Things To Do, Utah

Visit the Kennecott Copper Mine for Free 'til July 17, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:30:00 +0000

I wish I'd caught this one just a little earlier for all of you.

The Kennecott Copper Mine is giving FREE admission to the visitor's center until July 17, 2011- BUT, you must print this coupon and take it with you. The admission charge is normally $5.00 per car, but with the coupon presented at the gate, they will wave the fee. The coupon is only good through July 17, 2011- so act quickly.

The copper mine is a fascinating place to spend an hour or two: see a movie about the copper mine, roam the exhibits and look at the scale models of the both the vehicles used in the mine and of the mining operations themselves.

The visitors center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Get out this weekend and see one of the great man-made wonders of the world- right in our own backyard.

Some FREE Activities This Weekend- Saturday, July 9, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:56:00 +0000

This Saturday, July 9th, 2011, there are a couple of FREE admission days taking place at some great attractions in Weber County.

The Treehouse Museum, a children's museum in downtown Ogden has a free admission day. This is a fantastic, interactive museum that lets the kids get hands-on with the exhibits. They can pretend they are the President of the United States and sit behind the desk

in a replica of the Oval Office, do fossil rubbings or complete a bone puzzle in the Dinosaur Discovery area, or discover interesting things about each state with the Great American Map.

For more information, check out the Treehouse Museum's website.

The Ogden Nature center is also holding a free admission day (as they are doing every Saturday during the summer). Come see a live bird program or participate in a nature craft activity. Walk around the 152 acre nature preserve and enjoy a picnic in the beautiful outdoors. Also see the "FOR THE BIRDS" exhibit of handcrafted bird feeders and bird houses.

For more information, check out the Ogden Nature Center's website.

The Hill Air Force Base Aerospace Museum is in the area as well and always offers free admission. If you have the time make a stop here to see a collection of great military planes, including an SR-71 Blackbird- the plane that holds the shortest time record for a coast to coast flight.

Get out there and have some fun in Utah this weekend!

Visit A State Park- For FREE!

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Want to visit one of Utah's 43 state parks? Want to do it for free?

Try this out: Go to one of the following Utah libraries listed here (PDF file). Ask a librarian for the Utah State Parks Annual Pass and check it out with your library card. The pass will get you into any one of the 43 state parks for FREE day use (no overnight camping).

You can spend the day on Antelope Island exploring the unique habitat of the Great Salt Lake. Or, you might try This Is The Place Heritage Park and take a trip into Utah's late 1800's. Head over to Camp Floyd and Stagecoach Inn or out to Vernal to the Utah Field House of Natural History. If you have a little more time and stamina, visit the Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore, Goblin Valley or Dead Horse Point.

Here is a full, interactive map of all 43 state parks in Utah. Check out a pass today and begin exploring Utah's State Parks today.

Take Your Kids to the Wild West (Jordan) Playground

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Playgrounds have gotten infinitely cooler since I was a kid. Most playgrounds that I enjoyed when I was younger consisted mainly of swings, slides and monkey bars.

The Wild West Jordan Playground in West Jordan City Park, is a playground themed around the wild west, or at least Utah's version of it. The entrance to the playground is marked by an old water tower which sits in front of an approximation of an 1880's Main Street complete with several different storefronts. Beyond and behind the Main Street facade, are areas that represent Utah in the 1880's and 1890's, all connected by bridges, tunnels and monkey bars.

The most impressive part of the entire structure is a multi-level playhouse built to represent the old Saltair resort in its heady days on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. From the top level of the playhouse, an enclosed twisty slide descends almost two stories.

Different walls of the structure are painted to look like the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine or the Wasatch Mountains. Built into the painting of the Wasatch Mountains are a small climbing wall with hand and footholds just like the big walls but not ascending too high, and safe enough for the kids to pretend they are mountain climbing.

There are two distinct areas of the playground, one for the tots, aged 2-5, and the bigger area for the kids from 5-12 years old. The Wild West Jordan Playground is limited to kids 12 or younger, is open dawn 'til dusk, and has cameras that provide 24 hour police surveillance.

And for those of you who crave the old fashioned playground from the days of your youth- yes, the Wild West Jordan Playground does have swings.

If you like Wild West Jordan, also take a look at Discovery Park.

Place: Wild West Jordan Playground (West Jordan City Park) 1985 West 7800 South, West Jordan, Utah

Time: Dawn to Dusk

Cost: Free

View Wild West Jordan Playground in a larger map

Walk, Run, Ride or Play

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:19:00 +0000

One of my favorite things to do on a summer evening (or even a summer day) is to ride my bike along the Jordan River Parkway Trail.

The Jordan River Parkway trail is a wonderful place to go for a walk, run or to ride a bike. All along the trail are various parks, maintained by the different cities the trail passes through. Many of these parks have playgrounds, restrooms, and drinking fountains, and most are also trailheads, places where you can park your car and enter the trail going in either direction.

The trail will eventually be a paved, mixed use trail that parallels the Jordan River from Utah Lake in the south, to the Great Salt Lake on the north- about a 40 mile route. It also is, or will be connected to other trails such as the Provo River Trail, the Legacy Parkway Trail, and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

The longest completed section of paved trail runs from just south of North Temple and goes south to 7800 South to Gardner village. The paved portion of the trail does run a bit further south, to around 9000 South, but the trail has not been completed and it dumps you off onto 700 West in the Midvale/Sandy area. The trail from 7800 South to about North Temple has plenty to do and see, including several nature preserves and the International Peace Gardens.

So you don't have to attempt to cross major streets, tunnels or bridges have been built to help you safely across, although there are a few minor, quiet streets that you will need to cross in a cross-walk.

How do you get there? Drive along nearly any major or minor east-west streets to the Jordan River and look for the signs announcing parks or trailheads. Most are easy to find.

The trail is open from sunrise to sunset. It is an easy walk or bike for the entire family (my 8 year old son made a seven mile round trip ride along the trail last year). Don't go too fast- for courtesy's sake as well as for the fact that if you do, you are guaranteed to miss some amazing things in this urban retreat.

Hint: The Nature Center of Murray is between 5400 South and 4800 South and is the second largest designated wetland on the trail. It is home to hundreds of birds, a few dozen species, and there are plaques within the Nature Center to help you identify them.

Reciprocal Agreements Can Save You Money...

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 22:04:00 +0000

There are a number of Utah attractions where you can buy season/yearly passes- Lagoon, Hogle Zoo, Tracy Aviary, etc.

But, what many fail to realize is that when you purchase these season/yearly passes, is that there are often other benefits to these purchases known as reciprocal agreements. These agreements get you into other attractions for free, for free on certain days, or give you a discount off the regular admission price.

But, not all reciprocal agreements are crafted equally, or, one yearly pass may offer you access to attractions that you would use more than those offered with another pass' agreements. When buying season/yearly passes, take these different factors into account:

1) What season/yearly pass will you use the most? For example: if you buy a yearly pass to Hogle Zoo, will you use it enough to make it pay for itself PLUS save you money on additional visits? Are you more likely to visit Hogle Zoo, Tracy Aviary, or Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park, etc.?

2) What reciprocal agreements does that yearly pass have? Does it offer enough value to make it worth buying that particular pass or should you consider a different season/yearly pass that gives you access to other attractions that might be of more interest to your family?

3) Do the reciprocal agreements offer free admissions to other attractions, discount admissions, or a combination of both, and which of these would you use most often?

4) Some reciprocal agreements offer free admission on certain days of the month (usually weekdays). Can you make the time to take advantage of these reciprocal agreements?

5) If you live in Logan, for example, would buying a yearly pass to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi be worth the time you would need to make to travel? In this case, buying a pass to the Willow Park Zoo may be a better value and still give you opportunities to visit other attractions for free or discounted rates. Consider the distance that you would need to travel in order to take advantage of passes and reciprocal agreements.

Here is a list of some of the attractions in the state that offer season/yearly passes that also come with reciprocal agreements. While I try to list as many as I can, this is not intended to be a comprehensive list, nor does this list guarantee that all the reciprocal agreements will be honored, as they can be changed by participating parties at any time.

Hogle Zoo- Tracy Aviary (50% off admission every Thursday); Willow Park Zoo (50% off admission Nov. 1 thru Feb. 28); there are also reciprocity agreements with other zoos and attractions in many other states, usually a 50% off admission.

Tracy Aviary- Hogle Zoo (50% off admission every Thursday); Willow Park Zoo (free admission); Thanksgiving Point Farm (free admission on 1st Thursday of every month); Red Butte Garden (free admission); Ogden Nature Center (free admission 1st Thursday of every month); Living Planet Aquarium (50% off admission); Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park (free admission on weekdays only, excluding holidays and special events); there are also reciprocity agreements with other zoos and attractions in many other states, either free or discounted admission.

Willow Park Zoo- Hogle Z00 (free or discounted admission. Willow Park Zoo's website is not clear on the reciprocity policy); Tracy Aviary (free or discounted admission. Willow Park Zoo's website is not clear on the reciprocity policy); there are also reciprocity agreements with other zoos and attractions in many other states, either free or discounted admission. Call Willow Park Zoo to inquire about reciprocity agreements.

Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park- Tracy Aviary (free admission on weekdays); Ogden Nature Center (free admission on weekdays); Ogden Union Station (50% discount on daily admission).

Red Butte Garden- Tracy Aviary (free admission); there are also reciprocity agreements with other gardens and attractions in many other states, either free or discounted admission.

Odgen Union Station (three museums included in pass- Utah State Railroad Museum, John M. Browning Firearm Museum, and the Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum)- Ogden Nature Center (free admission); Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park (free weekday admission, excluding holidays and special events).

Getting season/yearly passes is both a great way to explore and save money.

Feed the Family Today- June 23, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:03:00 +0000

If you are out and about today discovering the cool places and things that Utah has to offer, be sure to save some room for lunch at Jimmy John's sandwich shop. You know these guys. They have the freaky, fast delivery commercials. Today, they have the freaky, cheap customer appreciation day.

Sandwiches, menu items #1-6 are only $1.00 each at lunchtime. That right $1.00!

Be at a participating location between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and fill up the family on the way to your next adventure.

Participating Utah locations are: Salt Lake City, West Valley, Midvale, Lehi, Ogden, South Ogden, American Fork, Bountiful, Clinton, Layton, Provo and Logan.

When: June 23, 2011. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: At participating locations (see above).

This Year, Make It A Stay-Cation! Start Here...

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:45:00 +0000

It's June 21st, 2011, the first official day of summer! What are you going to do with the kids this summer?

Gas prices are still high. Airline tickets can cost you your firstborn. And, have you seen some of the entry fees at amusement parks and other places of interest around the country? It's enough to cause a case of depression.

Why not travel around Utah this year? There are a lot of amazing things to do right in our own backyard, many of them inexpensive or even free. You can look back through this blog and find great places to go and things to do, and you can check back with us each week throughout

the summer as we add more and more places to go, even updating some of the things we've mentioned before.

This week is one of my favorite events of the summer- Taylorsville Dayzz. Now, I'll admit that I'm biased, since this is my hometown, but this annual celebration has just gotten bigger and better every year.

Taylorsville Dayzz begins on Thursday, June 23rd with the opening of the Carnival Midway. This is a pretty good sized carnival with a lot of rides, games, petting zoo and lots of midway style food. The Thursday Special- all carnival rides only $1. The Carnival opens at 4:00 p.m. and goes until 11:00 p.m.

Things really ramp up starting Friday, June 24th. The Carnival

is open again at 4:00 p.m. The Taylorsville Symphony begins a show at 6:00 p.m. and the night is highlighted by an Elvis impersonator starting at 8:00 p.m. Fireworks after the performance cap the night.

Saturday, June 25th, is when all the stops come out. The Taylorsville Dayzz Parade starts at 9:00 a.m., going up 5400 south from about 1800 west to 2700 west, then turning north on 2700 west and continuing down just past Valley Regional Park. The Carnival is open all day and the classic car show starts at 11:00 a.m. (with a burnout competition at noon). That evening, rock to some of the great ABBA classics with ABBA impersonator group, ADBACADABRA starting at 8:00 p.m. Once the show ends, stick around for one of the most spectacular free fireworks shows in the state.

The celebration concludes on Monday, June 27th. The Carnival will still be open if you haven't gotten enough food and rides. That evening at 8:00 p.m. the Utah Symphony will perform and the finale will be the 1812 Overture accompanied by real cannons fired by the Wasatch Cannoneers. And then, one final fireworks show.

I love Taylorsville Dayzz and so do my kids. Even better, it's cheap, it's close and it makes a great Staycation spot.

Where: Valley Regional Park, 5100 South 2700 West, Taylorsville, UT

When: June 23, 24, 25, 27, 2011

How Much: Mostly Free, Carnival rides and food cost extra.

Website: Taylorsville Dayzz

View Valley Regional Park in a larger map

New Look and New Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:33:00 +0000

We're back with a new, updated look and we'll soon be posting new, updated content as well. We'll be updating some of our previous Things To Do, Utah posts with current information about places to visit, what's new at some of the previous places we've visited, and with any new pricing or new ways to take advantage of deals.

Spring is just around the corner and there will be all sorts of things for you and your family to do as the weather warms up. Keep checking back with us to find out about the fun, free and spectacular things that Utah has to offer.

Thanks for reading!

Hogle Zoo in a Whole New (Christmas) Light

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:40:00 +0000

No, you're not seeing things. We're back. Its been a number of months since we've posted to the Things To Do, Utah blog. Although I didn't think that many people were reading our blog, the numbers, even though small, continued day after day over the past months. So, we're back and ready to share more about Things To Do, Utah.

'Tis the season, for Christmas lights!

There are a lot of displays out there, some for free, some will cost a little to get into, but most are worth it for a family night out (or even for the parents to get away).

Those of you who've read the blog in the past know that Hogle Zoo is one of our favorite places. Well, a new tradition, Zoo Lights are back again this year and bigger and better than ever. With over one million lights and animated animal displays made of lights, this is one fantastic place to be. It may get chilly at night, but the zoo has provided areas to warm up under heaters. And of course, don't forget the real animals.

Zoo Lights is an extra feature at the zoo, so your membership doesn't get you in for free, but you do get a discount with your membership. If you don't have a membership, the cost is $6.00 for adults, and $4.00 for seniors and children. With membership, admission is $5.00 for adults, and $3.00 for seniors and children.

But here is an even better way to see the lights and save a little money. Head down to Macey's Grocery Stores and pick up a Zoo Lights voucher from the customer service desk. The voucher will get you into Zoo Lights on Thursday evenings for only $3.00 per person (zoo membership or not).

So, kick off your Christmas season with Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo!

Event: Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo.
Location: 2600 Sunnyside Avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah
Phone: 801-582-1631
Date and Times: November 29 to December 31st, 2009; Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (grounds close at 9 p.m.), Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (grounds close at 10 p.m.).
Cost: Without zoo membership, $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for children and seniors; With zoo membership, $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children and seniors; With Thursday night vouchers from Macey's, $3.00 per person.

View Larger Map

Distance from:
Salt Lake City (downtown): 4.8 miles
Ogden: 41.3 miles
Provo: 48 miles
Logan: 86.8 miles

Neil Diamond (Impersonator) in Taylorsville, June 28, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:54:00 +0000

It is, once again, Taylorsville Dayzz! My family looks forward to this great community festival every year.

The Valley Regional Park is filled with food, rides, games and auto shows. The Taylorsville Recreation Center is letting people try out the rock climbing wall, the batting cages and the gym and exercise machines for FREE. The pool is open for swimming and you can take a break and read at the Taylorsville Library.

There is music on a couple of stages throughout the day- BUT, the big show is Saturday night. Live, from Las Vegas, headlining at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, is Jay White. White is the only Neil Diamond impersonator officially endorsed by Neil Diamond (and Neil Diamond's mother). I saw him perform last year, and not only does he look a heck of a lot like Neil Diamond, when he sings, you can barely tell the difference between White and the real thing. Jay White will be backed up by his own band and our very own West Valley Symphony.

Wrapping up his performance, he will sing the National Anthem that leads into the "Fireworks Extravaganza." The fireworks show, which starts around 10:00 p.m., has only gotten better every year. It is accompanied by a great soundtrack each year. This is, in my opinion, the best FREE fireworks show in the Salt Lake Valley, and probably one of the best in the state.

Taylorsville Dayzz even extends into Monday with a performance by the Utah Symphony. Monday evenings performance by the Symphony will be ended with a performance of the 1812 Overture, accompanied by cannons from the Wasatch Cannoneers. This is an incredible way to hear this amazing work (and nearly the way that Tchaikovsky intended for it to be played).

Taylorsville Dayzz is a great community gathering and a whole lot of fun. Now, excuse me while I prepare to sing along to "Sweet Caroline."

Event: Taylorsville Dayzz
Location: Valley Regional Park, 5100 South 2700 West, Taylorsville
Phone: 801.963.5400
Hours: June 28, 2008, 11:00 a.m. to dark; June 30, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to dark
Cost: FREE, food, rides and games have individual costs associated with them.

View Larger Map
Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 11.3 miles
Ogden: 44.8 miles
Provo: 38.2 miles
Logan: 89.5 miles

We're Back and Traveling Once Again

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:23:00 +0000

Sorry, folks. It's been a little while since I've been able to post anything. That pesky day job seemed to get in the way all too often over the last little while.

Having gotten the "day job" out of the way, I've spent a few days rambling around the state with the kids looking into some new places and checking up on some old favorites. I've got a lot of new information and some great places for you to visit. So over the next little while, I'll be posting about all of them.

In the last three days, we have been to:

The Hutchings Museum- Lehi
Timpanogos Cave- American Fork
Cabela's- Lehi
Golden Spike National Historic Site- Promontory
ATK Thiokol Rocket Garden- near Promontory
Marble Park- Bothwell
Bear River Wildlife Refuge- near Willard
BYU Earth Sciences Museum- Provo
BYU Museum of People and Cultures- Provo
Springville Art Museum- Springville
Krishna Temple- Spanish Fork
Bean Life Science Museum- Provo

Besides the gas for all this traveling (1 tank for $73.00), the total cost of entrance to all of this locations- $30.00 for myself and two of my children. The only place we visited that would have raised the cost if we'd had all the kids with us was Timpanogos Cave. Everything else was either free or a set entrance fee per car.

The locations above that have links are places that I've reviewed before and the ones without links are places that I will be reviewing shortly. All my travels around the state of Utah just continue to prove one thing- We have a lot of amazing places, within a short drive, that are either free or inexpensive, and are lots of fun for kids and adults alike.

Events for Saturday, June 7, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Kids are out of school (at least mine are) and summer programs really begin to rev-up this weekend. There are a lot of great events happening around the state and here are a just a few that have got me excited. For more, check out the "Things To Do, Utah" calendar.

The Museum of Anthropology at Utah State University in Logan is holding an "Indiana Jones" marathon. All three movies will be shown and you can also see an exhibit of Petra, one of the locations in "Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade" (it's where the Knight Templar was hiding).
Movies start at 10:00 a.m. Old Main, Room 252, Utah State University,
Logan, Utah. Admission is FREE.

Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation will be holding their movie in the park night. Festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. with inflatable bouncy rides (there is a small fee for these). At 8:00 p.m., a reptile show, "Scales and Tales" will begin. Then at dusk (about 9:00 p.m.), "Shrek the Third" will be shown on a giant 30 foot inflatable movie screen. 1651 East Fort Union Boulevard, Cottonwood Heights. Admission to the reptile show and movie is FREE.

Join the Ogden Astronomical Society and Weber State University on Antelope Island for an evening under the stars. Participants can expect to enjoy beautiful celestial views (weather permitting), and stellar conversation with local astronomers. Meet at White Rock Bay at 9 p.m. If you bring a
flashlight, please make it a red-colored lens. For more information
please call (801) 721-9569. Admission to Antelope Island is $9.00 per car (go earlier and make a day trip out of Antelope Island).

A Park Somewhere In Time

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

If there is a public park in Utah that is my sentimental favorite, it has to be Copperton Park. It is not nearly as large as Murray Park or have the interactive playground that Discovery Park has, but it has that old fashioned feel of lazy summer days, sipping lemonade in the shade of a large tree. It's like a park from somewhere back in time.

The park is in the center of the township of Copperton at the mouth of Bingham Canyon. It was a town built by Kennecott Copper in the early twentieth century for the employees of the mine. The town is on the National Historic Register and is filled with homes that make you feel that you've walked into another era. At one time, Copperton used to be the gateway to the Kennecott Copper mine visitors center, but, no more. The entrance moved several miles south of town.

I remember as a kid going to Copperton Park with my parents on family outings, numerous parties with different organizations (church, Boy Scouts, etc.) and later on as a teenager, just hanging out with friends on summer evenings.

The park has tennis courts, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, and restroom facilities at the south end of the park. The playground has swings and big slides to play on and includes massive tires from the large dump trucks that work in the mine. My own kids love to play here.

There is a more or less circular path that winds through the park, making its way through and around groves of large trees that are fifty to eighty years old. South of the playgrounds and in the center of the pathway are large grassy areas for kids to run and play. I used to play tag, hide and seek and Frisbee, among other games.

The park has a very quiet and relaxed nature, and I don't think I have ever seen the park overly crowded.

If there was one park I would ever want to own a house next to, it would be Copperton Park. So, if you're planning a picnic, a family get together or a church outing, check out Copperton Park. Just don't forget the lemonade.

Place: Copperton Park
Location: 8731 W 10305 South, Copperton
Phone: 801.483.5473 (Salt Lake County Park and Recreation)
Hours: Dawn to Dark
Cost: FREE

View Larger Map

Salt Lake City: 24.0 miles
Ogden: 56.7 miles
Provo: 41.7 miles
Logan: 101 miles

Feedback Friday for June 6, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:14:00 +0000

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Event of the Day for June 6, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Do you like creepy, cheesy old movies? Then you'll love the showings of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," and its sequel, "Revenge of the Creature" at the Varsity Theatre at BYU. What's better, the movies will be shown in the original 3-D! There will be trivia contests, prizes and a special guest appearance by the Creature himself. Admission for this event is $3.00 per person, but includes both movies, 3-D glasses and popcorn. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., movies begin at 7:30 p.m.

Event: Creature from the Black Lagoon, 3-D marathon
Location: Varsity Theatre, Wilkinson Center, Brigham Young University, Provo
Phone: 801.422.5371
Time: Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $3.00 per person

View Larger Map

Distance from:

Salt Lake City: 46.5 miles
Ogden: 81.9 miles
Provo (downtown): 2.3 miles
Logan: 127 miles

Free Events of the Day for June 5, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:30:00 +0000

There are a few things going on tonight that should be mentioned and all of the events are free to attend:

Tonight at the King's English Bookshop, Heather B. Armstrong, blogger and creator of Dooce.com will be talking about her book, "Things I Learned About My Dad (In Therapy): Humorous and Heartfelt Essays." This will be a chance to hear from and meet Utah's own blogger extraordinaire, currently ranked as one of the top 50 bloggers in the world. That's right- the WORLD! 7:00 p.m. at the King's English, 1511 South 1500 East, Salt Lake City. Admission is FREE.

At 6:30 p.m. at the Olympic Legacy Plaza at the Gateway Mall is "Jazz on the Plaza." Tonight's performance will be by the Steve Lindeman Quintet. Hopefully the weather will have cleared up and it will be a pleasant evening to enjoy some great jazz. 6:30 p.m. at The Gateway, 400 West South Temple, Salt Lake City. Admission is FREE.

Also, don't forget the live animal shows at the Monte L. Bean Museum on the BYU Campus. Tonight's show will focus on Ecosystems. Kids always love these shows. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the museum at 645 East 1430 North, BYU Campus, Provo. Admission to both the museum and the live animal shows are FREE.

Utah Trivia Thursday for June 5, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

When it comes to transportation and communication in the United States, Utah has played a central role when linking the east and west coasts.

The transcontinental telegraph line was connected in Salt Lake City Utah. The telegraph line coming from Carson City, Nevada was completed on October 18, 1861 and the line coming from Omaha, Nebraska was completed on October 24, 1861. This finally connected the east and west coasts and made communication much faster and easier. In fact, two days after the telegraph line was completed, the Pony Express (which also traveled through Utah) went out of business.

The first transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point, Utah (northwest of Salt Lake City) The Union Pacific built their line coming from the east, starting at Council Bluffs, Iowa and laid 1,087 miles of track. The Central Pacific began in Sacramento, California and laid 690 miles of track. The ceremony to finalize the completion of the railroad at Promontory, Utah became known as the driving of the Golden Spike.

In 1914, on the Utah/Nevada border the Bell Telephone Company of Nevada and the Mountain State Telephone and Telegraph Company spliced together the final wires which finally connected the east and west coasts by telephone. The final telephone pole with a historical marker still stand today in the parking lot of the Silver Smith Casino in Wendover, Utah.

Event of the Day for Wednesday, June 4, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:11:00 +0000

Live jazz music performed by great bands at the Union Station in Ogden. "Jazz at the Station" begins at 7:30 p.m. and admission is FREE.

Event: Jazz at the Station
Location: Union Station, 2501 Wall Avenue, Ogden
Phone: 801.393.9890
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE

View Larger Map

Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 37.2 miles
Ogden (downtown): 0.5 miles
Provo: 78.8 miles
Logan: 47.6 miles

See The Stars in Ogden

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Brad Pitt?! Angelina Jolie?! Julia Roberts?! George Clooney?!

Wrong kind of stars. We're talking about those little points of light in the sky here. We're talking about the Ott Planetarium at Weber State University.

Many people in Utah think there is just the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City, and while it is the most well known in Utah, it isn't the only one. The Ott Planetarium, on the campus of Weber State, offers a great selection of star shows and shows about clouds, the aurora, the Hubble Telescope and more.

It has a smaller theater (it holds just 60 people) than the Clark Planetarium, but by no means does this diminish the educational and entertainment factor. At $2.00 per show for adults and $1.00 per show for kids, it's hard to find a better planetarium value anywhere in the United States.

During the summer, the Ott Planetarium offers the public the "Summer Series," of shows every other Saturday from noon until 4:00 p.m. for FREE. Seating is limited. The planetarium also takes science to the parks in June and July. The "Science in the Parks" program gets kids involved in the "coolness" of science through the 5 different parts of the program- Hear It, See It, Fly It, Feel It, and Build It. These programs run weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and are FREE to kids of all ages.

When you visit the Ott Planetarium, don't forget to visit the Museum of Natural Science, located in the same building- the Lind Lecture Hall. For my money, this is one of the greatest little planetariums in the country.

Place: Ott Planetarium
Location: Lind Lecture Hall- Room 203, Weber State University, 1551 Edvalson Street, Ogden
Phone: 801.626.6871 (live Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
Hours: Varies with season and available shows, see website for more information
Cost: Summer Series shows are FREE (see above, or see website), regular public shows are $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for students (Kindergarten to University), children under 5 are FREE.

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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 33.8 miles
Ogden (downtown): 3.4 miles
Provo: 75.4 miles
Logan: 50.8 miles

Free Event of the Day for Tuesday, June 3, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Do you like spiders? Do you hate spiders?

Either way, you'll enjoy seeing the 1953 movie, "Tarantula." The movie will be shown at the Salt Lake City Main Library as part of the Utah Museum of Natural History's "Science Movie Night." After the movie is over, Christy Bills, the museum's entomologist will discuss arachnids with the crowd. Come and see the movie and talk about spiders and have some fun creeping yourself out.

Event: Science Movie Night
Location: Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 East 400 South, Salt Lake City
Phone: 801.585.3948
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE

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Distance from:
Salt Lake City (downtown): 0.2 miles
Ogden: 38.0 miles
Provo: 44.3 miles
Logan: 82.7 miles

Events This Week- June 2 through June 7, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Summer events and activities really kick off this week. There is so much to do that I can't list them all here, so be sure to check the "Things To Do, Utah" calendar (right hand side of the page), or go here for the full calendar. The "Things To Do, Utah" calendar is constantly being updated.

Monday, June 2, 2008
The Utah Museum of Natural History is holding its Free Family Monday. Admission to the museum is FREE all day long, from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. From 5:30 to 7:30 there will be science demonstrations in the lobby. Get up to the University and check out an great museum for FREE. 1390 East Presidents Circle, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Live animals shows at the Monte L Bean Museum at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The subject for the show on Monday nights is: Reptiles. Admission to the museum and animal shows are FREE. 645 East 1430 North, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

The Blue Sky Concert Series presents "The Sphincter Tones" playing oldies but goodies rock and roll music in Pioneer Park in Provo at 7:00 p.m. There will also be short mime and puppetry performances before the music. Admission is FREE. 500 West Center Street, Provo, Utah.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Canopy Capers, a family story time for children of all ages will be held at the Provo City Library on the south side of the building, under the canopy at 12:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. 550 North University Avenue, Provo, Utah.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Get to the Union Station in Ogden for "Jazz at the Station," for great jazz music by local artists starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is FREE. Union Station Grand Lobby, 2501 Wall Avenue, Ogden, Utah.

Thursday, June 5, 2008
Head on over to The Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City for an evening of relaxing "Jazz on the Plaza." The Steve Lindeman Quintet will be performing starting at 6:30 p.m. Don't forget to let the kids play in Snowflake Fountain. Admission is FREE. 400 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Friday, June 6, 2008
Murray Park presents Children's Matinees at the Murray Park Gazebo at 2:00 p.m. This week's performance is by Moosebutter. Relax and play in the park and enjoy the fun performance. Admission is FREE. 5065 South State Street (to get to the Gazebo, enter Murray Park from State Street entrance), Murray, Utah.

Saturday, June 7, 2008
Cabela's in Lehi has a whole lot going on today. It is FREE Kids Fishing Day at their trout pond (call for details: 801.766.2500). The Flying High Bicycle Stunt Show will be performed in the parking lot at 10:00 a.m. and again at 3:00 p.m. At 5:00 p.m. Cabela's holds its neighborhood block party in the parking lot. Bring your barbecue and fire them up at 5:00 p.m. and let the kids play yard games. There will be drawings and giveaways for those who participate. Admission is FREE. 2502 West Grand Terrace Parkway, Lehi, Utah.

The Museum of Anthropology at Utah State University in Logan is holding an "Indiana Jones" marathon. All three movies will be shown and you can also see an exhibit of Petra, one of the locations in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (it's where the Knight Templar was hiding). Movies start at 10:00 a.m. Old Main, Room 252, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation will be holding their movie in the park night. Festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. with inflatable bouncy rides (there is a small fee for these). At 8:00 p.m., a reptile show, "Scales and Tales" will begin. Then at dusk (about 9:00 p.m.), "Shrek the Third" will be shown on a giant 30 foot inflatable movie screen. Admission to the reptile show and movie is FREE.

On A Hot Summer Day, An Olympic Sized Cooldown

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:50:00 +0000

When the heat is on in Utah, we all look for a little relief. Some of us retreat to our air conditioned homes, or to indoor shopping malls, or we head down to the local swimming pool.

One of my kids favorite cool down spots is the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake. This is an open-air mall on the west side of downtown that has some of the cool, hip and trendy shops that are seen in a lot of major cities these days. But, the reason we like to visit in the summertime, is the Olympic Legacy Plaza's "Snowflake Fountain."

When the Winter Olympic Games came to Salt Lake in 2002, the Snowflake Fountain was one of its lasting legacies. The fountain is a flat surface at sidewalk level, which allows visitors to The Gateway to stroll right through it. But, beware! Unexpectedly, jets of water shoot up into the air at varying heights. The jets alternate shots of water, fountains and fog to provide a fun visual experience. Every 1/2 hour, music plays and the water fountain "dances" to different selections, including the 2002 Winter Olympic Theme.

The best part is that kids (and adults) are invited to play with the fountain- get involved. Try to make it across the plaza without getting wet, or just stand there and let the water soak you down and cool you off.

There are benches all around the plaza for parents who don't want to get wet, to sit and relax as the children play in the water. Be sure to bring a towel to dry the kids off with and a reason to get them to leave. Once my kids start playing in the water, they don't want to go.

Place: Snowflake Fountain, Olympic Legacy Plaza, Gateway Mall
Location: 400 West South Temple, Salt Lake City
Phone: 801.456.2000
Hours: Summer, Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE

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Distance From:
Salt Lake City (downtown): 1.7 miles
Ogden: 37.7 miles
Provo: 44.1 miles
Logan: 82.4 miles

Event of the Day for Saturday, May 31, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:07:00 +0000

Hear some music. See some magic.

Murray Arts in the Park presents Magic and Music for Kids with magician Paul Brewer who will entertain the crowd along with the Bear Foot Band.

Event: Magic and Music for Kids
Location: Murray Park Ampitheatre, 5300 South 500 East, Murray
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $5.00 for adults, kids 12 and under get in free with paying adults

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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 9.9 miles
Ogden: 45.3 miles
Provo: 36.8 miles
Logan: 90 miles

Head To The Library For Fun?

noreply@blogger.com (Drew Goodman) — Sat, 31 May 2008 17:14:00 +0000

I know. Libraries are old stodgy buildings filled with lots of old books, where the old spinster librarians constantly shush you to be quiet, and the only time you get to have fun is when you leave. This library is nothing like that.

The Salt Lake City Library's Main Branch in downtown Salt Lake is interesting and inviting from the moment you see the exterior of the building. Once you go inside it only intrigues and excites you even more.

The north and east wall of the building leans inward from the ground up and curves around from the northwest to the southeast, shrinking from five stories down to nearly ground level.

When you enter the building you can see this curve extended through the five story atrium. The atrium has a glass ceiling and feels nearly like you are still outside on the entrance plaza. To the left are shops that sell books, art, flowers, and food; to the right is the library itself.

The building is meant to be explored. It glass walls and elevators and flying staircases let you look out at all the patrons, books and public spaces in the library. Cross one of the bridges from the library side through the atrium to the exterior curved wall for a great place to read or study. Each of the desks has connections for Internet access and the whole building is a wireless hot spot.

Head to top floor and visit the art gallery with its always changing exhibits. From the gallery floor you can walk out onto the rooftop gardens. The gardens, with it plants, trees and pathways, are designed to feel like a hill or mountainside rather than the top of a building and you get an amazing view of the city and the Wasatch Mountains. From the roof, you can either go back down inside the library or walk the top of the exterior curving wall down to the library plaza.

The children's reading area is an great place for kids. It is in the "basement" of the library, but is at the bottom of a 5 story atrium will a glass wall that extends to the ceiling so there is always plenty of light. The kids can explore not only the books but the two special rooms that are hidden underneath the pond on Library Square. One is Grandmother's Attic, built to give a cozy place for kids to curl up with a book. The other is the Crystal Cave, the kind of place to let their imaginations run wild as they pretend to be in another world.

The Children's Area also has a craft room when there are often activities for the kids to participate in. Check the library's website for a list of events for children and adults.

You could spend hours here, playing and exploring, surfing the Internet and grabbing a bite to eat. You might even want to read a book.

Place: Salt Lake City Library's Main Branch
Location: 210 East 400 South, Salt Lake City
Phone: 801.524.8200
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE

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Distance from:
Salt Lake City (downtown): 0.2 miles
Ogden: 38.0 miles
Provo: 44.3 miles
Logan: 82.7 miles