Salt Lake City itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Salt Lake City, day by day: the Utah State Capitol, Temple Square, the Beehive House, the Cathedral of the Madeleine and the Church History Museum first, then the Natural History Museum of Utah, Hogle Zoo, Gilgal Sculpture Garden, The Leonardo and Clark Planetarium on day two. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Salt Lake City in 1 day
Day 1
Utah State Capitol
State capitol of 1916 on a hill above downtown, with a large dome, marble halls and views of the valley.
Temple Square
Ten-acre complex at the heart of the city that includes the Temple, the Tabernacle, gardens and visitor centres, open to all.
Beehive House
Home of Brigham Young, the second president of the church, built in 1854 and open for guided tours.
Cathedral of the Madeleine
Roman Catholic cathedral of 1909 with Romanesque and Gothic details, rich murals and stained glass, a short walk from Temple Square.
Natural History Museum of Utah
Natural history museum in the foothills at the University of Utah, known for dinosaur skeletons and the geology and peoples of Utah.
Church History Museum
Museum of the church's history, art and artifacts, beside Temple Square, with changing exhibits.
Salt Lake City in 2 days
Day 1
Natural History Museum of Utah
Natural history museum in the foothills at the University of Utah, known for dinosaur skeletons and the geology and peoples of Utah.
Hogle Zoo
Zoo at the mouth of Emigration Canyon with animals from around the world, on a hillside east of downtown.
Gilgal Sculpture Garden
Small garden of unusual sculptures made of stone by Thomas Child, hidden behind houses on a quiet residential street.
The Leonardo
Museum of science, technology and art in the former public safety building, with changing exhibits and workshops.
Day 2
Beehive House
Home of Brigham Young, the second president of the church, built in 1854 and open for guided tours.
Temple Square
Ten-acre complex at the heart of the city that includes the Temple, the Tabernacle, gardens and visitor centres, open to all.
Church History Museum
Museum of the church's history, art and artifacts, beside Temple Square, with changing exhibits.
Clark Planetarium
Planetarium and science museum at the Gateway with a dome theatre, space exhibits and free displays.
LDS Conference Center
Large auditorium north of Temple Square seating 21,000, used for church conferences and concerts, with a roof garden.
Utah State Capitol
State capitol of 1916 on a hill above downtown, with a large dome, marble halls and views of the valley.
Cathedral of the Madeleine
Roman Catholic cathedral of 1909 with Romanesque and Gothic details, rich murals and stained glass, a short walk from Temple Square.
Watch: Salt Lake City
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Salt Lake City
Winter is the main season for skiers, with snow in the Wasatch resorts less than an hour from downtown from December to March. Summers are hot and dry, with comfortable evenings, while spring and autumn bring mild days and fall colours in the canyons. General Conference in early April and October fills hotels, and Pioneer Day on 24 July brings parades and fireworks.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Salt Lake City on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Salt Lake City on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Salt Lake City on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Salt Lake City with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Salt Lake City
- Temple Square and its grounds are open to everyone, but only members of the church may enter the Salt Lake Temple itself; free guided tours of the square are offered.
- The Tabernacle Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings and performs on Sunday mornings; check the schedule and arrive early for a seat.
- Street addresses count from the corner of Main Street and South Temple, so a name such as 400 South tells you the distance from Temple Square.
- Sundays are quiet; many shops and some attractions are closed, so plan museums and government buildings for other days.
- TRAX light rail connects the airport, downtown and the university, and most downtown sights are within walking distance.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Beehive House: Derek P. Moore, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cathedral of the Madeleine: George Lytle Beam, Public domain
- Church History Museum: Beneathtimp, CC0
- Clark Planetarium: An Errant Knight, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gilgal Sculpture Garden: Intothewoods29 ( talk ), Public domain
- Hogle Zoo: Bobjgalindo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- LDS Conference Center: Invictus323, CC BY 4.0
- Natural History Museum of Utah: unknown author, Fair use
- Temple Square: William Henry Jackson, Public domain
- The Leonardo: The Leonardo, CC BY 3.0
- Utah State Capitol: Andrew Smith from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
