Utah
With its mountains and mesas, Utah attracts outdoor enthusiasts year-round. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) have made Utah a place of congregation, creating impressive buildings and an important cultural community.
Utah’s five national parks of Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion offer endless hiking and photography opportunities. Visit one or more to appreciate the spectacular rock formations with colorful shapes revealing the area’s geological history. Capture a photo of the sunrise or sunset over spires, domes and arches.
When members of the Mormon religion faced conflict elsewhere in the United States, Brigham Young led them westward and established a home in Salt Lake City, then mostly desert. Now this large metropolitan area has numerous architectural delights of LDS temples and city government buildings. Enjoy performing arts of the symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
The city has more than 25 museums. Many family genealogists go to the Family History Library to search in its millions of documents for information about their ancestors to add to a family tree.
Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. Visit Utah Olympic Park and its museum to recall highlights of these exciting events. Go to Big Cottonwood Canyon, just outside the city, to hike in spring and summer, carve a pumpkin with the locals in fall or ski in winter.
The small town of Park City is one of the state’s most popular tourist spots, winter or summer. From the historic main street, take the Town Lift up to the top of a mountain for skiing, mountain biking or enjoying the views. Sundance Film Festival occurs here each January, premiering some of the nation’s best independent films.
Plan your Utah trip with your kids to include Ogden. Inspire budding paleontologists at George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park with lifelike recreations of prehistoric giants and interactive displays. Add the Treehouse Museum, Hill Aerospace Museum and Utah State Railroad Museum for a great variety of interesting exhibits and hands-on exploration.