Why go
Temple Square explains the city's religious center, while the Utah State Capitol gives a civic counterpart and a view over downtown. The Natural History Museum of Utah and Utah Museum of Fine Arts move the focus to the university area. These anchors show why Salt Lake City rewards more than one kind of sightseeing day.
Useful to know
- Combine Temple Square with nearby downtown buildings for one outing.
- Set aside a separate stretch for the university museums; they are farther east than the central landmarks.
The route, stop by stop
Times are planning estimates. Unknown visit durations start at an editable 30 minutes; access is checked separately.
- 01
Optional · – min
Utah State Capitol
On Capitol Hill, Utah's seat of government pairs a grand public interior with a view toward downtown. A guided tour is useful if you want to understand the building beyond its dome.
Explore Walk · 99 min · Estimated
02Optional · – min
Natural History Museum of Utah
Utah's landscapes, wildlife and human stories fill four floors at the Rio Tinto Center. Set aside a substantial museum visit rather than treating this foothill stop as a quick downtown detour.
ExploreWalk · 30 min · Estimated
03Optional · – min
Utah Museum of Fine Arts
On the University of Utah campus, this museum offers a broad art visit away from downtown's historic sites. Rotating displays make it worth checking what is on view before going.
ExploreWalk · 75 min · Estimated
04Optional · – min
Temple Square
This historic block is the clearest starting point for understanding Salt Lake City's Latter-day Saint landmarks. Walk it as a group of distinct sites, allowing for changing routes and building access.
ExploreWalk · 18 min · Estimated
05Optional · – min
Museum of Utah
The Museum of Utah is a state-history museum in the North Capitol Building. Its four galleries offer a broad introduction to Utah’s people, work and culture.
ExploreWalk · 38 min · Estimated
06Optional · – min
Salt Lake City and County Building
Washington Square's historic civic building rewards a short exterior stop. Its clock tower and carved stone offer a contrast with the religious landmarks farther north; public sightseeing access inside is uncertain.
ExploreWalk · 5 min · Estimated
07Optional · – min
Main Library
Salt Lake City's Main Library is as much an architecture stop as a place to read. Its sweeping glass wall and walkable curve reward a slower look, with rooftop access dependent on conditions.
ExploreWalk · 104 min · Estimated
08Optional · – min
Utah’s Hogle Zoo
At the mouth of Emigration Canyon, Utah’s Hogle Zoo makes a longer outdoor family visit with animals from many habitats. Plan around the exhibits that matter most and check current animal locations.
ExploreWalk · 135 min · Estimated
09Optional · – min
Clark Planetarium
Hands-on space exhibits make this Gateway District planetarium an easy indoor stop. A dome or large-screen film turns it into a longer visit, so decide which experience matters before arriving.
ExploreWalk · 81 min · Estimated
10Optional · – min
Rice-Eccles Stadium
The University of Utah football stadium is most rewarding as an event venue. An exterior stop is brief, while a game adds the crowd, mountain backdrop and sports history that give it meaning.
ExploreWalk · 66 min · Estimated
11Optional · – min
Salt Lake Temple
The stone temple is Temple Square's central landmark, appreciated through its exterior and carved symbols. Treat it as an architecture and history stop, with interior access governed separately.
ExploreWalk · 2 min · Estimated
12Optional · – min
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Tabernacle's broad dome and large pipe organ make it a distinctive Temple Square interior. Visit for the sound and structure, while checking the building's own access arrangements first.
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