Salt Lake City pitches downtown family attractions beyond the ski slopes

Salt Lake City is promoting a broader family travel experience centered downtown, with museums, historic sites, wildlife attractions and transit access that make it easy to skip the car. The push comes as Utah’s tourism economy hit a record $13.7 billion in visitor spending in 2025 and ahead of the Salt Lake Temple open house in 2027.

Why it matters: - Salt Lake City is positioning itself as a year-round family destination, not just a winter sports stop. - The downtown core gives visiting families a cluster of attractions that are easy to reach without driving. - Utah's travel and tourism industry generated a record $13.7 billion in visitor spending in 2025, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah.

What happened: - Downtown Salt Lake City is highlighting family-friendly attractions that include museums, wildlife experiences, historic landmarks and hands-on learning. - Clark Planetarium and Discovery Gateway Children's Museum are both located at The Gateway in downtown Salt Lake City. - TRAX light rail connects those downtown destinations and other nearby attractions. - Temple Square is part of the downtown family itinerary, along with the newly renovated Temple Square Visitors' Center. - FamilySearch Library gives families a place to explore ancestry together near Temple Square.

The details: - Utah's Hogle Zoo offers animal exhibits from around the world. - Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper gives families a day-trip option outside downtown. - Utah Olympic Park in Park City lets visitors experience a venue from the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. - The Salt Lake Temple open house is scheduled for April 5 through October 1, 2027. - Free timed reservations for the open house are available now through TempleSquare.org. - DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown is offering an all-suite stay option for visiting families. - Each suite includes a separate living area and 50-inch TVs. - The hotel has a heated indoor pool for on-site recreation. - A nearby TRAX station connects hotel guests to downtown attractions. - The hotel’s signature warm chocolate chip cookie is part of every stay.

Between the lines: - The city’s tourism pitch is built around convenience as much as attractions, with transit access and a walkable downtown framed as a family-friendly advantage. - The upcoming Salt Lake Temple open house should add another major draw to an area already leaning into heritage and cultural travel. - The hotel’s all-suite layout appears designed to capture families who want more space than a standard room provides.

What's next: - Interest in Temple Square is expected to increase as the 2027 open house approaches. - Families visiting Salt Lake City will likely continue to combine downtown cultural stops with zoo, aquarium and Olympic Park outings. - The hotel is positioned to benefit from that broader family travel demand with suite inventory, transit access and on-site amenities.

The bottom line: - Salt Lake City is selling a family trip that works in any season: culture, history, wildlife and transit-friendly downtown access, with ski slopes as only part of the story.