My Salt Lake City favorites, from Temple Square and the Capitol to foothill hikes, Red Iguana's mole, and burgers with fry sauce. These are the spots I send every friend heading to SLC, with the Wasatch peaks always in view.
Map
I walk Temple Square's gardens and plazas first thing, with the Salt Lake Temple spires right in the middle of downtown.
Temple Square
The free Beehive House tour gives me a peek at Brigham Young's 1850s home just off Temple Square.
Beehive House
The Cathedral of the Madeleine's painted ceilings and stained glass stop me in my tracks every time I step inside.
Cathedral of the Madeleine
I tour the Utah State Capitol's marble rotunda, then look back at the whole valley from its front steps.
Utah State Capitol
Ensign Peak is my quick sunset hike, about a mile up to a view over the city and the Great Salt Lake.
Ensign Peak Nature Park
The Natural History Museum of Utah's dinosaur wall and canyon-view terrace make it my favorite museum in town.
Natural History Museum of Utah
I wander Red Butte Garden's trails and themed gardens in the foothills, and catch a summer concert when I can.
Red Butte Garden and Arboretum
This Is The Place Heritage Park's pioneer village is a fun, hands-on look at early Utah that I always enjoy.
This Is The Place Heritage Park
Hogle Zoo at the mouth of Emigration Canyon is an easy half day, and Rocky Shores with the polar bears is my favorite part.
Utah's Hogle Zoo
I spend a quiet hour at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on campus, which has a surprisingly deep global collection.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts
Liberty Park is my go-to for a long loop walk under big old trees and a lazy afternoon by the pond.
Liberty Park
Tracy Aviary inside Liberty Park lets me get up close with hundreds of birds, and the free-flight show is a hit.
Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park
Gilgal Sculpture Garden is the weirdest hidden gem in SLC, with a sphinx wearing Joseph Smith's face tucked behind houses.
Gilgal Sculpture Garden
Sugar House Park is where I go for a sunset stroll around the pond with the Wasatch peaks lined up behind it.
Sugar House Park
Clark Planetarium's dome shows and free exhibit floor are my rainy-day pick at the Gateway.
Clark Planetarium
The Leonardo's hands-on science and art exhibits keep me busy for hours, and I always end up tinkering in the maker space.
Downtown Farmers Market | Salt Lake City
Red Iguana's sampler of moles is the first thing I eat in Salt Lake, and the line out the door is worth it.
Red Iguana
Takashi is my favorite sushi in Utah, and I grab a Japanese whisky at the bar next door while I wait for a table.
Takashi
The Copper Onion's ricotta dumplings and burger are my go-to downtown dinner before a show.
The Copper Onion
HSL is my date-night spot for creative American plates, great cocktails, and that famous cauliflower.
HSL | Salt Lake City Restaurant
Eva's Bakery feels like a Paris cafe on Main Street, and I go for a kouign-amann and a latte.
Eva's Bakery
Caputo's is where I build the ultimate sandwich and browse its huge craft chocolate and cheese counters.
Caputo's Market & Deli
Crown Burgers' pastrami-topped burger with fry sauce is the Utah classic I tell every visitor to try.
Crown Burgers
Pretty Bird's Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich is my favorite quick lunch downtown, and I order it hot.
Pretty Bird Hot Chicken, Downtown
Hires Big H is an old-school drive-in where I get a Big H burger, onion rings, and a frosty root beer.
Hires Big H
Sweet Lake's fried chicken biscuits and fresh limeade are my favorite weekend brunch in the city.
Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade – Best Brunch in SLC
Feldman's Deli is my fix for a towering pastrami on rye and a big slice of cheesecake.
Feldman's Deli
Ruth's Diner up Emigration Canyon has been around since 1930, and I go for the mile-high biscuits on the creekside patio.
Ruth's Diner
Publik is my favorite coffee shop to work from, with house-roasted espresso and great avocado toast.
Publik Coffee Roasters
I grab a pint and a wood-fired pizza at Red Rock Brewing, one of the city's longtime downtown brewpubs.
Red Rock Brewing
Water Witch is my favorite little cocktail bar, where I let the bartenders mix something to my taste.
Water Witch
The King's English is a cozy maze of rooms in an old house, and I always leave with a book I didn't plan to buy.
