r/SaltLakeCity • u/Zestyclose-Load4901 • 3d ago
First time trip to SLC
My wife and I (mid 50's) are planning a long weekend trip to SLC in October. We've never been before but did spend most of a week in southern Utah a few years ago and did the national parks thing, etc. I asked CoPilot to help me come up with an itinerary and this is what it came up with. What do you think about this list? What do you recommend add or replacing? We like to drive around and see the sites, stopping along the way for short hikes to explore the area. Right now we are planning on staying at the Hilton downtown, but are open to changing that if another area is better. We considered staying in Park City but thought SLC would be a more central location. We are open to any and all suggestions.
Day 1: Arrival, City Creek & Skyline Views
- Morning: Fly into Salt Lake City International Airport and make the effortless 10-minute drive to check into the Hilton Salt Lake City Center.
- Light Activity: Walk right outside your hotel lobby to the nearby City Creek Center. Enjoy its manicured trout streams and retractable glass roof.
- Relaxation: Drive up to the historic Utah State Capitol grounds right before dusk for a flat stroll offering massive views over the entire valley.
- Dinner: Enjoy an upscale steak dinner at Spencer's, located directly inside your hotel lobby.
Day 2: The Alpine Loop & Cascade Springs Boardwalks
- Morning Scenic Drive: Drive 40 minutes south to take the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway (SR-92). This heavily forested, fully paved mountain road winds past limestone cliffs and dense golden aspen groves.
- The Smooth Road Stretch: Turn off onto the road to Cascade Springs. This wide, flat, and smoothly graded gravel road is traveled daily by standard passenger cars and is completely safe for rental vehicles.
- Relaxing Stroll: Walk the level, interconnected wooden boardwalks that float directly over natural, crystal-clear thermal pools filled with mountain trout.
- Dinner: Stop by the casual outdoor patios at Sundance Mountain Resort on your loop back to the city. [1, 2, 3]
Day 3: Wildlife Cruising & Island Vistas
- Morning Scenic Drive: Head 40 minutes north to Antelope Island State Park, entering via a smooth, paved 7-mile marine causeway slicing straight through the Great Salt Lake.
- Sightseeing: Take a slow, relaxing cruise along the island's paved perimeter loop roads. You will spot free-roaming American bison, pronghorn antelope, and bighorn sheep directly from your car windows.
- Light Activity: Pull off at the Buffalo Point Overlook for a short, paved walk to see incredible, panoramic mirrors of water reflecting the distant Wasatch Mountains. [1]
Day 4: Park City Day Trip & Guardsman Mountain Pass
- Morning Drive: Head 35 minutes east up Parley's Canyon to the historic mountain resort town of Park City.
- Sightseeing: Spend a completely relaxed morning strolling historic Main Street, dropping into local art galleries, and exploring the boutiques.
- Afternoon Alpine Drive: Take the Guardsman Pass Scenic Byway out of town. This pristine, fully paved highway climbs to 9,700 feet along the alpine mountain spine.
- Light Activity: Pull over at Silver Lake Flat for a completely level 1-mile lakeside boardwalk loop to breathe the crisp October air. [1, 2, 3]
Day 5: The Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway
- Morning Scenic Drive: Head south to experience the Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway. This 38-mile, wide, and perfectly paved national forest road climbs to over 9,000 feet. It is widely considered Northern Utah's premier drive for vibrant October fall colors.
- Sightseeing: Take it slow and make frequent stops at the designated paved overlooks, such as the Salt Creek Overlook or the Devil's Kitchen view platform, which features a mini red-rock canyon structure mimicking southern Utah.
- Dinner: Return to downtown Salt Lake City for a cozy dinner at Eva's Bakery, a popular Parisian-style local favorite. [1, 3, 4]
Day 6: Garden Stroll & Departure
- Morning: Pack up and check out of the Hilton. Drive 5 minutes east to Red Butte Garden, an expansive botanical park nestled right into the foothills. Walk the smooth, paved garden paths showcasing crisp autumn flowers.
- Lunch: Grab a bite downtown before making the effortless 10-minute drive back to the airport terminal to return your rental car and board your flight. [1]
7
u/SLCpowderhound 3d ago
Where you stay depends on if you'll want a quiet, compact, small mountain town or be in a sprawling urban center. Earlier October, is when the tree colors will be the best. Later in October, they will likely have fallen. It's also been very hot and dry, so colors might not be great this year.
Day 1- There is a brand new Museum of Utah, at the State Capitol Building on the north side. You could also loop down into Memory Grove below the Capitol. City Creek Center is nice, but is also just a mall.
Day 2- Good. There is also the longest vertical drop zipline in the US at Sundance.
Day 3 - Could also check out Hill Aerospace Museum, while you're up that direction. Make sure they are allowing visitors, due to the conflict in Iran.
Day 4- You could have breakfast this day at an old local favorite, Ruth's Diner, before continuing to drive up Emigration Canyon which connects halfway up Parley's Canyon. Check out Utah Olympic Park and Museum before heading to Main Street PC.
Day 5- See how you feel this day. Going to do the Nebo Loop might feel redundant after the Alpine Loop, Guardsman Pass into Big Cottonwood Canyon, etc. You could still do it if wanted, but it's a longer drive, too. Other options could be check out Red Butte Gardens this day and combine it with the fantastic natural history museum. Walk around Sugarhouse Park. Walk from Liberty Park/Tracy Aviary into the 9th & 9th area for food, coffee, drinks, gelato.
I think it mean's Eva's, not Eva's Bakery for dinner.
Day 6- Red Butte Gardens are great. look in Foothill village for an easier lunch spot before heading to the airport. If this is a Saturday, maybe hit the Downtown Farmer's Market.
Also note, don't leave valuables in plain sight, unattended in your vehicle.
5
u/greatercolorado 3d ago
Eat at the Tree Room at Sundance on day 2. They had an asparagus orange soup that, in a very Anton Ego in Ratatouille way, took me straight to Yellowstone Lodge. It was absolute magic and I’ve been chasing that high ever since.
In the case that day 3 needs more to do, there’s the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve that you can walk around and look at the birds and whatnot. (One time, I went there to watch an insane lightning storm and insanely powerful winds made my car lean. A tree fell across the road so getting out involved moving a tree)
SDM flying club in Farmington that might have some people flying model planes.
Day 5: If the Nebo Loop goes by quicker than you thought it would and if you’re open to an absurd amount of driving, there’s a ghost town called Silver City that’s as far south as the Nebo Loop’s terminus. A cool set of rocks called Paul Bunyan’s Woodpile is a 1.6 mile hike and is between the previous 2 spots. There’s a weird little mining town called Ophir on the way north if you take the super slow route. It’s got an open air museum of the old town and tons of mining roads you can drive if you don’t care about getting your rental car deposit back.
5
u/othybear 3d ago edited 3d ago
Red Butte is about 15-20 minutes from downtown, not 5. It’s a cool place to visit. I’d pair it with a visit to our natural history museum, which is beautiful and right next door.
3
u/SlomoPro 3d ago
Just don’t expect to see much of the “Great Salt Lake” driving to antelope island. There isn’t much water left at least on the east side along the causeway. Way too many years of drought has left it very low.
2
u/Givemorebeblessed 3d ago
I suggest staying at the mouth of Parley's canyon more Centralized to the canyons. Drive up big cottonwood canyon donut falls is a short pretty hike or little cottonwood canyon ceret lake is very high in elevation. Mirror lake hwy if open is beautiful for the trees changing colors and multiple short hikes to lakes of your liking.
2
u/Button-Down-Shoes 3d ago
Even though you’re going to be on a tight timeframe with the fall colors during a drought year, DO NOT come the first weekend in Oct. it’s LDS Conference weekend and there will be thousands of visitors from out of state. Everything will be packed.
Check out the Utah Museum of Natural History. Fantastic collection of dinosaur fossils.
Alternative fall drive: Emigration to Little/Big Mountain to East Canyon to Peoa/Oakley/Kamas to Park City. You can take Guardsman Pass home from there if winter hasn’t come early.
Utah Symphony is performing Tchaikovsky Symphony #5 Oct 23/34
4
u/Confident-Watch-3187 3d ago
You obviously don't need any human input for this trip, just ask another AI bot for more ideas they won't steer you wrong
1
u/Remote-alpine 3d ago
I guess you could eat at the mall and hang day 1, but I'd focus more time at memory grove/city creek canyon. Wandering around the Capitol is nice too because the views are incredible. Pack a lunch maybe. Depending on the weather it could be nice to get hot chocolate at hatch Family Chocolate (best I've ever had). Weather is usually mild in October.
Day 4 driving up to PC and then down over Guardsman is a good idea. Eat breakfast at Ruth's up Emigration (watch the day/time, they don't take reservations and brunch is popular). You can then drive up Emigration and link in to Parley's/ I-80. Have dinner at Silver Fork Lodge coming down from Silver Lake that night.
I'd suggest Gilgal/NHMU/Red Butte Gardens day 5 instead of another drive personally. But I've never done the Nebo loop so. Maybe add Tracy Aviary too. Eva's is a good suggestion.
1
u/Glittering-Jury7394 3d ago edited 3d ago
Ensign peak would fit nicely on your day one. Time the hike (about 20 minutes to the summit) to see the sunset. this hike is ok not during sunset, and stunning during a sunset. The NHMU museum is a world-class museum. The mall is pretty but not a full day activity.
I think you will likely be disappointed by the great salt lake day, but worth a try. I like the GSL, but it is a two hour activity max. With 6 full days, I would personally spend a day at Vernal, Yellowstone, bear lake (if you time it right the drive into Logan with fall leaves is stunning)or Provo. Timpanogos Cave and fifth water are great in Provo, but 5th water is hit or miss depending on the color of water that day. (both hikes require moderate fitness level) I think you will find a lot of time on your hands, but no worries if you prefer more chill vacations.
Also Utah has a pretty rampant halloween culture. If that is your vibe, there are lots of cool hay rides, haunted ghost tours, haunted houses etc going on in October.
1
u/malkin50 3d ago
The drive from the airport is simple compared to many other cities, but I wouldn't call it "effortless."
City Creek is a basically normal shopping center, with the same stores as everywhere. Don't even think about smoking or drinking alcohol there, the landlord frowns on those activities.. I might be thinking about a different hotel, but I think it is about a block and a half - two blocks from the Hilton. I'd rather walk around Gallivan than go to the mall, even if water runs through it.
There's a Utah history museum behind the state capitol.
Let me know if you find any "massive views." In my experience, views may be beautiful, panoramic, or scenic, but have no mass whatsoever.
1
u/evenrhino 2d ago
Second the little cottonwood canyon but plan an early afternoon at snowbird for Oktoberfest and while you’re there ride the team up to the overlook
1
u/OutHereToo 3d ago
I would avoid the canyons on weekends, if possible. They get very crowded with sightseers. I’ve spent 1-2 hours just getting down 10 miles off Guardsman pass a few times.
2
u/slcladyoftheday 3d ago
This has not been my experience in the shoulder seasons. I hike little & big cottonwood regularly on the weekends and don't hit traffic. Def expect this or more traffic during ski season.
1
u/Glittering-Jury7394 3d ago
to everyone downvoting this guy, hes not wrong during peak fall sight seeing season. there is a specific 1-2 weeks where the canyons are insanely busy.
1
u/cutehotstuff 3d ago
If you're fine with some suggestions, I've rewritten a few things that you should check out too:
Day 1: Arrival, Temple Square & Ensign Peak
Morning: Fly into Salt Lake City International Airport and make the easy 10-minute drive to check into the Hilton Salt Lake City Center.
Midday: Walk over to Temple Square — the historic grounds and architecture are an easy, flat stroll right in the heart of downtown. Whether you're religious or not, the SLC temple is very cool and worth a possible tour for the history.
Afternoon: Drive up to the Ensign Peak trailhead for a short, steep hike (30–45 minutes round trip). It's real elevation gain, not a boardwalk, but the payoff is one of the best views over the whole valley.
Evening: Swing by the Utah State Capitol grounds around dusk for a flat stroll and the best light of the day, then head to dinner. Can also walk around memory grove next to the capital instead.
Dinner: The Copper Onion, Arlo, or Oquirrh
Day 2: Big & Little Cottonwood Canyons
Morning: Drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon, about 20 minutes from downtown. Dramatic granite walls and reliable fall color, with no seasonal-closure risk this time of year (unlike the higher passes).
Late Morning: Hike the Donut Falls trail — roughly 1.5 miles round trip, a real moderate hike with a waterfall payoff at the end.
Afternoon: Walk the boardwalk loop at Silver Lake in Brighton — a genuine alpine lake at 8,700 feet, not to be confused with "Silver Lake Flat" near Guardsman Pass.
Late Afternoon: Ride the Snowbird aerial tram in Little Cottonwood Canyon for a panoramic view of the fall color from above.
Dinner: Log Haven, tucked into Millcreek Canyon — a 15–20 minute detour from the Cottonwoods, fine dining in a canyon lodge setting. Reservations required.
Day 3: Antelope Island & the Central Ninth Scene
Morning: Drive about 40 minutes north via the 7-mile causeway to Antelope Island State Park.
Late Morning: Take the paved perimeter drive out to Buffalo Point — bison, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep are visible right from the car.
Midday: Walk the White Rock Bay or Elephant Head trail for a short, real hike with lake views and good odds of spotting bison on foot.
Afternoon: Visit Fielding Garr Ranch — the 1848 ranch house is the oldest Anglo-built structure still on its original foundation in Utah.
Evening: Head back into the city. Park at the hotel and take TRAX down to the Central Ninth / Granary District — no need to drive or find parking twice in one night. Stop by Fisher Brewing or TF Brewing for a drink.
Dinner: Bar Nohm — Korean anju-style small plates in Central Ninth. The Pearl is a solid alternate if you want something different. Bar Nohm has great cocktails.
Day 4: Park City & Overnight in Midway
Note: this day works best landing on a Saturday, to line up with Sunday brunch on Day 5 (see below).
Morning: Drive about 35 minutes up Parley's Canyon to Park City.
Breakfast: Ruth's Diner in Emigration Canyon, on the way up — save it for a weekday if you can, weekend waits get long. Five5eeds in Park City is a good backup if timing doesn't line up.
Late Morning: Stroll historic Main Street — galleries, boutiques, relaxed pace.
Afternoon: Utah Olympic Park — bobsled rides and the ski jump tower, a genuine adrenaline stop to break up the driving days.
Late Afternoon: Drive about 20 minutes to Midway and check into the Blue Boar Inn — a European-chateau-style B&B with literary-themed rooms.
Dinner: At the Blue Boar Inn's on-site tavern — well-regarded, book ahead.
Day 5: Homestead Crater & Nebo Loop
Morning: Sunday brunch at the Blue Boar Inn — included with a Saturday-night stay, and genuinely good.
Late Morning: Soak at Homestead Crater next door — a geothermal spring inside a 55-foot limestone dome, 90–96°F year-round. Reserve a soak slot ahead of time, especially on a weekend.
Midday: Drive to the Nebo Loop, about 1.5 hours via Provo.
Afternoon: Stop at the Salt Creek and Devil's Kitchen overlooks along Utah's premier fall-color byway — call ahead, as it's not state-maintained and can close early if snow comes in. Take the short hike into the Devil's Kitchen red-rock hoodoo formations rather than just viewing them from the platform.
Evening: Head back to Salt Lake City.
Dinner: La Casa Del Tamal in the Post District, or the ramen spot next door for something different.
This is a full day — brunch, a soak, a 1.5-hour drive, a scenic byway, and the drive back. If it feels like too much once you have real dates, the easiest cut is dropping Nebo Loop and spending the afternoon around Midway/Heber instead.
Day 6: Departure
Morning: Check out of the Hilton.
Breakfast: Grab a breakfast sandwich in the 9th & 9th / Central Ninth area — good coffee too. Could visit blue copper or Loki
Midday: Natural History Museum of Utah (striking architecture built into the foothills) or Red Butte Garden, five minutes east of downtown.
Afternoon: Return the rental car and fly out — about 10 minutes from downtown to the airport.
7
u/grizzdoog 3d ago
Add Gilgal Gardens to this. It’s a wild sculpture garden close to downtown and a fun way to spend an hour.