12 Things to Do in Salt Lake City

Excited for X4? Us too! But don't rush off afterwards. Why not stick around and enjoy all Salt Lake City has to offer?

1. SKIING

Salt Lake City offers some of the world’s best ski resorts. There’s no better way to wind down after 3 action-packed days at X4 than hitting Utah’s famous slopes. From the Salt Palace you’re perfectly placed to visit the best ski resorts in Utah. Including the largest ski resort in the United States, Powder Mountain: just an hour’s drive away. And Park City Mountain Resort, the second biggest US ski resort and only 30 minutes by car.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or expert — all skiing levels are catered for in and around the aptly nicknamed Ski City.

Check out our X4 guide to skiing around Salt Lake City.

2. THE UTAH OLYMPIC PARK

Not keen on skiing, but still want some action? Then head to Utah Olympic Park. Built for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the Utah Olympic Park offers snowy fun for everyone: bobsledding, luge, ski jumping, extreme tubing, ropes courses, rock climbing and ziplining. If the super daring, there’s the Cornet Bobsled, where you can experience 3 Gs of gravity as you race down a track at 70mph.

3. QUALTRICS HQ

Come and see us! We love to have visitors. Just talk to your Qualtrics rep today.

4. FOOD AND SHOPPING

Salt Lake City is home to several James Beard Award-winning chefs and to some delicious food. For top recommendations, check out Food Network’s slideshow on A Salt Lake City Eating Tour.

The Red Iguana is also rated by TripAdvisor as one of the best restaurants in Salt Lake City. It’s tagline, “The Killer Mexican Food” sums up how locals feel: they absolutely love it. In addition to traditional Mexican fare, the menu offers vegetarian and gluten-free options.

For shopping, City Creek Center is the highest-rated shopping mall in Salt Lake City.

Historic Park City also has loads of cute, mom-and-pop shops, and fantastic restaurants, including lots of sushi (which I found surprising because, where's the ocean?). We ate at Flying Sumo because they have half-price sushi during the shoulder season, but Yuki Yama is the highest-rated in Park City, with 89 percent of reviewers saying it was “excellent” or “very good.”

5. BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS

Do it for the ‘gram. You’ll have seen the Bonneville Salt Flats in movies or music videos, even if you didn’t know the name. The Salt Flats consist of a hard, densely packed white-salt crust that seemingly never ends. It creates a reflective, liquid effect that makes it look as if you’re walking on water. It’s one of only a handful of salt pans in the world and the only one in the United States. And it’ll give you some incredible pics.

6. TOP GOLF

Fancy playing a few holes to wind down? But want to do it on a high-tech driving range? Then look no further. At Top Golf, the golf balls have computer microchips that track each shot's accuracy and distance while also awarding points for hitting targets on the outfield. Top Golf has more than 100 climate-controlled hitting bays, a full-service restaurant and bar, a rooftop terrace with a fire pit and over 200 HDTVs.

7. TEMPLE SQUARE

Take a free, guided tour of the square. They start on the hour at the flagpole west of the temple and will take you around Temple Square's three-block, 35-acre plaza. At the centre of it all you’ll find the incredible Tabernacle and the Gothic-style Assembly Hall. And for those interested in genealogy, a visit to the Family History Library is a must. It’s the largest genealogy library in the world. Located in the heart of Salt Lake, Temple Square is open every day from 9am to 9pm.

8. THE GREAT SALT LAKE

The Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. As well as incredible views for the perfect picnic, it also offers hiking trails, wildlife spotting, boating, fishing, and swimming. You can access the lake via Antelope Island, a state park located a little more than 60 miles northwest of Salt Lake City. The lake area is open every day from sunrise to sunset.

9. BREWERIES

Salt Lake City has many breweries that also serve food. One of the most famous is Red Rock Brewery, which has three locations around the city, as well as a beer store. They specialize in creative beer, and their Zwickelbier beer even won a gold medal at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival.

For an aprés-conference drink, head over to the Beerhive, which has a long list of mainstream and microbrew beers on tap. It also has wings, burgers, and an assortment of other bar food, and was rated one of the top bars in Salt Lake City.

10. UINTA-WASATCH-CACHE NATIONAL FOREST

With its stunning beauty and diverse array of landscapes, you’ll find something to suit you whether you want to hike, picnic or simply stop and sightsee. The 37-mile Mount Nebo Scenic Byway offers stunning views of the Utah and Nephi valleys.

11. IFLY UTAH

Want to go skydiving, but aren’t keen on heights, then iFLY Utah is one way to get your wings. The 12-foot wind tunnel has speeds of up to 150 miles per hour, giving you the thrill without the spill. It’s also a great way to prepare for a big jump or just get a taster of what a skydive might be like. Plus, it’s kid-friendly. Children 3 years+ are welcome to have a go. You’ll have a professional instructor to help you learn the ropes before you jump in.

12. SCENIC DRIVES

The Big Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Drive is a 15-mile route that takes about an hour to drive. Along the drive, you'll pass picnic areas, hiking trails, rock climbing areas and more. Look for Doughnut Falls, the canyon's most popular winter hike.

If you have two hours, one of the country's most gorgeous drives winds through Provo Canyon. It will expose you to jagged rock formations in the rock walls, and an overlook for Bridal Veil Falls. The drive passes through Heber Valley, home to the historic Heber Valley Railroad and cross-country skiing trails from the Salt Lake City Olympics. And you can loop back up through historic Park City on your way back to Salt Lake City.

This post was originally published in August 2018 and was updated in October 2019.