Salt Lake City is not only the capital of Utah, but a beautiful valley with a distinctively rich history. Once inhabited by the Shoshone, Ute, and Paiute Indians, Salt Lake City was eventually settled by a unique group of Mormon pioneers, led by their prophet Brigham Young, who had fled persecution in search of religious freedom. Years later, the city has become the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and home to the Salt Lake Temple, which is constructed on Temple Square and iconically the center of the city. Many historic sites are within walking distance, like the Tabernacle, home of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the Family History Library, which is the world’s largest genealogical library and free to the public. Distinct architectural styles are also worthy of noting, as the Salt Lake City main library, the Utah State Capitol Building, and the Roman Cathedral of the Madeleine boast gorgeous views, marble floors, and unique design. The city abounds with family-friendly venues like This Is The Place Heritage Park, which recreates the typical 19th century pioneer experience, Hogle Zoo, and Liberty Park with over 100 acres of wild birds, aviaries, and an enchanting island lake. The community is diversely cultural with Red Butte Garden and Arboretum hosting musical concerts and the Days of ’47 Parade and the Utah Pride Festival celebrating the gay community. The Greek Festival is a must-see weekend event filled with cultural music, Cathedral tours, community dance, and delicious cuisine. Patrons of all walks of life can find their niche with events like the Utah Arts Festival and Sundance Film Festival where celebrities, movie buffs, musicians, and artists congregate by the thousands. Clark Planetarium, the Discovery Gateway, and Lagoon Amusment Park are only a few of the welcoming parks for fun that will keep the whole family entertained. In recent years, the city has hosted the international Salt Lake City Marathon, Real Madrid for cyclists, and the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Olympic flame burns at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah, the center of college life in the city. Salt Lake City maintains the Olympic Cauldron Park and Olympic Legacy Plaza where visitors are enthralled by the dancing fountain set to music. The city celebrates its Olympic history with the Utah Olympic Park with access to Olympic ski jumps, bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton runs. Looking to relax and take some time off? Salt Lake city hosts world-class ski and summer resorts like Part City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley, and Snowbird for year-round vacationing and relaxation. Major shopping centers like Trolley Sqaure and the Gateway District offer a variety of restaurants and boutiques situated quaintly on cobblestone streets in atmosphere friendly to walkers and drivers both. There is a wealth of culture and history abundant to all who visit Salt Lake City, Utah.

The state of Utah is one of the least populated states in relation to its size, but it’s got a huge tourism industry, and for good reason. Utah’s terrain is diverse and vast, with elevations ranging from around 2000 feet at the great salt lakes to around 13,500 at its highest point, King’s Peak. Its terrain varies from expansive lakes, to rocky arid deserts and sand dunes, to green pine forests and valleys, to jagged snow-capped mountaintops. Part of the largest man-made lakes, Lake Powell is found here, and is a popular spot for boating, water-skiing, and other water-sports. Its high elevation deserts, such as Moab, are home to free-roaming cattle, mountain lions, wolves, and other wildlife, as well as some of the most amazing natural formations in the world, including Arches National Park, where visitors and hikers can see the ever-popular and often-photographed Delicate Arch. There are also many other arches in the area and magnificent rock formations found nowhere else in the world in places such as Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, and Zion national parks. The state is also known for its world-class ski resorts due to its varied mountain terrain and the quality of its snow, indicative in one of the states most popular mottoes, “The Best Snow on Earth”. Even in the summer months, the mountains and deserts alike still support a wide variety of rock-climbing, hiking, camping, and mountain biking. The Sundance Film Festival is also held in Utah. For those more interested in urban vacations, Salt Lake City is a major attraction in itself. Here visitors will find the amenities of a great American city as well as certain characteristics that set it apart from all others, including the highest concentration of members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, or Mormons, Brigham Young University, and the always exciting Utah Jazz basketball team.

King's Peak, Moab, Arches National Park, Delicate Arch, Lake Powell, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Zion, Brigham Young University, Utah Jazz

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