Utah Exmos: a nevermo friend sent me a message looking for ideas for an upcoming Utah trip. My short time there was confined to Provo. Any ideas from y'all?

My friend's message:

I am planning a last minute road trip to Utah. We are mainly doing the 5 National Parks in the south and some National Monuments, but we might spend a day or so around SLC. Do you have any thoughts on Antelope State Park/going in the Great Salt Lake? Any recommendations for restaurants or something that is a must see?

I live nearby.

Here's quick info;

Main Attractions
Beautiful scenery close to Salt Lake City
and other Wasatch Front towns
Swimming in the salty lake water
Camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding
Wildlife watching
Historic ranch house and exhibits

Location
In the Great Salt Lake, west of the town of Layton,
about 41 miles north of Salt Lake City.

Contact Information
Antelope Island State Park
4528 West 1700 South
Syracuse, UT 84075
(801) 773-2941 Entrance Gate
(801) 725-9263 Visitor Center

http://www.utah.com/stateparks/antelope_island.htm

Or you can stop by at Hill AFB Museum.

There's Lagoon

http://www.lagoonpark.com/
http://www.lagoonpark.com/what-to-do/

"Twist, turn and fly on one of our 50 rides. Feel your heart race on our X-Venture attractions. Slip and slide through whitewater waves at Lagoon A Beach. Take a trip back through the Wild West in Pioneer Village. Sing along with the best shows in town. Scare yourself silly at Frightmares in October."

Or Boondocks

Admission is FREE and the park is open year round

There are both indoor and outdoor attractions for every age to enjoy. Miniature Golf, Go-Karts, Bumper Boats, Bowling, Rollerball (miniature bowling), Laser Tag, Batting Cages, Huge Arcade with Prize Center, Kiddie Cove and much, much more.

http://www.boondocks.com/public/kaysville/attractions/attractions.cfm

Restaurants it depends on what you like. If you like Sushi, I like Osaka Japanese Restaurant in Layton area, not very far from Antelope Island. Or the regular retaurants, Olive Garden, Chili's etc.

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks!

-- Clark Planetarium
-- Hogle Zoo
-- The Leonardo Museum
-- The State Capitol building
-- Natural History Museum of Utah
-- Tracy Aviary
-- Memory Grove Park
-- Wheeler Historic Farm
-- Pony Express National Historic Trail
-- Gilgal Gardens
-- Utah Museum of Fine Arts

My top picks for food:
Sigfried's German Deli
Star of India
Salt Lake Roasting Company (best coffee ever and unbelievable desserts & quiche)
Red Rock Brewing Company
Caputo's Market and Deli (check out their gourmet olive oils and chocolates, plus they have the best sandwiches in town)
Piper Down (Celtic Pub, not kid-friendly but a must-go if you can; their homemade Guinness mustard sauce is incredible, plus they have vegan bangers and mash)
Saturday's Waffle
Tin Angel
Les Madeleines (to-die-for French pastries)

Bangers and mash...now I'm hungry! Thanks for the suggestions. :)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2015 10:20AM by crookedletter.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2015 10:13AM by amyjo.

Southern Utah worth seeing is Tuacahn ampitheatre. And all the national and state parks, which your friend has already included on their places to visit.

Zion's is breathtaking. I was there in January, but it was still picture perfect.

Downtown St. George has several museums and an art gallery. Mesquite is right over the border, but I didn't care for it - too superficial (like fake grass and neon palm trees lol,) for my liking.

Crossing into Utah through the Virgin mountain gorge, was like transitioning from night to day - or drab gray to panoramic vistas in oranges and reds. I felt like I'd already died and gone to heaven. That's how brilliant it is there.

Just beautiful.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2015 10:19AM by crookedletter.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2015 10:21AM by crookedletter.

I was there as a student back in the nineties. I only ate at McDonald's and Chuck-a-Rama. I did like Antelope Island and actually swam (well, floated) in the Great Salt Lake. My crotch always starts to itch when I think back of those brine shrimps.

Thanksgiving Point at the point of the mountain. Side trip to Park City, Kamas, Provo Canyon, Sundance. Good day trip.

In southern Utah, they'll do wise sticking to (doing their research, like now doing) staying off the beating- and beaten- track- going for vistas, drives, hikes, etc. Some can be more specific or elaborate on the best places to tour, camp, must-do, etc.

You get me back to southern Itah and I may stay for a while and play, until the end of the day, and the night display, 24 hours a day I'd play, except in my sleep I'd lay, and take only pictures and leave just footprints, love-dust and happy faces in the clay.

Salt Lake City - spring 2015

Make sure they (know about) tune into KRCL, 90.9 fm, for commercial-free programs, regional news, events, information and real good music- on krcl.org. It once was/ is broadcast in Moab too, and Park City.

The Salt Lake Roasting Company is a must for coffee-pastries-atmosphere; there are other quaint coffee cafes as well. Squatters is only one of many GREAT PLACES for eaating-drinking around town.

Depending on their interests, while in SLC, various types of shops and activities, including museums, galleries, shows, bars, parks or places of interest, might be mentioned.

What are they like? Into? Interested in? That anti filth put out by TMC?

Best vacation spot in Utah: Las Vegas.

kolob canyon

Gilgal gardens and/or bare bum beach.

Drive to top of Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons in SLC. Great mountain scenery.

If you're up for a moderately strenuous hike on a paved trail, Timpanogos Cave National Monument in American Fork Canyon. Just hiking to the cave and back is free. The hike takes about an hour and a half round trip. You need to buy a ticket to go through the cave. I'm perfectly happy with just the hike. Tell them at the entrance gate to the canyon that you are just going to the cave and you get in the canyon free.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2015 12:26AM by Brother Of Jerry.

I'm going to horn in here specifically relating to the Great Salt Lake. I have been personally involved in the subject for many years as a sailor there (hence my on-line name). My advice is: now is an especially fascinating time to go to the lake specifically because it is dying.The expanse of the lake itself is still lovely to gaze upon, but that's about all. If you go to the marina you will quite literally have a hard time maneuvering your car, because the parking lot is full of all the boats they had to haul out due to the historically low water levels. They had to use cranes, because the water level is so low that the launching ramp is completely non-functional (it was pretty impressive- they had the timing down to one boat every eleven minutes). There may still be a chance to take a tour boat- check first- but the marina itself can best be described as a nautical ghost town. There are a few boats still in the water, but yesterday per the harbor master they all need to be out within about two weeks.

The Antelope Island marina was shut down several months ago. There are still some nice things to see and do on the island, as poster ok mentioned, but boating out there is long gone.

There is no such thing as a beach on the south shore any more. They are now mud flats. I really think you could walk from the south shore to Antelope Island without getting your chest wet.

So now is an excellent time to visit the lake if you want to see history in the making. Otherwise the operative word is depressing for us sailors.

On a lighter note: try the Salomon Center in Ogden (sponsored by the ski boot company, I believe). Indoor surfing and indoor skydiving! They also have a Fat Cats and a pizza place. In the downtown area. Well worth the time.

I don't know where your friend is visiting from, but experiencing the mountains up at Park City would be worthwhile. Of course there is The Olympic Park, info can be found here:

http://utaholympiclegacy.org/park/

They have tons of activities like zip lining, bobsled, alpine slide, etc. I believe there are also some free hiking trails.

Other posters suggestions are also good too-

As far as places to eat:
Moochies Meatballs in SLC
Red Iguana in SLC
Bombay House in SLC- My favorite place! So good!
Ruth's Diner- in SLC- a favorite for the locals!


Hope that helps

Thank you all for the responses and suggestions! I'll pass on the info to my friend.

Thanks, especially, slskipper for sharing the update on the Great Salt Lake. I'm sorry to hear about the lake's predicament.

If he wants to go further North, I love Bear Lake.

Bear Lake is lovely. A summer retreat and a winter outdoor paradise.

You can play count the plastic surgery billboards, while on the road ;)

I love the drive through Virgin River Gorge, but there's a neat artist community outside of St George. Other parts of Utah I wouldn't mind seeing are Bryce Canyon National Park, and Park City. Other than that, the closest I want to get to Utah is Vegas.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2015 04:19PM by adoylelb.

I always like this one. Make a list (with addresses) of all the people you don't much care for (non-mormon), and sign 'em all up at Temple Square for a free BoM.

The beautiful Red Butte Gardens.
McCools Irish pub.