Families who travel to Salt Lake City generally do so for one of two reasons: for the skiing or to visit family. For us it's usually to visit family (though the skiing is good and usually less expensive than in Colorado). We make our annual trek in the summertime so we can take advantage of Utah's clear skies, dry air, and cool nights.
Nestled at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake City offers spectacular views from just about any spot.
Most of the valley was once occupied by family farms that sold off land
little by little to suburban developers. But you can still visit Wheeler Historic Farm
(6351 South 900 East), now a park, small educational farm, and museum.
We're a city family, so seeing live animals and food growing is
especially neat for us. We also visited the goats at Drake Family Farm after I discovered Drakes creamy chevre at a farmers' market.
When Utah's hot, dry summer heat gets oppressive, we take refuge at the Clark Planetarium (where the museum is free). From there, if we can stand the walk, we head over to the Gateway Mall's Olympic Legacy Fountains with its music-synchronized water show (above). The children's library at the fabulous Salt Lake City Public Library, designed by Moshe Safdie, is another good escape from the soaring temps, especially during naptime. There you'll find a play area, sweet reading nooks, gift shops, and a cafe.
For fun activities at cooler temps, head to the mountains. One low-key spot (if you're not an avid hiker) is Sundance Resort--yes,
Robert Redford's resort. In the summer you can enjoy the gorgeous
landscape by taking a gondola up a hill and then hiking down. On our
first day in Utah this year we drove up for lunch at the Foundry Grill, which has shady outdoor seating and a kids' menu. (Save the Tree Room for a date.) Above is our city boy, blinking in the blinding Utah sunlight at Sundance.
Last year we also went to nearby Heritage Village,
a re-created 19th-century pioneer village with a working blacksmith, a
mercantile that sells handmade gifts like sun bonnets, and other era
demonstrations. For another perspective on Salt Lake's Mormon origins,
check out Gilgal Sculpture Garden, created by an eccentric stone mason. The Joseph Smith sphynx is not to be missed. (Image via UtahGothic.com.)Speaking of Mormons, the liquor laws in Salt Lake City have relaxed considerably since the Olympics, so parents may now enjoy a glass of wine or beer with meals (or without--it's vacation!). My husband and I left Jasper with his grandparents so we could enjoy an afternoon and microbrews at Squatters Pub Brewery's cool back patio (Squatters is actually pretty child-friendly, if you don't have doting grandparents handy). For another child-free evening, we met friends at chic new farm-to-table restaurant Pago.
We followed our trip to Utah with a drive to visit my sister in Denver (tune in next week for that post). Along the way we stopped by Dinosaur National Monument, about a three-hour drive south of Salt Lake City. The old quarry visitor's center, which used to house a museum, was closed for several years due to structural damage. Happily, government stimulus funds are finally allowing the park to restore the quarry, and it should be open by summer 2010. We found the park still worth visiting, though. You can take a short hike to find petroglyphs and embedded dinosaur bones.Dining in Salt Lake City
Many restaurants close on Sundays, so always call first before making plans.
Iceberg Drive Inn: Locations throughout Salt Lake City (absurdly large shakes)
Stella Grill: 4291 South 900 East, (801) 288-0051 (very family-friendly)
Les Madeleines Patisserie Cafe: 216 East 500 South, (801) 355-2294 (amazing pastries)
Pago: 878 South 900 East, (801) 532-0777
Acme Burger: 275 South 200 West, (801) 257-5700 (open Sundays, family-friendly)
*Log Haven: located four miles up Millcreek Canyon, at 6451 East Millcreek Canyon Road, (801) 272-8255
*One World Café: #41 South 300 East, (801) 519-2002
Lugano: 3364 S. 2300 East, (801) 412-9994
*Pine: 4760 South 900 East, (801) 288-2211
Squatters Pub Brewery: 147 West Broadway (at 300 South), (801) 566-5474
Martine: 22 East 100 South, (801) 363-9328
Em's Restaurant: 271 North Center Street, (801) 596-0566
Red Iguana: 736 West North Temple, (801) 322-1489
*We haven't actually eaten there, but comes highly recommended by foodie friends.
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