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Must Sees
New and old stuff to see.
Check out the "new kids" on the block—two museums taking the city by storm—and don't miss Utah's plethora of tried-and-true attractions.
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The Natural History Museum of Utah (301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, 801-581-6927, NHMU.Utah.edu) features life-size dinosaur mounts, local Indian artifacts and eye-popping demonstrations of Utah geological history, in a brand-new building with a copper skin. The Leonardo (209 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City, 801-531-9800, TheLeonardo.org) is a contemporary science, technology and art museum, a place to immerse yourself in exhibits, labs and community workshops that inspire a sense of wonder about the world. OTHER MUST-SEES Clark Planetarium Discovery Gateway Gardner Village Hogle Zoo Living Planet Aquarium Museum of Church History and Art Pioneer Memorial Museum Red Butte Garden Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Cauldron Park Thanksgiving Point This Is The Place Heritage Park Tracy Aviary Wheeler Historic Farm DISTINCTIVE LANDMARKS Cathedral of the Madeleine Gilgal Garden Salt Lake City Main Library Salt Lake Masonic Temple Temple Square Utah Capitol LEISURELY DRIVES Antelope Island Eccles Dinosaur Park Heber Valley Railroad Kennecott Bingham Canyon Copper Mine Lagoon Amusement Park Ogden Union Station Olympic Park
Experience daily star shows, 3-D music concerts and 3-D IMAX movies.
110 S. 400 West, Salt Lake City, 801-456-7827, ClarkPlanetarium.org
"Hands-on" discovery museum with interactive exhibits including a 30-foot-tall beehive, a media center and a "Saving Lives From the Sky" life-size helicopter.
444 W. 100 South, Salt Lake City, 801-456-5437, ChildMuseum.org
Gardner Village preserves the old Gardner flourmill, listed on the National Historic Register. Surrounding the mill is a cluster of vintage structures restored into charming retail specialty shops, a restaurant, bakery, a meeting facility and a day spa.
1100 W. 7800 South, West Jordan, 801-566-8903, GardnerVillage.com
Established in 1931 at the mouth of Emigration Canyon, this zoo is home to 1,100 animals, representing more than 250 species.
2600 E. Sunnyside Ave., Salt Lake City, 801-582-1631, HogleZoo.org
More than 100 animal species are on display in the Marine Hall and Utah Waters Hall exhibits that include a bio-facts station, coral reefs, a shark tank and a "touch pool."
725 E. 10600 South, Sandy, 801-355-3474, TheLivingPlanet.org
Exhibits on the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, artwork by LDS artists and, usually, interactive exhibits for children.
45 N. West Temple, Salt Lake City, 801-240-3310, LDS.org/ChurchHistory/Museum
Operated by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, this museum features memorabilia from when the earliest settlers entered the Salt Lake Valley until the joining of the railroads at Promontory Point, Utah, on May 10, 1869.
300 N. Main, Salt Lake City, 801-532-6479, DUPInternational.org
This nonprofit botanical garden and arboretum has more than 150 acres of flowers, trees and shrubs, with walking and hiking paths available year-round.
300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, 801-581-4747, RedButteGarden.org
The campus site of the Olympic Ceremonies for the XIX Olympic Winter Games includes the cauldron that held the Olympic flame. The visitors center includes an interactive theater where moments of the games are captured.
457 S. 1400 East, Rice-Eccles Stadium, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Includes Museum of Ancient Life, a championship-caliber golf course, Thanksgiving Point Village, the Farm Country, dining and shops.
3003 N. Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, 801-768-2300, ThanksgivingPoint.com
Site of the Mormon pioneers' entry into the Salt Lake Valley, the park features Old Deseret Village, This Is the Place monument, the Brigham Young Forest Farmhouse and picnic areas.
2601 Sunnyside Ave., Salt Lake City, 801-582-1847, ThisIsThePlace.org
Located in Liberty Park, Tracy Aviary houses some 400 birds of 135 species and cultivates about 100 varieties of plants.
589 E. 1300 South, Salt Lake City, 801-596-8500, TracyAviary.org
Historic demonstrations and exhibits are just a few of the things that will take you back in time. Discover the old-time farm lifestyle, once common for most families in Utah, but now largely past and gone.
6351 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City, 801-264-2241, WheelerFarm.com
A recent $10 million renovation project has restored this wonderful Catholic cathedral to its original splendor, complete with magnificent stained-glass windows and elaborate artwork. Free tours and concerts.
331 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, 801-328-8941, SaltLakeCathedral.org
Hidden in the middle of the city, Gilgal is known for its eccentric handcrafted stone art. There is a 25-ton sphinx with the visage of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith, depictions of biblical stories and a tribute to Masons.
749 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City, 801-328-8941, GilgalGarden.org
At 240,000 square feet, this state-of-the-art library holds more than 500,000 books and materials. Facilities include multilevel reading areas, a rooftop garden, amphitheater and public plaza.
210 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City, 801-524-8200, SLCPL.org
Built in 1927, the landmark includes Egyptian, Gothic, Moorish and Colonial rooms. Free tours available by appointment.
650 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, 801-363-2936
The Thursday evening rehearsal and Sunday 9:30 a.m. broadcast of Mormon Tabernacle Choir are open to the public.
South Temple & Main Street, Salt Lake City, 801-240-1000, VisitTempleSquare.com
Designed after the nation's Capitol and built in 1915.
350 N. Main, Salt Lake City, 801-538-3000
Hikers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers enjoy a variety of trails on the popular island in the Great Salt Lake. Picnicking, camping, and boating facilities are also available. The island is home to a roaming herd of 600 bison, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep. A visitor center offers information on the island's unique biology, geology and history.
Antelope Drive Exit on Interstate 15, 26 miles north of Salt Lake City
See life-size creatures and hear them roar in the park's six acres. Watch technicians prepare fossils or visit the hands-on exhibits.
1544 E. Park Blvd., Ogden, 801-393-3466, DinosaurPark.org
Utah's historic steam passenger railroad is a tourist attraction based in Heber City. The track follows the Provo River to Vivian Park near Sundance Resort in Provo Canyon. Don't miss the Polar Express and Tube 'n' Train that operate in December.
450 S. 600 West, Heber City, 435-654-5601, HeberValleyRR.org
One of the largest human-made excavations ever dug. The visitors center displays photographs, exhibits and more. Located in the Oquirrh Mountains approximately 25 miles southwest of Salt Lake City.
12800 South, State Route 111, Bingham Canyon, 801-204-2025, Kennecott.com
The state's largest amusement park features one of the nation's oldest wooden coasters, as well as kiddie rides, games, a water park and more. Open April through October.
375 Lagoon Drive, Farmington, 801-451-8000, LagoonPark.com
Built in 1924, Ogden Union Station was the center of transcontinental rail traffic for more than 50 years. Today, it is home to train and art museums, a visitors center, a model-train shop and a restaurant.
2501 Wall Ave., Ogden, 801-393-9886, TheUnionStation.org
The 389-acre Utah Olympic Park was built for the 2002 Winter Games for Nordic jumping and the sliding sports of bobsled, luge and skeleton. Now used for national and international competitions, it also serves as a year-round training ground for development and high-performance athletes. Visitors can tour the Alf Engen Ski Museum and take a bobsled ride of their own.
3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City, 435-658-4206, OlyParks.com
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