Author Topic: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?  (Read 4606 times)

MayDay

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Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« on: April 21, 2015, 06:49:01 PM »
We are visiting Yellowstone for a week this summer, and saved significantly on flights by flying in a day early, and coming home a day late.  However, we have to stay fairly close to SLC as we will be picking up and dropping off a relative at the SLC airport.  We will have about noon on a Friday until noon on Saturday on the way out, and Sunday morning early until Monday morning on the way home.

We will be camping on the Yellowstone leg of the trip and are open to camping in the SLC area.  We have two young kids (5 and 7) and are not at all religious.  We might like to see big fancy Mormon buildings briefly, but we don't want to spend all day at it.  On the way home it will be Sunday, will everything be closed because Jesus?  We were thinking it might be nice to stay at a hotel with a pool on the way home since we may be exhausted. 

We will have a rental car.

So what would you see or do?  Any reccs on where to stay?  Free/cheap preferred, we like hiking and pretty scenery, we won't have bikes with us, sadly. 

kimmarg

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2015, 08:28:10 PM »
Take the car and head up to antelope island state park on the great salt lake. You can see the buffalo and the kids can swim in the lake (yes you float higher, yes it's gross).

Head up little cottonwood canyon to snowbird. Ride the tram to 11,000ft for the view. Or sit on the deck with a beer. Wildflower festival and octoberfest are lovely if you are at the right time of year.

In the city proper don't overlook the Utah museum of natural history (dinosaurs), the Hogel zoo, and the Tracey aviary. On the Saturday morning head to the downtown farmers market where you'll find lots of yummy eats, entertainment, and can stock up on produce for the camping trip. The Salt Lake Bees minor league baseball team is also a great and cheap way to spend and afternoon - ticket start around $7.

Most stuff is open Sunday, banks etc excepted.

ruchaweecute

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2015, 02:06:19 AM »


This information is very good here. Asked to post this information useful content to it.

MayDay

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2015, 05:21:14 AM »
Awesome, these suggestions are perfect.

Is park city any good? 


garion

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2015, 05:42:17 AM »
Awesome, these suggestions are perfect.

Is park city any good?

Park city is cute and pretty to walk around in but everything there is really overpriced.

A good hike I've done a couple of times in SLC is the living room hike. There is a rock "living room" at the top with beautiful view of SLC.

Also, because everyone is at church, there is $1 bowling on Sunday mornings. Might keep in mind in case of bad weather.

Jmoody10

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2015, 06:26:11 AM »
We are doing this exact same trip in late June! Thanks for the suggestions!

boy_bye

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2015, 06:38:21 AM »
I was there in August one year and drove up to Alta and there were so many wildflowers that I lost my mind. Absolutely beautiful place!

waltworks

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2015, 08:11:15 AM »
Antelope Island or hiking to the living room in the summertime in the day?

No, no, no. You will fry like an egg.

Go to Alta/Snowbird, or up Mill Creek, or to PC, and go hike/check out views.

-W

EAL

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2015, 08:27:38 AM »
I live a few hours away from SLC in a small town in Wyoming so we go there often (and are not Mormon).  Depending on what you want to do, there is an amusement park in the area called Lagoon, which is pretty fun and also has a water park component.  We have never had any problem with things being closed on Sundays. I think just like anywhere else things just open a little later an close a little earlier.  The only thing that I think may be closed on Sundays is liquor stores but I'm not sure as we don't drink, I think I've just heard that before.

Frostee

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2015, 12:00:55 AM »
Timpanogos Cave is about 40 miles from SLC and is pretty cool.  I believe the visitor center is free, but if you want to hike into the cave you have to pay for the guided tour ($8/adult, $6/kid).  After seeing the cave, you could continue driving the entire Alpine Loop Scenic Byway which goes around Mt. Timpanogos.  It is a great drive with several places to pull off and hike or have a picnic.

Timpanogos Cave National Monument information - http://www.nps.gov/tica/index.htm
Alpine Loop Scenic Byway information - http://www.utah.com/byways/alpine_loop.htm

Which route are you planning on taking from SLC to Jackson?

MayDay

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2015, 06:21:15 AM »
Timpanogos Cave is about 40 miles from SLC and is pretty cool.  I believe the visitor center is free, but if you want to hike into the cave you have to pay for the guided tour ($8/adult, $6/kid).  After seeing the cave, you could continue driving the entire Alpine Loop Scenic Byway which goes around Mt. Timpanogos.  It is a great drive with several places to pull off and hike or have a picnic.

Timpanogos Cave National Monument information - http://www.nps.gov/tica/index.htm
Alpine Loop Scenic Byway information - http://www.utah.com/byways/alpine_loop.htm

Which route are you planning on taking from SLC to Jackson?


I have no idea, I would love opinions on that, too. 

spokey doke

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Re: Visiting SLC this summer- advice?
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2015, 07:18:27 AM »
+1 on little cottonwood canyon for flowers, tram, and/or hiking.  Amazing place - just go and gawk at the mountains.

I-15 is by far the fastest route north, so unless you really want to spend extra time seeing as much of the region as possible, then I'd go on 15 to Idaho Falls and then off of highway 20, do a loop (e.g.) N to West Yellowstone, into the park, then out the south end of the park through Grand Teton to Jackson.  From there you have a couple good options: up over Teton Pass (we actually really like the Teton Valley and you can camp at the mouth of Teton Canyon which is great) and back to 15 and then south.  You can also skip Teton Pass and head southwest along the Snake River to Alpine (good camping along the river before Alpine) and take 89 south past Bear Lake (a pretty nice drive) and back to 15 that way.

BUT check on construction delays as they are working on 15 just north of SLC and may still be at it...

In SLC:

Banh Mi at Oh Mai
Salt Lake Bees games
Coffee and AWESOME pastries at Les Madeleines
Park Cafe for a big breakfast
Mazza for middle eastern lunch
Oasis for good mostly veggie eats on a nice patio
« Last Edit: April 23, 2015, 07:23:28 AM by spokey doke »

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!