Historic Main Street During Sundance Film Festival Credit: Visit Park City
Scenic Dog Sledding Credit: Visit Park City
ECCLES THEATER
The shiny new George S. and Dolores Doré
Eccles Theater is a world-class, state-of-theart, 2,500 seat performance venue with a six-story grand lobby, galleria, and on-site bistro. The Theater hosts national touring Broadway shows, concerts, comedy, and other entertainment events ranging from The Book of Mormon and Bob Dylan to John Cleese and Jewel.
TEMPLE SQUARE
Although Utah is a predominately Mormon state, Salt Lake City is an exception. Religious or not, the LDS Temple Square is a fascinating place to spend a morning or afternoon. The 10-acre Square’ s centerpiece is the Salt Lake Temple( accessible to LDS members only), which clocks in at over 250,000 square feet. Non-LDS visitors are welcome on the grounds of Temple Square, and the Family Search Center and Family History Library host the largest genealogical database in the world. Go dig up some ancestors!
RED BUTTE GARDEN & ARBORETUM
Situated on the eastern edge of the University
of Utah and open to the public year‘ round, the 100-acre Red Butte Garden is the biggest botanical garden in the Intermountain West. Via five miles of hiking trails and 21-acres of developed gardens, visitors will discover a mind-bending array of plant collections, including 450,000 springtime blooming bulbs. In summer, Red Butte hosts an impressive concert series showcasing the likes of Tony Bennett, Wilco, Grace Potter, Gary Clark Jr., and many others.
GREAT SALT LAKE & ANTELOPE ISLAND
You wouldn’ t want to visit Salt Lake City without seeing the Great Salt Lake, right? Well, you’ re certain to view parts of it out of the airplane window during your approach to Salt Lake City International Airport. But to get up close and personal, book a bus tour, rent a car, or bike to explore the Great Salt Lake, which is a mere 16 miles west of Salt Lake City. The prehistoric lake is some 75 miles long and 35 miles wide and is a terrific spot for kayaking, boating, or just floating, with a depth of only about 10 feet in most places. To avoid the infamous“ Lake stench” created by brine shrimp, head for Antelope Island, which is usually odor free.
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Although Utah is a predominately Mormon state, Salt Lake City is an exception.”
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
During January’ s Sundance Film Festival, Park City( about 20 minutes from SLC)— becomes the glitz and glamour capital of the planet. Movie stars and celebs abound, and getting a seat in a good restaurant becomes harder than wrangling a herd of cats. Don’ t even think about driving. Trying to get around Park City during Sundance in a car is maddening— especially parking. Let the Festival’ s shuttle system and Park City buses move you around. For lodging, live like a movie mogul by booking a residence at either the luxurious Washington School House Hotel or the sprawling, sensational, Riverhorse Imperial House on Main Street. During your Sundance sojourn, dine at Chef John Murcko’ s outstanding Firewood restaurant in town or enjoy a truly unique eating and adventure experience at The Viking Yurt at Park City resort.
ROOMS WITH A VIEW
Salt Lake City is surrounded by mountains, so“ getting high” at dinner affords some spectacular views. The Roof Restaurant, located atop the historic Joseph Smith Memorial Building at Temple Square downtown, is rooftop dining at its best, with spectacular views of the city and Salt Lake Valley. Up in Millcreek Canyon— just a few miles from SLC— is Log Haven restaurant. Situated in a historic log mansion in the Wasatch National Forest, just getting to this terrific eatery offers plenty of scenery. Once there, the grounds are surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, streams, a pond, and much more. It’ s a magical place and well worth an excursion. Or, get really high at
FLYWASHINGTON. COM 36 WINTER 2017 / 18