Places to Go in Utah

Temple Square is headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and home to the Salt Lake Temple, Tabernacle, and Assembly Hall.

Other points of interest nearby are the Family History Library at 35 North West Temple, the Museum of Church History and Art at 45 North West Temple, and the Beehive House at South Temple and State Street.

Cathedral of the Madeleine—The Romanesque-Gothic sandstone Roman Catholic cathedral is a designated Utah historic site. Located at 331 East South Temple Street, it was dedicated in 1909 and funded by wealthy Catholic mining families.

Utah State Capitol—Built of granite and completed in 1915, the Utah State Capitol is considered one of the finest displays of Renaissance Revival architecture in the United States. It overlooks the city and is located at 300 North and State Street.

Hansen Planetarium—Located at 15 South State Street, the planetarium offers two floors of exhibits, including a moon rock and a domed theater featuring star shows and laser-light music presentations.

Great Salt Lake—Approximately 92 mi (148 km) long and 48 mi (77 km) wide, the Great Salt Lake is the largest inland body of salt water in the Western Hemisphere. Rivers and streams carry minerals into the lake, which has no outlet; the minerals are trapped and used as resources. The lake holds about 4.5 to 4.9 billions tons of dissolved salt, and its salinity content ranges from 9 to 28 percent (the salinity content of oceans is about 3 percent). The Great Salt Lake also provides ample recreation—including year-round boating—and is home to millions of ducks, geese, gulls, and other shore birds.

Antelope Island—The largest of the Great Salt Lake's 10 islands. It is 15 mi (24 km) long and 5 mi (8 km) wide. Its peaks rise 2000 ft (609.5 m) above the water. The park features the largest herd of American bison in the United States and is about a 50-minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City.

Park City—Located 32 mi (51.5 km) east of Salt Lake City. It was founded in the late 1860s by mining prospectors. Features include Historic Main Street with its award-winning restaurants, theater, and art galleries.

Thanksgiving Point—Just half an hour drive south of Salt Lake City, Thanksgiving Point is home to a large and extensive Dinosaur museum, several gift shops, and entertainment at The Barn.

Heber Valley—Home of Soldier Hollow, includes many western traditions, recreational activities, and spectacular views. Features include the Historic Heber Valley Railroad, which dates back to 1899, and has vintage coaches pulled by turn-of-the-century steam locaomotives.

Sundance—An arts colony and small ski area north of Provo. Robert Redford bought the area in 1969.

Utah's National Parks—These parks are a four to six hour drive south of Salt Lake City. Southern Utah's unique redrock scenery is the main attraction in five national parks: Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase, and the northern portion of the Grand Canyon.