Salt Lake City is not like the typical cities I cover (Rome, Tokyo, New York). It is not a destination on most solo travelers’ bucket lists. However, Salt Lake City has been my home base for about two years, so it is time I compile a list of the best things to do alone in Salt Lake City.
Although I love solo traveling abroad, I have also enjoyed exploring Salt Lake City. I believe this unique capital city, surrounded by high mountains and arid deserts, deserves more attention.
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- Why Should You Take a Salt Lake City Trip?
- Is It Safe To Travel to Salt Lake City?
- Where Should You Stay During Your Salt Lake City Trip?
- How Do You Get Around Salt Lake City?
- When Should You Take Your Salt Lake City Trip?
- 1. Hike Ensign Peak For An Unforgettable City View
- 2. Relax in Salt Lake’s Premiere Urban Park
- 3. Explore Local Cafes
- 4. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
- 5. Marvel at the Utah State Capitol
- 6. Window Shop at Trolley Square
- 7. Play Pickleball at Fairmount Park
- 8. Explore 9th and 9th
- 9. Enjoy a Variety of International Markets
- 10. Stroll Through the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art
- 11. Drive Guardmans Pass
- 12. Hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon
- 13. Hike in Little Cottonwood Canyon
- 14. Take a Day Trip to Antelope Island State Park
- 15. Take a Day Trip to Park City
- Take a Solo Trip to Salt Lake City
Why Should You Take a Salt Lake City Trip?
Admittedly, Salt Lake is not necessarily the most impressive city, but it has many cute local businesses and stunning urban parks worth exploring. Also, its close proximity to world-class ski resorts and unforgettable hikes makes it a great place for a solo trip.
Salt Lake City has lately dominated the media due to its unique culture, which the Mormon Church has influenced. You should also visit SLC if you want to see if there are any truths to those stereotypes.
Is It Safe To Travel to Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City is a safe place to visit, even on a solo trip. Like a major city, you should stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings.
Since most activities near Salt Lake City involve the mountains, you need to be prepared if you are going on a hike or participating in winter sports. In the summer, it is easy to get dehydrated due to the hot, dry climate.
I always recommend that solo travelers purchase travel insurance before going on their trip. You never know when you will need it! (You could get food poisoning in Japan, like I did). Use the widget below to find the plan that best suits your needs.
Where Should You Stay During Your Salt Lake City Trip?
Salt Lake City does not have too many budget-friendly options for solo travelers, but there is a new hostel located in downtown SLC. If you are willing to spend more money and want to stay in a more charming part of the city, you should stay at SpringHill Suites Salt Lake City Sugar House.
How Do You Get Around Salt Lake City?
Although Salt Lake City has some options for public transportation, you will need a car if you want to really enjoy the best nature spots around Salt Lake City.
If you do not plan to do much hiking during your time in Salt Lake City, you can travel from downtown to most neighborhoods via buses or light-rail lines called TRAX. So, it is possible to visit SLC without a car, but it is definitely not ideal.
When Should You Take Your Salt Lake City Trip?
The time when you visit SLC will dramatically affect your trip itinerary. If you want to enjoy winter sports, you should come from January to March, when there is typically good snow at the resorts.
If you do not care about winter sports, the best time to come to Salt Lake is late May through September. If you come in early summer, the mountains will be greener and the temperatures will be less hot. However, some hikes may still have snow cover on them.
October is not necessarily a bad time to visit SLC, but the weather will be cooler and less predictable.
1. Hike Ensign Peak For An Unforgettable City View
If you want an iconic view of Salt Lake City’s skyline, you need to hike up Ensign Peak. This peak is where Mormon pioneers surveyed the valley and laid out their plans to build Salt Lake.
To reach the trailhead for Ensign Peak, you will need to drive to the top of a neighborhood behind the Utah Capitol. It is easiest to park along the street by Ensign Downs Park.
This is a very popular hike and is all about the view. If you want a peaceful hike in nature, this is not necessarily the hike for that. If you want an epic view during sunset, then this is the hike for you. The hike is only 1 mile round-trip.
2. Relax in Salt Lake’s Premiere Urban Park
Salt Lake City is best known for its mountains. If you want to admire the majestic peaks that tower over the city, head to Sugar House Park. It is a great place to visit on a solo trip.
Besides providing sweeping views of the Wasatch Front, Sugar House Park has everything an urban park needs. Playgrounds, walking trails, basketball courts, and community events.
Sugar House Park is an oasis and a gem in the Salt Lake Valley. Have a picnic here. Join a free yoga class. Soak up the sun on the hillside. If you are visiting SLC during a solo trip, you need to visit this park.
3. Explore Local Cafes
Salt Lake City has many cute cafes that are the perfect haven for a traveler who needs a caffeine boost. After relaxing at Sugar House Park, you can take a stroll through Sugar House to Sugar House Coffee.
This coffee shop is typically always busy and lively. It is a favorite among locals! Also, within walking distance of Sugarhouse Park is Tea Zaanti. This cafe is for matcha lovers and has a more cozy environment.
A few more of my favorite coffee shops in Salt Lake are The Rose Establishment, a downtown coffee shop known for its old-school approach to coffee, Greenhouse Effect Coffee, a cafe in Millcreek with incredible crepes, and 3 Cups, a popular study spot that also offers gelato.
4. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Utah was the birthplace of dirty sodas and Crumbl cookies, so it is no doubt that this city has great options for sugar lovers. Eating sugar is undoubtedly one of the sweetest things to do alone in Salt Lake City. In Sugar House, nestled between a row of homes, you will find Carol’s Pastry Shop with the best eclairs in SLC.
For ice cream, head to Blacksmith Ice Cream. Although it is a bit far from downtown SLC, it is one of the best ice cream shops in all of Salt Lake County. The line is always pouring out onto the street.
If you want to drink the best hot chocolate in Salt Lake City, head up to the Avenues, a charming historic neighborhood near the foothills, and stop at Hatch Family Chocolates. A few blocks down is Straw Market. Here, you can enjoy the most popular cinnamon rolls in SLC.
5. Marvel at the Utah State Capitol
One of the most visually striking buildings in the entire Salt Lake Valley is the Utah State Capitol. It is a favorite photo spot for locals and tourists alike. In the spring, cherry blossoms bloom on the Capitol grounds, making it even more photogenic.
It is free to enter the Capitol, and one of the best things to do alone in Salt Lake City. Inside the main hall, you will find impressive murals and stunning staircases. You can even schedule a free guided tour of the building.
To enter the building, you need to go around to the left side of the Capitol. A lot of visitors mistakenly try to enter the building from the main doors that face downtown SLC.
6. Window Shop at Trolley Square
Another great thing to do alone in Salt Lake City is to visit Trolley Square. This upscale shopping mall once housed streetcars in the early 1900s.
Today, visitors can see remnants of the building’s historical past while shopping at local boutiques. You can also schedule a time to climb Trolley Square’s historic water tower for an impressive view of downtown Salt Lake City.
7. Play Pickleball at Fairmount Park
A fun way to meet people during a solo trip to Salt Lake City is to play pickleball. At Fairmount Park, it is easy to join in a game of pickleball and quickly start forming connections.
To join a pickleball game here, players place four paddles on shelves along the fence. If you see an open space for a paddle, simply put your paddle there, and you are in the queue for a game of pickleball.
8. Explore 9th and 9th
One of Salt Lake City’s most eclectic neighborhoods is found in Central City at the intersection of 900 South and 900 East (Salt Lake uses a grid system for naming streets). Locals swear by it, while most visitors find it confusing.
At this intersection, you will find local shops, cafes, eateries, and markets. If you continue down 900 South, you will find an iconic symbol of SLC, a colorful whale. This sculpture sits in the middle of a roundabout and has a remarkable cult following.
If the whale isn’t enough evidence, this part of SLC is fun, unserious, and trendy. If you come to Central City, make sure to also stop at Liberty Park, one of the best parks near the heart of SLC.
9. Enjoy a Variety of International Markets
Perhaps surprisingly, Salt Lake City has a variety of international markets spread across the city. If you want to try some international cuisine, then visiting these markets should be on your list of things to do alone in SLC.
Along State Street, you cannot miss Salt Lake Chinatown, complete with its own Chinese Gate. Here, you will find Asian supermarkets, restaurants, and retail stores.
Outside of Chinatown, there are smaller stand-alone markets scattered around the Salt Lake Valley. My favorites are Japan Sage Market, a store with authentic Japanese bentos, Vosen’s Bread Paradise, a bakery that specializes in European goods, and The Old Dutch Store, a popular European-style deli shop.
10. Stroll Through the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art
When I am solo traveling, I love visiting museums because they are some of the most perfect things to do alone. Salt Lake City does not have too many impressive museums like New York or D.C., but the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art is a nice place to visit on your solo trip.
The museum asks for donations from those who enter and features a variety of local artists. It is a small space, but worth visiting if you are someone who likes appreciating modern art.
11. Drive Guardmans Pass
If you have a car and love sweeping mountain views, then fill up your tank and drive Guardsman Pass. This scenic roadway is closed from October to May due to heavy snowfall, but in the summer and early fall, it is a beautiful drive.
This highway connects Brighton Ski Resort to Park City, so it is a scenic way to drive between Salt Lake City and Park City. There are a few hiking trails and viewpoints you can pull off during the drive, but it is not free to park at them. Keep reading to see what hikes I recommend below.
12. Hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon
If you start in Park City and drive Guardsman Pass, you pass through the mountains and arrive in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to Brighton and Solitude Ski Resorts.
If you want a quick stop without much walking, go to Silver Lake in Brighton. If you want more of a challenge, park at Brighton and hike to Lake Catherine via Brighton Lakes Trail. This 4.5-mile trail passes by two stunning lakes. Dogs are not allowed on this trail, and you cannot swim in the water because it is a watershed.
If you are an experienced hiker, drive down Big Cottonwood Canyon to the Mill B South Trailhead Area and hike to Lake Blanche. This 6.4-mile trail is one of the most popular hikes in SLC, but beware, it is steep, especially if you are not used to Utah’s high elevation.
13. Hike in Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon is similar to Big Cottonwood, but you cannot access it from Park City. The road ends at Alta Ski Resort and features some of the highest peaks in Salt Lake County.
An easy hike to do alone in Little Cottonwood is the Albion Meadows Trail. This 3-mile trek leads to the best spot in SLC to see wildflowers. Typically, the end of July to the beginning of August is the best chance to see the flowers bloom.
If you are an experienced hiker, you should hike to Red Pine Lake. It is longer than the Lake Blanche trail but less steep. If you have experience climbing difficult rock scrambles, then you should continue past Red Pine Lake to Pfeiferhorn, one of SLC’s most iconic mountain peaks.
14. Take a Day Trip to Antelope Island State Park
One of the best things to do alone in Salt Lake City involves exploring the city’s namesake, the Great Salt Lake. Although the Salt Lake is not necessarily the most appealing body of water (it is salty and stinky), the best way to visit it is by taking a trip to Antelope Island.
This state park is surrounded by the Great Salt Lake and provides incredible views of the lake. Make sure to hike to Buffalo Point and drive along the island to look for wild bison.
The state park costs $15 to enter. There are also plenty of campgrounds here if you want to spend more time exploring this unique landscape. It is best to visit here during the spring and fall. In the early summer, there are biting gnats that will make your experience absolutely horrible.
15. Take a Day Trip to Park City
About 40 minutes from Salt Lake City is Park City. This upscale mountain town is known for its ski resorts (Deer Valley and Park City Mountain) that hosted events in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Park City is a charming town with a lively main street with boutiques and bars. You will also find plenty of mountain biking trails and hiking trails here in the summer. In the winter, Park City is the premier spot in Utah for skiing and snowboarding.
The city constantly hosts events from art festivals to summer concerts. There is always something going on in Park City, and there is no question why it attracts so many tourists.
Take a Solo Trip to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is not on everyone’s radar, but it is a great place to visit if you love mountains and the outdoors. There are many things to do alone in Salt Lake City. You can enjoy the convenience of a modern city and still easily escape to the mountains during your trip.