I surprised my tween with a birthday trip to Salt Lake City, Utah! It was our first time visiting the mountainous state and my daughter’s first time traveling out West. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect because I hadn’t heard much about family travel in Utah, especially visiting Utah with a tween. But thanks to a few YouTube families she enjoys watching, I knew the destination interested her. The Olivia Dean concert also gave me the perfect excuse to plan a quick mother-daughter getaway, which turned into an unforgettable experience.
Notes: This blog is a part of a travel diaries series! I’m not an expert in family travel to Utah or any other state/region (other than the DMV :)) just sharing my experiences in hopes of sparking a curiosity in you and your family to explore for yourself!
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In this travel diary...
So Why Utah?
Utah wasn’t necessarily at the top of our family travel list, but my daughter really wanted to see Olivia Dean in concert. I knew we’d be out of town when the tour reached the DMV, so what was the next best option? Seeing Olivia Dean on my daughter’s birthday in… Salt Lake City!
This trip was also a big surprise to celebrate how hard she worked while transitioning from elementary to middle school. She set her sights on making the honor roll in sixth grade and continued working toward that goal, even when she encountered a few bumps along the way. I was proud of her persistence, so I decided: YOLO!
We visited Utah from Tuesday, July 21, through Thursday, July 23, 2026, visiting Salt Lake City, Park City and Lehi. The Olivia Dean concert inspired the trip, but we also squeezed in a museum visit, plenty of shopping, a few memorable meals and drives through some pretty picturesque scenery. We even caught the tail end of an electrical storm in Park City, which was pretty awesome to see.
This isn’t a comprehensive guide to visiting Utah. Think of it as a family travel diary: a look at what we experienced during our short stay, what we enjoyed most and what we would add to our itinerary if we returned.
Our Three-Day Utah Itinerary
- Tuesday, July 21: Arrival, shopping at City Creek Center, sushi in Park City, beautiful mountain views and an unexpected electrical storm
- Wednesday, July 22: Natural History Museum of Utah, lunch at Freddy’s and the Olivia Dean concert
- Thursday, July 23: Exploring downtown Salt Lake City, outlet shopping and departure
Places We Explored
Salt Lake City, Utah
We spent the bulk of our trip in Salt Lake City, where we explored downtown, visited the Natural History Museum of Utah and attended the Olivia Dean concert at the Maverik Center in nearby West Valley City. Downtown Salt Lake City is fairly walkable, but renting a car was the best option for us once we ventured outside the area, especially since we wanted to take in more of Utah’s beautiful mountain scenery.
Downtown Salt Lake City
We stayed at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco, which is centrally located and within walking distance of several downtown attractions. It was approximately a seven-minute walk from City Creek Center, Salt Lake City’s premier shopping destination, and a 12-minute walk from the Brigham Young Monument and Temple Square.
There was quite a bit of construction happening within Temple Square during our visit, so we primarily explored the outskirts. We also didn’t make it to the Utah State Capitol, which would have been approximately a 30-minute walk from our hotel. That’s one place we’ll have to save for our next visit!
Natural History Museum of Utah ($)
If you have time, I highly recommend visiting the Natural History Museum of Utah. The museum has five levels dedicated to the science and history of Utah’s natural landscape and people, with plenty of interactive features for visitors of all ages.
It reminded me of DC’s Anacostia Community Museum because of its dedication to sharing the stories of local communities and exploring real issues. Native Voices on Level 5 was one of my favorite exhibitions, while my daughter especially enjoyed the Gems and Minerals exhibition and the weaving activity inside First Peoples on Level 3.
Olivia Dean at the Maverik Center in West Valley City
The Olivia Dean concert at the Maverik Center in West Valley City was the inspiration for our entire trip and a wonderful way to celebrate my daughter’s birthday!
Parking was included with our concert ticket and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you drive, take a photo of your parking location and note a nearby entrance, hotel or other landmark. We walked around the entire arena looking for our rental car and somehow ended up exactly where we started. Ha! Be sure to check the venue’s parking information before your event, since policies may vary.
Where We Ate
Park City, Utah
We took a scenic drive through the Wasatch Mountains to Park City for dinner at Yuki Yama. Although we didn’t have enough time to fully explore the city, we enjoyed walking along historic Main Street, browsing a few shops and taking in the mountain views. The area had a charming, relaxed atmosphere and immediately earned a spot on our list of places to explore more fully during a future Utah trip.
Yuki Yama Sushi in Park City ($$)
We really loved this restaurant! Yuki Yama Sushi has an intimate atmosphere, and depending on where you sit, you can watch the sushi chefs prepare rolls and other dishes. During our visit, the menu included sushi rolls, ramen, starters, hot plates and delicious cocktails. It was one of our more expensive meals, but we thoroughly enjoyed the food and the overall experience.
A Few Fast-Food Stops
We also tried Dutch Bros and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers while we were in Utah. The specialty coffee I ordered from Dutch Bros reminded me of Dunkin’, extremely sweet! My daughter and I agreed that our breakfast sandwiches weren’t great, but we would be willing to try a different location or order something else in the future.
Freddy’s was also just okay for us. I wasn’t a fan of the style of burger, and the cheese fries were a little too messy, but we both loved the tots!
Where We Shopped
Lehi, Utah
We spent the least amount of time in Lehi, visiting on our final day in Utah. It was approximately a 30-minute drive south from our hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, with more beautiful scenery to enjoy along the way.
Our main reason for visiting was to shop at the Outlets at Traverse Mountain. Since our flight home didn’t depart until later that evening, we had plenty of time to explore after checking out of our hotel.
Junction Commons vs. Outlets at Traverse Mountains
Junction Commons is an outdoor outlet mall in Park City, approximately 40-minute when driving from downtown Salt Lake City. I appreciated its mix of familiar outlet stores including Nike, Coach and Gap Factory and local/regional shops.
We visited The Beau Collective Park City, a small shop featuring gifts and sporty apparel, and Blue Sky Nomads, which sells jewelry and accessories. We even did a little thrifting at the CCPC Summit Exchange. Overall, I would visit Junction Commons again when looking for more unique finds.
The Outlets at Traverse Mountain, located in Lehi, felt more like a traditional outlet mall. In addition to several of the same familiar stores found at Junction Commons, it also had Kate Spade, H&M, Crocs and Adidas. Both shopping centers had Polo Ralph Lauren, but we only found a men’s Big & Tall section at the Outlets at Traverse Mountain.
If you’re interested in local shops and unique finds, I would choose Junction Commons. If you want a larger selection of familiar retailers, the Outlets at Traverse Mountain may be the better option. Both are outdoor shopping centers, so check the weather and dress accordingly before visiting!
6 Lessons Learned from this Trip to Utah
This mother-daughter adventure is one we will cherish for a lifetime! Visiting Utah was not on my 2026 bucket list, but I would definitely do it again.
I’m especially glad we rented a car. It made traveling between Salt Lake City, Park City and Lehi much easier and allowed us to enjoy the mountain scenery along the way. If you plan to explore beyond downtown Salt Lake City, I would recommend having your own transportation.
Three days was the perfect amount of time for a quick intro to the area. We covered a lot of ground without trying to experience everything Utah has to offer. Building the trip around one main event—the Olivia Dean concert—also made planning feel more manageable. From there, we added one educational attraction, a few shopping stops and plenty of flexibility.
I was intentional about including at least one educational destination, but I didn’t finalize our visit to the Natural History Museum of Utah until the flight there. That reminded me that every detail of a quick trip doesn’t have to be planned weeks in advance. Leaving a little room for spontaneity can be part of the fun!
We also learned to prepare for quickly changing weather. The electrical storm we encountered near Park City was unexpected, so checking the forecast throughout the day, not just before leaving the hotel, is a good idea when driving through mountainous areas.
Finally, I prefer taking a late or overnight flight home after a short trip, especially when we have a rental car. It allows us to check out of the hotel, keep our luggage with us and enjoy one more day of sightseeing before heading to the airport.
Our Utah Bucket List
Making plans to visit Utah? Here are a few places we hope to experience on future trips.
Salt Lake City
- Creole & Sliders Cafe ($) is a Black-owned restaurant in Salt Lake City that I hoped to support during our trip. Unfortunately, its limited operating days didn’t align with our itinerary. The menu features gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, po’boys and other Creole and Southern dishes. Be sure to check the current hours before visiting.
- Red Butte Garden and Arboretum ($) is one of the largest botanical gardens in the Intermountain West. It is located next to the Natural History Museum of Utah, making it easy to pair the two attractions during a future visit.
- Clark Planetarium offers three floors of free interactive exhibits. Visitors can also purchase tickets for shows inside the Hansen Dome Theatre and Northrop Grumman IMAX Theatre.
- Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park ($) is home to more than 300 birds from around the world, including several endangered species.
Beyond Salt Lake City
- Utah Olympic Park ($) in Park City is a winter-sports facility with seasonal experiences for children and adults. Its summer activities may include ziplining, extreme tubing, alpine slides, ropes courses and a bobsled experience. Activities have specific eligibility requirements and may change by season, so review the options before visiting.
- Dinosaur National Monument ($) extends across the Utah–Colorado border. The Utah entrance is approximately three hours from Salt Lake City and provides access to its famous dinosaur fossils. The monument is also known for hiking, scenic drives and stargazing.
- Visiting one or two of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands. The parks span southern and southeastern Utah, so we’d likely focus on one region at a time.
Our quick trip to Utah turned out to be the perfect mix of celebration, exploration and quality mother-daughter time. In just three days, we experienced a new part of the country, learned more about Utah’s history and natural landscape, enjoyed some beautiful mountain views and made memories we’ll cherish for years to come.
That’s the beauty of these family travel diaries: sharing what we experienced, what we learned and what we hope to explore next. Utah surprised us in the best way, and I have a feeling this won’t be our last visit.
Have you traveled to Utah with kids or tweens? Share your favorite places, restaurants and activities in the comments so we can add them to our bucket list!
