Provo, UT

Saturday night I discovered The Salomon Center in Ogden. It’s a shopping center—parts of which are still under construction—at 2261 Kiesel Ave., and it has some really fun and unique things to do. I’m sure you’ve seen indoor rock climbing before, but what about indoor surfing and skydiving? I hadn’t either.

Ensign Peak is a short (about .5 mile each way) but steep (400-foot incline) that leads to sweeping panoramic vistas of Salt Lake City and the valley. The hike to historic Ensign Peak was made famous on July 26, 1847, just two days after the Mormon pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City, when Brigham Young and his exploring party climbed it to survey the Salt Lake valley.

Is it just me, or was anyone else surprised by last night’s snowfall? Snow on October 12th?! Three days ago my daughter was dancing barefoot in the grass! Hmmm….Well, we decided to make the most of it and have some faux-winter fun!

I was thrilled to discover Layton Commons Park, a lushly-shaded, 47-acre, city-owned park located at 437 N. Wasatch Drive in Layton. Layton Commons Park had everything I was looking for and more, including picnic pavilions, grills, a small amphitheater, heritage museum, restrooms, and a nicely paved walking path along a stretch of Kay’s Creek, which ends at a duck pond. In fact, this park is commonly known to locals as “The Duck Park”.

Utah currently has four professional baseball teams: The Ogden Raptors and Orem Owlz (both Pioneer League), Salt Lake Bees (Pacific Coast League), and St. George Roadrunners (Golden Baseball League, an independent league). The Raptors are a farm team of the LA Dodgers. The Salt Lake Bees are the AAA affiliate of the LA Angels, and the Orem Owlz are the Angels’ rookie affiliate.

In spite of living in a state with a reputation for “the greatest snow on earth,” I haven’t been on skis for years. But two summers ago I found myself drawn to Snowbasin Ski Resort for another reason–the free Sunday Concert Series.

Each Sunday from June through September, music- and outdoor-lovers alike can visit Snowbasin for music on the plaza. They feature different local musicians each week, from Classic Rock to Brazilian Jazz, Reggae, Celtic, Bluegrass…even German polka and a Carlos Santana Tribute band.

Provo’s Rock Canyon offers hundreds of rock climbing routes. Red Slab may be the most popular beginner area.

Spring has lasted a little longer this year than usual, but I still can’t help thinking about those hot, lazy summer days just around the corner. So what do you do if you’re basically landlocked and don’t own a boat? For a die-hard beach-goer like me, it was a challenge to find a few family-friendly lakeside spots to swim, sunbathe, and relax. Deer Creek State Park and Reservoir was one of the prettiest lakes I

Little Sahara State Park (a.k.a. Jericho Sand Dunes) is only an hour from Provo, Utah, and makes a fantastic staycation destination.

One of the greatest things about Bridal Veil Falls is that it can be enjoyed on so many different levels. I “discovered” the falls when I used to run five miles up the river trail from the mouth of Provo Canyon to Bridal Veil several times per week. Nothing felt better than to take my shoes off and wade in the shallow pools at the base of the falls.