Staying Active in Utah: Salt Lake City & a few hours in Moab

Utah was a bit anticlimactic for me. I stayed a bit outside of Salt Lake City in a little area called White City (totally weird name lol). I came there to go to Park City, but that ski resort is almost an hour from there, so it wasn’t ideal since I couldn’t leave that long while watching the dogs.

Luckily, there was a decent hiking trail only a few steps from the house that I was watching. I don’t anticipate taking another trip to Park City, since I have so much more toe explore and I wasn’t very impressed. The people I met there were interesting, but there wasn’t much that set them apart from anywhere else… at least at the bars that I visited.

Feeling Thirsty or Hungry in Utah?

If you’re looking for an INSANELY cheap bar, look no further than Willie’s Lounge. And no, not the Sports Bar with the same name that’s across the street, the dive bar. If you are looking for cheap, get the $10 drink special which gives you 4 tokens each for a draft beer of your choice.

I’ve never spent so little on 4 drinks in my entire life. I don’t think they have food, so this is solely a drink spot, but make sure you check it out, they do have pool too. Bongo Lounge is another spot that’s a total hole in the wall and also very cheap. They also have pool, and a bunch of tvs for sports games.

I’ve definitely got some food recommendations from over there, but I can’t say anything was write-home worthy. Take a look at Toasters for sandwiches, they had a pretty great option. The Red Moose Cafe was a delicious breakfast spot, and they have a drive thru too.

Most of the food I had was made myself, so I didn’t go out to eat much. If you’re hungry and want to check out somewhere new, look out for Spitz Mediterranean. Checkout Hogwollow Pub as well, that was a local’s recommendation to me. If you like shopping, the city center has a town of options, and a food court with surprisingly great options.

Free Activities/Sightseeing!

My favorite part about exploring Salt Lake City was the public library. I wish I spent more time working there, but it was hard since it was at least 30 minutes from where I was, and there are only 2 hours of free parking in the garage. There was a lot of construction, so some of the major sites were hidden from view. Temple Square, which is a very popular spot and right next to Salt Lake Temple was completely hidden by construction.

I got the chance to check out Gigal Garden, which is a free park that also offers free parking (not open 24 hours though, so check the timing). It was completely empty aside from a homeless person. There are a couple cool sculptures in there, but it isn’t an activity that’ll last longer than 20-30 minutes at most. Liberty Park is worth checking out too, but in the winter it’s a bit sad to see with all the dead nature.

I took a quick jump on over to the Utah State Capital, where there was plenty of parking and I walked around there. Definitely a place worth checking out, but once again not a long pursuit. Across the street is the visitor center, where you can get some souvenirs and such. The selection is abysmal to say the least, so I suggest looking elsewhere, but it’s available in a pinch. Salt Lake Souvenir and Gift Shop is much better if you want to grab some postcards, stickers, shot glasses, t-shirts, yanno, the works.

Some Utah Hiking

A cool spots I recommend checking out for a hike is Ensign Peak Park, it has an incredible view of the city. It would also be a great spot to see the sunset, but unfortunately when I got up there a snow storm started and the path was all iced out.

Make sure you have some yak traks for the winter if you’re hiking up there, it would be pretty impossible without it considering the steep incline. Another cool spot for hiking is Bells Canyon, which also requires yak traks in the winter. If want somewhere else to see the sunset, check out Popperton Park.

Looking for Some Paid Attractions?

I checked out the Natural Museum of History next, which while definitely cool to see, didn’t blow me away. I’m glad I checked it out, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else unless they are particularly science inclined.

There were also a bunch of places I didn’t make it during my two weeks, but I want to mention them here since they were on my list. The Leonardo is a spot that was written to be worth checking out. If you like art, the University of Fine Arts Museum is definitely a place for you.

If you like thrift shops, the best in the area is Deseret Industries which is supposed to have some cool stuff and maybe ski gear. If you want a good place to get your ski gear tuned or to pick up some good equipment, check out Utah Ski Gear. They did a rush job for me, and it was smooth sailing after that.

If you happen to have the time to make the 3.5 hour drive to Moab, then you need to make the trip. Arches National Park is incredible, and the trails there are similarly amazing with really cool hiking locations. I suggest checking out Delicate Arch Trailhead for a hike under 5 miles, but if you’re looking for a long one, checkout Devil’s Garden. You can also drive the loop, which is beautiful even without the hike if you don’t have a lot of time.

Final Thoughts

Salt Lake City is a beautiful city, and there is a lot more to do than I would’ve expected. If you’re considering a trip, then definitely make sure

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or message me on Instagram at @LizsGreatPerhaps.