Temple Square + downtown
Historic buildings, visitor centers, museums, shopping, performances, and the Capitol fit a compact city day.
Historic blocks, foothill paths, museums, gardens, lake country, and live events
Things to do in Salt Lake City
Give downtown its own half day, then choose one landscape direction: the Wasatch foothills, a canyon, or Great Salt Lake. Museums, gardens, performances, and arena events provide indoor and evening options.
Bookable experiences
Salt Lake City tours
Use the live Viator results for bookable city tours; compare the route guides below for independent lake, ski, and downtown plans.
Foothills + gardens
Red Butte Garden, the Natural History Museum, City Creek Canyon, Ensign Peak, and shoreline-bench trails put the mountains close.
Great Salt Lake
Use Antelope Island for wildlife and a full landscape day or the south-shore state park for a shorter sunset encounter.
Family and weather pivots
Natural History Museum, Clark Planetarium, Discovery Gateway, Tracy Aviary, and indoor performance spaces cover heat, cold, and mixed-age groups.
Live arts + sports
Eccles Theater, Abravanel Hall, Capitol Theatre, Delta Center, and seasonal events can reshape the evening.
Ski and snow
Winter access belongs to a dedicated canyon plan with live road, parking, transit, and resort checks.
Downtown, lake, or canyon
Three outings need three different blocks of time
Downtown and Capitol Hill
Temple Square, Main Street, City Creek, the Cathedral of the Madeleine, and the Utah State Capitol fit a half day on foot, with more time for interiors or a performance.
Follow the downtown walk →Antelope Island or the south shore
Antelope Island needs most of a day for its causeway, wildlife, trails, and ranch. Great Salt Lake State Park is the shorter sunset and marina choice.
Compare lake outings →Cottonwood canyon skiing
Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude require current road, parking, transit, and resort checks. Treat a ski day as its own mountain plan.
Plan canyon access →
Foothill museums and gardens
Red Butte Garden and the museum foothills
The University of Utah foothills combine botanical gardens, natural-history galleries, and trail access above the valley. Red Butte Garden and the Natural History Museum of Utah fit a half day when canyon conditions are poor or a Great Salt Lake drive is too long.
Official resources
Current museum, garden, and city calendars
Check admission, seasonal hours, exhibitions, accessibility, trail conditions, and event-day closures before setting the order.
Official sourceNatural History Museum of UtahCurrent exhibitions, tickets, hours, accessibility, and visitor information.Official sourceRed Butte GardenGarden hours, admission, events, maps, and seasonal visitor details.Official sourceSalt Lake City parks and trailsCity parks, open spaces, trails, maps, and current notices.Official sourceVisit Salt Lake eventsCurrent festivals, sports, performances, and public events.