Please offer any first-hand input with simply fun or adventurous activities for two young men (15-19) within 75 miles of SLC for late May. We will have 3-4 days to explore…Thanks in advance!
Hikes in any of the canyons if they like that sort of thing. The trail around Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon is basically flat (i.e., easy enough for anyone who can walk), and there are lots of other trails in the area that are varying lengths and difficulties. Mount Olympus trail is supposed to be good, but I haven’t been on that.
Park City has some zip lines, alpine coasters, etc. that are a lot of fun. You can watch people go down ski jumps into the pool at Olympic Park:
Temple Square (ok, not really adventurous)
City Creek Mall (same)
Go Karts at Utah Motorsports Campus in Grantsville:
ratbert2k: Appreciate the awesome variety of your input with good mix of options!
You could also add Boondocks in Draper to that list. I’m sure you could find fishing somewhere if they like that sort of thing. I don’t fish, so don’t have any recommendations.
It looks like my favorite taco place is still open (I moved away a few years ago): Chunga’s, 180 S 900 W, SLC. You want the tacos al pastor, even if you don’t know it yet.
I also like these local chains: Tonyburgers, Iceberg Drive-In, The Pie Pizzeria, Even Stevens, Nielsen’s Frozen Custard, JCW’s Burger Boys, Cubby’s, Taqueria 27, Caputo’s.
In-n-Out isn’t local, but if you’re not from In-n-Out country, boys will probably like it.
The following have pretty strong cult followings, and people will probably recommend them to you. I personally find them overrated: Cafe Rio (better options are Costa Vida or Barbacoa), Crown Burger (why go there when you could go to Tonyburger?), Red Iguana, Blue Iguana, anything named after an iguana of any other color, Swig (why ruin your Coke by dumping something else in it?), Sodalicious (same).
SLC is Mormon central and the LDS Church contributes a distinct flavor to downtown Salt Lake. A visit to the LDS Temple grounds and the Tabernacle is historically and culturally informative. The city is laid out with temple square at its center. The streets signage will at first be confusing. You’ll see addresses like 2740 E. 7329 South which works like map coordinates.
I’m not sure how easy it might be to check out the Great Salt Lake but the salt marshes in the northern part, to the west of Ogden are home to a wide variety of birds.
Antelope Island is just a bit north of SLC. I think it is worth a visit with lots to do there.
Thanks for your time providing many local food choices, This should satisfy the hungry young men.
Thanks much- the LDS experience is for sure on our list!
Agreed jimtoo, this park sounds like a worthy consideration!