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Planning a Trip to Salt Lake City
Updated: Jul 2
When you think of a fun city trip in the US, you might not immediately think of Salt Lake City. But this is your sign to add SLC to your travel list! This smaller city still packs a punch and is a must-visit in our book.
It has the perfect mix of city and nature. There are tons of hiking trails located all around the city and the suburbs. Park City and its famous ski resort are a 40-minute drive away. And there is lots to do, and lots to eat, within Salt Lake City itself.
So if you’ve been thinking about visiting SLC, this is your sign to book that plane ticket or plan that road trip! Let’s dive into planning a trip to Salt Lake City. From accommodations to packing to dining, we’ve got all the SLC details for you below.
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Planning a Trip to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is a great city for a solo trip, a family trip, or a couples getaway. You can fly into Salt Lake City international airport and explore the city for a few days, or plan a Utah road trip and make SLC one of your stops.
To really explore the city, and possibly get some hiking or skiing in, I highly recommend visiting for at least 4 to 5 days. If you plan on just stopping through on a road trip, you should spend at least 2 nights here so you have a full day for exploring!
We were featured on ApartmentGuide’s things to do article for new residents of Salt Lake City, UT. Check out the blog article here!
When to Visit Salt Lake City
Overall, winter is the best time to visit Salt Lake City and enjoy snow sports. If you want to avoid the cold weather (it drops down to the 20s °F), plan a summer trip to Salt Lake City to enjoy hiking, exploring downtown, etc.
Depending on what you want to do in Salt Lake City, the best time to go will vary. If you visit in the winter, you can visit Park City Mountain Resort and plan a ski trip. From December to March, Park City, and surrounding ski resorts, will generally all be open.
If you want to do lots of hiking in the SLC area, spring or summer will be the best time to go. It doesn't get super hot here, so hiking in the summer is possible. But always be well prepared for hiking in any weather. Spring and fall also have nice weather.
Remember it snows in Salt Lake City in the winter. The snow generally doesn’t stick around for very long in the city, but be prepared to stay warm, and be cautious when driving in the snow if you don’t normally do so.
Thankfully, Salt Lake City is used to receiving lots of snow so the roads will be very well plowed and salted.
After driving here for a month in the heart of winter, I can tell you it’s not too bad. The roads are cleared immediately and everyone is generally used to driving in the snow.
Transportation in Salt Lake City
There is decent public transportation in Salt Lake City. You can get around the city without a car by utilizing the trains and buses here.
You can buy single-ride passes or day passes, which are much cheaper if you plan on taking more than one ride. Learn more about Salt Lake City transportation passes here.
If you want to go skiing in Park City or go hiking further from downtown, I highly recommend having a car. There is free parking in downtown SLC on some streets.
Pay attention if you are driving and parking downtown. Some streets are pay-to-park, but it generally doesn’t cost a lot to park for a few hours.
Where to Stay in Salt Lake City
There are nice hotels located in downtown Salt Lake City. If you are staying for just a few days, a hotel downtown would be perfect.
You’ll be close to many attractions and restaurants, and if you don’t have a car it will be much easier to get around if you’re staying downtown.
If you want to stay in downtown Salt Lake City, check out the best hotels below!
If you want to stay in a quieter area, or if you’re staying for a longer period of time, check out this cute basement apartment on Airbnb! It is a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette, perfect for cooking if you want to save money on food.
It is also close to grocery stores and gas stations. Downtown SLC is only a 5 to 10-minute drive away, and it is very close to the airport as well.