Salt Lake City Stopover

Activities

• Utah Museum of Contemporary Art – UMOCA: UMOCA is a compact museum with only five galleries, but that just means you can linger with the rotating exhibits that celebrate the imaginative work of local, regional and national artists. I was delighted to look up and see a René Magritte hanging in their current exhibit.

• Street Art Walk: Take a stroll around downtown and keep an eye out for some surprising and spectacular murals, like the Jazz Anniversary Mural, Book Mural and Este Barrio No Se Vende.

• Red Butte Garden: The state's official arboretum is on the University of Utah campus. It has over 21 acres, 5 miles of hiking trails, and is open all year (weather permitting). Check out the website to see what is actively blooming.

• Temple Square: Yes, time permitting, you should visit Utah’s most popular tourist destination. Temple Square spans five downtown blocks, featuring approximately 20 attractions that showcase Latter-day Saint pioneer history and genealogical resources. Key highlights include the iconic Salt Lake Temple and the historic Tabernacle.

Note: Temple Square is undergoing renovations into 2026, so make sure to check the website for any building closings and accessibility information.

• FamilySearch Library: You never knew you wanted to visit the largest genealogical library in the world (or maybe you did if you are an ancestry.com subscriber). Operated by the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, look up your family history to see if you are related to anyone famous (or infamous). Their records include over 110 countries and are available on microfilm and microfiche, and it’s free and across the street from Temple Square.

• Salt Lake City Public Library: If a library with books and less family history is more your jam, check out the modern architectural wonders of the SLC public library. Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie. You'll recognize their work if you've ever been to Crystal Bridges in Arkansas, Pearson International Airport in Toronto, or Singapore. Their buildings are everywhere in the city and country.

• Utah State Capitol: Hike up the hill from State Street to the historic capitol of Utah to take in some history and a panoramic view of Salt Lake City and the surrounding Wasatch mountains. You can download a self-guided tour or join a docent-led tour if you really want an education on Utah.

• Trolley Square: Save time to grab some Utah keepsakes from the shops at Trolley Square. Originally home of the Utah Light and Rail Company Trolley Car Barns, Trolley Square now houses over eighty unique shops and restaurants. If time allows, take a tour of the Water Tower (note to schedule 24–48 hours in advance!)

Breakfast

• Vosen’s Bread Paradise: Start your day with a bit of sweet goodness courtesy of a Croiliner — Maple (aka, Croissant Berliner) from this traditional German bakery around since 1997. Grab some bread to go to feast on later.

• Loki: This friendly neighborhood coffee spot is run by a husband/wife duo who named the shop after their first cat. Its design gives off West Coast vibes, but the hospitality is all Rocky Mountains. And the daily drip is masterfully brewed or poured over.

Lunch

• Hires Big H: After a morning of exploring, refuel with a Big H Fry Combo and homemade root beer from another Salt Lake staple. They have been feeding burgers to Salt Lake City since 1959, when Hires Big H opened as a drive-in.

• Squatters Pub Brewery: If you want something a little stronger than root beer, take a lunch break at Squatters and enjoy one of their locally brewed IPAs or Stouts. There are plenty of craft breweries around town these days, but Squatters is one of the originals, opening only after Utah finally legalized brew pubs in the late eighties.

Dinner

• Red Iguana: It’s 100% true what their website says, “Killer Mexican Food That’s Worth the Wait.” If you can’t snag a reservation, wait it out for a table at one of their two locations (minutes apart). The menu has everything you’d expect, but go for their signature dish, Mole Coloradito.

• Red Iguana 2: See above. If you don’t want to wait for a table at the original, see if you can get one at their second location.

Late-night

• Beer Bar: End the night with more Bavarian inspiration and a cold beer at Beer Bar. It’s unpretentious and casual, exactly what you’d expect from a bar owned by celebrity Ty Burrell. You may remember him as the goofy and endearing dad from Modern Family.

• Van Ryder: If you are as mesmerized by mountain views as I am, you’ll want to end your day with a cocktail at Van Ryder, the rooftop bar on the top floor of Le Méridien. Snag one of the comfy fur couches that give off a ski-lodge feel or sit outside in the fresh alpine air. If you are staying at the hotel, take a pre-cocktail dip in the heated outdoor pool (even in winter), it’s open until 11 pm.