# SLC -- things to see, places to eat?



## Elan (Jun 1, 2010)

Will be doing a quick trip to SLC later this summer to do Lagoon with the kids.  We are staying at The Kimball, which is right downtown.  Looking for family oriented things to see/do when not at Lagoon.  Also looking for good, family oriented restaurants, preferably within walking distance (but we'd gladly drive for something really worthwhile and/or fun).


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## Rose Pink (Jun 1, 2010)

Elan said:


> ...to do Lagoon with the kids.


My condolences.

As for places to eat downtown within walking distance of the Kimball, I quite like the restaurants in the Joseph Smith building--about a block and a half south of the Kimball. The main floor has the Nauvoo Cafe which is cafeteria style. They serve sandwiches, pot pies, salads and desserts. I hear the raspberry bread pudding is to-die-for. On the tenth floor of the same building is the Roof Restaurant which is only open evenings and is a pricey buffet but the dessert bar is worth it. Across the hall, also on the tenth floor, is the Garden Restaurant. It is open for lunch as well and the kids might enjoy the sliding glass ceiling which they will open for you on a nice day. The view of the surrounding construction can also be entertaining if our children like big machines such as cranes. You can also see the airport way off in the distance. I believe that big orange building is the Delta hangar. They serve the absolute best creme brulee in the entire world.

A little walk to the east is the Lion House Cafeteria which many people like.

As for low-cost entertainment, you are right next to Temple Square and all of that stuff is free. The gardens are gorgeous. There are also gardens on the roof of the Conference Center across the street from the Kimball. You can take free tours of the Conference Center which seats something like 20,000 people indoors. You can tour the new Church History Library right next to the Kimball. They have a 20 minute movie which explains the purpose of the library. You can also do a 10-15 minute tour of the inside of the library. A couple of blocks from the Kimball is the Church History Museum which has artwork and other artifacts. Next to that is the Family History Library which is the genealogy library that is the mecca for genealogists. Between those two buildings is a little log cabin that the kids might enjoy. I cannot imagine having to live in one of those.

Then, of course, there is Temple Square itself with gardens, visitors centers, the Tabernacle and the temple grounds. It really is a lovely place to wander through. To the east is the church office highrise and they have tours that take you up to the observation floor for a look out over the city. The children might also enjoy touring the Beehive House which was Brigham Young's home. It served not only as his personal residence but also as headquarters of the territory of Deseret (Utah territory). 

If you want to shop, you can walk over to the Gateway district. Much of downtown SLC is under construction. One of our fellow tuggers, Lou Ann, is involved with that and hopefully will chime in.


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## tashamen (Jun 1, 2010)

This is OT - but I just finished reading The 19th Wife, and now want to go back to SLC and visit all those places mentioned there.  Thanks, Rose Pink for making me want to do that!


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## Passepartout (Jun 1, 2010)

I'd put in a suggestion for Trolley Square. Yup,it's a mall with all the usual suspects as far as eateries is concerned, but the kids might like it. You'd have to drive, but it isn't far. Someone else would have to give you the street coordinates. 

For Mexican,we like the Red Iguana, on W. Temple, just W of where I-15 crosses. Other Mex places in town can be empty and R.I. will have people waiting outside. 

For breakfast, look for Dee's. There are several including pretty close to Temple square that give good family value.

The kids might get a kick out of Salt Aire where they can float high-and-dry in the Great Salt Lake. I don't even know if anything is open out there, but it is something that I remember doing as a kid more years ago than I care to admit.

My office was in SLC and I traveled there weekly or more often for many years. Unfortunately I'm not up to speed on the 'kid friendly' aspect.

Jim Ricks


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## Elan (Jun 1, 2010)

Rose Pink said:


> My condolences.



  LOL!  I've heard I'm in for quite a "treat".   



Rose Pink said:


> As for places to eat downtown within walking distance of the Kimball, I quite like the restaurants in the Joseph Smith building--about a block and a half south of the Kimball. The main floor has the Nauvoo Cafe which is cafeteria style. They serve sandwiches, pot pies, salads and desserts. I hear the raspberry bread pudding is to-die-for. On the tenth floor of the same building is the Roof Restaurant which is only open evenings and is a pricey buffet but the dessert bar is worth it. Across the hall, also on the tenth floor, is the Garden Restaurant. It is open for lunch as well and the kids might enjoy the sliding glass ceiling which they will open for you on a nice day. The view of the surrounding construction can also be entertaining if our children like big machines such as cranes. You can also see the airport way off in the distance. I believe that big orange building is the Delta hangar. They serve the absolute best creme brulee in the entire world.
> 
> A little walk to the east is the Lion House Cafeteria which many people like.
> 
> ...




  Thanks for the restaurant rec's.  I make a pretty decent Creme Brulee, so we may have try out that place.  

  I've wandered  around the Temple Square area a bit, but don't remember much of what's there.   Not really my cup of tea, but I wouldn't mind seeing some of the more historically significant exhibits/sights, and the kids might find parts of it interesting.


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## Rose Pink (Jun 1, 2010)

Elan said:


> I've wandered around the Temple Square area a bit, but don't remember much of what's there. Not really my cup of tea, but *I wouldn't mind seeing some of the more historically significant exhibits/sights, and the kids might find parts of it interesting.*


If you like architecture, you may be interested in the Tabernacle exhibit at the Church History Museum.  It was quite the engineering feat for its day.

Another piece of trivia that artists may find interesting is that much of the hardwood seen in the seats and columns is not hardwood at all.  Neither is the marble.  Because the Salt Lake Valley did not have hardwoods, the early pioneers painted pine to look like hardwood.  They painted the wooden columns to look like marble.  IOW, when they got here to this desert they had to make do with the materials they found here or the few things they had brought with them.  So, they painted and constructed things to look like the homes they had been forced to leave "back East."  I think they were quite ingenious.  

I forgot to mention that the Gateway also has a children's museum, a planetarium and movie theaters as well as dining options. http://www.shopthegateway.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=6

The children may also enjoy riding Traxx--the light rail train.  Within the downtown area, it is free.  If you go further, you'll need tickets.  The closest boarding platform to the Kimball is on Main Street just about two blocks or less south.  If you get on the University line, you can ride it up to the University of Utah and go to the museums--they have a fine arts museum and a museum of natural history.  The U of U also has theater and music concerts.  Red Butte Gardens are also up near the university as is Hogle Zoo and This Is The Place Heritage Park.  http://www.thisistheplace.org/general_information/virtual_tour.shtml

If you are willing to drive south on I-15 to Thanksgiving Point, you might enjoy the dinosaur museum there.  It is really good.  Had a hard time pulling DH away from the sand and water play area.  "You're too big, honey."  Thanksgiving Point has beautiful gardens.


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## Rose Pink (Jun 1, 2010)

Passepartout said:


> I'd put in a suggestion for *Trolley Square*. Yup,it's a mall with all the usual suspects as far as eateries is concerned, but the kids might like it. You'd have to drive, but it isn't far. Someone else would have to give you the street coordinates.
> 
> For Mexican,we like the* Red Iguana, on W. Temple*, just W of where I-15 crosses. Other Mex places in town can be empty and R.I. will have people waiting outside.
> 
> ...


 
The overpass on North Temple is closed so you'll have to find an alternate route to get to the original Red Iguana on North Temple (not West Temple--I know it is confusing. The address is 736 West North Temple--that meaning 736 West on North Temple Street.) However, they have opened other locations, which I have not been to. The one at 28 South State Street is within walking distance. DH remembers once, a very long time ago, he went to the original Red Iguana for lunch. There was not much seating at the time and it was full. He was standing just inside the door waiting for a table to open up. The owner came up to him and told him to wait outside because it was worth the wait. :hysterical: http://www.rediguana.com/home.html

I also like the Blue Iguana which *is* on West Temple--165 South West Temple. That is walking distance from the Kimball also. http://www.blueiguanarestaurant.net/

Most of the Dee's Restaurants are closed. I don't think the one on North Temple is open any longer, but I could be wrong.

Trolley Square--you either love it or hate it. It is located between 500 and 600 South and 600 and 700 East (or thereabouts). http://www.trolleysquare.com/ The last few times I've been there, it was nearly deserted. It did make national news a few years ago because of the Trolley Square shooting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_Square_shooting

I think if you are going to be in the Trolley Square neigborhood you ought to take a look at the funky Gilgal Garden. http://www.gilgalgarden.org/


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## Elan (Jun 23, 2010)

A quick follow-up:

  We just got back from SLC.  Firstly, if there's a recession going on, it isn't apparent in the SLC metropolitan area.  We saw lots of new construction, both commercial and residential, and nearly every freeway was being repaired or expanded.  

  Secondly, we didn't eat at any of the aforementioned restaurants.  Just too busy to really sit down and eat.  

  Thirdly, the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point was awesome!  Thanks for that tip.  

  Lastly, Lagoon was ok.  Not sure what I was expecting, but I'd rate it a B- in terms of the actual facility.  When you throw in the apathetic high schooler employees, and the semi-absurd prices, the overall experience drops to a C-.  My kids would give it an A, however, and that's all I really care about.  

  Thanks to all that contributed with suggestions!

  P.S. We also took an evening carriage ride up to Memory Grove Park.  Very cool place.  I never even knew it was there.


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## Rose Pink (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks for the update. Glad you enjoyed the museum at Thanksgiving Point. If you decide to do that again, pair it with an excursion to Timpanogos Cave. Your children may enjoy that. Or just go to Timp and make a loop back through the Park City area.  

I warned you about Lagoon


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## Elan (Jun 23, 2010)

Rose Pink said:


> Thanks for the update. Glad you enjoyed the museum at Thanksgiving Point. If you decide to do that again, pair it with an excursion to Timpanogos Cave. Your children may enjoy that. Or just go to Timp and make a loop back through the Park City area.
> 
> I warned you about Lagoon



  Yeah, I can't say I wasn't warned!  

  So, is my drive-by tourist assessment of the metro SLC area correct?  Sure seemed to be lots of economic activity down that direction.  Much more so than up here.


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## Elan (Jun 23, 2010)

BTW, we found The Kimball to be nice.  Definitely older, but the quaintness and location mostly offset that.  We had a nice 2BR unit on the 4th floor, and it was pretty quiet.  Some moderate traffic noise if the windows were open.  Probably not the place to stay if one has to have nice, new everything or tons of amenities, but for a home base location it's more than adequate, IMO.


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## Rose Pink (Jun 24, 2010)

Elan said:


> We just got back from SLC. Firstly, if there's a recession going on, it isn't apparent in the SLC metropolitan area. We saw lots of new construction, both commercial and residential, and nearly every freeway was being repaired or expanded.


 


Elan said:


> So, is my drive-by tourist assessment of the metro SLC area correct? Sure seemed to be lots of economic activity down that direction. Much more so than up here.


 
Utah--the land of the orange traffic cones.  It seems that as soon as a road is expanded it is already too small to handle the traffic.  I remember driving past farmland a couple of decades ago and now it is all new housing, etc.  Downtown is undergoing a major restructuring.  You can go to this website to learn more: http://www.citycreekliving.com/

Tugger Talkamotta is involved in this project if memory serves me correctly.

From what I hear, the condos cost one million dollars for a one bedroom.


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## talkamotta (Jun 28, 2010)

The City Creek Project is quite a large undertaking.  There will be shops and condos.  Expensive condos. City Creek will be running right through this area and there will be plenty open area for relaxing.   This project took down 2 large malls in the Salt Lake Metro area.  

Ive watch the construction  from the Qwest building.  The LDS church wanted to buy our building but it is an equipment building and is the biggest central office in 4 states; they decided we were too expensive, so we stay.  Which is good because the building on 100 South State has lots of history.  New is great but This project has had its challenges.  Our building started to shift which isnt good for electronics.  The streets have lots of tunnels with all the fiber and cabling  underneath state street and 100 south.  They dug so deep they hit water at one point.  It will be very nice when its done but for right now its kind of a mess.


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## Rose Pink (Jun 28, 2010)

talkamotta said:


> The City Creek Project is quite a large undertaking. There will be shops and condos. *Expensive condos*.


Who buys a 1 million dollar, one bedroom condo in downtown SLC?  Just wonderin'.  Obviously, these are not meant for families--or for regular people on a budget.  Rich single people?  Rich couples with no children at home?   I don't see anyone buying them because they love the nightlife in SLC.  Yes, there is some theater, opera, ballet but not enough to fill an entire lifestyle of arts.


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## julienjay (Jun 28, 2010)

Cafe Rio!!! YUM!


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## MuranoJo (Jun 28, 2010)

Rose Pink said:


> If you decide to do that again, pair it with an excursion to Timpanogos Cave. Your children may enjoy that. Or just go to Timp and make a loop back through the Park City area.



My sis lives in the nearby area, and she took us up to Timp to climb up and go through the cave.  I'd also highly recommend it, but if you're not used to the higher altitudes, you might give it a day or two to adjust before you do this.  Lotsa fun and good exercise. After going through the cave, we went on further up the road past the turnoff to Timp and had a picnic--it was really nice back in there.


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## talkamotta (Jul 3, 2010)

Rose Pink said:


> Who buys a 1 million dollar, one bedroom condo in downtown SLC?  Just wonderin'.  Obviously, these are not meant for families--or for regular people on a budget.  Rich single people?  Rich couples with no children at home?   I don't see anyone buying them because they love the nightlife in SLC.  Yes, there is some theater, opera, ballet but not enough to fill an entire lifestyle of arts.



I have no idea who would buy these condos.  They will be extemely nice if the electronics going into each condo is any indication.  I heard they were going to build 12 stories of condos and cut it down to 8.  They are sold.  I think some of the condos are for the high officials of the Church.  The LDS Church usually makes very good investments; things seem to work out.  

Personally if I didnt work downtown probably wouldnt come downtown very often.


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