Salt Lake City, UT

Last August, 2018, we drove from Reno to Salt Lake City to visit family and check out some of the sites here. This city can be quite warm in the summer with temperatures around 95 F (35 C)…so it’s not exactly a place to go to escape from the heat.

Driving from Reno, NV along the I-80 you will pass the exit to the Bonneville Speedway on the way into Salt Lake City. When we were driving out here it was the middle of a heat wave. At the time I wished all that white stuff was snow, but no, it was still way to hot out here for that.

In town we stopped by the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum. The tiny sticker on the door is the only sign letting you know you are in the right place. In fact, we drove around in circles several times trying to find it.

Inside this unassuming place was a warehouse full of old and new Toyota Land Cruisers. There were even quite a few from other countries where folks drive on the other side of the road.

We also took some time to walk around historic Temple Square with our niece Danielle and her husband Eric. Temple Square is the headquarters of the Church of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. This is the most visited attraction in Utah with 3-5 million visitors each year. The grounds were beautiful and walking around the area is worth a visit. The 35 acre Temple Square is also home to historic homes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Family History Library, Museum of Church History and Art, and a Conference Center. Free tours of the grounds, Conference Center and historical homes are available in over 40 languages.

We’ve also spent time hiking the nearby Donut Falls Hiking Trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon. This is an easy, wide, 3.5 mile (5.6 k) trail with a slight elevation gain. It was a great hike to do with the kids.

We’ve always loved visiting Southern Utah for it’s great outdoor activities. And now that our niece has moved to Utah, we are really glad because it gives us a chance to do more exploring in Northern Utah. We’re looking forward to future visits so we can see it some more.