CITY SPOTLIGHT:

YOUR GUIDE TO SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

aerial view of Salt Lake City

Know Before You Go: About Salt Lake City

An insider’s guide to Salt Lake City, including weather and climate, getting there and getting around town.

One of the main draws of Utah’s Salt Lake City area is snowboarding and skiing, but for those who don’t care for the fluffy powder, there are plenty of other awesome attractions worth exploring. The Hogle Zoo is a popular one for families and sports fans can enjoy a fun-filled game at Rio Tinto Stadium, in the nearby city of Sandy. There’s also fine food, fine beverages and fine arts.

Salt Lake Snow Days

Despite sharing a name with a giant body of water, the climate in Salt Lake City is pretty dry. That's a good thing in the summer, when oppressive humidity would make average temperatures above the 80s tougher to withstand. The warm season is relatively short, from mid-June to mid-September, with the peak time for thunderstorms a little longer. In winter, the daytime highs average below 47 degrees, with Mother Nature delivering snow to fuel the area's popular ski resorts.

Living History Lessons

Much of the spectacular architecture around the city dates back to its founding by Brigham Young during the 19th century and other early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. The massive Salt Lake Temple, dedicated in 1893, took 40 years to construct. Mormons also run expansive, unparalleled genealogical research facilities that anybody can comb through to bark up their family tree. It's free to peruse the millions of records at the Family History Library, and friendly staff can set you on the right path with quick orientations or more extensive genealogy classes. When you want to learn outside of the library, head to Utah's Hogle Zoo to see hundreds of animals in habitats ranging from the African savanna to Asian highlands.

Cashing In

To know what powers much of Salt Lake City's economy, lift your eyes upward into the neighboring mountains. The region's ski resorts draw a steady stream of skiers and boarders as well as other outdoor enthusiasts to this site of the 2002 Winter Olympics, making tourism one of the most formidable industries in the city. But banks have also cashed in on Salt Lake City at a rate that rivals New York and California. This is a fast-growing hub of industrial banking, where corporations operate their own financing institutions.

From Bikes to Trax

Coming from the west on Interstate 80, once you've cruised through the expansive salt flats and then glided past the Great Salt Lake on lanes that hug the water, you’ll know your destination is just up ahead. The city’s simple grid system makes it a cinch to get around by car. If you fly into the Salt Lake City International Airport, the easiest way to get into the city via public transportation is the TRAX light rail. Buses connect the entire Salt Lake region, even up into the mountain ski resorts, making a day on the slopes just a bus ride away always.

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Things to Do in Salt Lake City

As the cultural hub of northern Utah, you'll want to spend some time discovering all of Salt Lake City's hidden treasures.