When people think of Utah, although many RVers will think of the several national parks and monuments, the rest of the population will think of one place. Welcome to Salt Lake City, the capital and largest city of the state of Utah. Salt Lake City has spent many years servicing a number of bedroom communities that continue to surround it, but it has quickly become a destination for many to visit.
Some may have read our philosophy where, when driving in the midwest, you can Trust the Grid. Salt Lake City is most definitely a place that falls within this category. In fact, when the city was first founded along with the erection of the LDS temple, all of the roads were laid out in a grid based on distance (1000 per mile) and cardinal direction from this landmark. Whether driving or using another form of self-guided transportation, it will be easy to navigate around the city. Speaking of the prominent temple landmark among the downtown's skyline, it is said that Walt Disney used it as inspiration to draw the famous "Disney castle" seen both in many Disney works, as well as its theme parks around the world. When driving by the temple in Salt Lake City, or one of its counterparts such as in Brigham City, you are able to see the resemblance to the Disney castle.
Salt Lake City is serviced by the Jordan River, and sits to the southeast of the Great Salt Lake, which has a salinity level that is higher than the world's oceans. Ironically enough, just to the south of the city is the fresh water source of Utah Lake, which feeds the Jordan River in a controlled manner to prevent flooding of the area. Scenery wise, Salt Lake City is surrounded by many mountain peaks and canyons which provide a breathtaking background, as well as wonderful opportunities for exploring nature.
Sports enthusiasts will remember that Salt Lake City played host to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. There still remain several arenas within Salt Lake City that have hosted, or would be able to host, skating and curling events. Travel a bit east along interstate 80 towards Park City, and you will find a quaint ski-style village, along with much of the non-arena infrastructure, such as ski jumps, alpine trails, and sled tracks. Even without any snow on the ground, the city remains a popular attraction with main street shops and several parks adorning the city. With these locations able to continue to attract many visitors throughout the entire year, and especially the winter season, along with the expansion of the National Hockey League in the Utah Mammoth, this area is preparing itself to once again host the Winter Olympic Games in 2034.
South of Salt Lake City is much more than simple bedroom communities and Brigham Young University. Be sure to head east from Orem and drive through Provo Canyon. Stop to take a walk along the way towards Bridal Veil Falls, a spectacular collection of waterfalls running from Cascade Mountain down to the Provo River below. Perhaps drive up towards the caves of Mount Timpanogos, while maybe stopping at the resort destination of Sundance. Although the famous film festival of the same name was hosted at nearby Park City before its eventual move to Boulder Colorado, the institute's labs still remain there, along with one of several popular ski resorts in the area.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you through Utah, consider making a stop in Salt Lake City. Even if it's for just a day or two, you'll find plenty of wonderful things to do in this city.
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