I will be travelling in early July to the Salt Lake City area to visit my fifteen year old daughter who is in a boarding school. I will have 2 full days with her but have to have her back each night just north of SLC. I was planning on going to Park City one day and Antelope Island the other. Then I will have from Friday mid-morning but have to be back in Salt Lake City Saturday night for an early Sunday morning flight. I would like to go somewhere else for the rest of Friday and all day Saturday. It's not enough time to go south, as far as I can tell. Can anyone suggest anything to see maybe in the Northern part of the state for a day and a night? My dh will be with me and we are not very outdoorsy. We love the mountains though.

Thanks!!

Susan

On the Utah/Idaho border is Bear Lake. From SLC, you drive through a pretty canyon to get there. It's a beautiful, large lake in a valley. All the way down there will be billboards advertising raspberry shakes--they raise raspberries there. By the time you get there, you will HAVE to one.

Hi Susan!

If you are coming during the 4th holiday, there are lots of events going on. You might want to take a day to visit Alta & Snowbird. Go up the tram & marvel at the views & hike around Albion Basin at Alta to enjoy the wildflowers. You can do the same in Big Cottonwood Canyon with an easy walk around the lake at the bottom of Brighton ski area.

If you have time during the 4th, Park City has an old-fashioned 4th celebration. Pancake breakfast in the AM, parade complete with kids' decorated bikes, picnic in the City Park with sack races, water balloon toss, etc. Then fireworks at about 4 different locations all around the area.

You & your dh might really enjoy the night away spent in either Snowbird or Park City. Both have excellent restaurants, spas, & incredible scenery. Snowbird is much quieter during the summer than PC & PC has lots of art galleries if you like that. About an hour drive east of Park City are the Uinta Mountains. High alpine scenery, lots of gorgeous lakes & picnic spots. Guess you would skip the hiking, but you would still love it.

Take your pick!

Bear Lake is also nice. Water is almost always too cold for swimming. Raspberries are to drool over....

North of the Great Salt Lake there is a National Historical Monument for the Golden Spike, which was where the two railroads met that linked the east and the western parts of the USA. The original engines have been carefully and faithfully reconstructed as best as groups of railroad buffs could do so from drawings. The original engines were remodelled as they aged, and even scrapped. So constructing faithful replicas was no easy task.
That might be an interesting place to visit.

Another place is Timpanogos Cave National Monument. The drawback here is that it is a stiff walk to get to the cave entrance. The size of a tour group is limited, also. I think your fifteen year old could make it just find, and she is old enough to go while you wait below.
But she would have to be interested.

Unless you are a great history buff, the time spent to go to the Golden Spike Monument @ Promontory Point will be extremely disappointing. I certainly would not waste my time to go there.especially if you have only 1.5 days and it is mountains that you are intested in.
The suggestion to check out the Bear Lake area via Logan Canyon is good. Although the Lake is way down this year, it is always quite nice. You could return via Evanston, Wyoming and catch I-80 to Park City.
All in all, Dayle has offered the best suggestions, as SHE normally does. However, I am appalled that she has failed to mention the Scenic beauty and hiking and activities of Sundance via the Alpine Loop.
Her suggestion also of the Uinta Mountains via Mirror Lake is also good. Another option would be the Skyline Drive out of Fairview Canyon. It is quite scenic and also from there you head back down US 6 to Provo up Provo Canyon 189 to Sundance. Gees Dayle, how did you miss these. Not like you )

Hey Susan,

Lucky is right, Sundance is one of the most beautiful places on earth. However, unless you mountain bike, there isn't that much to do there, it's very quiet. Restaurants are some of the best in the state, especially the Tree Room. Reservations required.

Since Susan said they aren't into hiking, I was thinkig more like the spa thing at the Cliff at Snowbird.

I would suggest taking a trip up either Little/Big Cottonwood canyon. You can find ski resorts at the top of the canyon, take a tram ride to the top and see the view, hike, eat at some of the resort restaurants.

One of the things I miss most about Utah is this place called 'the Pie.' It is a little pizza place on the University of UTah campus which is absolutely amazing. Ask anyone in the area where it is and they will know, it's right by Rice Stadium

Hey you guys are fantastic!!! Thanks for all the wonderful replies. Now we have the dilemma of deciding which one(s) to do!!

Thanks a bunch. I'll post when I return.

Susan