How to Spend a Week in Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, is a sprawling city in the middle of Utah. A lively, active place, Salt Lake City offers opportunities for outdoor sports, performing arts and cultural activities. It is home to a major university, is located in close proximity to many national parks, and boasts a friendly, welcoming community. At any time of the year, Salt Lake City is an idea place for a comfortable U.S. vacation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Visit Temple Square. The center of the Mormon faith in the United States, Temple Square houses the grand Salt Lake Temple. Situated on 10 acres in the middle of Salt Lake City, Temple Square has two visitors' centers and various statues and monuments. Visit on a day when the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir is giving one of its free concerts in the Assembly Hall. Other places of interest in Temple Square include the Brigham Young Historic Park, the tabernacle, and the Museum of Church History and Art.

2. Get outside. Salt Lake City is the center of Utah's large and active outdoor community. From here, you can access countless hiking trails in the Wasatch Mountains and in the surrounding desert. Pack a tent, and camp in campgrounds or on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, which offer free, leave-no-trace camping. Popular hiking and climbing spots include Big Cottonwood Canyon, Millcreek Canyon, and the American Fork area.

3. Go out to eat. Salt Lake City boasts an impressive number and range of restaurants in its downtown area and suburbs. Visit the One World Cafe downtown for delicious vegetarian fare; the restaurant's unique business plan allows diners to pay as much or as little as they like, and offers the opportunity to work for a meal in the kitchen or garden. Salt Lake City has options for Thai, Pan-Asian and Italian food, and the Mexican food offerings are particularly popular.

4. Visit the Great Salt Lake. Near Salt Lake City is the massive Great Salt Lake, which changes in size depending on weather conditions. Because of the lake's high salt content, most people can float easily in the water.

5. Drive to Park City. Thirty minutes out of Salt Lake City lies Park City, the tiny ski town famous for the Sundance Film Festival, which is held there every January. In the summer, Park City offers hiking, biking and spectacular views. In the winter, the city's many ski resorts offer world-class skiing and snowboarding. At any time of the year, you can visit the Olympic Park, which was constructed for the 2002 Winter Olympics.