Even if you are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City is a place that is worth visiting. There are many great things to see in Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City is centered around Temple Square for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a visitor, there are great things to see at Temple Square. The Great Salt Lake is a fantastic recreation area where you can see wildlife. Salt Lake City and Utah are famous for their majestic mountains and the Great Outdoors. There are museums and theatres you can visit in Salt Lake City.
Table of Contents
Our Top 5 Places and Reasons To Visit Salt Lake City, Utah
Tucked away in the spectacular natural landscape of Utah, Salt Lake City is an incredible city full of stunning attractions, diverse activities, and plenty to do! Whether you’re looking for a relaxing weekend getaway or an exciting adventure filled with culture, Salt Lake City offers something for everyone.
Keep reading if you’re ready to discover what makes this unique destination worthy of your next vacation!
Temple Square In Salt Lake City Is Worth Visiting
No visit to Salt Lake City would be complete without visiting Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Temple Square is at the heart of the city center.
Temple Square is a three-block area with a 35-acre plaza. It is home to nearly 20 attractions related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At the heart of Temple Square is the Salt Lake Temple. Only worthy members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can go inside the Temple, but you can walk around the beautiful temple grounds.
Go into the visitor’s center and see the impressive Christus Statue, a copy of the one Bertelsmann Thorvaldsen produced for a church in Denmark. The statue is one of a few Christus statues in the United States.
The Temple Square has a new Conference Center, an older Tabernacle, and a Gothic-style Assembly Hall. Many times you can catch a free concert or program in these buildings.
Next to Temple Square is the Joseph Smith building, the former Hotel Utah. You can take a tour of this historic building.
The Lion House is also worth a visit. It is the family home of Brigham Young, the first governor of Utah and the second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lion house has a beautiful restaurant famous for its Lion House dinner rolls.
A visit to Temple square is entirely free.
The Great Salt Lake – A Natural Wonder
The Great Salt Lake is about 1,700 square miles; the lake’s size can fluctuate due to the low average depth of the lake, which is only 16 feet (4.9 meters). Lately, the lake’s waters have been shallow and the lake has shrunk in size.
The Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. This lake is unique because of its salty nature; it is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere.
The Great Salt Lake is, as the name implies, a very salty lake. The waters of the lake are more saline than seawater; it is so salty when you swim in the lake that you are extra buoyant and float on the surface.
The lake has many hiking trails, picnic spots, boating, and fishing.
The lake has been called “America’s Dead Sea.” The Great Salt Lake is also great for spotting all kinds of wildlife. The lake has native birds, brine shrimp, shorebirds, and waterfowl.
In the Great Salt Lake area, Antelope Island is a favorite spot to go to. There is a state park there called Antelope State Park that has a lot of wildlife. The island is where you can see a lot of nature, including deer, bobcats, and the American bison.
The Great Outdoors Is Amazing Around Salt Lake City and Utah
You cannot discuss this in Salt Lake City without discussing the great outdoors. This is because Salt Lake City and Utah offer a lot of great outdoor adventures.
Salt Lake is in the valley of some of the great Rocky Mountains. So if you’d like to hike or want to explore the mountains, there are plenty of areas where you can do so. There are also beautiful canyons throughout the place that you can visit and explore.
If you’re looking for the great outdoors without even having to leave the city limits of Salt Lake City, then head over to Liberty Park. It is 80 acres of outdoorsy activities from pons, bike paths, concession stands, good picnic areas, playgrounds, and tennis and volleyball courts. There’s also an Avery and a greenhouse.
Also, consider going to the Red Butte Garden. The Red Butte Garden is an excellent place for botanists or if you are looking for a quiet spot. The Red Butte Garden is right off the University of Utah campus in North West Salt Lake City. A fantastic place for anyone to visit and enjoys the outdoors.
Visit A Museum In Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is also a city that is filled with a lot of top museums. Many of these museums are world-class and more accessible than other major cities in the United States. Salt Lake City is a place to go if you are a museum lover.
Our top museums In Salt Lake City for you to visit:
- Natural History Museum of Utah – This museum is beautifully designed and focuses on the Salt Lake City region, fossils, geology wildlife, and the environment. If you are a rock and geology fan, this is a place to go.
- Clark Planetarium – The Clark planetarium is a great place for children. There are some great exhibitions for kids and people of all ages.
- Wheeler Historic Farm – If you’d like to see some farm life, head to the Willie store farm, which will have animals and crafts and all kinds of historic farm life.
- Land Cruiser Heritage Museum – If you are a car lover, this place has a huge collection of utility cars that were used throughout history.
- Church History Museum – This is a museum for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it’s a worthwhile museum to visit, especially when you are in the Utah area to be able to understand more about the history of Salt Lake, Utah, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Pioneer Memorial Museum – The Pioneer museum is filled with artifacts from Utah and Salt Lake City’s pioneer past. Quilts, wagons, toys, chairs, maps, china, eyeglass – all and everything from Utah’s pioneer past is in this museum.
Explore the Arts In Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is also a city that is filled with art. Besides the Mormon enact Mormon Tabernacle Choir which is now known as the church choir, you can find a lot of other great performances within the city.
Here are some of our favorites
- Spoken Word – On a Sunday morning, head to the temple square and listen to Choir At Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, perform the Spoken Word for the television program. This is a highly-rated program that many times features some top guest artist. Attendance is free.
- Music On Temple Square – Also, while at Temple Square, see what other free performances are being offered. You may find an organ recital or other musical events taking place.
- Eccles Theater – This is one of Salt Lake City’s new theatres that is bringing in some top-rated shows and talent to the Salt Lake City area.
- Capital Theatre – Capital theatre is also in downtown Salt Lake City and has been at the center of the Salt Lake City Arts community since 1913. The Capital Theatre is a treasured landmark with theater, dance, opera, music, and film. You may find a performance of Salt Lake City’s Ballet West at the Theatre.
Salt Lake City is a great city to visit. It is worth the visit as the city and the surrounding areas have a lot to offer its visitors. There is something for everyone to do in Salt Lake City.
At A Bus On A Dusty Road, we talk about everything about travel, life, and ex-pat living. We are all about “Living Life As A Global Citizen.” We explore social, cultural, and economic issues and travel.
We would love to have you be part of our community. Sign up for our newsletter to keep up-to-date by clicking here. If you have any questions, you can contact me, Anita, by clicking here.
Listen to our Podcast called Dusty Roads. You can find it on all major podcast platforms. Try out listening to one of our podcasts by clicking here.
Subscribe to our A Bus On A Dusty Road YouTube Channel filled with great videos and information by clicking here.
Related Questions
Is Salt Lake City Religious?
About 73% of the Salt Lake City population identifies with a religion. Salt Lake City is the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Only about 50% of the population of Salt Lake City are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
You can learn more by reading Is Salt Lake City Religious? by clicking here.
Salt Lake City Utah, And Homelessness
Salt Lake City and the state of Utah have been quite successful and have seen a decrease in their homeless population over the last few years. There are many reasons for this; one is that the state and city have worked together to find more affordable housing and beds for the homelessness issue.
To learn more, you can read our blog on Salt Lake City, Utah, And Homelessness by clicking here.
One response to “What Makes Salt Lake City Worth Visiting? Our Top 5 Reasons”
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you. https://www.binance.com/es/register?ref=B4EPR6J0