Best Family Activities in Salt Lake City
World-class museums, beloved parks, working farms, and a zoo — SLC is a wonderfully family-friendly city with plenty to keep every age group happy.
Natural History Museum of Utah
A world-class natural history museum with stunning dinosaur exhibits, Native American collections, and interactive science displays. One of the best museums in the West.
Premier dinosaur exhibitsUtah Hogle Zoo
A beloved zoo home to over 800 animals, including lions, elephants, and an excellent giraffe feeding experience. The Rocky Shores exhibit recreates Pacific Northwest habitats.
800+ animalsClark Planetarium
Immersive dome theater shows and interactive science exhibits about space, the solar system, and the universe. Free admission to the main floor exhibits.
Free exhibits + IMAX showsWheeler Historic Farm
A working farm preserved from the 1890s with farm animal encounters, wagon rides, and hands-on agricultural experiences. Kids can feed chickens and meet baby animals.
Working farm & animal encountersLiberty Park
SLC's largest urban park with a lake, playground, tennis courts, splash pad, and the Tracy Aviary (free with park entry). Perfect for a full family day outdoors.
Best urban park in SLCDiscovery Gateway Children's Museum
An interactive children's museum designed specifically for kids under 12, with creative play areas, a KidVenture outdoor space, and rotating exhibits.
Hands-on play for young kidsWhy Families Love Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City has a deeply family-oriented culture — this is one of the youngest cities in America by median age, with more children per household than almost any other major US city. The infrastructure for families shows: parks are well-maintained, museums are excellent, and most neighborhoods have kid-friendly restaurants and activities.
The Natural History Museum of Utah is a genuine national gem that most Americans don't realize exists in SLC. The Rio Tinto Center building (designed by GSBS Architects) and the collection within — including an extraordinary dinosaur floor — make it worth visiting from anywhere in the country.
For outdoor families, the city is a dream. Kids can be on world-class ski slopes in 30 minutes from downtown, fishing in canyon streams in 20, or at the beach of the Great Salt Lake in 30. Liberty Park in the center of the city is one of the best urban parks in the Mountain West — free, large, and packed with activities.