# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Salt Lake City: the parent guide > 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. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - 12 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Red Iguana (North Temple) - Voted Utah’s best Mexican restaurant for more than 25 years running, and known for its moles. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Sat 11am–10pm - Good for: Mole and Mexican food for the grown-ups. - Skip if: you hate waiting; it’s very popular. - Website: https://www.rediguana.com/ ### The Pie Pizzeria (University of Utah area, 1320 E. 200 S.) - A Utah pizza tradition since 1980, in a basement under the University Pharmacy. - Price level: $$ - Good for: A basement pizza tradition near the university. - Skip if: you’re pushing a big stroller; it’s down in a basement. - Website: https://www.thepie.com/ ### Pizzeria Limone (Several Salt Lake-area locations) - Modern Neapolitan-style pizzas, salads and lemonades. - Price level: $ - Hours: Sat 11am–10pm - Good for: Quick Neapolitan pizza and lemonade. - Skip if: your kids want classic American pizza; these are Neapolitan-style. - Website: https://www.pizzerialimone.com/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum (The Gateway, 444 W. 100 S.) - A children’s museum at The Gateway, near TRAX and FrontRunner. The first hour of parking is free. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 1–17 $14.50; adults 18–64 $18. Weekend prices; weekdays $13.50 kids, $16.50 adults - Hours: Mon and Wed–Sun 10am–6pm; closed Tue - Good for: Toddler-height play near TRAX, with the first hour of parking free. - Skip if: it’s Tuesday, when it’s closed. - Price source: https://discoverygateway.org/admission/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://discoverygateway.org/ ### Natural History Museum of Utah (University of Utah area) - The state’s natural history museum, with family programs on the calendar. Open late on Wednesdays. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $20.95; adults $24.95; Ages 2 and under free. Young adults 13–24 $22.95 - Hours: Daily 10am–5pm; Wed until 9pm - Good for: An after-nap visit, open late on Wednesdays; 2 and under are free. - Skip if: you want hands-on toddler play. - Price source: https://nhmu.utah.edu/tickets/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://nhmu.utah.edu/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Liberty Park (Central city, 600 Harvey Milk Blvd.) - 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. - Price level: Free - Hours: Daily 5am–11pm - Good for: Free play at the Rice Pavilion playground next to the aviary. - Skip if: you came for the Rotary Play Park; it’s closed for construction. - Website: https://www.slc.gov/parks/parks-division/liberty-park/ ### Red Butte Garden (University of Utah, foothills) - Gardens and trails above the city, with seasonal events through the year. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–17 $10; adults 18–64 $18; Ages 2 and under free - Hours: Oct–Dec: daily 9am–5pm - Good for: Paved paths near the entrance; 2 and under are free. - Skip if: you’re pushing a stroller up the foothill trails. - Price source: https://redbuttegarden.org/plan-your-garden-visit/general-info/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://redbuttegarden.org/ ### Tracy Aviary (Liberty Park) - A bird park inside Liberty Park. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $10.95; adults 13+ $16.95; Ages 2 and under free - Hours: Daily 9am–5pm (last admission 4pm) - Good for: Birds after 3pm or on a weekday; 2 and under are free. - Skip if: you go between 11 and 3 on a weekend. - Price source: https://tracyaviary.org/hours-admission/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://tracyaviary.org/ ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Utah’s Hogle Zoo (East side, 2600 Sunnyside Ave.) - The state’s big zoo. Fall and winter prices run October through April, and buying online saves $2. - Price level: $$ - Tickets (last season): kids 3–12 $18.95; adults 13+ $22.95; Ages 2 and under free. Oct 1–Apr 30 prices - Hours: Daily 9am–6pm - Good for: A full morning; buy online to save $2. - Skip if: you’re buying at the gate; online saves $2 a ticket. - Price source: https://www.hoglezoo.org/tickets/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.hoglezoo.org/ ### Thanksgiving Point (Lehi (about 30 minutes)) - A big campus with the Museum of Natural Curiosity’s 400-plus hands-on exhibits, a dinosaur museum, a farm and gardens. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $20; adults $27; Ages 2 and under free. Museum of Natural Curiosity, in-person price; $3 less online - Good for: The Museum of Natural Curiosity about 30 minutes south; 2 and under are free. - Skip if: you don’t want the drive; buying online saves $3. - Price source: https://thanksgivingpoint.org/attractions-tickets/museum-of-natural-curiosity/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://thanksgivingpoint.org/ ## Staycations and overnight trips ### Little America Hotel (Downtown) - Among the roomiest guest rooms downtown, with garden rooms, tower rooms and a scratch-made coffee shop. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: Roomy downtown rooms for a family. - Skip if: you want a small, intimate hotel; it’s a big downtown property. - Website: https://saltlake.littleamerica.com/ ### Wasatch Mountain State Park (Midway (about 1 hour)) - A year-round mountain park with camping, hiking, golf and, in winter, cross-country skiing. - Price level: $ - Good for: Mountain camping about an hour away. - Skip if: you need city attractions. - Website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/wasatch-mountain/ ## Free things to do - Liberty Park ## Best for under 3s - **Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum**: Floors of play at toddler height. - **Thanksgiving Point**: Kids 2 and under are free. ## With a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Family Storytime** (Salt Lake City Public Library): Fridays at 10:30am · Glendale Branch. Families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers https://events.slcpl.org/ - **Baby and me Storytime** (Salt Lake County Library): Mondays at 10:30am · Kearns branch. Interactive early learning storytime for babies and their caring adult(s) with talking, singing, reading, writing and play https://www.slcolibrary.org/events/ - **Cuddle Time - Babies & Toddlers Storytime** (Salt Lake County Library): Mondays at 10:15am · Sandy branch. https://www.slcolibrary.org/events/ - **Storytime: Baby** (Salt Lake County Library): Fridays at 10:15am · Tyler branch. https://www.slcolibrary.org/events/ ### Babies get in free - **Natural History Museum of Utah**: Ages 2 and under free. https://nhmu.utah.edu/tickets/ - **Red Butte Garden**: Ages 2 and under free. https://redbuttegarden.org/plan-your-garden-visit/general-info/ - **Tracy Aviary**: Ages 2 and under free. https://tracyaviary.org/hours-admission/ - **Utah’s Hogle Zoo**: Ages 2 and under free. https://www.hoglezoo.org/tickets/ - **Thanksgiving Point**: Ages 2 and under free. https://thanksgivingpoint.org/attractions-tickets/museum-of-natural-curiosity/ ### Changing tables and nursing rooms - **Natural History Museum of Utah**: There’s an Infant Care Room on Level 2 next to the café, with a changing table and a chair. - **Tracy Aviary**: There are no changing tables, but staff can give you a changing mat. ### Stroller notes - **Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum**: Elevators reach every floor and exhibit. - **Natural History Museum of Utah**: All exhibits work with strollers, but the museum doesn’t lend them, so bring your own. - **Thanksgiving Point**: Rent a stroller for $5. Rentals stop 90 minutes before closing. ## Library storytimes - **Salt Lake City Public Library**: Weekly at 6 locations; Tuesday–Friday, mostly mornings. Free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at the Main Library and branches. Salt Lake County Library runs its own. https://events.slcpl.org/ - **Salt Lake County Library**: Weekly at 13 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings, plus an evening session. Free 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. https://www.slcolibrary.org/events/ ## Happening this week - **Garden After Dark: Adventures in Neverland** (Mon–Thu 6–8pm; Fri–Sun 6–9pm) at Red Butte Garden. $15 Mon–Thu, $20 Fri–Sun (members $13/$18); 2 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/#e-garden_after_dark_adventures_in_neverlan - **Hogle Halloween: A Boo Lights Experience** (Nightly 6:30–9:30pm) at Utah’s Hogle Zoo. $19.95–$24.95 (members save $2). https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/#e-hogle_halloween_a_boo_lights_experience - **Día de los Muertos at Thanksgiving Point** (Sat 10am–8pm) at Thanksgiving Point – Show Barn. $16 adults, $5 ages 3–12; 2 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/#e-dia_de_los_muertos_at_thanksgiving_point - **PBS Utah Reading Marathon Kickoff Party (Main Library)** (Sat 10am–1pm) at Main Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/#e-pbs_utah_reading_marathon_kickoff_party - **Family STEAM Explorations: Spooky Science** (Wed 5:15–8:15pm) at Natural History Museum of Utah. Included with admission: $20.95 ages 3–12, $24.95 adults; 2 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/#e-family_steam_explorations_spooky_science Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Salt Lake City: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Salt Lake City for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/christmas-lights/index.md) ## About this list - Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city. - How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com). - Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list. - How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote. ## FAQ ### Is Discovery Gateway good for toddlers? Yes. It’s built for young kids, and the first hour of parking at The Gateway is free. ### What can we do in Salt Lake with a toddler when it’s cold? Discovery Gateway, the Natural History Museum of Utah and Thanksgiving Point are all indoors. ### What’s free to do with little kids in Salt Lake City? Liberty Park and library storytimes are free. ### What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Salt Lake City? 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](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Salt Lake City? 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](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [SLC weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/). ### How do you choose the places in the Salt Lake City guide? 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](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is Utah’s Hogle Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free? Ages 2 and under free; kids 3–12: $18.95; adults 13+: $22.95. We checked this on [its official site](https://www.hoglezoo.org/tickets/) on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go. ### How much is the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum for a toddler? 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](https://discoverygateway.org/admission/) on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.