Only a few months in, this year is shaping up to be a momentous one for Salt Lake. 2015 will be its busiest year ever for conventions, with The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, Outdoor Retailer, Comic Con, the School Nutrition Association, and many other groups congregating at the Salt Palace. In anticipation of all this wonderful business, three new hotels have opened their doors within steps of the convention center—the Hyatt House, the Marriott Courtyard, and the newly renovated Holiday Inn Express.

And it’s not just new hotels creating buzz in the city. Construction is well underway on a new Performing Arts Center, which will host world-class theater, dance, and more, and is located just two blocks east of the Salt Palace. Amazing new restaurants are opening up downtown, most notably Current Fish & Oyster, Pleiku (vietnamese tapas and soul food), and Taqueria 27. New set-apart bike lanes (a.k.a. "cycletracks") line the streets, and the city's wildly successful shareable GreenBike program has added several new hubs. On top of all that, Salt Lake’s summer festivals and outdoor concert series promise to be especially exciting this season, with many unique events and incredible performers lined up.