Salt Lake City is the capital of, and largest city in, the U.S. state of Utah. It is a destination for outdoor recreation, with nearby mountains full of hiking trails and ski resorts made famous by the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is also well known as the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon church). The city is set to host the Winter Olympics again in 2034. Salt Lake City has about 200,000 residents within the city limits (2019), and is the downtown hub for a metro area of over a million people.
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Notable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City include: Downtown, the financial core and home to Temple Square (a two-block complex that includes the LDS church headquarters, the Salt Lake Temple, and various other sites related to Mormon history and culture) Central City, a mostly residential area from approximately 400 South to 900 South Sugar House, a commercial/residential district in the southeastern corner of the city, known for its funky shops The Avenues, a historical neighborhood with many old buildings, northeast of downtown University, the area around the sprawling University of Utah campus and the adjacent Research Park, VA Medical Center, and Fort Douglas Federal Heights, a small, aff…
Derived from Joseph Smith's ideas around urban planning from the "Plat of Zion," most of the Salt Lake Valley uses a consistent street grid radiating out from the southeast corner of Temple Square, downtown. Major streets run precisely east-to-west or north-to-south. Addresses are coordinates within the grid, and streets represent intervals of 100 in each direction. For example, the street five blocks east of the grid's center is called 500 East (commonly called 'Fifth East' in spoken conversation) and 13 blocks south is 1300 South (or 'Thirteenth South').
1 Utah State Capitol, 350 N State St (just north of downtown; public transit: UTA Bus 200 (stops at four places around the Capitol grounds)), ☏ +1 801-538-3074. M–F 7AM–8PM, Sa Su 8AM–6PM. The grand state capitol building is prominently displayed on the mountainside, in a lovely park overlooking Downtown. The grounds include a reflecting pond and several memorials. Inside are large open areas and monumental architecture. On weekdays, guided tours are available at no charge on the hour. All publicly accessible areas are free.
Salt Lake City is a hub for an incredible variety of outdoor recreation. Summer activities available in the area include camping, hiking, rock-climbing, mountain biking, boating, and fishing. Popular trails within the city include City Creek Canyon and the walking paths at 1 Red Butte Garden. Several world-class ski resorts are accessible within minutes of Salt Lake. Ski areas in both Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon are served by UTA bus lines. Park City, the main skiing and snowboarding venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics, is about a 40-minute drive up Parley's Canyon (east on Interstate 80).
While not known as a hotbed of culinary innovation, there is one delicacy that originates from Utah: fry sauce, a condiment made by mixing ketchup and mayonnaise, sometimes with seasonings depending on the recipe, and eaten on French fries, onion rings, etc. Fry sauce was created decades ago by the local fast food chain Arctic Circle and can now be found in burger joints throughout Utah and in portions of neighboring states. The food processing giant Heinz has begun selling the condiment nationwide under the "Mayochup" brand name.
There are far too many watering holes in the metropolitan area to offer even a reasonably comprehensive list. Below is just a sampling. 5 The Bayou, 645 S State St, ☏ +1 801-961-8400. M 11AM–midnight, Tu-F 11AM–1AM, Sa 5PM–1AM, Su 5PM–midnight. A beer lover's paradise with over 300 different beers from all over the world, about 30 of them on tap. The food menu features Cajun and Creole dishes like Jambalaya Pizza, Alligator Cheesecake, and Blackened Catfish Salad. Live music after 9PM on most Friday and Saturday nights. 6 The Locker Room, 1063 E 2100 S. M–Th 11AM–11PM, F 11AM–midnight, Sa 9AM–midnight, Su 9AM–10PM.
Crime in Salt Lake City tends to skew a bit more toward property crime than violent offenses, although, as with any city, the situation varies between neighborhoods. As a general rule, higher elevations like the east side and Capitol Hill are safer than lower-lying areas like Glendale and Rose Park, simply because affluent locals prefer the views from mountainside properties and the poorer neighborhoods are left for the valley. The vast majority of Salt Lake City is safe for tourists during daylight hours; some neighborhoods remain safe overnight, but there are certain areas to avoid after dark.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Salt Lake City typically sees ~35°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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