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Salt Lake City Utah sits in a valley between the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains. Over 12 million people visit Salt Lake City Utah each year. The Beehive State is full of Pioneer history and is the world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The city is considered to be the gateway to the Big Five National Parks and is worth spending a few days exploring. You will find a pink salt lake, dessert dunes, tall wheat fields, valleys of wildflowers, fry sauce, dirty soda, and craft beer.
Utah’s slogan is “The Greatest Snow on Earth” and the area can see up to 60 inches of snow a year. The mountains around Salt Lake City are home to eight world-class ski resorts and endless winter sports opportunities.
There are many amazing things to do in Salt Lake City Utah! One of Salt Lake City’s must-see attractions is Temple Square. If you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience, be sure to visit Stansbury Island on the Great Salt Lake to enjoy the pink water. If you love spending time outdoors and hiking you will not want to miss the Living Room Lookout Trail. As you can see, you will have no problem filling your 3 days in Salt Lake City Utah with amazing experiences. Enjoy your time out of the office!
READ 10 Day Utah Road Trip Itinerary: Mighty Five Grand Circle
How to Spend 3 Days in Salt Lake City Utah
Arrival and Hotel Check-in
Arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport and transfer to downtown Salt Lake City Temple Square via light rail (UTA). The UTA is located right outside of the airport terminal and trains run every 15 minutes. Tickets cost $2.50 at the time of this writing. I stayed at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek. It was close to the tram stop and most of the attractions I wanted to visit. The UTA ride to the hotel was 20 minutes.
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Spend the remainder of the day in downtown Salt Lake City. Be sure to take advantage of the UTA Free Fare Zone while exploring downtown!
Day One: Things to Do in Salt Lake City
- Check out the city view from the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building
- Take a guided tour of Utah’s State Capital and enjoy the view from Capitol Hill
- Photograph the Wasatch Mountains from the roof of the Public Library
- Grab a quick snack at the original Kentucky Fried Chicken
- Wander The Blocks and enjoy the murals
- Catch a show at Brewvies
- Visit Temple Square and listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform
- Do some high-end shopping and watch the fountain show at the City Creek Center
- See the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah
- Take a chocolate class at Caputo’s Market and Deli
- Catch an outdoor concert at the Red Butte Garden
- Explore the quirky sculptures at the Gilgal Sculpture Garden
- Take the kids to the interactive Museum of Natural Curiosity
- Stop for a treat at Dolcetti Gelato
- Catch a Utah Jazz basketball game or Salt Lake Bees baseball game
- Step into immersive art at Dreamscapes
- Do some genealogy research at the Family History Library
- Check out the interactive exhibits and laser show at the Clark Planetarium
- Grab a coffee and take a walk under the fruit trees in the Marmalade Hill Historic District
- Shop for souvenirs at Trolley Square
- Learn the history of the Mormon pioneers who settled in Utah at the Pioneer Memorial Museum
- Wander through the This Is the Place Heritage Park Living History museum
- Learn about Utah’s role in the Civil War at the Fort Douglas Military Museum
- Browse everything from antiquities to contemporary art at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts
- Take in the view from the top of the Ensign Peak Trail
- Hike the Living Room Lookout Trail and relax in rock chairs at the top, 2.3-mile out-and-back hike
Be sure to check the Salt Lake City Utah Office of Tourism website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.
Day Two: Bonneville Salt Flats, Stansbury Island (Pink Lake) and the Great Salt Lake
The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 1.5-hour drive from downtown Salt Lake City. The area covers 30,000 acres and is often called the flattest place on earth. Many people visit for their unique landscapes and pretty sunsets. The flats are easy to reach via a rest stop off I-80 and cars are allowed to drive on them. They are also known for high-speed automobile racing. The highest speed recorded at the flats was 760.3 MPH in 1965, that’s faster than the speed of sound!
Note: It is illegal to stop on I-80 to view the nearby Potash Canals. Also, regardless of what you see on Instagram, they are industrial and not open to the public.
Antelope Island State Park is located 1 hour from downtown Salt Lake City. The park is a popular place to visit the Great Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in North America. The park is also known for its herd of free-roaming bison and offers over 45 miles of hiking trails. If you are wanting to cross float in The Great Salt Lake off your bucket list, the beach at Bridger Bay is a good place to do it. But it isn’t all glamourous, watch out for biting gnats and other annoying flying bugs. At the time of this writing, there is a $15 per car entrance fee.
Stansbury Island is a little under an hour’s drive from downtown Salt Lake City on the southwest shore of the Great Salt Lake. Part of the road to the lake is dirt and gravel with private property signs. The property around the road is private, and the actual road is public. At the end of the road is a parking lot and observation point. The best time to see the pink lake is late summer and early fall. The Great Salt Lake is also pink at the Causeway and the Spiral Jetty.
Day Three: Park City Utah
Located only 40 minutes from Salt Lake City, there is something for everyone in Park City Utah. Park City is a walkable town with a cute Main Street with shops and art galleries to explore. There are over 450 miles of hiking trails to explore in the area. Other summer activities include biking, horseback riding, scenic chair lift rides, outdoor concerts, alpine coasters and slides, zip lines, skate parks, ATVs, fly fishing, and golf. Winter activities include skiing, snowboarding, fat biking, dog sledding, tubing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and ice fishing. Not sure where to start? Park City Mountain is one of the largest ski resorts in the US and has ski-in/ski-out access to Main Street.
Day Trips from Salt Lake City Utah
Hike Big Cottonwood Canyon, check out Donut Falls or Gloria waterfall
Go bobsledding at the Utah Olympic Park
Soak in an outdoor bathtub at Mystic Hot Springs
Tour Brigham Young University in Provo
Utah’s Big Five National Parks
Salt Lake City is the gateway to Utah’s Big Five national parks and an excellent spot to begin your road trip.
- Zion National Park Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
- Bryce Canyon National Park Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
- Capitol Reef National Park Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
- Arches National Park Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
- Canyonlands National Park Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
Bookmark and Pin Things to Do in Salt Lake City Utah, 3 Day Itinerary
Booking Resources for Salt Lake City Utah
Salt Lake City Utah Travel Guide Books
Pick up a Salt Lake City Utah Travel Guide from Amazon.com to browse on the plane.
Book Your Accommodation in Salt Lake City Utah Now
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Salt Lake City Utah Attractions and Day Tours
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Travel Essentials
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Have a great vacation!