VISITING Salt Lake City · The Crossroads of the West

Visiting Salt Lake City with toddlers and little kids: the plan.

Salt Lake splits between downtown, with Discovery Gateway and Liberty Park, and the east bench, with the Zoo, the natural history museum and Red Butte Garden. Here’s how we’d spend one or two days with nap built in.

Top 5 can’t-miss spots

#1The Gateway, 444 W. 100 S.

Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum

Make it your first morning. Weekday tickets cost a little less than weekends.

Kids $14.50Adults $18Indoor

See it in the guide

#2East side, 2600 Sunnyside Ave.

Utah’s Hogle Zoo

Buy online to save $2 a ticket, and plan a full morning.

Kids $18.95Adults $22.95Ages 2 and under free

See it in the guide

#3University of Utah area

Natural History Museum of Utah

Great after nap, and it stays open late on Wednesdays.

Kids $20.95Adults $24.95Ages 2 and under freeIndoor

See it in the guide

#4Liberty Park

Tracy Aviary

Go after 3 or on a weekday to skip the 11-to-3 rush. Weekends are busiest.

Kids $10.95Adults $16.95Ages 2 and under free

See it in the guide

#5Lehi (about 30 minutes)

Thanksgiving Point

Worth the drive for the Museum of Natural Curiosity. Buying online saves $3.

Kids $20Adults $27Ages 2 and under freeIndoor

See it in the guide

Nap breaks built in

One day or two in SLC

A couple of big stops, a real lunch and a nap in the middle. Tap a stop for the full listing.

If you have one day

MORNINGDiscovery Gateway Children’s MuseumGo at opening · The Gateway, 444 W. 100 S. · $14.50 kids, $18 adults

LUNCHRed IguanaNorth Temple · North Temple

NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.

AFTER NAPTracy AviaryAfter the midday rush · Liberty Park · $10.95 kids, $16.95 adults

If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

MORNINGUtah’s Hogle ZooA full morning · East side, 2600 Sunnyside Ave. · $18.95 kids, $22.95 adults

LUNCHThe Pie PizzeriaNear the University · University of Utah area, 1320 E. 200 S.

NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.

AFTER NAPNatural History Museum of UtahLate on Wednesdays · University of Utah area · $20.95 kids, $24.95 adults

Where to stay

Kid-friendly areas near the big attractions

Pick the area by the stops you’ll make most, then plan around nap.

BEST FOR FIRST-TIMERSDowntownClose to Discovery Gateway, with Liberty Park and the Aviary a short drive south.Near Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum and Red Iguana

FOR THE EAST BENCHNear the UniversityClose to the Zoo, the natural history museum and Red Butte Garden.Near Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Garden and The Pie Pizzeria

FOR THANKSGIVING POINTLehiRight by Thanksgiving Point, about 30 minutes south.Near Thanksgiving Point

Eat

Easy restaurants near the big stops

Kids’ menus, quick service and a short drive from the attractions. Prices come from each restaurant’s own menu.

Mexican · North TempleRed IguanaNear Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum

Pizza · University of Utah area, 1320 E. 200 S.The Pie PizzeriaNear Natural History Museum of Utah and Red Butte Garden

Pizza · Several Salt Lake-area locationsPizzeria Limone

Plan B

Rainy-day backup plan

If the forecast turns, swap the outdoor stop for one of these. More options: indoor play places in SLC.

The Gateway, 444 W. 100 S.Discovery Gateway Children’s MuseumA children’s museum at The Gateway.Kids $14.50Adults $18Indoor

University of Utah areaNatural History Museum of UtahBig indoor galleries with mountain views.Kids $20.95Adults $24.95Ages 2 and under freeIndoor

Lehi (about 30 minutes)Thanksgiving PointHundreds of hands-on exhibits indoors.Kids $20Adults $27Ages 2 and under freeIndoor

Before you go

Practical tips

Parking, strollers, changing tables and the best times to go.

Parking

Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum: The first hour of parking at The Gateway is free.
Natural History Museum of Utah: Two levels of surface parking next to the building. It’s an uphill walk to the entrance on paths and ramps.

Strollers and accessibility

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.

Changing tables

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.

Beat the Aviary crowds

Tracy Aviary is busiest on weekends between 11 am and 3 pm.

Bring your own stroller

The natural history museum doesn’t lend strollers, and the walk from the lot is uphill.

Visiting in November or December?

Santa and Christmas lights in SLC

If your trip lands in the holiday season, these two pages have the dates, prices and booking links.

Santa in SLCBreakfast with Santa, Santa photos and Santa trains, with 2026 prices

Christmas lights in SLCDrive-thru and walk-through displays, start times and 2026 prices

On a budget

Free and cheap wins for visitors

Spend less without skipping the good stuff.

Central city, 600 Harvey Milk Blvd.Liberty ParkA free city park.Free

All free things to do in Salt Lake City →

This week

Happening while you’re here

This week’s top events in Salt Lake City. The full list, with hours and the forecast, is on the this-week page.

#1Mon–Thu 6–8pm; Fri–Sun 6–9pm

Garden After Dark: Adventures in Neverland

A glowing Peter Pan quest through the garden: hunt for pixie-dust beads and help Tinker Bell rescue Peter.

Red Butte Garden · Salt Lake City

$15 Mon–Thu

Hours, food & parking

#2Nightly 6:30–9:30pm

Hogle Halloween: A Boo Lights Experience

The zoo after dark with glowing light displays, Dr. Frankenstein’s Mad Lab in the Wildlife Theatre and $3.50 night train rides. Costumes welcome; nightly through Oct. 30.

Utah’s Hogle Zoo · Salt Lake City

$19.95–$24.95

Hours, food & parking

#3Sat 10am–8pm

Día de los Muertos at Thanksgiving Point

Ofrendas, calacas and calaveras fill the Show Barn, with dancers, mariachi bands, storytellers, tissue-paper flower making and a Catrina contest.

Thanksgiving Point – Show Barn · Lehi

$16 adults

Hours, food & parking

#4Sat 10am–1pm

PBS Utah Reading Marathon Kickoff Party (Main Library)

Meet Daniel Tiger, Super Why and Carl the Collector and dress as a superhero to kick off November’s Reading Marathon. Kids up to 12.

Main Library · Salt Lake City

FreeIndoor

Hours, food & parking

#5Wed 5:15–8:15pm

Family STEAM Explorations: Spooky Science

Drop-in hands-on science and art with a spooky twist in the Naturalists’ Lab, on the museum’s late Wednesday. Stay as long as you like.

Natural History Museum of Utah · Salt Lake City

Included with admission: $20.95 ages 3–12Indoor

Hours, food & parking

See everything this week →

Good questions

Visiting Salt Lake City with toddlers: the FAQ

Is Salt Lake City kid-friendly?

For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Salt Lake City guide lists 12 places we checked for little kids, plus 1 free place and 2 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 3 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 2 library systems. This week’s list has 29 dated outings for ages 0–6. See free things to do in Salt Lake City and this weekend’s list.

Where should we stay in Salt Lake City with little kids?

Downtown for Discovery Gateway and Liberty Park, with the Zoo and the natural history museum about 15 minutes east.

Is Thanksgiving Point worth the drive?

Yes, for a full morning. It’s about 30 minutes south, and the Museum of Natural Curiosity has hundreds of hands-on exhibits.

How many days do you need in Salt Lake City with a toddler?

Two days: downtown and the Aviary on one, and the Zoo and the natural history museum on the other.

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Visiting Salt Lake City with toddlers and little kids: the plan.

Top 5 can’t-miss spots

One day or two in SLC

Kid-friendly areas near the big attractions

Easy restaurants near the big stops

Rainy-day backup plan

Practical tips

Santa and Christmas lights in SLC

Free and cheap wins for visitors

Happening while you’re here

Visiting Salt Lake City with toddlers: the FAQ

Other cities

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