Salt Lake City on the Jordan River

The capital, Salt Lake City of the US state of Utah is situated on the Jordan River. It is the religious center of the Mormons, Latter Day Saints. When the city hosted the Winter Olympic Games it grew in popularity.

Among the highlights of the city is Temple Square. This is the holy place of the Mormons and has lovely flowering trees, flowers, and fountains.

The four key Mormon buildings at Temple Square are the Mormon Temple, Mormon Tabernacle, the Temple Annex, and the Assembly Hall. You can find two information centers at the entrances to the square.

The Mormon Temple is one of the most iconic landmarks. It is a huge granite structure with three towers the highest at the east end with a 13-foot-high gilded figure of the angel Moroni. It may be entered only by Mormons.

The Tabernacle is a massive building with a done perched on 44 sandstone piers. Free tours are offered. At the west end is the gallery for the celebrated Tabernacle Choir.

Also on the square is the Joseph Smith Memorial Building named for the first president of the Mormon Church, The building is ten feet high with glazed terra cotta bricks that shine in the sun. Some of the highlights include marble columns, art glass, and the grand staircase. On-site are the Legacy Theater, conference rooms, the FamilySearch Center, and three restaurants. The Rooftop Restaurant on the 10th floor offers views over Temple Square and the city.

The Utah State Capitol sits on Capitol Hill and is home to the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Supreme Court of Utah. The interior is known for its marble rotunda, the Golden Room, and a small gallery that has changing exhibits. You can tour the building on your own or book a guided tour.

Place Heritage Park is located 15 minutes from Salt Lake City. The park traces the history of early pioneers and settlers to Utah. There are many interesting things to do here including pony and train rides.

Among the highlights is the Place Monument a huge sculpture commemorating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the Mormons in Salt Lake Valley.

Liberty Park is the city's largest public park, People enjoy walking here and having picnics, There are tennis courts, bocce ball courts, basketball courts, and a public swimming pool. There are two jogging paths one paved and one with woodchips. The park is home to Tracy Aviary. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tracy Aviary has a large variety of birds from North America and other parts of the world, It is one of the world's oldest aviaries. There are 19 indoor and outdoor exhibits.

Red Butte Garden is popular with locals, especially in the spring when more than 500,000 flowers start to bloom in a multitude of colors. Here you'll also find five miles of hiking trails. For those who prefer to ride, there is a professionally narrated tram taking you around the park.

The Beehive House was built in 1845 as the residence of the Governor of Utah and leader of the Mormons, Brigham Young, For many years his family with 19 wives and 56 children lived there. Free tours are available. The beehive on the turret of the house is a symbol of Mormon industriousness and appears on the Utah Coat of Arms.

The Hogle Zoo has more than 800 animals from around the world. There are seven major exhibits among them Elephant Encounter, World of Flight, Great Apes, Primate Forest, Rocky Shores, African Savanna, Asian Highlands, and lastly the Small Animal Building.

City Creek Center is the premier shopping destination. The mall has over 100 top retailers. It is unique in that it has a creek with fish and a retractable roof to open on warm days, The is a water fountain with dancing flames set to music. Children have a large indoor play area with a dinosaur theme.

Salt Lake City is a great skiing destination in the winter. Among the ski resorts near the city are Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Sundance.

Powder Mountain is among the most popular and has the largest skiable terrain of all other resorts in the US. The resort has a limit of 1,000 skiers on the mountain.

You can also enjoy Sundance which is a smaller and historic ski resort. It opened in 1969 and was made famous by actor Robert Redford who played the character Sundance in the film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.