trip, 3,000-foot gain) is a full-day commitment. Shorter options from the lower trailheads start from approximately 2 miles round trip.

Big Cottonwood Canyon — 7200 S. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Home to Brighton and Solitude ski resorts, but accessible year-round for hiking. The Lake Blanche trail (7 miles round trip, 2,700-foot gain) reaches a high-alpine lake at 10,296 feet.

City Creek Canyon — Accessible from Memory Grove Park at the north end of downtown. A paved road and unpaved trail (cars restricted to specific days; bicycles allowed on alternate days) running 6 miles into the canyon. Deer, red-tailed hawks, and moose are commonly sighted. Free entry.

Bonneville Shoreline Trail — Runs along the eastern bench of the valley (the former shoreline of prehistoric Lake Bonneville, which covered much of Utah 12,000 years ago). Multiple access points; the section above the University of Utah offers quick access to ridge views. Free.

The Arts District (Granary Row and 9th & 9th)

Downtown Salt Lake City has two distinct cultural zones. The Granary District (approximately 900 S. 300 W.) has galleries, maker spaces, and a growing number of food and drink venues. The 9th and 9th neighborhood (900 E. 900 S.) is a walkable district of independent restaurants, bookshops, and cafés in brick commercial buildings. No entry cost — these are neighborhood areas to walk and eat in.

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) — 20 S. West Temple, downtown. Rotating contemporary art exhibitions in a free-entry museum. Open Tuesday–Saturday noon–6pm.

Salt Lake Arts Center — 20 S. West Temple (in the same building as UMOCA). Community arts facility with exhibitions, performances, and classes. Free entry to exhibitions.

Spectator Sports

Utah Jazz (NBA) — Delta Center, 301 S. Temple. October through April. Tickets approximately $45–180 as of 2026.

Real Salt Lake (MLS) — America First Field, 9256 S. State St, Sandy (15 miles south, accessible by TRAX). March through October. Tickets approximately $25–75.

Utah Hockey Club (NHL) — Delta Center. The NHL’s newest franchise (started play in 2024) as the relocated Arizona Coyotes. Tickets approximately $50–200.

Day Trips to National Parks

All five Mighty Five Utah National Parks are within a four-to-five-hour drive of Salt Lake City. A practical sequence for a longer trip:

Arches National Park (238 miles south, 3.5 hours): Entry approximately $30 per car; timed entry permits required for Delicate Arch viewpoint and the Windows section March through October — book at recreation.gov.

Bryce Canyon National Park (272 miles south, 4 hours): Entry approximately $35 per car. The Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden trails from Bryce Canyon Amphitheater are the most spectacular short hikes in Utah — two hours, 600-foot descent into the canyon.

Zion National Park (315 miles south, 4.5 hours): Entry approximately $35 per car; the Angel’s Landing trail requires a permit (lottery, $6 per person, through recreation.gov). The Narrows (hiking up the Virgin River through a slot canyon) is permit-free from the bottom and arguably the most viscerally memorable hike in the USA.