Last week I went to Salt Lake City for the very first time, and absoutely loved it! It’s perfect for a staycation, or a short two-day stopover en-route to other places in the US. I personally stopped off en-route from Seattle to Montana, as there weren’t any direct flights so I figured it would be a good chance to see a new city for me.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really had the best time and wanted to share my favourite things I did during my time in Salt Lake City! Just make sure you don’t visit on a Sunday and Monday, because most things on this list are closed on those two days.
Check-in at: Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City
Firstly, you want to check-in at the Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City. This stunning hotel with picture-perfect views over the mountains and city is in the perfect location from which to explore, and feels very much like a spa/resort hotel. Arrive in the evening and spend the evening in the spa and swimming pool – relax and prepare for your next two days of adventures!
Day 1 in Salt Lake City
On Day 1 you want to get out of the city and see the surrounding area! Salt Lake City is a great city to spend time in, but trust me when I tell you, you won’t truly appreciate this part of the US unless you get out of the city. The scenery in the ‘Carbon Corridor’ is SO beautiful I literally could not believe the landscapes I was seeing, so I highly recommend you hire a car and spend a day exploring.
8:30am: Pick up the car early
Collect your hire car from Avis at the Hilton Hotel. I chose Avis because it was cheaper and closer to my hotel than other rental car companies. The car was new, clean, and I have no complaints.
9am: Breakfast at iHop, 307 W 2100 S Expy
I know, I know. This is not specific to SLC at all, but I feel like it’s just a rule when you do any kind of driving trip in the US, you have to stop at an iHop? I always go for the pancake combo and an Arnold Palmer, and I wish we had an iHop in the UK! But anyway, I promise you, you’ll go somewhere local on Day Two…
After you’ve fuelled up at iHop, jump back in the car and start driving down towards Price City Utah.
12:00: Thistle Ghost Town
On the way down to Price, stop off at Thistle. This is a spooky ghost town that has a tragic past. In April 1983, a massive landslide dammed the Spanish Fork River. The residents were evacuated as nearly 65,000 acre-feet of water backed up, flooding the town. Thistle was destroyed; only a few structures were left partially standing. Today you can see some of the ruined and flooded structures, and it’s a great place for lovers of ghost towns!
12:45: Historical Markers, Price City
A 40-minute drive south of Thistle is a scenic pull-over marked on Google Maps as ‘Historical Markers’. It’s a beautiful stop, and I spent ages just standing there in awe of how beautiful it was. A river ran through the canyon below, the mountains and mesas rising up above it, and a train line sat beside the river. I just kept imagining my relatives a hundred years ago, sitting on the train that would have chugged through that beautiful canyon.
1pm: Lunch at Sherald’s Frozty Freeze, Price City
Sherald’s do THE BEST thickshakes ever! Seriously, you have to come to Price City just to get a Sherald’s hand-spun thickshake – they do every flavour you can possibly think of. They do great lunch food as well – I thoroughly enjoyed a lunchtime corndog and tater tots with my fresh banana thickshake.
Sherald’s is a traditional 1950s drive-in, in that it’s just a building without an actual restaurant. So, you sit in your car and the staff come and take your order direct from your car, and then you can either sit in your car and eat, or you can sit on one of their outdoor tables if the weather is good.
1:30pm: Bryner Pioneer Museum, Price City
To find out more about the history of the area, visit the Bryner Pioneer Museum. Built in Price around 1892, this beautiful little museum has been renovated and houses pioneer memorabilia from early Carbon County, especially the settlers and residents of the local area. The original Bryner family who owned the house were from Switzerland, and were some of the first settlers of Price City. They were converted to the LDS Church and came to Utah to in the Hunt wagon train.
Note: the museum is closed sundays & mondays, and closes at 3pm most other days.
3pm: Visit Helper, Utah
On your way back to Salt Lake City, stop off in the tiny town of Helper. It’s a short drive north of Price City where the Bryner Pioneer Museum is located, and its historic main street is perfect for cute photos and to have a wander and a browse around the local shops, and see the old murals and neon signs.
5:30pm: Grab a drink from Swig
When I say grab a drink, I don’t mean an alcoholic drink…I mean a dirty soda!
Because Utah is the home of the Latter-Day Saints, historically they’ve had to abstain from “hot drinks” like coffee and tea. However, in 2012 the church clarified that its health practices do not mention the use of caffeine…and so dirty soda was born!
Swig is one of the most popular soda shops that opened up, and you can either choose your own dirty soda mix, or pick a flavour from one of their own menu choices.
8pm: Dinner at Ivy & Varley, Salt Lake City
A swanky cocktail bar and restaurant in the heart of Salt Lake City, Ivy & Varley is a short 15-minute walk from the Grand America Hotel. They have a really amazing cocktail and food menu with something for everyone. Just make sure you leave room for dessert!!
Day 2 in Salt Lake City
8:30am: Breakfast at The Rose Establishment
When I was searching for a decent breakfast in Salt Lake, the Rose Establishment came up again, and again. So naturally I had to go and see for myself what all the fuss was about.
My first tip: do not sit outside, the seats are ridiculously uncomfortable. Make sure you sit inside!
My second tip: Make sure you order the stuffed french toast!! Trust me on this one.
The service at The Rose Establishment was kinda slow, but the food really made up for it. It’s such a cute spot, and the menu was incredible. I ordered the stuffed french toast, and was really sceptical about whether the parmesan crust would work with sweet french toast, but it was actually heavenly.
10am: Morning Trolley Tour of SLC
I loved the Trolleybus tour of SLC! Usually I’m not a huge fan of organized tours, but Salt Lake’s Trolley tour was so, so good. I didn’t have a huge amount of time in the city and with it taking ages to walk everywhere in this city, I wanted to see the most ‘popular’ sights across the city. It started at 10:15am, and it was super entertaining from start to finish.
Unfortunately Temple Square and the church were completely closed and covered in scaffolding when I was there, but I was able to see everything else including the city’s most famous Gilded Age mansions, the Union Pacific railway station, the city hall, and a number of other famous locations across the city. We finished at the impressive State Capitol, where we saw the most incredible views across the city!
12:30pm: Lunch at Freshies Lobster Salt Lake City
Head back to the Grand America from the Trolley Tour drop-off (Radisson Blu Hotel), and grab the car. Drive out to Freshies Lobster, one of the most famous places for Lobster Rolls in the whole of America, with people even claiming that they’re better than the lobster rolls on the East Coast! *Gasp*
This was on my list of things to do, but I didn’t end up having time and I’m still sad I missed out. Next time I am 100% going here though!
1:30pm: Drive out to Cliff Lodge Spa at Snowbird
After lunch, drive up to the Cliff Lodge Spa in Snowbird. Again, I didn’t manage to get here as I had to do some book research in town and didn’t have a huge amount of free time, but I’ve been assured by my friend who lives in SLC that the view is unbelievable and it’s the best place to go! It’s very popular with locals and is like nowhere else you’ve been before.
The Cliff Spa is $50 to get in, but this includes a towel, bathrobe, slippers, yoga classes, access to the pool, hot tub, gym, saunas, and the eucalyptus room! The pool is surrounded by a glass wall that overlooks the mountains, giving you unparalleled views of the mountains no matter what time of year it is. Spend the afternoon relaxing and soaking up the views.
Fly home!
After a relaxing afternoon and evening, drop off the hire car and take a late night flight out of SLC or get one out early the next morning.
Congratulations – give yourself a high-five, coz you’ve just seen the very best Salt Lake City has to offer in just 48 hours!
Read more: A One-Day Guide to Visiting Zion National Park, Utah
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of SEO at Havas Media Group by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
