Scenic walk from our airbnb to downtown Park City.
Salt Lake City has been in the spotlight because of the historic vice presidential debate last night. Salt Lake City is a vibrant, clean, friendly yet small city that I fell madly in love with while my daughter went to the University of Utah. During her four years as a student-athlete, we took many trips to watch her swim meets and enjoy the gorgeous sights in SLC and surrounding mountains resorts.
We were impressed by the community spirit of rooting for the Utes. Everywhere there are “Go Utes!” murals, flags and signs. The football stadium is always sold out–rain or shine. The gymnastics team is the most attended women’s sport in the country with more than 15,000 fans in the Huntsman Dome.
When my daughter graduated and moved out of Utah, I really felt sad. I thought we’d never visit Utah again without her there. But, instead we rented an airbnb in Park City the past two summers. I love it more than ever. It is such a healthy, beautiful place to be to beat the desert heat.
A friend asked my daughter and me to put together a list of things to do in SLC for her niece who’s a freshman at the University of Utah. Most of our things to do revolved around food. But, all in all it’s a list of our favorite memories during four years of being Ute fans. Here’s our Salt Lake City guide for UTE students, parents and visitors:
Hotels
A view of the Grand America from the pool deck of the Little America Hotel.
The Grand America Hotel — nicest in SLC, fun to walk through, even if you don’t stay there. I never made it to Sunday Brunch, but it’s supposed to be amazing.
The Little America — same company, Sun Valley Company, owns both the Little and Grand America hotels. It’s very nice but a little more low key than the Grand America. Restaurants are great, try the Coffee Shop for comfort food and amazing hot rolls with butter. I loved the gym and pool and big rooms at a great price. Our home away from home in Salt Lake City.
Restaurants
A sandwich and salad at Les Madeleines.
Valter’s Osteria — fine Italian, special occasion, delicious and great atmosphere. The owner Valter is so personable!
Market Street Grill — Pacific Northwest seafood flown in daily. Great for big parties or family lunch and dinner.
Sushi:
Takashi My favorite sushi restaurant. They have an excellent menu with many hot dishes, too.
Sapa My daughter’s favorite sushi restaurant. I think she and her friends liked the “all you can eat” special. Plus it was exciting because you aren’t allowed in unless you’re with someone 21 years old or older.
Casual:
Les Madeleines — small Parisian bakery/cafe for breakfast and lunch. I love the tomato basil soup with salad!
Freshies Lobster Co. — Park City must! Casual restaurant that started as a food truck serving lobster rolls and lobster salad, amazing! The best meal I ever had in Utah! So simple but delicious. Here’s a review by the Salt Lake Tribune which says they opened a Salt Lake City restaurant blocks away from my daughter’s former house!
Amazing lobster roll at Freshies in Park City.
Italian — Antica Sicilia and Doce Sicilia. Recommended by Matteo Songe, a teammate of my daughter’s from Italy. He said this was authentic Sicilian. The Carbonara pasta is prepared with flames in a cheese wheel table side!
Aristo’s — family-operated Greek. Delicious. Outdoor seating on the patio in the summer.
The Pie — pizza hangout for students.
Copper Onion and Stoneground Kitchen are two other restaurants we went to a lot that were always good.
Kat’s breakfast list and what to order:
Blue Plate — Benedict omelette
Ruth’s Diner — Anything! Have the biscuits.
Finn’s Cafe — Eggs Benedict
Eggs in the City — Literally anything, if you want something sweet get the cinnamon roll pancake
Park Cafe — Michigan hash
Bruges Waffles & Frites– amazing waffles and fries. Only order a size small of the fries though
Kat’s shopping list
City Creek Center
Love Street Apparel — super cute boutique and not expensive.
City Creek Center — nicest mall with the most stores including Nordstrom, Lush, Apple, Sephora, etc. Shop on Friday or Saturday if you’re there for a weekend, since the entire mall is closed on Sunday!
Patagonia Outlet in SugarHouse
Things to do:
Park City hike on the ski slopes.
Liberty Park — beautiful city park for walks or running.
9th and 9th — small area of shops and restaurants you can walk to and from Liberty Park. Thursday nights 9th and 9th at 9 pm bike ride.
Sugar House — more shops and restaurants
Salt Lake City and County Building — historic 1890s building with 2002 Winter Olympic display.
Temple Square — interesting to walk to and around. We never made it to find our geneology, but that is supposed to be available to the public.
Park City — day trip to walk and shop — or perfect summer or ski vacation spot.
Deer Valley — chair lifts in the summer. Spectacular views and hiking.
Skiing — Alta, Deer Valley, Brighton, Park City, Snowbird, Alpine skiing at Brighton has beginning to more advanced, plus rentals.
Hiking
Sports at UTAH — go to football, gymnastics, basketball, swimming, etc. The crowds at football and student MUSS section are so enthusiastic. Red Rocks Gymnastics is a top five NCAA team consistently and they have 15,000 plus in attendance — the most attended Olympic sport for collegiate women in the U.S.
Church — CenterPoint in Orem. Pastor Scott McKinney. Scott and my husband were best friends from grade school through high school. It was so nice to reconnect with Scott and his wife Sara. They provided our daughter with a home away from home.
Downtown Salt Lake City, UT
Where your favorite places to visit and do you have any recommendations?
I visited Salt Lake City several years ago when our car club had the annual meet-up there (the attendees stayed in the Little America and Grand America Hotels). What a beautiful city! I loved the central library, the Capitol building, Temple Square, and, of course, the Great Salt Lake. I think it was in Park City where we ziplined down a ski slope (we were there in the summer). One of our most memorable experiences? We drove to the Salt Flats and were able to take our sports car out on it and go ZOOOM! I was amazed how fast we were able to go and there wasn’t anyone stationed there to stop us idiots. Utah is one of my favorite states.
What a fun trip! There is so much to do In SLC and Park City. I love it there.
We went to Greece last year. It was pretty amazing
Wow! I would love to go there. I’ve never been to Europe. My daughter studied abroad in Rome and Paris for a summer. She’s found a few favorite spots for us to visit — someday!
When this ends…you must go to Europe. Greece was my daughters high school graduation gift. It was spectacular! I took her to Paris for her 16th. She was supposed to study this past summer in Italy and I was going to meet her at programs end…Europe is just incredible. The food, sights, people you meet. I haven’t been many places, but the ones I have are filled with amazing memories
You are lucky to experience Europe before all this! I’m definitely looking forward to the experience. This summer we stayed in Airbnbs that we could drive to. We are working remotely so it was nice to be in different surroundings. We chose mountain and beach trips.
I’m being a little bleh because I didn’t get to go to Italy…Venice and Florence are top of the bucket list and I can’t get past that I was so close