Planning a trip to Salt Lake City
Arriving
By Plane -- Direct flights connect Salt Lake City to almost 70 cities in the United States and Canada (Delta Air Lines even offers nonstop service between Salt Lake City and Paris). Salt Lake City International Airport (tel. 800/595-2442 or 801/575-2400; www.slcairport.com) is located just north of I-80 at exit 115, on the west side of the city.
The airport is a main hub for Delta Air Lines (tel. www.delta.com). Other airlines flying in and out of Salt Lake City include American Airlines (www.aa.com); Frontier Airlines (www.frontierairlines.com); JetBlue Airways (www.jetblue.com); Southwest Airlines (www.southwest.com); United Airlines (www.united.com); and US Airways (www.usairways.com).
Glide-By Art Collection -- The Salt Lake City International Airport has a growing collection of art that travelers can peruse while cruising the airport's moving sidewalks. It's a multimedia assemblage of art that the airport has been accruing since 1977. See something you like? Contact tel. 801/575-3432 for additional details on the artworks on display and the artists represented on the airport walls.
By Car -- Salt Lake City is 303 miles north of St. George, 238 miles northwest of Moab, 45 miles north of Provo, and 35 miles south of Ogden. You can reach it from the east or west via I-80 and from the north or south via I-15.
By Train -- Amtrak has several trains arriving daily from both coasts. The station is at 340 S. 600 West (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com).
Visitor Information
The Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has an information center downtown in the Salt Palace Convention Center, 90 S. West Temple (tel. 800/541-4955 or 801/521-2822; www.visitsaltlake.com). It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm (closed major holidays).
Additional information centers, staffed 9am to 9pm daily, can be found in the baggage areas in Salt Lake City International Airport Terminals I and II. A state information center is located downtown at Council Hall (tel. 801/538-1030), open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
The Connect Pass -- The Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau sells the Connect Pass ($20 adults, $18 seniors 65 and over, and $16 children 3 to 12 for a 1-day pass; 2- and 3-day passes are also available), which covers admission at 14 local attractions. For details, contact the CVB (tel. 800/541-4955 or 801/521-2822; www.visitsaltlake.com)
City Layout
Salt Lake City is laid out in a simple grid system centered on Temple Square. The roads surrounding the Square are North Temple, South Temple, West Temple, and Main Street, with the center of town at the southeast corner (the intersection of Main and South Temple), which is the site of the Brigham Young Monument. The numbers in the road names increase from here by 100s in the four cardinal directions, with West Temple taking the place of 100 West, 100 North called North Temple, and 100 East known as State Street.
Addresses may seem confusing at first, but are really quite clear once you get accustomed to them. For instance, 1292 S. 400 West lies almost 13 blocks south of Temple Square and 4 blocks west, and 243 N. 600 East is about 2 blocks north and 6 blocks east.
A variety of detailed city maps can be purchased at most bookstores. The Salt Lake Visitors Guide, available free at the visitor center, includes maps showing the approximate location of many restaurants, motels, and attractions. There is also a free Ski Salt Lake Vacation Planner.
Getting Around
By Car -- This is an easy city to explore by car, in large part because of the wide streets and abundant parking. National car-rental companies here include Advantage (tel. 800/777-5500 or 801/531-1199; www.advantage.com), Alamo (tel. 800/462-5266 or 801/575-2211; www.alamo.com), Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 or 801/575-2847; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 or 801/575-2821; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000 or 801/575-2580; www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel. 800/261-7331 or 801/537-7433; www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 801/575-2683; www.hertz.com), National (tel. 800/227-7368 or 801/575-2277; www.nationalcar.com), and Thrifty (tel. 800/847-4389 or 801/595-5310; www.thrifty.com). All of these companies either have offices at the airport or will deliver a car to the airport for you.
Many public parking lots are situated in the downtown area, costing from $1 to $7 per day. Some lots are free with validation from participating merchants or restaurants. Street parking downtown is metered, costing 25¢ per half-hour, and is usually limited to 2 hours. Parking for larger RVs and motor homes is limited; you can park for $2 to $6 per hour in one large lot -- the entire block between North and South Temple and 200 and 300 West. You might also try the lot behind the Capitol, with its few designated large-vehicle spaces; East Capitol Street, which is not metered, is a possibility as well.
By Public Transportation -- The Utah Transit Authority (tel. 888/743-3882 or 801/743-3882; www.rideuta.com) provides bus service throughout the city, with a "free fare zone" in the downtown area, roughly from 400 South to North Temple, continuing up Main Street to 500 North to include the State Capitol, and between 200 East and West Temple. You can ride free within this zone, getting on and off as many times as you'd like. The fee for traveling in the other zones is $2 per person; $1 for seniors and those with disabilities; or $5 for a day pass. Two children 5 and under can ride free with a fare-paying adult. Some buses are wheelchair accessible, and all have bicycle carriers. Trax, a light-rail system also operated by the Utah Transit Authority, with the same contact information and same rates as the Utah Transit Authority's bus service (albeit free in the downtown area), runs 15 miles from the Sandy Civic Center in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy north to EnergySolutions Arena in downtown Salt Lake City, with another line running east to the University of Utah. The trains are wheelchair accessible and bicycles are permitted. The FrontRunner train connects Ogden to Salt Lake City and its south suburbs; fares vary from $2 to $5 based on the distance traveled. Route schedules and maps for both the buses and light rail are available at malls, libraries, and visitor centers.
By Taxi -- For a taxi, contact the City Cab (tel. 801/363-5550), Yellow Cab (tel. 801/521-2100), or Ute Cab (tel. 801/359-7788), all available 24 hours a day.
Fast Facts
American Express -- The American Express travel office is located at 515 S. 700 East in Salt Lake City (tel. 801/487-9731). It's open Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm. No financial services are offered.
Emergencies -- Dial tel. 911 for police, fire, or ambulance.
Hospitals -- LDS Hospital 8th Avenue and C Street (tel. 801/408-1100; www.ldshospital.com), and Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, 1050 E. South Temple (tel. 801/350-4111; www.saltlakeregional.com); both have 24-hour emergency rooms.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The two major daily newspapers are the Salt Lake Tribune (www.sltrib.com) and the Deseret Morning News (www.deseretnews.com). Salt Lake City Magazine (www.saltlakemagazine.com) is a slick publication with a section on current events. The Salt Lake City Weekly (www.slweekly.com) is the local alternative paper.
Police -- For emergencies, call tel. 911. The nonemergency police phone number is tel. 801/799-3000.
Post Office -- The main post office is at 1760 W. 2100 South; the branch closest to downtown is at 230 W. 200 South (tel. 800/275-8777; www.usps.com for hours and locations of other post offices).
Road & Traffic Conditions -- For statewide road and traffic conditions, call tel. 866/511-8824 or 511, or visit www.utahcommuterlink.com.
Taxes -- Sales tax in Salt Lake City is 6.6%; restaurant tax totals 7.6%; lodging taxes total about 12.7% within the city limits, about 11% to 12% in Salt Lake County outside the municipal boundaries.
Weather -- Call tel. 801/575-7669 for weather reports.
Neighborhoods in Brief
Downtown -- The downtown area, centered on Temple Square, is both a business district and the administrative center for the LDS Church. Church offices, the Family History Library, the Church History Museum, and other church buildings surround the Square. This is most likely where you'll spend the bulk of your time. Within a few blocks south, west, and east are hotels, restaurants, stores, and two major shopping centers. Within a couple of blocks are the Salt Palace Convention Center, the Maurice Abravanel Concert Hall, and the Capitol Theatre.
Capitol Hill -- The Capitol Hill district lies north of the Square and encompasses the 40 acres around the Utah State Capitol Building and Council Hall. Some lovely old homes are located in the blocks surrounding the Capitol.
Marmalade District -- The blocks west of the Capitol to Quince Street are known as the Marmalade District. The streets in this small area were named for the nut and fruit trees brought in by early settlers, and the houses represent a variety of the city's early architectural styles.
Sugar House -- Southeast of downtown, Sugar House was named for a never-completed sugar mill and is one of the valley's longest-standing neighborhoods. Today, it's populated by the young and hip and features a quirky collection of stores, galleries, and Asian eateries.
Avenues District -- The Avenues District lies east of the Capitol and north of South Temple. Most of the larger homes here date from the silver boom in Little Cottonwood Canyon, when they were built by successful miners and merchants. Today, the tenants are mostly college students and young professionals.
