Downtown Salt Lake, like most cities’ downtowns, is a hub for business, arts, entertainment, dining, and nightlife. Young professionals are moving to this neighborhood in droves to be close to transit and occupy dozens of new apartment buildings and condos, a hip new restaurant or bar opens seemingly every day, Greenbikes cruise from shop to shop, and exciting events hit the city center night after night. But amid all the urban action, historic Temple Square remains the most visited attraction in the city, and views of the venerable Wasatch Mountains can be had from almost every street corner, giving downtown Salt Lake a unique feeling of rootedness and ruggedness. When it comes to planning out your day and night downtown, there’s a lot to choose from. Here are a few crowd favorites. Don't miss your chance to check some of the best food and drink in downtown Salt Lake.

Eccles Theater

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Right off of Main Street, this five story performing arts theater is quite a sight to see. The Eccles Theater books everything from Broadway musicals to bluegrass bands to big name comedians. Be sure to take in the star-speckled ceiling after finding your seat, and head to Finca Pintxos Bar on Regent Street for Spanish tapas and drinks after the show.

Delta Center (Utah Jazz)

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Host site of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, 2002 Winter Olympics site, and home of the beloved Utah Jazz NBA team. Snag tickets to a Jazz game and experience the loudest fans in the NBA, or check out one of the mega popstars taking the mainstage. For a full event lineup, check out the Delta Center website.

Temple Square

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Please note: Temple Square is currently under renovation, but still has spaces open for the public. See what is still available to visit and tour here.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped, the towering Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' temple and surrounding architecture are stunning, and the multilingual tour guides are happy to fill you in on the unusual sights, sounds, and texts you’ll encounter in this utterly unique corner of the city. 

City Library

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Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the downtown library is a gorgeous place to read, relax, catch up on emails, browse books and zines, see an art exhibit, and admire sweeping views of the city.

Currently, the main rooftop terrace is being remodeled and will be an even better place to take in views of the city. For updates on construction, visit their website.

City Creek Shopping Center

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This award-winning, state-of-the-art shopping mall has something for everyone, including waterfalls, a fish-stocked stream, and an enormous glass ceiling that opens and closes based on the weather.

Utah State Capitol

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Capture a photo op outside this beautiful building, stroll the grounds, or head inside and take in the marble elegance and artwork. Pro tip, go in the spring and see the cherry blossoms bloom. The capitol offers self-guided tours or guided tours that can be scheduled in advance of your visit

Not too small, not too big, The Depot is a super fun place to see shows. The venue books a good variety of touring bands and musicians, and it’s almost always easy to get a drink and see the stage.

Note: Speaking of shows and other crowd-pleasing happenings, if any of the following events are happening during your visit to downtown Salt Lake, definitely check them out: Twilight Concert Series, Craft Lake City, Utah Arts Festival, Kilby Block Party, Open Streets, Utah Pride Parade, and the Utah Beer Festival.

Locals’ Secrets

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The following are a few places we probably shouldn’t tell you about. Go there only if you’re a genuinely cool person who wants to chat with some Salt Lakers and take a step off the conventional visitors guide path.

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