Salt Lake City was the final stop on what turned into the 2017 #summerofviews, and it did not disappoint. This city has a lively downtown area and quick access to outdoor adventure on every level, not to mention great public transit and a solid foodie scene - something for everybody!
Of the few hostels in the SLC area, none of them seem to have their act together. Cue Airbnb.
I stayed in this lovely downtown loft and split the cost with another person, so it wasn’t a great deal more than a hostel would have been. If you book far enough in advance, Airbnb is an affordable and convenient option, and you still get the benefit of having a local (your host) to give you the inside scoop on the best places to hit.
Source: H4vok_13 via Flickr
TRAX is the super efficient and clean light rail system that runs through SLC and the surrounding area. It was also my main mode of transportation (besides my feet). To get downtown from the airport, take the green line from the south end of Terminal 1. You can buy a ticket using the kiosks at the airport station. In the heart of downtown, there is a ‘free fare zone’ where you can hop on and off the light rail and buses within a specified boundary, which is really convenient. iRideUTA is one of several iPhone apps (SLC is also available in the Transit app) you can use for real-time tracking and schedules. One-way fare is $2.50.
Utah Olympic Park: Leave SLC and head 25 miles east to Park City where Utah Olympic Park, the site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, is located. The park now doubles as a training facility for national ski teams and an outdoor adventure park. Watch Olympic hopefuls launch themselves off the aerial jumps, do a ridiculous sequence of flips and spins, and land in the massive pool below. It’s seriously mesmerizing. On summer weekends, the Flying Ace All-Stars perform an amazingly coordinated freestyle show. Aside from spectating, the grounds offer a ropes course, zip-lining, tubing, a luge track, chairlift rides, rock wall (psicobloc: free-solo climbing with water below), and more. Plenty to spend an entire day here. Depending upon the season, activities may change.
Lake Blanche hike: The Lake Blanche Trail is a popular 6.7 mile (10.7 km) out-and-back just outside of SLC. I recommend driving to the trail head if possible, because cell service is spotty at the trail head, so grabbing an Uber/Lyft from there is a bit unreliable. However, I managed to get there by taking the blue/red line on TRAX to the Fashion Place West stop, then getting an Uber from there to the trail head. Going back, I found some nice folks to give me a ride out of the canyon and into civilization, where I could grab an Uber/Lyft. The hike itself is strenuous on the knees, constantly uphill and rocky. The work is well-rewarded though when you finally reach Lake Blanche - I could have spent the entire day soaking in the views. Don’t forget to continue on the trail past Lake Blanche (you’ll tack on some extra mileage), as there are two more lakes to see.
Red Iguana: This place is no joke… hands down the best Mexican food I have ever had. So good, they opened Red Iguana 2 one block over. Try the mole.
The Copper Onion: Modern American food in a modern popular restaurant. This was a recommendation from the Airbnb host, and was a great first stop after a long flight west.
Some other restaurants the Airbnb host recommended:
- Takashi: “best sushi in SLC”
- La Caille: good date spot
- Pizzeria NoNo: hipster pizza spot
