Get to know Salt Lake City
History
Surrounded by mountains that rise to more than 10,000 feet (3,500 meters), Salt Lake City reflects a remarkable combination of history, culture and recreation. Settled in 1847 by pioneers seeking an escape from persecution, the city is the worldwide center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Salt Lake City's Temple Square, which houses the Temple and Tabernacle (home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir), can be appreciated by all for its beauty and historical significance. Located nearby are the Family History Library, Museum of History and Art and Beehive House. Each is a living symbol of the industriousness and commitment of the original pioneer settlers. Big, broad streets define this Rocky Mountain town. The streets were originally built by pioneer settlers to accommodate the amount of room necessary for an ox-driven wagon to turn around without backing up.
Outdoor activities
Mountain vistas with snow-capped peaks and seven year-round resorts within an hour's drive from the city's international airport (and four more a little more than an hour's drive) provide non-stop recreation. In the winter, locals and visitors alike flock to the destination resorts to ski and snowboard. Nearby resorts include Alta, Brighton, The Canyons, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbird, and Solitude. A visit to these or any other Utah resort will lead you to discover that the saying is true - Utah really does boast of the Greatest Snow on Earth. In the summer, the same resorts welcome visitors seeking outdoor adventure or pampering. The resorts offer splendid lodging, outdoor dining, fields lush with wild flowers and more hiking and mountain biking than you could possibly cover over just one visit.
The 2002 International Winter Olympic Games were held in the canyons and resorts close to Salt Lake City. The games were proclaimed by many to be among the greatest ever. Ski and snowboard trails, ice-skating venues, a unique Winter Sports Park and even a State Park were all part of the action. Although the Olympics are over, you can still enjoy a run on some of the same trails used in competition by the Olympic athletes! At the Utah Winter Sports Park you can even ride the bobsled and luge track, and imagine yourself as a world-class competitor.
Salt Lake combines the amenities of a major metropolitan area with the friendliness of a small, Western city. Hosting the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 enhanced the community's profile as a world-class travel destination, while showcasing Salt Lake as an unspoiled, family-friendly destination. Whether you visit for a convention, skiing, shopping, sightseeing, or outdoor recreation, you will find that Salt Lake is the right place in any season. Indeed, all the comforts of home await you in Salt Lake City.
General City Info
Salt Lake has all of the amenities of a major metropolitan city with the warm, welcoming friendliness of a small western town. Salt Lake is an urban center that's very user-friendly and safe. Big, broad streets define this Rocky Mountain town. The streets were originally built by pioneer settlers to accommodate the amount of room necessary for an ox-driven wagon to turn around without backing up.
Dining & Nightlife
Salt Lake boasts a vibrant nightlife with more than 1,000 restaurants, brewpubs, dance halls, and private bars. In recent years, the city has become the culinary capital of Rocky Mountain Cuisine. The city's thriving dining scene includes nationally recognized fine dining, cozy diners, brewpubs, and authentic ethnic restaurants serving everything from Afghan to Vietnamese.
Salt Lake is also home to a diverse mix of nightspots, including dance clubs, country/western saloons, jazz and blues clubs, sports bars, neighborhood hangouts, martini bars, techno-dance clubs, cigar bars and alternative lifestyle clubs. As partygoers during the Olympics discovered, it's easy to get a drink in Salt Lake!
Easy Access
Arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport and be on the slopes within one hour! Taxis, hotel and resort shuttles, public transit, and handy car rentals will zip you to downtown or to the slopes in minutes. From downtown, the TRAX light-rail system connects visitors to the south valley suburbs or the University area with ease. Driving to Salt Lake or the resorts is a breeze on Interstate-15, recently rebuilt, making it easier to go anywhere.
Entertainment
Utah is known for having the "Greatest Snow on Earth," and while skiers and snowboarders are likely to vouch for this catchy phrase, snow sports aren't the only ticket in town. Salt Lake is home to professional sports teams. The Utah Jazz (NBA Basketball), the Utah Blaze (AFL Arena Football), Real Salt Lake (Major League Soccer), the Utah Grizzlies (AHL Hockey), and the Salt Lake Stingers (AAA Baseball) offer fans a professional sports experience any time of year.
The city also offers a wide spectrum of cultural options with nationally acclaimed symphony, opera, theatre, modern dance, and ballet. Salt Lake is home to the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, several professional theater troupes and two nationally acclaimed modern dance companies. Visit our Web site (www.visitsaltlake.com) for a schedule of events and performances including Broadway shows, rock concerts, and other unique performances.
Shopping
Salt Lake is a western shopping oasis. Two major shopping malls sit in the heart of the city with hundreds of national brand stores like Nordstrom, Meier & Frank, and Eddie Bauer. Local specialty shops dot the Avenues neighborhood, as well as the "Ninth and Ninth" and Sugar House shopping districts. The Gateway is a multi-story, open-air upscale shopping arcade three blocks long and just moments from the convention district. Salt Lake also offers shopping with a historic twist. Trolley Square, a block of enclosed trolley barns dating back to the 19th century, is filled with high-end boutiques, specialty shops, upscale national chains, restaurants, and clubs. Trolley Square is seven blocks east of downtown. The shops at Gardner Historic Village are housed in dozens of pioneer-era homes clustered around a 19th century flour mill, just 15 minutes south of the city center on Interstate-15.
Information courtesy of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.