Provo, UT

I love to visit Gardner Village! It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon with your entire family, and also a wonderful girl’s day out. There are almost two dozen charming little shops, a restaurant and a bakery, and a petting zoo where you can send your husband off with the kids while you indulge in a relaxing treatment at the day spa…or just shop your heart out!

At the heart of this quaint shopping village is an old flour mill, which houses Archibald’s restaurant (named for Archibald Gardner, one of Utah’s original settlers in 1847) and the Country Furniture and Gift shop. The surrounding shops are in historic homes transplanted from their original settings to recreate an old-world village with a modern-day shopping experience. As you wander along the red brick path, pause on the covered bridge, or follow the stream that runs through the village, you feel transported to a more relaxing time.

So take your time and browse the wonderful specialty shops! You’ll find furniture, home décor, art, jewelry, crafts, toys, clothing, clocks, and tons more. I’m a shopper, and I like unique things, so for me this is paradise!

I never even knew I liked quilts until I popped into the Village Quilt Shoppe, where I was overwhelmed by the selection (head over to Pine Needles if you prefer to make them). A peek inside the Village Christmas Shoppe sparks my holiday spirit no matter what time of year it is. Anastasia’s Attic is filled with such beautiful vintage-style treasures I could stay for an hour and still not discover everything! And I could barely drag my little one out of Storybook Nook, where the shelves are filled with the stuff of childhood dreams: fairytale books, train sets, dolls, puzzles, tea sets and more.

I could go on and on about each individual shop, from bath salts to designer shoes to urban home furnishings…but I’ll spare you my enthusiasm and encourage you to see for yourself! Shops are leased, so there’s a turnover from year to year (in fact, my very favorite upscale children’s boutique is no longer there). But there’s more to Gardner Village than just shopping–which isn’t high on my husband’s list of fun things to do!

He likes to stroll around and stop by the covered bridge near the duck pond, or relax near the old wooden water wheel. And we always take our daughter to the petting zoo, which is open from May through October. Admission for the petting zoo is $2, and there are cows, goats, chickens, rabbits and more. There are also pony rides ($3), which my 3-year-old hasn’t quite mustered up the courage to do yet, but they seem very gentle. I love that they have a hand sanitizing station, too.

Once we’ve worked up an appetite we like to recharge at The Naborhood Bakery with a delicious pastry or a scrumptious chicken salad sandwich on a croissant (that’s what I had). They were really accommodating, even making a plain peanut butter sandwich for my fussy toddler. We like to end the day at Sweet Afton’s, a train station-turned-candy shop, filled to the brim with old-fashioned candy, yummy homemade fudge…all kinds of treats!

Gardner Village is open Monday through Saturday year-round, and closed on Sundays. Hours vary by store and season. Admission and parking is free.

Upcoming events include the Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale. And in the fall Gardner Village has the most amazing witch display…but that warrants it’s own post!

Gardner Village is located at 1100 W. 7800 S., West Jordan, UT
(801) 566-8903
http://www.gardnervillage.com/