Salt Lake City Notes

Salt Lake City Notes – A Solo Travel Report

© 2004 Connecting: Solo Travel Network & Diane Redfern. Information

By Diane Redfern

Salt Lake City rises at the edge of Utah's Wasatch Mountains. Just beyond city limits, the vast, dry, Great Basin wilderness spreads far westward to the Sierra Nevada ranges. The "City of Saints" grew from the toil and resolve of a hardy band of Mormon pioneers who had fled religious persecution previously suffered in eastern settlements. Salt Lake City

Within days of the settlers' arrival, plans were drawn with a grand temple marking the heart and soul of a city they could only envision. Work began on the Temple in 1853 and was finally completed in 1892. Today, it sits at the center of a 35-acre complex of 15 buildings dedicated to the past, present, and future of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members and non-members alike flock to the site from around the world. The only building off-limits to non-members is the Temple itself.

Temple Square, 50 W North Temple. History buffs or anyone curious about the rise of the Mormon faith could easily spend two or three fulfilling days in the North and South Visitors' Centers, and the Museum of Church History and Art. Many high-tech, interactive exhibits and films portray the growth of the Church, and thanks to the generosity of member tithes, everything is virtually free of charge – donations neither asked for nor discouraged.

If nothing else, it's a serene place for wandering the pathways and gardens by day, or by night when the floodlit Temple glows ethereally. Numerous fresh-faced, smiling young women are ready to welcome and guide, and proselytize too if given the chance. Visitors, if curious to know, can learn how the Church sprang from revelations given to a New York farm boy named Joseph Smith, how differences with traditional Christianity led to persecutions that sent devotees fleeing west and west again.

My curiosity included wondering about the Mormon's infamous exercise of polygamy, and it came as news to me that the practice had been officially abolished way back in 1896. I heard that early church leaders had adopted the policy after receiving revelations that this was the way to care for an excess of husbandless female converts during the first years.

Many people go to Salt Lake City mainly to use the Family History Library (35 N West Temple; www.familysearch.org. Except for photo-copying charges, there is no cost to inspect millions of historical records pertaining to family lineage, or to use 200 computers with Internet access. Open: Mon 7:30am-5pm, Sat, 7:30am-10pm.

No visit to Salt Lake City is complete without hearing the fabulous Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing, and that is possible during Thursday evening rehearsals and nationwide telecasts of Music and the Spoken Word each Sunday at 9:30am.

Clean, Safe, Civilized

This is a genuinely hospitable city in every way. Civilized is the first word that comes to mind. It's spacious, attractively laid out, and remarkably green considering its desert location. I never had a twinge of fear walking the streets alone at night. I found public transit to be efficient and handy. Drivers and passengers alike were keen to help a tourist get to know their city. Amusingly, one bus driver even left me in charge while she made a quick pit stop, saying "I know I can trust you." How nice, although I have no idea what I would have done if some problem had occurred.

Within walking distance of Temple Square, tourists have enough variety and entertainment to fill a two week holiday, beginning with a 2 to 4-hour walk-around.

Visitor Information Center, 90 S West Temple. Tel. 1-801-521-2822; www.visitsaltlake.com. Open: daily 8:30am-5pm (9am-5pm Sat/Sun).

Salt Lake Art Center, 20 S West Temple. Tel. 1-801-328-4201. Contemporary art exhibits, photography, ceramics classes. Open: daily. Call for hours.
Maurice Abravanel Hall, 123 W South Temple. Tel. 1-801-355-2787. Home to Utah Symphony and Opera, and host to other concerts.
Library Square, 210 East 400 South. Tel. 1-801-524-8200. Reading galleries, rooftop garden, shops, café, views, lectures and community events, free Internet access. Open: daily. Call for hours.
Delta Center, 301 W South Temple. Tel. 1-801-325-2000. NBA Jazz (basketball) team lives here. Other professional sports teams play in other city venues: Salt Lake Stingers (baseball), Utah Blitzz (soccer), Utah Grizzlies (hockey).
The Gateway, 90 South 400 West. 90 shops and restaurants. Olympic Legacy Plaza features dancing fountains. Clark Planetarium with 3-D IMAX® theater. Union Pacific Depot features murals and stained glass depicting Utah history.
Gallivan Center, 239 S Main Street. Tel. 1-801-535-6110. Art, outdoor chess board, entertainment, aviary, ice rink, 12-screen movie theater. Open: daily.
Capitol Theatre, 50 West 200 South. Tel. 1-801-355-2787. Built in 1912, hosts Ballet West, and touring performers.
Pioneer Memorial Museum, 300 N Main Street. Tel. 1-801-538-1050. Holds a large collection of artifacts, paintings, manuscripts. Open: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm.

Further Afield

University of Utah, 2 miles east of downtown but easily accessible on the spiffy new TRAX light rail system – Tel. 1-801-481-5888. Fare: US$1.25. The Utah Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History are on campus.
The Great Salt Lake, 27 km (17 miles) west on Interstate 80. Only the Dead Sea has a higher salt content. Check at the Visitor Information Center for day trip tours.

Mountains and Canyons

Hiking, biking, birding, skiing, snowshoeing in nearby canyons. Utah Transit buses service nearby ski resorts of Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude. Fare: US$5. Tel. 1-801-RIDE-UTAH.
Park City Mountain Resort, 51 km (32miles) east. Tel. 1-800-222-7275; www.parkcitymountain.com Year-round resort community in a quaintly restored mining town with many restaurants, pubs, and galleries featuring fine works of local artisans. Factory Stores discount shopping mall is nearby. World Cup ski event, and Sundance Film Festival hosted here.