Visit www.slcgov.com (the official website for Salt Lake City) and www.gocitykids.com to find out all the things happening for children.

Local Attractions

  • Silver Lake at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon
  • Park City
  • Millcreek Canyon
  • Antelope Island
  • This is the Place Heritage Park
  • Red Butte Garden
  • Olympic Park Museum (Park City)
  • City Parks 
  • Recreation Centers: Salt Lake County operates 12 recreation centers, 17 aquatic centers, and 3 ice centers. The recreation centers all have unbelievable amounts of sports programs and activities for children.
  • Scenic Drives:
    • Skyline Drive in the Avenues
    • All Wasatch canyons: Big and Little Cottonwood, Millcreek, Provo, etc.
    • Mount Timpanogos highway to Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort

State Attractions (Check out all the National Parks in Utah)

  • Moab
  • Dead Horse Point
  • Zion National Park
  • Bryce Canyon
  • Lake Powell
  • Mirror Lake in the Uintas
  • Arches National Park
  • Capitol Reef National Park
  • Canyonlands National Park
  • Green River/Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Camping

  • Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon
  • Dead Horse Point State Park, near Moab and Canyonlands (great sunsets)
  • Devil’s Garden, Arches National Park
  • Goblin Valley State Park, near Green River (great rock formations)
  • Jordanelle Reservoir (great fishing and very nice campgrounds)
  • Kodachrome Basin State Park (near Bryce Canyon)
  • Payson Lakes (not too far away, takes reservations, swimming available)
  • San Rafael Reef (secluded, bring your own water)
  • Snow Canyon, St. George
  • Southern Utah National Park Campgrounds: Bryce, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Capitol Reef
  • Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood
  • Canyon Tanners Flat in Little Cottonwood Canyon
  • Uinta Mountains: dozens of campgrounds east of Kamas in a rugged wilderness area

Hiking (Great hiking books: Hiking the Wasatch by John Veranth, Best Hikes with Children in Utah by Maureen Keilty, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City by Greg Witt)

  • Foothills above Salt Lake City & the ancient Lake Bonneville Shoreline Trail (as easy or as strenuous as you wish with great views of the city and the valley)
  • City Creek Canyon, The Living Room
  • Trails in all the Wasatch Canyons: Big and Little Cottonwoods; Millcreek; Neffs; Provo; Red Butte; American Fork; etc. (for all levels of abilities)
  • Good hikes with kids:
    • Little Cottonwood Canyon:  White Pine Trail; Cecret Lake trails
    • Big Cottonwood Canyon:  Snowbird Barrierfree Trail, Lake Mary, Silver Lake, Donut Falls, Willow Lake

Outings and Sightseeing

  • Hogle Zoo
  • Lagoon Amusement Park
  • Timpanogos Cave
  • Alpine Slide at Olympic Park
  • Heber Valley Historic Railroad
  • Bingham Copper Mine
  • Dinosaur Park (Ogden)
  • Mountview Park Splash Pad
  • Gardner Historic Village
  • Clark Planetarium
  • Tracy Aviary
  • Downtown Farmers Market
  • Park Silly Sunday Markeet
  • Antelope Island
  • Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum
  • Thanksgiving Point
  • Wheeler Farm
  • Natural History Museum
  • Temple Square
  • LDS Church History and Art Museum
  • Parley’s Canyon Nature Trail
  • Fifth Hotsprings hike
  • SLC ComicCon
  • Sundance Film Festival

Unique Holiday and Seasonal Events

  • Festival of Trees
  • Temple Square at Christmas
  • Sleigh rides and dinner at ski resorts
  • Cornbelly’s for Halloween
  • Witchfest at Gardner Villiage
  • Antelope Island Bison Roundup (Fall)
  • Pumpkin Days at Wheeler Farm
  • Spring Mountain Goat Viewing
  • Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point