Salt Lake City has a children’s museum downtown, a natural history museum on the hill, a bird park in Liberty Park, the state’s big zoo and a huge hands-on museum in Lehi.
Not this week’s events, just the reliable stuff. Where to eat with a toddler, where to burn off energy when it rains, where to splash, what’s worth the admission, and where to spend a night without going far.
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
Voted Utah’s best Mexican restaurant for more than 25 years running, and known for its moles.
A Utah pizza tradition since 1980, in a basement under the University Pharmacy.
Modern Neapolitan-style pizzas, salads and lemonades.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.
A children’s museum at The Gateway, near TRAX and FrontRunner. The first hour of parking is free.
Weekend prices; weekdays $13.50 kids, $16.50 adults
The state’s natural history museum, with family programs on the calendar. Open late on Wednesdays.
Young adults 13–24 $22.95
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
Salt Lake City’s oldest park, with Tracy Aviary, a seasonal amusement area and the Rice Pavilion playground. The Rotary Play Park is closed for construction.
Gardens and trails above the city, with seasonal events through the year.
A bird park inside Liberty Park.
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
The state’s big zoo. Fall and winter prices run October through April, and buying online saves $2.
Oct 1–Apr 30 prices
A big campus with the Museum of Natural Curiosity’s 400-plus hands-on exhibits, a dinosaur museum, a farm and gardens.
Museum of Natural Curiosity, in-person price; $3 less online
A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.
Among the roomiest guest rooms downtown, with garden rooms, tower rooms and a scratch-made coffee shop.
A year-round mountain park with camping, hiking, golf and, in winter, cross-country skiing.
These don’t change week to week. Last checked . Hours and prices change, so check the place’s own site before you go. Know a spot we missed? Tell us at hello@littlesweekly.com.
Where a family can go in SLC without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in SLC.
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar.
Weekly at 6 locations; Tuesday–Friday, mostly morningsFree storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at the Main Library and branches. Salt Lake County Library runs its own.
Schedule ↗Weekly at 13 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings, plus an evening sessionFree baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby and me Storytime (Mondays 10:30am, Kearns) and Cuddle Time - Babies & Toddlers Storytime (Mondays 10:15am, Sandy), with more at Bingham Creek, Daybreak, Draper and Granite and other branches.
Schedule ↗Baby storytimes, places where babies get in free, and where to change and feed. For rainy days, see indoor play places; for zero-cost ideas, see free things to do.
Fridays at 10:30am · Glendale BranchFamilies with babies, toddlers and preschoolers
Storytime calendar ↗Mondays at 10:30am · Kearns branchInteractive early learning storytime for babies and their caring adult(s) with talking, singing, reading, writing and play
Storytime calendar ↗Mondays at 10:15am · Sandy branchFridays at 10:15am · Tyler branch
Ages 2 and under free
Admission page ↗Ages 2 and under free
Admission page ↗Ages 2 and under free
Admission page ↗Ages 2 and under free
Admission page ↗Ages 2 and under free
Admission page ↗
There’s an Infant Care Room on Level 2 next to the café, with a changing table and a chair.
Official site ↗There are no changing tables, but staff can give you a changing mat.
Official site ↗
Elevators reach every floor and exhibit.
Official site ↗All exhibits work with strollers, but the museum doesn’t lend them, so bring your own.
Official site ↗Rent a stroller for $5. Rentals stop 90 minutes before closing.
Official site ↗Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices.
The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in Salt Lake City right now.
Yes. It’s built for young kids, and the first hour of parking at The Gateway is free.
Discovery Gateway, the Natural History Museum of Utah and Thanksgiving Point are all indoors.
Liberty Park and library storytimes are free.
Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum: Floors of play at toddler height. Thanksgiving Point: Kids 2 and under are free. Free for the littlest: Natural History Museum of Utah (Ages 2 and under free), Red Butte Garden (Ages 2 and under free), Tracy Aviary (Ages 2 and under free) and Utah’s Hogle Zoo (Ages 2 and under free). See best for under 3s.
Salt Lake City Public Library: Weekly at 6 locations; Tuesday–Friday, mostly mornings. Salt Lake County Library: Weekly at 13 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings, plus an evening session. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See library storytimes, and this week’s dated sessions are on the SLC weekly list.
Every one of the 12 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 6 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. How we choose and check.
Ages 2 and under free; kids 3–12: $18.95; adults 13+: $22.95. We checked this on its official site on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
Kids 1–17: $14.50; adults 18–64: $18 (weekend prices; weekdays $13.50 kids, $16.50 adults). We checked this on its official site on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
One short email every Friday morning: the five things worth leaving the house for in SLC, plus what to skip.
