I never imagined I would be living in Utah, however, I’m from a military family. I graduated high school in the state of Idaho and decided the best school for me was just over the state line into Utah. While at college, I met my husband. He was a “Utahn” born and raised. Over these last eight years, I’ve learned to love some things about Utah. I want to share some of my favorite places. This will range from food, activities, and accommodations. I want to save my favorite places to eat for last because I could go on and on and on and….

Accommodations

Let’s start at accommodations for anyone looking for a local weekend getaway or for any visitors of the Beehive State.

The Anniversary Inn is a couple favorite. The years that our anniversary trips do not fall on our anniversary, then we will book a night here. (How many times can I mention “anniversary” in one sentence, am I right?!) My husband and I will go to a fancy dinner (the classification of “fancy” in Salt Lake typically refers to The Cheesecake Factory), then head back to our room for a nice big bubble bath in their double tubs. The themed rooms can make it exciting for anyone (you know, besides 😘)

Homestead Resort is a cute getaway that sits about an hour away from the city center. This one should be on everyone’s bucket list when visiting Salt Lake. There is so much to do while you stay here, including golfing and swimming. If you are a fan of Bravo TV then you will soon realize that the Homestead Crater was seen in the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. This brings us to some of my favorite activities.

Things to do

There is so much to do all over the state of Utah. The most popular activity you will hear about is either hiking, rock climbing, or skiing. Honestly, my husband doesn’t want to leave Utah strictly because of the mountains. I want to show you places that you wouldn’t think about when visiting.

Homestead Crater is a natural swimming pool located in Midway. As mentioned above, this was seen in an episode of RHOSLC. It is a warm water experience for all. As it states on their website, utahcrater.com, “You can…get scuba certified at the only warm scuba destination in the Continental US”.

Utah Olympic Park is a fun summer activity for the whole family. The list of outdoor activities includes tubing, zip lining, ropes courses, bobsledding, alpine sliding, and so much more.

Visit the UP House in Herriman. This is a cool spot to see if you are a fan of Disney. There is not much to it besides snapping a few photos.

Visit the school from High School Musical. The school that was shot for the movie is a real school in Salt Lake City. It is close to the University of Utah so be careful where you drive because it is easy to get lost. This school looks the same today, inside and out.

Thanksgiving Point could be a whole day trip with the amount of activities available. They have gardens, farms, museums, and even a butterfly biosphere. They constantly have special days to celebrate too including “Dog walk Wednesdays” to “Dahlia Days”

Food

Let’s move to my favorite topic, food. I am constantly trying to go to new places and to try new foods. Here are some of my favorites.

Garage Grill in Herriman was a fun surprise to my “gear head” husband. This restaurant is a car lover paradise with some good food too. The decor details are meticulous and well thought out.

The Tuscany is an Italian hideout just east of the city. My husband and I tend to spend our Valentine’s date here. Specialized menus for holidays and the excellency in the food quality. I will say, I cannot leave without getting their chocolate cake.

Red Iguana is a popular Mexican restaurant that got a famous start after appearing on “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives”. No much else to say on the manner.

Burger Bar is another “DDD” feature just one hour north in Roy. My husband will crave these burgers majority of the time. It’s definitely a must try.

Farr’s Ice Cream is another visit, if you make your way north. This hometown favorite is located in Downtown Ogden. I grew up on the east coast and we always went to Baskin Robbin’s while my husband grew up driving over to Farr’s. So when we have time to go get ice cream, this is our debate.

I have tried way more restaurants (and desserts) around Utah, however, these are my top favorites that are local to the Beehive State.

Utah has so much to offer people and I am still discovering the many ways I can enjoy this state I now call home.