SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Salt Lake City is known mainly for two things: the first is as the home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or the Mormons; the second is as the host city of the 2002 Winter Olympics. As well, it serves as the capital city of the State of Utah.

Salt Lake City is located in north-central Utah, at the intersection of I-15 and I-80. Surrounded by mountains, it is one of the more picturesque cities in the U.S., and its relatively small size allows it to retain a sense of community that is sometimes lacking in other major cities.

There are two main things to see in Salt Lake City. Of course, there is Temple Square, which is the main home of the Mormons. The temple itself is beautiful, a six-spired gray building that dominates the square. Tours are offered by the many tour guides who can be found on the grounds, but you are free to walk around as well. There are some gardens outside the temple which add to the ambience of the square.

Next to the temple is the Tabernacle, home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings, and performances are on Sunday mornings, so if you have a chance, you should check it out.

Mormon Temple

The second tourist spot is the State Capitol Building, which is about a 15-minute uphill walk from Temple Square. There are some interesting exhibits inside the building, and a nice view from the front, so it is worth a look if you have time.

Utah's Capitol

One of the confusing things about Salt Lake is the street naming system. There is a North Temple Street, a West Temple Street, and Avenues and Streets are numbered, with streets on the east side and avenues on the west. It takes a couple of days to figure out where something is by the address alone.

One good thing is the Trax system, which is Salt Lake's light rail transit that travels from the Delta center through downtown, past the baseball stadium, and continues into the southern suburbs. It is new and efficient, and if you stay within the downtown core, it is free.

Overall, Salt Lake City is a nice place to visit - it is already prepared for the Olympics, so construction is not as ubiquitous as it might otherwise be, and there are lots of outdoor activities in the area, both summer and winter. Finally, the ballpark is beautiful, which is a perfect complement to the city.