Gardner Village- Wander Through the Past

If you are looking for a place to wander, to get lost for a little while, either by your self, with a date or spouse, or even with the kids, Gardner Village is a place that has a little something for everyone.

When I was much younger, I remember driving by the old, dilapidated Gardner Mill on 7800 South in West Jordan, wondering what that old place was and why it didn't get torn down. I'm glad it stayed. What has happened in its transformation has been truly spectacular.

Gardner Village is an old, turn of the century style village, filled with modern shops and amenities. It is anchored by the Gardner Mill building which now houses Archibald's Restaurant and Country Furniture and gifts. The village behind the mill is filled with fun and interesting shops to explore.

The Village Christmas Shoppe has Christmas decorations and ideas all year round. Take the kids into the store in July and get them excited six months ahead of time. The Naborhood Bakery makes fresh goodies everyday and just walking by the store and smelling the bread, doughnuts and chicken soup is enough to make your head spin. One of my favorite shops is Sweet Afton's. This is an old time candy shop with all the old fashioned and modern candies you could ever dream of. If you like fudge, this is the place to go. They make fudge in dozens of different flavors. My favorite is the Snickers fudge. Don't forget The Storybook Nook with a great collection of children's books and toys.

The kids will enjoy the Barnyard Buddies Petting Zoo and Pony Rides. Your kids will love petting the rabbits, pigs, goats, llamas, cow, donkeys and more. Cost is just $2.00 per child. If you'd like to give them the chance to ride a pony, it is an extra $3.00. And for your peace of mind, hand washing stations are available.

The Jordan River Parkway is just around the corner from Gardner Village, under the railroad bridge, and is connected by a walkway. Enjoy a nice evening walk on the parkway and then head on over to Archibald's for a relaxing dinner.

Place: Gardner Village
Location: 1100 West 7800 South, West Jordan, UT
Phone: 801.566.8903
Hours: Jan. & Feb. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mar. to Dec. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Closed Sundays. Some parts of Gardner Village have slightly different hours. Check before you go.
Cost: Visiting Gardner Village is FREE- Barnyard Buddies Petting Zoo, $2.00 per child; Pony Rides, $3.00 per child.


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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 12.5 miles
Ogden: 47.9 miles
Provo: 34.8 miles
Logan: 92.6 miles

Free Event of the Day- May 13, 2008

Make a Secret Garden! National Children's Book Week Event

As part of National Children's Book Week, started in 1919, the Weber County Library, North Branch wants to get children inspired by the beloved children's classic, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Learn how to get your own spring garden started. All supplies will be provided.

Place: Weber County Library, North Branch
Location: 475 East 2600 North, North Ogden, UT
Phone: 801.337.2650
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE


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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 46.1 miles
Ogden: 6.0 miles
Provo: 87.7 miles
Logan: 40.2 miles

Jurassic Museum- BYU Earth Science Museum

When it comes to museums, one favorite, particularly of kids (and kids at heart, of course) are dinosaur museums. They set the imagination loose. These large skeletons of creatures that once actually existed, loom large and foreboding in the minds of children. They love the fantastical idea that these bones could come alive. The sheer size of the monsters is enough to both frighten and excite. Just think about the recent movie "Night at the Museum." A favorite character for kids was the T-Rex.

Utah is one of those great locations when it comes to dinosaur museums. We have an armload in the state, so no matter where you live, there is probably one fairly close to you.

The BYU Earth Science Museum is one of those really cool museums. I remember as a child going to BYU to see the huge skeletal remains of dinosaurs. The Earth Science Museum is one of those treasures in our own backyard. It is one of the top five collections of fossils from the Jurassic Period in the entire world.

At the museum you can see a T-Rex skull, the fossilized imprint of dinosaur skin, or even touch fossils and dinosaur bones at the Touch Table. There is a full Allosaurus skeleton standing near a mural of what Utah might have looked like during the Jurassic Period. Check out the giant sloth that would have weighed 5 tons when it was alive- that more than two of your families cars put together! You can even see paleontologists working in the lab, removing fossils from rocks.

Head out to the museum to see an amazing collection- just wait to watch "Jurassic Park" until after your visit. You don't want the little ones too scared.

Place: BYU Earth Science Museum
Location: 1683 North Canyon Road, Provo, UT (just west of LaVell Edwards Stadium)
Phone: 801.422.3680
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE


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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 43.9 miles
Provo (downtown): 2.1 miles
Ogden: 79.3 miles
Logan: 124 miles

Free Event of the Day- May 12, 2008

How about a family game night?

Game Night Games, a game store in Salt Lake City that specializes in strategy board games and card games, particularly Euro games like "Settlers of Catan," has a Family Night on Mondays. Any family coming to Game Night Games for the first time to play games will get to play for free from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Five dollars will cover any subsequent visit by the entire family. Come in and try playing your favorites or try something new. You never know, Game Night Games might just become a family tradition.

Place: Game Night Games
Location: 2030 South 900 East, Suite E, Salt Lake City, UT
Phone: 801.467.2400
Hours: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE for the family's first night, $5.00 for each subsequent visit for the entire family.


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Distance from:
Salt Lake City (downtown): 3.6 miles
Ogden: 42.1 miles
Provo: 42.4 miles
Logan: 86.8 miles

Minnetonka Cave- See Miss Piggy's Tail

Sometimes, just sometimes, fun things to do in Utah aren't in Utah at all, but just beyond the borders of the state. No, we're not talking about Disneyland or Las Vegas. For this excursion, we have to set our sights on Paris. Well, not all the way to Paris, but close- to St. Charles, Idaho, just south of Paris, Idaho.

Minnetonka Cave is located to the west of Bear Lake in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. It is a beautiful drive up St. Charles Canyon to the cave. There is a paved road right up to the parking lot. Here at the parking lot you purchase your tickets, then you walk a couple dozen yards to the entrance of the cave. That right. Unlike Timpanogos Cave, where you must hike 1.5 miles to the entrance, Minnetonka Cave is easily accessible by car.

But be prepared. Minnetonka Cave is a little cooler than Timpanogos, at about 40 degrees, so bring a sweater or jacket, even in the summer. Also, Minnetonka Cave has a lot more up and down climbs inside- more than 400 steps. So bring some shoes with good treads to help prevent slipping.

Minnetonka Cave is every bit as fascinating as Timpanogos. The tour through the cave is about 90 minutes long and covers nearly a half-mile through 9 different chambers. The Ballroom is the largest of the chambers at about 300 feet across and 90 feet high it is truly impressive. The Treasure Room chamber, where "gold coins" are spread across the floor is also amazing. My children's favorite chamber was the Wedding Room, especially when they found out that people had actually been married here. You can also descend 71 of the steps on the "Stairway to Heaven" to enter the "Devil's Kingdom."

Of all the formations in the cave, one of the most interesting is known as "Miss Piggy's Tail." This is a soda straw formation that instead of hanging straight down like most soda straws do, this one curls around and around, looking much like a pig's tail.

The drive just over the border into Idaho is well worth the look at this fascinating cave, not to mention the scenic drive by Bear Lake, and for most of us, through Logan Canyon. Although this is a little longer drive that might have the kids asking, "Are we there yet?," after they have seen the cave they will be asking, "When can we go back?"

Place: Minnetonka Cave
Location: Follow Highway 89 north by Bear Lake past St. Charles, Idaho. Just past St. Charles is a turn-off for the Minnetonka Cave Road. Follow the signs.
Phone: 435.245.4422
Hours: Memorial Day to Labor Day, 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $5.00 for adults (16 and older), $4.00 for children (6 to 15 year old) 5 and under is FREE. If tickets for your family will cost more than $20, get the Family Pass for $20.


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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 143 miles
Ogden: 108.7 miles
Provo: 185 miles
Logan: 61 miles