Provo Tabernacle
The brick and stone Provo Tabernacle, located at 50 S. University Ave, was built in 1883 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It hosts concerts and events, and is open to the public for tours.

Historic Utah County Courthouse
A massive, neoclassical structure, built in the 1920s. Notably, the column caps and cornice were inspired by the ancient Greek Temple of Minerva. Detailed information about the architecture and history can be found on the county courthouse website.
51 South University Avenue (across from the Provo Tabernacle)

Provo City Library
Located in Academy Square (on University Avenue, about 5 blocks from Center Street), this building was built around 1892. It has an interesting history, which you can read about in depth on the library website.

Provo Town Square
This area is comprised of ten of the city’s historic Victorian buildings, including the Union Block Building, the Excelsior, and the Knight Block Building on the corner of University Avenue and Center St. Built around the 1890s, the facades have been revitalized and preserved, while inside they have all been modernized into 65,000 combined square feet of retail and office space.

Historic Downtown Provo Public Arts Program
The Historic Downtown Provo Public Arts Program has sponsored a series of murals which depict significant moments in Provo’s history. You can see such an example at the intersection of Center Street and Freedom Boulevard, on the west wall of the Bingham Cyclery.

There’s more than just architecture: downtown strollers will find a wealth of art galleries and museums, music, bookstores, restaurants, boutiques, antique shops, and more. But I encourage you to stroll around with an eye to the past. Whether you’re an aspiring architect, history lover, or just looking for a great date night or family activity, a stroll around historic downtown Provo can take you a century back in time if you use your imagination.

Where to park: www.dowtownprovo.org

Accordingly, I expected there to be standing room only, but there were relatively few people (considering the conference center seats thousands), maybe 50-100 coming and going throughout the course of the rehearsal. Don’t go expecting a complete run-through of their program, as they’ll only be rehearsing a few songs for the weekly radio and television broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word. You certainly won’t be disappointed in the songs that you do hear, as “America’s Choir” (nicknamed by Ronald Reagan) has a distinct and heavenly sound in unison with the massive pipe organ.

MoTab is one of the oldest and largest choirs in the world, established in the mid-1800s. The choir’s 360 talented singers are all volunteers, and all are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Over the past 16o years, the choir has performed for ten presidents and at the opening games of the 2002 Olympics, won awards, and sold millions of records (including two platinum and five gold albums). Music and the Spoken Word is “the world’s longest-running continuous network broadcast.”

For all it’s grandeur, there’s still a personal touch at the rehearsals. At the one we attended, the choir director welcomed the spectators (about half of whom, by a show of hands, were visiting from other states and countries) and talked briefly about the history of the choir. The director also introduced an elderly woman who was fulfilling a lifelong dream by singing with the choir for the first time.

Although there is a massive pipe organ at the conference center, I do hope to attend a rehearsal at the tabernacle to hear the famous 11,623-pipe organ and the legendary acoustics. Still, it was interesting to watch how all of the parts of a song come together, and for part of the rehearsal the choir was also accompanied by the Temple Square Orchestra. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to hear this renowned choir sing live.

http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/

A word of advice when visiting Fat Cats with little kids: go on a weekday. We went early on a Monday and had the place almost to ourselves. Fat Cats can get very crowded in the evenings and on weekends. What I really like about Fat Cats (at least the one I was at) is that it’s very clean and well-maintained.

Each Fat Cats has bowling, arcade games, and food in common, but each one is also a little different; Ogden is the only location to have bumper cars. For dining, all three locations have a Strikers Grill, while Provo also has a Costa Vida, Salt Lake City has a Pizza Factory, and the Ogden location has both. There should be something to satisfy just about every appetite.

Cost:
Bowling prices vary depending on the time and day. Children’s bowling ranges from $2.49 to $3.89, adult bowling costs from $2.99 to $4.49. Shoe rental is $2.49 for kids and $2.99 for adults. Prices are cheapest in Provo by a few cents. Food prices at Strikers Grill range from $1.69 for fries to $14.95 for a large pizza. Game tokens are four for a dollar.

Locations:
Provo: 1200 N. University Ave
Salt Lake City: 3739 South 900 East
Ogden: 2261 Kiesel Avenue

http://www.fatcatsfun.com/provo/

We went for “Penguin Parade” and my daughter loved it. She jumped right in to the craft projects, first creating an igloo out of a Styrofoam cup, white frosting, and mini marshmallows. Next, she drew a picture of a penguin with black and orange sharpies on window-cling paper. She finished up with an egg carton penguin, painting the body with black and white paint, and cutting out little triangles of construction paper for the wings and beak. It amazes me that someone can look at a cardboard egg carton and see penguins! I definitely applaud the creativity that goes into the planning of children’s art projects and events.

We had to help our four-year-old a little with the projects (most parents were assisting or standing by) but none of them were too difficult. Some projects can be a little messy, so bring a smock or wear play clothes.

After the art projects, the kids played a version of tag called “Hungry Seal” to burn off some rainy day energy. Then, to reward our little penguins for their efforts, they fed them “penguin food”–colorful goldfish crackers. To wind up the afternoon, a volunteer read a cute story called “365 Penguins” while the kids sat gathered around a little display of plush penguins. My daughter had a great time, and we will definately go back again.

Upcoming Kid Time themes include Adventures in Neverland, Valentine’s Fun, Dino-Mite Dinosaurs, and the Wacky World of Dr. Seuss, to name a few.

Kid Time is held on Saturdays from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Admission costs $3. Ample parking around back.

The Covey Center for the Arts
425 West Center Street, Provo, UT 84601
801-852-7007
http://www.coveycenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163&Itemid=4

So what can one expect from the temple tour? As always, the LDS church has gone to great lengths to keep things orderly, which makes it easier on the visitors. To tour the temple, first you must make a reservation on www.lds.org. Tours are scheduled every 20 minutes, and are filling up quickly. I went on a Friday night and it was very crowded. You will probably feel less like you are being shepherded through, and really be able to absorb the peaceful surroundings, if you visit early on a weekday.

When you print your reservation, note the address of the “General Parking Lot” indicated on your form. You will NOT be able to park at the temple, and tours begin and end at local meeting houses. Our tour started at the Canyon Creek ward. We sat through a 12-minute, informative (and at times emotional) video about the religious history and significance of temples. Then we boarded a bus for the six-minute ride to the Draper Temple. On the bus, we were given a brief overview of the 58,300 square-foot temple, which has been 2-½ years in the making and constructed from materials from around the globe, including white granite from China, limestone from France, and cherry wood from Africa. Upon arriving at the temple, we walked through a covered, heated tent-tunnel to the entrance and received an informative brochure to guide us on our tour.

The tour is actually a silent one, meaning you follow along an organized path throughout the temple and read the posted signs telling you about each room. There are ushers to keep things moving smoothly, and to answer any questions you may have. The temple is serene and lovely and, as I learned, not meant to awe but to inspire peace and prayer. On your tour, you will see the baptismal font, which rests on the back of twelve oxen representing the twelve tribes of Israel; dressing rooms for changing from street clothing to temple garments; Ordinance Rooms; Sealing Rooms; and the Celestial Room, which symbolizes life as an eternal family with the Lord and Jesus Christ.

Allow about two hours from start to finish. This includes the video, transport time to the temple, about one hour touring the temple, refreshments, and transport back to the ward.

For more information: http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/draper/

Reservations can also be made by calling the Reservation Call Center at 1-800-537-6181 or 1-801-240-7932. Groups of more than 10 must make their reservation over the phone.

Photography is prohibited inside the temple.

We decided to drive Scenic Byway 12 on our way home from Bryce Canyon. Our goal was to hit Capitol Reef National Park but we realized along the way that driving the byway would take longer than we expected and it was worth the time to stop at the many scenic overlooks.

According to www.scenicbyway12.com, the Federal Highway Administration has designated Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 as an All-American Road, with such extraordinary features that it’s considered one of the most unique drives in America. Only a few byways achieve this status, making it, in my humble opinion, a must-see if you live in Utah.

I’m hoping if you’re reading this series of posts you’ll be on your way to visit Zion or Bryce Canyon National Parks and traveling from there, but if you’re heading straight from Provo you can either hit the northeastern gateway town of Torrey or the southwestern town of Panguitch in about three hours. The byway itself took us about half a day to drive (stopping several times along the way), so you’ll probably want to make a weekend of it (unless you want to literally spend all day in the car). My suggestion is to get an early start from Provo and visit either Zion or Capitol Reef (if you go Capitol Reef, write a post and let us know about it!), spend the night, then drive the byway the next day. If you have two nights to spend, stop at Bryce Canyon National Park on Day 2, and spend the night at Ruby’s Inn. However you choose to experience the southern half of Utah, it’s worth the trip. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves!

We decided to drive Scenic Byway 12 on our way home from Bryce Canyon. Our goal was to hit Capitol Reef National Park but we realized along the way that driving the byway would take longer than we expected and it was worth the time to stop at the many scenic overlooks.

According to www.scenicbyway12.com, the Federal Highway Administration has designated Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 as an All-American Road, with such extraordinary features that it’s considered one of the most unique drives in America. Only a few byways achieve this status, making it, in my humble opinion, a must-see if you live in Utah.

I’m hoping if you’re reading this series of posts you’ll be on your way to visit Zion or Bryce Canyon National Parks and traveling from there, but if you’re heading straight from Provo you can either hit the northeastern gateway town of Torrey or the southwestern town of Panguitch in about three hours. The byway itself took us about half a day to drive (stopping several times along the way), so you’ll probably want to make a weekend of it (unless you want to literally spend all day in the car). My suggestion is to get an early start from Provo and visit either Zion or Capitol Reef (if you go Capitol Reef, write a post and let us know about it!), spend the night, then drive the byway the next day. If you have two nights to spend, stop at Bryce Canyon National Park on Day 2, and spend the night at Ruby’s Inn. However you choose to experience the southern half of Utah, it’s worth the trip. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves!

The party was held in an empty store next to the Hope Gallery. Signs and decorations peaked our interest so we wandered in and were welcomed by a friendly staff who immediately set my daughter up with her choice of craft project. She also received a gift bag filled with goodies, including a fan, another craft project, and a fortune cookie. At 4:30, a local group came in to perform the traditional Chinese New Year “Lion Dance”.

According to Chinese tradition, the Lion Dance is performed to ward off evil spirits in the new year. Since these evil spirits are frightened by loud noises, clashing symbols and thunderous drums beat a lively, heart-pounding rhythm while the lion dancers perform. The lion is usually comprised of two performers, with the one in front wearing a giant, menacing papier-mâché head. The front dancer moves the head in powerful gestures representative of vitality and longevity, while the back dancer vigorously manipulates the lion’s tail to sweep away bad fortune from the previous year. The Lion Dance climaxes with the “Cai Qing”–“picking the green”–in which the lion eats a head of lettuce (symbolic of money) and is lulled to sleep. He then reawakens, spitting out the leaves in a gesture of abundance for the following year.

I was amazed at the dramatic and intense performance. Afterwards, we all lined up behind the dragon/lion for a parade around the Riverwoods, culminating in front of Shoots Chinese Restaurant, where the “Cai Qing” was repeated.

Monday, January 26, 2009 is the beginning of the Chinese New Year: the Year of the Ox. The Chinese calendar predates the International Calendar that we westerners are more familiar with by more than 2,000 years.

The Shops at Riverwoods is located at 4801 N. University Avenue in Provo.

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.

We arrived at Zion’s East Entrance via Highway 9 from Bryce Canyon. Our first stop was at Checkerboard Mesa, a cross-bedded mass of slick rock. From there, you drive through the 1.1-mile long Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel to the beginning of the Zion Canyon scenic drive. We concentrated our visited in the Zion Canyon area, the park’s most popular area. Other areas of the park, such as Kolob Canyons, offer extraordinary backcountry hiking.

Along the scenic drive there are stops for major sights such as the Sentinel, Court of the Patriarchs, the Emerald Pools, Angel’s Landing, and Weeping Rock. (We skipped Weeping Rock since we had our preschooler in tow, and remembered from a visit many years before that there were some steep drop-offs.) We let our daughter stretch her legs and play in the red sand, then had lunch overlooked by the Court of the Patriarchs–talk about lunch with a view!

The scenic drive is about six miles long, and ends at the Temple of Sinawava (the Coyote God of the Paiute Indians). At that point you can do a light hike to the mouth of the Narrows. The Riverside Walk is an easy paved trail with a minor elevation change of only 57 feet. We saw families with strollers and two assisted wheelchairs. The Riverside Walk is about two miles roundtrip, and takes one to two hours. Hikers are permitted into the mouth of the Narrows from the bottom, but beware of flash flooding. (Hikers who choose to start at the top and do the entire 16 miles must obtain a permit.)

You can easily explore Zion National Park in a day or less, unless you plan to do major hiking. A lot of people choose to stay in nearby Springdale and enter the park from the south, but we stayed at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce, about 90 minutes northeast, where we had easy access to Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Scenic Byway 12. This is a great trip that you could do in a weekend (just a few hours south of Provo)–and if you live in Utah you should!

Entrance Fees: $25 per vehicle for 7 days, or purchase a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for $80 if you’re planning to visit several parks within a year (with Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Moab National Parks all within a few hours, it’s worth it).

For more information:
http://www.utah.com/nationalparks/zion.htm

For a map:
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/upload/ZIONParkMap_web.pdf

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. It dates back to 1916, before Bryce Canyon was even dedicated as a national park, when Rueben & Minnie Syrett started hosting friends and visitors at the “Tourist Rest” they established near the rim of the canyon. Once Bryce Canyon was dedicated a national park, the Syretts moved the tent houses to their nearby ranch and called it Ruby’s Inn. Business grew, and somewhere along the way it merged with Best Western, but it’s still owned and operated by the original owner’s family.

Ruby’s Inn is comprised of a main lodge and satellite buildings. We were lucky enough to get a room in the main lodge at a great price–another benefit to traveling off-season. The rooms were spacious, spotless, and comfortable. It was great being in the main lodge with the lobby, pool, restaurant, and general store right there, instead of having to go back out into the cold. And since days are short in the winter (when we visited), we were back from exploring the parks early enough to enjoy every amenity Ruby’s Inn had to offer.

The highlight of Ruby’s Inn is the cozy lobby lounge. After swimming in the pool (open until 10 p.m., and surprisingly crowded in the evenings), we snuggled up with our daughter on comfy leather couches near the stone fireplace. It’s the perfect place to unwind, chat, read a good book, or drink a glass of wine (BYOB). The Cowboy restaurant is open until 9 p.m. during the winter, and the menu is mostly comfort food, with the buffet being the most popular menu item. The General Store is open until 9:30 p.m. You’ll find all of the usual tourist suspects there, from jewelry to magnets, mugs, tees, and postcards, plus artwork, geodes, etc. The grocery section is overpriced, as you would expect, but convenient and well-stocked. I liked that Ruby’s didn’t gouge gas customers. They weren’t the cheapest, but weren’t the most expensive, either.

Other services on site at Ruby’s include an RV park & campground, Canyon Diner, Utah state liquor store, Hertz car rental, one-hour photo, post office, ATM, foreign currency exchange, laundry, and free wi-fi. I lost my connection a couple of times but I’m not going to complain—it was free! Another thing that really impressed me was the wealth of area information on their website and at the lodging. They provided maps, clear directions, and information about Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Zion, and other things to do in the surrounding areas.

I can’t vouch for the rooms in the other sections of Ruby’s Inn but I would imagine they have a reputation to uphold. Off-season, you can’t beat the amenities for the price. It’s open year-round and great for families, tourists, and even a romantic getaway. I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Bryce.