Have You Ever Wanted to Pet a Zebra?

When I was younger, traveling with my family along I-15 between Provo and St. George, was torture.  Small towns were merely passing blurs on our way to St. George, Las Vegas, and Disneyland.  We might occasionally have stopped in Nephi to grab some lunch and top off the gas tank before heading back out on the road.  But after that, it was hours of boredom.

Yet, if you know where to go, there are some interesting stops to make along the way.  It's these stops along the way that make adventures about more than just the destination.  And more fun.

Whether you're traveling north or south on I-15, you should make a stop in Scipio (about an hour south of Provo and an hour north of Beaver), at the Flying J Travel Center where there is a unique petting zoo.

This free petting zoo has the typical petting zoo type animals- goats, sheep, chickens and rabbits.  The kids will have fun with these friendly farm animals who have mostly gotten used to being touched, hugged, and fed by excited children.

But, a petting zoo with just your normal farm animals wouldn't be enough to get most people to pull over at what has been for years a stop for semi-trucks.

There are also zebras, ostriches, alpacas, miniature horses, and more.  The more exotic animals are kept behind fences, unlike the smaller animals that are allowed to roam around the enclosures with the visitors.  Yet, they will come right over when tempted with some hay or food pellets (purchased for a quarter at machines around the corrals.

Watch your fingers and hands though.  The zebras are mostly friendly, but will occasionally take a nip at you.  And the ostrich can get a little aggressive, swinging its large head and pecking a at unsuspecting people.

When you're done at the zoo, walk across the street to the Flying J to the clean, but busy, Burger King and pick up a soft serve ice cream cone to enjoy while you continue on down the road to the next part of your adventures.


Going north or south on I-15, take Exit 188 at Scipio and go to the west side of the freeway to the Flying J Travel Center.

Memorial Day- The Official, Unofficial Start of Summer

It's Memorial Day.

Swimming pools are opening.  Grills are sizzling.  The kids are nearly out of school.

And the call of summer can almost be heard already, "I'm sooooo bored!"

At Things To Do, Utah, we're here to help you find interesting places to go and fun activities throughout Utah that won't break the bank.

To kick off Summer 2014, here are 10 of our favorite places to go, in no particular order:

1. Wild West Jordan Playground.  West Jordan, Utah- This playground, themed around an 1880's Utah main street, has climbing walls, a multi-story playhouse made to look like the old Saltair, and of course, plenty of playground equipment.  Part of the expansive West Jordan City Park, the playground is a great place to spend a warm summer afternoon.
2. Hogle Zoo.  Salt Lake City, Utah- Hogle Zoo has been undergoing a major transformation over the last few years.  Asian Highlands, Rocky Shores, and Elephant Encounters are being joined this year by African Savanna, complete with 4 new lions.
3. Hill Aerospace Museum.  Hill Air Force Base, (near Roy) Utah- The history of aviation and the U.S. Air Force unfolds in massive fashion at this high flying museum.  From World War I to the Cold War and today's military fighter jets, this museum is just plain cool.  Don't miss the SR-71 Blackbird, a huge and amazing looking plane that set speed flight records before being retired.
4. Antelope Island.  Accessible by causeway, west of Layton, Utah- This, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, has a museum about the wildlife on the island, the Garr-Fielding Ranch, a sandy beach, and plenty of hiking trails.
5. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.  BYU, Provo Utah- Reopening on June 7, this life sciences museum was already a fascinating place to spend an afternoon.  New, improved and expanded, it should prove to be even more fun.  Head to their website for information on Family Nights and live animal shows.
6. Springville Museum of Art.  Springville, Utah- This gem of an art museum is one that a lot of people who've lived in Utah all their lives either don't know about or have never visited.  Take a day and explore this museum, housed in a building in Spanish Moroccan style architecture.  Don't forget the sculpture gardens.
7. USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum.  Price, Utah- This great museum splits its exhibits between paleontology and anthropology.  See a great collection of dinosaur bones, dinosaur eggs, and dinosaur footprints.  Take a picture with Utah's very own, Utahraptor.  Then, move over to the other side of the museum and learn about the people that first inhabited Utah.
8. Bridal Veil Falls.  Provo Canyon, Utah- Bridal Veil Falls is a beautiful, double horsetail cascade that tumbles from 600 feet from the canyon bottom.  At the base of the falls is a small wading pool, shady picnic areas, and paved walking/biking trails that run down the canyon.
9. Novell Children's Discovery Park.  Pleasant Grove, Utah- This is a playground that's been built around teaching kids science while playing.  Check out the different zones and explore music, dinosaurs, sound, and light.  When you're tired, sit down and play chess at one of the nearby tables.
10. We're leaving this to YOU to tell us where in Utah is your favorite place to go.  Just leave a comment below and we'll share it with all our readers.

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, where we post fun weekly events and other things to do.  And be sure to watch for some special things coming this summer that will help you find even more things to do.

Trails, Rails and Rockets

There is a fantastic drive thats cut a loop through northern Utah, and in the process, takes you from the 19th century to the 21st, from high desert to wetlands, and give you a nice resting spot for lunch in between.

Head out in the morning, especially in the summertime for a cooler drive, and go to the Golden Spike National Historic Site (take I-15 to just north of Brigham City and get off on Promontory Road, or Highway 13 and head west).  This landmark is the spot where the transcontintental railroad linked the United States from east to west for the first time.  You can watch a movie about the building of the railroad, walk out to the spot where the Golden Spike was driven, see a replica of the spike in the museum, and watch rebuilt locomotives like the ones that met there run up and down the track.  You can even drive along the original railroad grades, listening to a program about the railroad on your radio.

When you've got your fill of railroads, head back to Highway 83, but instead of turning right and heading back to the interstate, hang a left and head north towards ATK Thiokol.  This is the company that built the booster rockets for the Space Shuttles and is working on rockets for the next generation of spaceflight.  In front of their main offices, right off the highway is the Thiokol Rocket Garden.  This outdoor museum is a collection of rockets used on missiles, right up to the Space Shuttles.  It is a self-guided tour with plaques at each rocket explaining what the rocket is for.  If you want to get a feel for how big the shuttle boosters were, there is a hollow segment of the rocket that makes a great photo op- especially with the kids standing inside.  Warning: bring mosquito repellant.

Next, follow Highway 83 north again, until it meets with Highway 102 (Faust Valley Road).  Highway 102 loops around to the east, heading you back towards I-15.  But, keep an eye out to the north side of the road for Marble Park, just to the east of the Valley View Cemetery.  This privately owned park, open to the public, is a fascinating use of old farm implements.  Swings, teeter-toters and other jungle gym type toys await.  A creek runs through the middle of the park and a bowery, made of old railroad ties from the Great Salk Lake railroad causeway, make a great place to sit down, relax and have lunch.  Be sure to see the timeline of history, from pioneer days to the space age, again made out of farm implements and scrap metal.

When you're ready to jump back in the car, head east again on Highway 102 until you reach I-15.  From here, head south until you get to the Forest Street exit.  Get of the interstate, turning west and drive about a half mile until you read the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.  Here you will find a great education center that teaches you about the birds that pass through the refuge on their migratory flights or those that make the marshes their home.  You can follow a paved trail through the marshes looking for many of the bird species you learn about in the education center.  If you'd like a guided tour, they are given every Friday and Saturday at 9 am and 1 pm.

When you're done spotting birds, head east on Forest Road to go right into Brigham City for a refill on drinks or some food at some great old diners.  If you have time, you might even visit a museum or two in Brigham City, such as the Brigham City Museum or the Brigham City Depot.

All these stops, not including food or gas, will only cost you the entrance fee to the Golden Spike National Historic Site, which at this time (2012) is just $7.00 per vehicle ($5.00 per vehicle in the winter).  It's a day-long trip that will keep the kids occupied and won't break the bank.
View Northern Utah Loop in a larger map

In Utah, June Is A Month For Festivals

It's June.  School is out.  Kids are excited (parents, maybe not so much).  The heat of the summer has yet to set in.  And all around Utah, cities and towns are holding celebrations and festivals.  It's really amazing how many different events take place in Utah in June.  Below, I've created a list of festivals going on this month.  I'm sure these aren't all of them, but they are fun, and most have free admission, though some specific events might have small costs.  I've included links to festival websites where available.  I'll also be writing about some of these in the coming weeks..


June 2, 2012- Utah Lake Festival, Utah Lake Marina

• Celebrate Utah Lake with free food (hot dogs and popcorn), crafts for kids, boat rides, sailboat regatta, and hay rides.  Since it is also free fishing day in the state (no licenses required on June 2), there will be instructions on fishing with local experts, as well a free use of fishing poles and bait to try your hand at fishing in Utah Lake.  The fun starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 2 p.m.

 June 2-9, 2012- Springville Art City Days, Springville

•   This week long festival celebrating the place that art plays in Springville has a little something for everyone.  Most are free to the public.  Parades, fireworks, hot air balloon festival, talent shows, hot dog eating contests, and of course art festivals.  Check the website for a day by day, detailed schedule of events.  Don't miss this event voted two years in a row as "Best of Utah County."

 June 6-9, 2012- Saratoga Splash, Saratoga Springs

•   Head down to Saratoga Springs to have enjoy this celebration that includes water fights (with the fire department using fire hoses), dances, monster truck rides (small fee), a pie eating contest, talent competition, and a free concert with Moosebutter.

June 8-9, 2012- Scottish Days & Highland Games, Lehi

•   This festival is held at Thanksgiving Point, just off I-15 in Lehi.  Admission to this event is $15, but kids 11 years old and under is free.  There are all sorts of events based on Scottish culture including athletic events, piping and drumming, and things for the kids.

June 8-9, 2012- Orem Summerfest, Orem

•   Held at Orem City Center Park, Summerfest includes an art festival, carnival rides, parades and fireworks.  And don't miss the car show and a chance to see the Air Med helicopter up close.  The Rotary Club will be serving breakfast on June 9th at 8 a.m. for $2/person or $10/family.

June 15-16, 2012- Chalk Art Festival, Gateway, SLC

•   Come to The Gateway in downtown Salt Lake to see some amazing chalk art drawing by both children and adults.  There are some truly incredible artists and you will be blown away.

June 16-23, 2012- Cedar Hills Family Festival, Cedar Hills

•   This is a family oriented festival in Cedar Hills that includes a movie in the park one evening and a concert in the park the next evening.  There is also a parade, children's games and buried treasure, and capping it all off, fireworks!  There are ticket purchases required for some events, such as for the Swim Night and Dinner at the Park.

June 17-23, 2012- Strawberry Days & Rodeo, Pleasant Grove

•   In Pleasant Grove there will be concerts in the park, free family swim, a carnival (costs extra), tours of the Pioneer Museum, a "mammoth" parade, fireworks and more.  This is also the venue for the PRCA Strawberry Days Rodeo (tickets required).

June 21-24, 2012- Westfest, West Valley City

•   Celebrating West Valley City's diversity, Westfest features a parade, multicultural entertainment,  a reptile show, the National Guard climbing wall, a West Valley Police K-9 demonstration, concerts and fireworks!  Held at Centennial Park, this a fun festival that grows each year.

 June 23-30, 2012- Lehi Round-up Celebration, Lehi

•   Movies nights in the park, a real live cattle drive down Main Street with Longhorns, Cowboy Poetry ($5 tickets), 1/2 price swim day, arts in the park, parades (yes, two of them), and a dirt dance at the rodeo grounds.

June 28-30, 2012- Taylorsville Dayzz, Taylorsville

•   I'll admit, since Taylorsville is my hometown, I'm a bit biased towards this festival, but I'm amazed at how it's grown and gotten bigger and better every year.  The Utah Symphony will be performing a patriotic concert on Thursday, June 28th and finish it off by playing the 1812 Overture, complete with cannons being fired by the Wasatch Cannoneers.  On Friday, June 29th, the Surf City Allstars will be performing with great summertime music.  On Saturday, June 30th, Jay White, a Neil Diamond impersonator will be making his third appearance at Taylorville Dayzz.  The last time he performed, nearly 30,000 people were in the park to listen.  Those people also came to see Saturday night's fireworks show.  It is synced to music and has become one of the best free firework shows in the state.  Don't forget the Saturday morning parade, the car show and burnout competition, the petting zoo, and the carnival (tickets cost extra for the rides and petting zoo).

There you have it.  Some GREAT festivals around the state, mostly free or with lost cost events as part of the festival.  Like I said, I know this isn't all of them.  If I haven't mentioned one that you really like or you think others should be aware of, let us know in the comment boards.  I'll do my best to get it added to the list.

Things To Do, Utah- Now on Twitter!

We're at it again!  Expanding our reach to give you great information about Utah no matter where you are.

Follow us on Twitter for information and quick updates, share information with us, or even ask us questions!

Utah has amazing places and things to do and see.  Don't miss out on any of them.  Follow Things To Do, Utah on Twitter!

Things To Do, Utah- Now On Facebook

We've been sharing some of our favorite places to visit around Utah for several years now.  All of those reviews have been posted here on the the Things To Do, Utah blog.

Now, we're expanding!

We're now on Facebook and we're inviting you to "Like" us.  The Facebook page will be the place where we share daily updates from Utah newspapers, websites, blogs and any other places we find that has great information on what is happening around this great state.

We'll still be blogging with in depth reviews, photos, maps and information about amazing places to visit and trying to help you save money doing it.

So, head on over to Facebook!  "Like" us!  And share with everyone your favorite things to do and places to go in Utah.

Memorial Day Weekend 2012

It's almost Memorial Day weekend, the official, unofficial beginning of summer.  School will be ending soon and the kids will be looking for things to do.  We're back again to help you fill your summer with fun trips and activities that won't break the bank.  We've been all around the state, to zoos, museums, parks, natural wonders, historic sites and more and have found some pretty amazing things our state has to offer.


Here are a couple of coupon offers to get your summer started:

• Thanksgiving Point has a Google Offer, $15 entrance fee to the gardens, museum, movie and farm.  This offer is expiring shortly, so take advantage now.
• Kennecott Copper Mine Visitors Center has a coupon, good through May 31, 2012, waiving the $5 entry fee to the Copper Mine.

Look on the right hand side of the blog for a list of places we've written about in the past.  Sign up for our email list and we will send you news about updates and specials.  Recommend us to your friends on Facebook by clicking the "Recommed" button.  Help us spread the word about the Things To Do, Utah blog and we'll keep adding new, fun and amazing places all summer long.  

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

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

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!

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

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

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.


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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

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.


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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

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

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).