2013 Top 20 Places to Take Kids in Salt Lake City, UT
There are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in and around Salt Lake, so the venue ranked #20 is not last, it's simply the 20th most popular place per our survey. For other fantastic places to take kids, just click on any of the links that interest you on the left-hand navigation bar.
Here are our 2013 winners:
1. Temple Square No matter your religious affliation, Temple Square is the iconic SLC must-see. Temple Square is the headquarters of the LDS Church. The 35-acre site includes several attractions, including the Assembly Hall, the Conference Center, the Tabernacle, the North and South Visitor's Centers, and the Salt Lake Temple.
2. Utah's Hogle Zoo Families can see over 800 animals while meandering the zoo's 42 acres. Birthday party packages, special events, classes, and summer camps are offered at the zoo.
3. Lagoon Utah's favorite amusement park! From roller coasters and rapids to the Rocket — get ready for the ride of your life! Lagoon boasts over 45 rides that will thrill, chill, excite and delight you. It's what fun is! Located in Farmington, about seventeen miles (27 km) north of Salt Lake City.
4. Red Butte Garden Red Butte Garden, part of the University of Utah, has over 100 acres of display and natural gardens, walking paths and hiking trails. The whole family can enjoy activities year-round including concerts, classes, festivals, events, and exhibits.
5. The Great Salt lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. Great Salt Lake is salty because it does not have an outlet. Tributary rivers are constantly bringing in small amounts of salt dissolved in their fresh water flow. Once in the Great Salt Lake much of the water evaporates leaving the salt behind.
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. Discovery Gateway Come on, let's play! Discovery Gateway children's museum is located in the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City. Discovery Gateway offers 60,000 square feet of interactive, hands-on fun. Come explore our engaging workshops, programs, and exhibits that invite the whole family to create, learn, and play together!
7. The Leonardo The Leonardo is a contemporary museum that explores the unexpected ways that science, technology, art, and creativity connect. Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, The Leo is your place to see one-of-a-kind, interactive exhibits and participate in ever-changing programs, workshops, and classes.
8. Local Library. Of course, the Salt Lake County Libraries are not really ONE place, it is MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication.
9. Utah Museum of Fine Art The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is Utah's primary cultural resource for global visual arts. It is unique in its dual role as a university and state art museum. It is Utah's only visual arts institution that collects, exhibits, interprets, and preserves a comprehensive collection of over 5,000 years of art from around the world.
10. Wheeler Historic Farm Wheeler Historic Farm is a Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation facility, open to the public 365 days a year. A restoration of the turn-of-the-century dairy farm of Henry J. Wheeler, the farm includes demonstrations and exhibits. As an interactive working farm. Visitors can milk cows, view farm animals, and learn about the buildings and machines that made this 19th-century farm successful.
11. Natural History Museum of Utah For over four decades, the Natural History Museum of Utah has connected Utah residents and tourists alike with the natural wonders and native cultures that define Utah.
12. Clark Planetarium Clark Planetarium’s mission is to create and present enlightening experiences that inspire wonder in learning about space and science, and to promote greater public awareness of the science in our daily lives.
13.Utah Jazz NBA basketball team!
The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are a part of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
14. Brighton Ski Resort Family-Friendly Ski Resort!
Brighton Ski Resort has been catering to families and to those seeking a great value on a first-class skiing experience since 1936. Long considered one of the most child and family-friendly resorts in Utah, Brighton is located 30 miles from downtown Salt Lake City in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
15. Boondocks Fun Center Boondocks is an indoor/outdoor fun center, offering mini golf, bumper boats, go-karts, batting cages, laser tag, a soft play area, an arcade and a restaurant
16. Utah Children's Theatre The Children's Theatre offers stage shows for families, drama summer camps, drama classes, and school field trips.
Youthstage: Performances by actors ages 9 - 19.
Drama Classes: Instruction in acting, voice and other techniques for ages 4 -19.
17. Tracy Aviary Tracy Aviary offers opportunities to view hundreds of live birds. Families can also watch bird shows, attend classes and summer camps, take guided tours, and hand feed some of the birds. Birthday party packages are available.
18. BinghamCanyon Copper Mine Visitor's Center At Rio Tinto’s Kennecott Utah Copper, we mine essential elements that make modern living possible. From medicine, food and shampoo, to cell phones, computers, CAT scans and hybrid electric cars, nearly everything you use today relies on materials that we produce.
19. Thanksgiving Point Thanksgiving Point Gardens, the Children’s Discovery Garden, Farm Country, and the Museum of Ancient Life, Emporium, and restaurants offer stimulating and engaging experiences in a safe, family-friendly setting. They foster learning, bring families closer together and provide beautiful gathering places for groups of all kinds, giving them opportunities to share their cultural heritage and common bonds
20. Antelope Island State Park Visit Antelope Island State Park, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. View a free-roaming herd of 500 bison, and pronghorn and bighorn sheep that share the rangelands. Hike, mountain bike or horseback ride along backcountry trails for spectacular views of Great Salt Lake and island scenery.
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