Dear Golden State Warriors,
Some of you have indicated you would have preferred to play the Los Angeles Clippers instead of the Utah Jazz because the nightlife in Salt Lake City can’t compare to L.A. That’s definitely true, but there are some activities you and your families can do while you’re here to help you pass the time.
As reported by ESPN’s Chris Haynes, several of you were asked whether you preferred the nightlife of Salt Lake City or Los Angeles.
“No comparison. There’s no such thing, man,” Matt Barnes replied. “There’s no nightlife in Utah. … But as far as nightlife, there’s no comparison to nightlife in Utah and L.A.”
Andre Iguodala agreed. “The problem with Utah is that you’re just sitting there and your mind is like dead, because in L.A., you’re like, ‘Man, this is just the vibe in L.A.’ but in Utah, it can kind of lull you to sleep … the vibe (in Utah) is just like, ‘Man, let’s just get out of here.’”
The thing is, you’re right. Salt Lake City’s nightlife, though not nearly as desolate and nonexistent as you might think, simply cannot compare to Los Angeles.
But, Golden State Warriors, before you “get out of here,” we’d love for you and your family to spend some quality time with us. Believe it or not, there are a number of fun things you and your families can do while you’re here. Here are just a few ideas:
Visit Temple Square: OK, I’ll admit, visiting Temple Square is not the most exciting thing in the world to do, but you can go there at night (before 9 p.m.) and it is Utah’s No. 1 tourist attraction. If you get there before 5 p.m., you can do some family history at the Family History Library or take a tour of the historic Tabernacle or LDS Church History Museum. And when you’re done there you can cross the street and move on to …
Shopping at the City Creek Mall: This shopping center, in the heart of Salt Lake City, has a retractable roof and sky bridge and includes over 100 stores and restaurants where you can spend your hard-earned money. And it’s open at night until 9.
Visit Utah’s Hogle Zoo: Salt Lake’s Hogle Zoo has animals of all kinds. It recently added the African Savanna exhibit, with lions, zebras, ostriches and giraffes. Sadly, Rizzo, Hogle Zoo’s popular polar bear, died a couple of weeks ago, but the Rocky Shores exhibit still has seals, sea lions, grizzly bears, otters and bald eagles. The Elephant Encounters and Asian Highlands exhibits are also popular attractions. The zoo closes at 6 p.m.
Take a tour of the This Is the Place Monument: Right across the street from the zoo, the This Is the Place Heritage Park allows visitors to take a trip back in time as they explore and see what Utah was like during its early settlement. Visitors can enter blacksmith shops and a Native American village and even the old Deseret News building to see how the newspapers used to be printed. Children and adults will also enjoy riding one of the three trains as they tour the park. This attraction also closes at 5 p.m.
Visit the Clark Planetarium: This interactive museum allows visitors to explore space and learn more about the solar system. The planetarium has added new hands-on exhibits and children will love seeing what they would weigh on other planets with the Weight on Other Worlds exhibit. Most of the exhibit is free, and it is right across the street from the Vivint Smart Home Arena. It is open until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
There’s so much to do in Salt Lake City that I can’t possibly list it all. And, if you’re willing to go a little farther outside the city limits, here are a couple of other suggestions:
Lagoon Amusement Park: This is essentially Utah’s Six Flags, and it is a lot of fun. If you go, you’ll definitely need to try the park’s newest attraction, Cannibal, which takes riders up 208 feet and “plunges them into a 116-degree beyond-vertical free-fall into an underground tunnel” and includes a 140-foot-tall inverted loop. Riders “travel up to 70 mph over 2,735 feet and through three inversions.” That is just one of the over 50 rides and attractions at the park. The park is currently open only on the weekend, but it is open until 6 p.m.
Thanksgiving Point: This area includes the Museum of Ancient Life, which includes 60 complete dinosaur skeletons and more than 50 hands-on exhibits; the Museum of Natural Curiosity, where children can interact with over 40 exhibits that help them learn more about the world around them; Farm Country (an actual working farm), where visitors can meet cows, goats, pigs, horses and many other animals, and Ashton Gardens, where the popular Tulip Festival will be winding down just before you leave the state. And all the exhibits are open at night until 8.
So, while Salt Lake and Utah can’t quite compete with L.A. when it comes to nightlife, these and many more exhibits, attractions and amenities are ready and waiting for you and your families.