If there is one thing everyone knows about Salt Lake, it’s that it is beautiful: A year-round, drop dead gorgeous, manicured-city-with-majestic-mountains-for-a-background kind of beautiful. But, beyond that, what do you really know?
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You can get drunk here.
(Okay, that was just a sensationally written line that should have read “You can drink here,” but it worked because you read it, so let’s move on.) Long gone are the quirky liquor laws that made Salt Lake the butt of every drinking joke. In fact, over the last decade or so, Salt Lake has grown and evolved into a vibrant, urban, energetic city full of great breweries, distilleries and more than 200 bars. So, let’s get this post-conference or post-business meeting party started. -
Getting here is easy.
Salt Lake City International serves as Delta Air Lines’ western hub, is served by all major U.S. airlines, and provides non-stop service from 92 cities including Paris, Amsterdam and London. Plus, it has the distinction of having more on-time flights than any other airport in the country. (Are you listening, LAX?) -
Getting around here is easy.
(No, this is not a Tinder reference.) Salt Lake is only a 10-minute ride from the downtown convention district via taxi, Uber, Lyft or TRAX train. And the very same TRAX light-rail system provides free travel inside the convention district’s free fare zone. -
Not everyone here is a Mormon.
While about 62% of Utahns are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), less than 40% of the population of Salt Lake is Mormon. That said, the virtues of the Mormon faith rub off on everyone here—which is probably why Salt Lake is consistently ranked as one of the friendliest, healthiest, and most family-friendly cities in the country. Oh, and the obligatory follow-up fact: the custom of having multiple wives isn’t something practiced by members of the mainstream faith, so if you’re hoping to get a taste of polygamy, we suggest asking your bartender for a locally-crafted beer called Polygamy Porter. It’s delicious. -
The world’s very first Kentucky Fried Chicken is here.
Seriously. Google it. -
We are the most diverse city in the country.
(Well, at least as it pertains to meeting venues.) No other city of our size has a building as large or as versatile as the Salt Palace Convention Center. It boasts nearly 1 million square feet and offers the perfect combination of meeting rooms, exhibit halls, ballrooms, and open spaces. Look beyond the Salt Palace, and you’ll find everything from the 250,000 square foot South Towne Exposition Center to the luxurious Grand America to Olympic venues, museums, soccer stadiums, mansions, indoor and outdoor music spots and, of course, dozens of scenic mountain venues. -
Two of our politicians are from another planet.
Okay, that’s a lie, but it sounds like it could be true, doesn’t it? -
We’re a foodie city.
While it’s true that Salt Lake’s food scene hasn’t always been on par with other cities, we’ve grown up—at least culinarily. Fact is, Salt Lake is now considered by even the most discriminating critics to be one of the best foodie cities in the country. Creative entrepreneurs, ambitious chefs, and an influx of people relocating here from around the globe have given rise to an astonishing number and variety of dining options. Another way to say it: Show up hungry. -
We have more hotel rooms than you can shake a stick at.
Full disclosure: we’ve never really tried that, but it’s fun to use old-timey expressions. More specifically, there are over 7,000 hotel rooms within the convention district. And if you extend the room count to the rest of the Salt Lake Valley, you’re looking at more than 20,000. From architecturally stunning five-diamond luxury hotels to economical, select service properties, Salt Lake’s hotels are numerous and diverse enough to accommodate groups of most any size or type. -
We’re one of the most gay-friendly cities in the country.
Surprised? You’re not alone. Not only does Salt Lake have one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ populations, our mayor is openly gay, and our Gay Pride celebration is one of the biggest in the U.S. You don’t even know who we are anymore, do you? -
Lots of other cool stuff is close-by.
It’s not uncommon for people attending events here to tack on a couple of extra days to their trip for the express purpose of getting out and seeing what people all over the world come to Utah to experience: four world-class ski resorts, state parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas, six national forests and, of course, Utah’s five world-famous national parks: Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands and Capital Reef. -
We have more plastic surgeons, per capita, than any other U.S. city.
The reason for this fact is still a little puzzling to us but, then again, we haven’t really taken the time to investigate. Regardless, while you’re here, enjoy all that our city has to offer and then, maybe, set aside a little time for that face lift, tummy tuck or boo—Nevermind.
