What To Do in Salt Lake City on a Sunday BESIDES Go To Church?
 

I'm making flight reservations for a week in Park City in October. We agreed to fly in on a Sunday, and I can save more than $100 by getting there in the morning. My friend won't arrive (from a different state than mine) until about 7:30pm. Is there anything fun and interesting to do in SLC on a Sunday? I am not interested in touring the temple area or hearing the MTChoir sing, and wonder if there is anything to do on Sundays? There's nothing on the Chamber of Commerce event calendar for that day (10/19).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions :)

Are you going to be renting a car? If so, pick it up when you get there and (assuming it is a nice day) head up to Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It is a gorgeous drive, and only about 35 minutes from the airport. They are having "customer appreciation days" in October and you can ride the Tram to the top for a food bank donation.

From the Snowbird website calendar:

DATE: October 11, 12, 18 & 19, 2008 (weather permitting)
PLACE: Bring food donations to the front entrance of the Snowbird Center
Cash donations will be taken at the Ticket Office
TIMES: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
COST: Bring a can of food and RIDE THE TRAM FOR FREE, one can of food per person per ride, or $2 per person. All food will be donated to the Utah Food Bank. All $ is a donation to the Wasatch Adaptive Sports Program.
Benefiting the Utah Food Bank and the Wasatch Adaptive Sports Program.

Then you could drive on up to Alta, park and take a walk in Albion Basin to enjoy the fall colors.

I'd head tot eh Jordanelle Dam and Provo River with a pair of binoculars and look for some interesting birds. Or I'd rent a kayak and check out the reservoir.

I'd head to the Jordanelle Dam and Provo River with a pair of binoculars and look for some interesting birds. Or I'd rent a kayak and check out the reservoir.

Thanks for these suggestions, enzian and wliwl. I was hoping for some in-town city activity, but it looks as though there is not much going on in SLC---no festivals or fairs, etc. I've checked all the events calendars I can find online and the newspapers, too. I wasn't planning to rent a car as we will both be picked up together from the airport when my friend arrives and will have a car when we get to her house in Park City. I was thinking I would take a taxi into town and back. It looks like all the shops in the antique district on Broadway are closed on Sundays. :(

Maybe just rent a car just for the day and take one of the suggestions above? As a skier, I am in love with Alta, and I think it must be gorgeous in the fall.

Thanks, anyway Nora, but I just made reservations for later in the day as I really only wanted to look around the city itself. We'll be staying just above the Jordanelle resevoir and will be right in the middle of all the beautiful fall color.

Hi, kswl.....I don't know if you still need something to fill those hours, but a couple of ideas: taxi to Red Butte Gardens (botanical gardens at the base of a pristine canyon east of Salt Lake City) above the University of Utah campus. It's gorgeous that time of year, and easy to get to and from the airport (you may need to arrange a taxi pick-up time.)

Another idea, we enjoy dim sum on Sundays at the Hong Kong Tea House on 200 South and about 500 West downtown. It's about 5 minutes from the airport, VERY authentic and delicious...have a great trip.

There is a zoo and an amusement park

Hi kswl,

I would second enzian's idea of going up to Snowbird. The scenery there is quite different from what you will see around Deer Valley. Much higher altitude, much more spectacular canyon and some very good restaurants. The views from the to of the tram are awesome. The Rustler Lodge at Alta has a great Sunday brunch. You would need reservations. Well worth renting a car.

Also, Red Butte Gardens are lovely and well worth the taxi ride.

PS - Snowbird is only about a 25 minute drive from the airport.

There's a LOT more to do in Salt Lake on Sunday (or any day) than people think and a thriving non-mormon community. Here's the most complete calendar for Salt Lake City events. You'll find dozens of choices even on Sundays! http://www.ourcommunityconnection.com/events.php

Rent a car and go to Promotory Point and see the place where in 1869 the Golden Spike was hammered and the US was joined east to west. Very moving place.

Thanks for those suggestions lauren and cc. Since that post in August I have spent two weeks in PC--one in October (the trip this question was about) and one in January.

As it turned out my friend went on a different flight and we both arrived at about the same time and we started shopping the moment our feet hit the pavement :)