In 1849, Mormon pioneers made a difficult three day trek from Salt Lake City and set down roots in the area now known as Provo. Originally called Fort Utah, traces of that bygone era can still be seen in Provo’s historic downtown. While this area may be in need of some revitalization, there is much to be visually treasured. Set beneath the majestic Wasatch Mountains, much of the architecture dates back to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and is noted for it’s historic value. Architecture and history buffs in particular will enjoy a walking tour of historic downtown. Read the rest of Historic Downtown Provo »
It’s my personal opinion that wherever you live, you should try to experience all the things for which your city or state is renowned. So last month I took my family to watch the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly rehearsal. The rehearsal is open to the public, and held Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The rehearsal is normally held at the tabernacle in Temple Square, but during the month of December it’s held at the LDS Conference Center to accommodate larger crowds. Read the rest of Mormon Tabernacle Choir Thursday Night Rehearsal »
Fat Cats All Out Fun is a state of the art bowling and arcade center with three locations in Utah—Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden. Each location offers bowling, arcade games, food, and fun. I didn’t know just how much fun until recently, when my four year-old was invited to a birthday party at Fat Cats. I’d always assumed she was too young so we hadn’t ever been there before, but I quickly found out that wasn’t the case. There’s a Kid Zone, a mini 3-seat carousel, and some preschool-friendly arcade games. The arcade games give out prize tickets, which kids can then trade in for prizes. To keep little bowlers from being discouraged, Fat Cats has automatic gutter guards and can provide a ball ramp to help guide their bowling balls down the lane. Read the rest of Fat Cats All Out Fun—Provo, Salt Lake City, Ogden »
If you’re wondering what to do with your kids on a rainy or snowy or too hot (or any) Saturday afternoon, check out Kid Time at the Covey Center for the Arts in downtown Provo–it’s a perfect outlet for pent-up energy and creativity. Each week, the Covey Center offers a different themed art event for kids ages 3-10 (all ages are welcome, but projects are geared toward that general age range). Kids will have an opportunity to make art projects, play games, and then wind down with story time. Read the rest of Kid Time at the Covey Center for the Arts–Provo »
It’s not every day that one has an opportunity to tour an LDS temple. In fact, there are only 129 of them in the world, and once they are dedicated they are closed to the general public. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, temples are sacred houses of the Lord and only the holiest members of the Church are admitted once the temple has been consecrated. While LDS temples can be found all over the globe, it is rare that we have an opportunity to see inside them–but here in Utah, the Draper Temple is offering public open house tours through March 14, 2009. The temple is scheduled to be dedicated March 20-22, 2009. Read the rest of Draper Temple Tour »
Scenic Byway 12 traverses some of the most beautifully diverse terrain I’ve seen in my travels. Along the route you’ll drive through slick-rock and red rock canyons, high desert, alpine forests, mountains, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and quaint little towns so remote you wonder where they shop for groceries. There are informative posts at many of the scenic overlooks. Portions of the road are above 9,000 feet, so make sure you check the weather forecast and start the drive with a full tank. Read the rest of Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 »
Scenic Byway 12 traverses some of the most beautifully diverse terrain I’ve seen in my travels. Along the route you’ll drive through slick-rock and red rock canyons, high desert, alpine forests, mountains, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and quaint little towns so remote you wonder where they shop for groceries. There are informative posts at many of the scenic overlooks. Portions of the road are above 9,000 feet, so make sure you check the weather forecast and start the drive with a full tank. Read the rest of Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 »
On a routine shopping trip to The Riverwoods on Saturday, we stumbled upon a fun event: a Chinese New Year celebration. This family-friendly celebration was totally free and open to the public. We showed up about 4 p.m. and had missed story time at Borders, but had plenty of time to enjoy free craft activities (masks and dragons) and a fantastic performance by Chinese Dragon Dancers from a local Kung Fu studio. Read the rest of Celebrating the Chinese New Year at the Riverwoods–Provo »
Early Mormon settlers, awed by beautiful Zion Canyon, called it that after the biblical “City of God”. One look and you can see why.
We couldn’t have asked for more ideal conditions for our day at Zion National Park. We visited on a sunny, 50-degree day over Thanksgiving weekend, with bright blue skies and crisp air. Zion is Utah’s most visited national park, so we were happy to be there during the off-season, although it did seem to be a particularly popular weekend. An advantage to traveling off-season is that you can drive your own car inside the park. During peak tourist season (late spring through early fall) park visitors are required to travel by shuttle bus. Read the rest of Zion National Park »
If you’re planning to visit Bryce Canyon, consider staying at Ruby‘s Inn, a tourist attraction in itself. Some people may think it’s a little gimmicky, with lodge décor and a themed “Old West” town across the street, but really what else would you hope to find in a fairly remote southwestern town outside a national park? If you ask me, it certainly beats spending the night in an overpriced, run-down motel!
What I really like about Ruby’s Inn is that it’s thoroughly modern lodging with just about every convenience you could want, yet there’s a lot of history. Read the rest of Ruby’s Inn: Gateway to Bryce Canyon National Park »
In 1849, Mormon pioneers made a difficult three day trek from Salt Lake City and set down roots in the area now known as Provo. Originally called Fort Utah, traces of that bygone era can still be seen in Provo’s historic downtown. While this area may be in need of some revitalization, there is much to be visually treasured. Set beneath the majestic Wasatch Mountains, much of the architecture dates back to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and is noted for it’s historic value. Architecture and history buffs in particular will enjoy a walking tour of historic downtown. Read the rest of Historic Downtown Provo »
