21 Best Things to Do in Salt Lake City in Winter in 2024
SEARCHING FOR THINGS TO DO IN SALT LAKE CITY IN WINTER?
We’ve got all the info you need! We’ve both been traveling to Utah since we were kids and we make trips there often with our family now.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Salt Lake City in winter? It’s skiing, right? Of course, it is. But guess what? There are so many things to do in Salt Lake City in winter, and we’ll prove it to you.
Come along as we embrace the cold and find loads of fun in Salt Lake City!
Free Things to do in Salt Lake City in Winter
1. Go Sledding
Dressing warm and seeking out the tallest hill for an epic sledding adventure is one of the most fun things to do in Salt Lake City during winter! If you want to stay in town, there’s no better hilly heaven to sled through than Sugar House Park in Salt Lake.
If you’re willing to venture out of town and spend some cash, Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway is about one hour out of town. The snow tubing set up here is super convenient for families as the center provides the tubes and features an escalating conveyor belt that carries participants up the hill for each run.
Keep in mind this is a very popular attraction and requires advanced reservations to secure a spot in a timed session. Also, the tubing runs are very slick, making the tube move very fast. It’s a fun and thrilling experience as long as you can adequately slow yourself down. We recommend making sure children are fully aware of how to do this before going on a run.
2. Wander Around Temple Square
Temple Square is a 10-acre center owned by the LDS Church. The square is found in the center of Salt Lake City and is the base for the road names found throughout Salt Lake. In 1964 it was designated as a national historic landmark district to recognize the Mormons settling in Utah.
There is so much to do and see on Temple Square, especially during the winter. The entire block is adorned with millions of colorful Christmas lights, making a stroll through here one of the best free things to do in Salt Lake City in winter at night. The lights can be enjoyed beginning the day after Thanksgiving and stay on display through New Year’s Day.
You can find information for a self-guided tour of Temple Square here or request a free tour here.
3. Visit Red Butte Garden
Red Butte Garden is a botanical garden located in Salt Lake City foothills. The property features nature trails, workshops, and outdoor concerts during warmer months. But during the winter, when it’s heavy-laden with snow, the garden is magical. Your kids will feel like they’re visiting Arendelle in Frozen!
The garden is known for its impressive plant collections, which are bright and flourishing in the warmer months. But believe it or not, the trees and plants are striking in their bare forms as well. Taking a stroll through Red Butte Garden is one of the most peaceful things to do in Salt Lake City in winter.
We love to explore the outdoors during winter because it offers such a different perspective than the other seasons do. Kids have such a fun time discovering hidden colors and textures on trees and plants that they aren’t accustomed to noticing during the spring and summer months. You might even spot some pretty holly growing during the holiday season!
4. Visit the Utah State Capitol
A visit to the Utah State Capitol is one of the more unique Salt Lake City things to do in winter. The neoclassical revival building is one of Utah’s most eminent landmarks, and its architecture is spectacular.
Exploring here is one of the most fun things to do in Salt Lake City in winter because at the heart of the capitol building stands a beautiful and immaculately decorated Christmas tree. If you’re visiting during the holiday season, you won’t only get to take in the wonder of the glittering tree but may also catch a holiday concert. Many musical performances take place in the Rotunda area throughout the holiday season.
5. Go Christmas Shopping at City Creek Center
Are you the type of person who is always doing last-minute Christmas shopping? You can catch the Christmas spirit of commercialism and check everyone off your list at City Creek Center. This outdoor mall offers world-class shopping and dining right in the heart of Salt Lake City.
The mall transforms into a winter wonderland during the holiday season with charming window displays and lights for as far as the eye can see. And in case you were worried, Santa is even available for visits with the kids! Be sure not to miss the fountain show in Richard’s Court at the top of the hour. It’s a fun and entertaining way to capture the holiday spirit at City Creek.
6. Explore the International Peace Gardens
International Peace Gardens is a 12-acre garden in Jordan Park, just a couple miles outside of downtown Salt Lake City. Taking a journey through the peace gardens is one of the best things to do in Salt Lake City in the winter if you need to get the kids outside and moving. The pathway through the garden is paved, so it’s perfect for pushing strollers or for exploring on bikes and scooters.
Our favorite thing about the garden here is the parade of nations. 28 different countries are represented and honored throughout the garden. Kids love the chance to spot a new country’s plot and look at the plants and sculptures that represent that area of the world. It’s a great way to enjoy some fresh air while also learning about places like China, Denmark, Greece, and Switzerland through botany.
Things to Do in Downtown Salt Lake City in the Winter
7. Go Ice Skating at The Gallivan Center
Nothing captures the fun of winter like ice skating. Take a journey downtown to Gallivan Center for an epic time on the ice. The ice skating rink is open from mid-November and into March. Adults are $12, and Children are $10, and this admission price includes skate rentals.
And because there’s always somebody who’s bound to get cold, you can warm up with some hot chocolate and other tasty concessions on site. A night on the ice here is one of the most memorable things to do in Salt Lake City.
8. See a Show at Eccles Theater
Eccles Theater is one of Salt Lake’s most impressive entertainment venues. The theater hosts a variety of performances, including Broadway shows, concerts, and comedy acts. A show here can make for a special date night or an opportunity for the whole family to get dressed up and enjoy the magic of theater.
Don’t forget this option when you’re looking for one of the warmer things to do during a Salt Lake City winter!
Things to do with Kids in Salt Lake City in the Winter
9. Explore Clark Planetarium
The Clark Planetarium is one of the top things to do in Salt Lake City in winter with toddlers and kids. The planetarium offers some of the most impressive hands-on learning exhibits featuring our Earth, the moon, space, weather, and more. Plus, it’s always nice to have a place for the kids to be free to explore while everyone can stay warm!
We had a lot of fun here. Rowen and Raven especially loved the Restless Planet Exhibit. We got to stand inside a tornado, watch lightning strike, watch the earth rotate, and touch real geological items from the Earth.
The best part of the Planetarium is that general admission is free. There are some movies that you can watch that do require a purchased ticket. This is one of the great free things to do in Salt Lake City with toddlers and kids.
10. Play at Discovery Gateway
Discovery Gateway is a wonderful children’s museum in Salt Lake City. It is a child’s play space heaven and is the perfect place for toddlers and kids to explore and have fun! The museum features 60,000 square feet of playhouses, farms, grocery stores, science projects, and more.
The interactive exhibits help kids develop creativity, discovery, and experiential education, all while they have a great time. This spot is a great example of how play can be both fun and, at the same time, so vital to childhood growth and development.
My kids especially loved the water play exhibit, which has a large water table with different interactive components, and the kid’s eye view exhibit, which has a child-sized house, grocery store, and more. It’s so much fun!
11. Go Under the Sea at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is in Draper, which is about 20 minutes south of Salt Lake, but the drive is worth it. The aquarium has over 4,500 animals representing 550 species, and it’s a wonderful way to spend a winter day away from the cold.
There are five different exhibits, but our favorite by far was the 300,000-gallon shark exhibit. Inside the exhibit, there is a glass tunnel that you can walk through to get a closer view of the sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and fish.
The penguins were also awesome. They were so active in their exhibit and very entertaining to watch.
12. Visit Hogle Zoo
In almost every city we visit, we try to make it to the zoo. Utah’s Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake was a zoo that Rowen and Raven loved. It may seem crazy to think, but a trip to the zoo in the winter can be just as fun as one in the summer. Just make sure to bundle up!
There are eight different exhibits that give the kids the opportunity to get close to the animals. And with fewer crowds during the winter, your kids can get up close easily. We also loved how active the animals were during the colder weather months instead of hiding in the shade like they often do on hotter days.
We loved seeing the giraffes, elephants, and polar bears. When you first get to the zoo, get the schedule of the daily programs. They are a good break from walking around, and the kids will love the presentation.
Keep in mind that Hogle Zoo often offers discount days during the winter as well. If you’re planning to visit Salt Lake City, check out the zoo’s website to see if you can snag tickets as low as $5!
13. Explore Thanksgiving Point
Thanksgiving Point is hands-down one of the best places to check out when visiting Salt Lake City with kids. Thanksgiving Point locations are in Lehi, UT, and not all of their attractions will be open during the winter. Be sure to come back during warmer months sometime to enjoy the full experience.
Ashton Gardens is a portion of this complex that is typically closed during the winter, but if you’re visiting during the holiday season, you’re in luck! The lush green gardens are all decked out with millions of colorful lights and other holiday decorations for visitors to enjoy during Luminaria, the garden’s winter festival.
There are so many interactive activities for the kids as well as bonfires to warm up by and delicious holiday concessions to devour!
The Museum of Natural Curiosity, Museum of Ancient Life, Farm Country, and the Butterfly Biosphere are all areas of Thanksgiving Point that families will be able to enjoy during the winter. These are definitely some of our favorite places to visit with kids in Salt Lake City.
Keep in mind this is one of the Salt Lake Valley’s most expensive attractions, so a visit here might not be cost-effective for those traveling on a strict budget.
If you’re looking for other family-friendly fun in this area, consider continuing to travel south for another 20 minutes or so to Provo. There are lots of other fun things to do in Provo.
14. Go Snowshoeing
Most visitors probably know that Utah is one of the best places in the world to ski. That said, skiing is an acquired skill, and not all children may be up to the task during your visit to Salt Lake City. Snowshoeing is a simpler activity that offers many of the same fun-filled benefits.
Park City, Utah, is a 40-minute drive into the mountains outside of Salt Lake. There you can find several commercially operated snowshoeing trails. These trails are a great place for new snowshoers to start. They often time offer equipment rentals, and the trails are well-marked and maintained. This ensures that everyone has a safe and fun time.
Snowshoeing is one of the best fun kid things to do in Salt Lake City in winter. It offers a great opportunity for family bonding. Walking through the blanket of snow together, surrounded by the crisp mountain air, is an experience the whole family will remember.
Things to Do in Salt Lake City for Adults
15. Hike Ensign Peak
Ensign Peak is one of the most popular and fun hikes in Salt Lake City. It offers a very convenient city location, you don’t have to drive far out of town to get there. The out & back route is only about a mile long, but it’s steadily steep throughout the whole climb.
This route is definitely doable for children who have hiking experience. But given the slick winter conditions and the narrow and somewhat treacherous portions of the trail leading to the summit, we recommend visiting in the spring or summer months if you want to include the kids on this hike.
We love the experience, and the view from the top is breathtaking! This hike is definitely one of the best things to do in Salt Lake City in the winter.
16. Visit the Utah Museum of Fine Arts
If you’re looking for a little bit of artistic culture during your time in Salt Lake, consider a stop at The Utah Museum of Fine Arts. The museum is located on the University of Utah campus and features a collection of 20,000 pieces of art.
Utah offers such amazing year-round outdoor activities, which makes the museums and other interesting indoor places so vital here as well. At the time of writing, the museum has a special exhibit exploring the cultural significance behind Samoan tattoos, which runs through the end of 2023.
The museum is open to patrons of all ages, but depending on your child’s interest in high art, they may be better suited to sit this one out.
17. Go Skiing
Utah is world-renowned for having some of the best ski resorts in the United States. Skiing can be a fun activity for the whole family, but once in a while, a day on the slopes as adults can be refreshing and highly enjoyable.
Some of the top ski resorts near Salt Lake City include Deer Valley Resort, Woodward Park City, and Park City Mountain, all in Park City. Other top-notch ski resorts outside of Park City include Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton.
Enjoy the powder, the sun, and the soothing mountain air as you spend a day shredding the slopes!
Romantic Things to Do in Salt Lake City in the Winter
18. Spend Some Time in Park City
Park City is a great place to spend some time in the Wasatch Mountains. No matter the time of year, this place has something for everyone to enjoy.
We visited in the summer and had a great time at Park City Mountain and Utah Olympic Park, where a portion of the 2002 Winter Olympics was hosted. And enjoyed an amazing dinner at Grub Steak Restaurant. We can’t wait to visit again during the winter!
Because the drive from Salt Lake City to Park City has some mountain terrain and with the unpredictability of the weather during the winter, some travelers may be apprehensive about making the drive. If you really want to travel in style, you can reserve a private ride into town.
▶️ BOOK Park City & Deer Valley SUV/VAN Private Ride
Once in town, you should definitely spend some time exploring Main Street with the one you love. Park City is an actual winter wonderland during this time of year, so the setting alone is very romantic. Enjoy dinner out and maybe even catch a show at the famed Egyptian Theatre.
For our full list of Park City recommendations, check out our 25 Memorable Things to Do in Park City. The mountain air will do you some good!
19. Take a Sleigh Ride
Though sleigh rides aren’t popular within the city limits, a quick drive out of town may be worth the romantic experience of a winter sleigh ride with your sweetheart. Park City is again a great location for this activity, as is Jordanelle State Park and Eden, UT, which are all within an hour’s drive from the city.
20. Get Pampered at the Grand America Spa
The spa at The Grand America Hotel is the place to go for the most relaxing and rejuvenating, pampered experience in Salt Lake. If you’re feeling run down by the weight of responsibilities in life, a couple’s spa day is one of the most helpful things to do in winter in Salt Lake City. It will give you the opportunity to decompress and reconnect as a couple in a very luxurious environment.
The Grand America Spa offers couples massages, facials, and age-dying body wraps.
21. Enjoy a Romantic dinner at La Caille
La Caille is one of Utah’s most romantic and unique restaurants. The upscale French restaurant is hidden away in the foothills in Sandy, UT, about half an hour outside of Salt Lake City. So even if you’re a regular to the city, you might not know about this gem.
The restaurant building resembles a sizable cottage from a fairytale. It’s beautiful and very ornately decorated. The atmosphere is very serene and romantic. The restaurant doesn’t adhere to a specific dress code, but the setting is business casual at least.
Brunch and dinner are the meals served here, each meal reflecting a different menu. The menus often change with the seasons as well.
After your meal, be sure to spend some time on the beautiful grounds. There are massive trees and small bridges over charming ponds throughout the property that, during this time of year, will be sparkling with snow.
Places to Stay in Salt Lake City in the Winter
The Grand America Hotel – Luxury
⭐️ Rating 9.4/10 |📍Location: 555 S Main St in Salt Lake City | 🏩 View on Expedia.com
The Grand America Hotel is one of the most beautiful and luxurious hotels in downtown Salt Lake City. This 5-star hotel features a spa, two bars, three restaurants, and a coffee shop. Kids will love the indoor pool and hot tub, while parents can enjoy the comfort and peace of sitting in the sauna.
The hotel rooms and suites are spacious and stunning. Everything is beautiful and so cozy. Spending a night here is certainly one of the best things to do in Salt Lake City, Utah, in Winter.
▶️ Check Rates & Availability at The Grand America Hotel
Little America Hotel – Mid-Range
⭐️ Rating 8.6/10 |📍Location: 500 S Main St. in Salt Lake City | 🏩 View on Expedia.com
Little America Hotel is a wonderful place for a family to stay when visiting Salt Lake. It’s a 4-star hotel with an optimal downtown location to access all of Salt Lake’s best highlights. We love that the rooms here include a microwave and mini-fridge, as well as flat-screen TVs with cable channels.
▶️ Check Rates & Availability at Little America Hotel
FAQ: Things to Do in Salt Lake City in Winter
Is Salt Lake City Worth Visiting in Winter?
Definitely! Though the city will be cold and snowy, some of the best things about Salt Lake City are enhanced during the winter. It’s the city’s time to shine!
Is It Good to Visit Utah in Winter?
Winter is a wonderful time to visit Utah, especially if you like snow. There are so many fun outdoor and indoor activities to enjoy in Utah during winter.
We also love exploring Utah’s national parks during the winter. Zion in December offers a much different experience than what most travelers experience in the spring and fall. And the same can be said for the other parks in Utah.
What is Salt Lake City Like in the Winter?
You can expect cold temperatures in Salt Lake City throughout the winter. The weather can be unpredictable but plan on snow and possibly inversions.
What is Salt Lake City Like in December?
Salt Lake City is cold but lively in December—plan for icy and snowy conditions but a lot of fun holiday-inspired activities.
Conclusion: Things to do in Salt Lake City in Winter
So there you have it, the best things to do in Salt Lake City in winter. We promised that in spite of the bitter cold, this city is full of family-friendly adventures just waiting to happen. We hope this guide will help you make the most of your time in Salt Lake City during the winter months.
