# 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.

- Last checked: 2026-10-18
- One- and two-day plans with a nap in the middle
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/visiting/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/index.md
- City guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/guide/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/llms.txt

## Top 5 can’t-miss spots

- **Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum** (The Gateway, 444 W. 100 S.): Make it your first morning. Weekday tickets cost a little less than weekends. Cost: $14.50 kids, $18 adults. Site: https://discoverygateway.org/
- **Utah’s Hogle Zoo** (East side, 2600 Sunnyside Ave.): Buy online to save $2 a ticket, and plan a full morning. Cost: $18.95 kids, $22.95 adults. Site: https://www.hoglezoo.org/
- **Natural History Museum of Utah** (University of Utah area): Great after nap, and it stays open late on Wednesdays. Cost: $20.95 kids, $24.95 adults. Site: https://nhmu.utah.edu/
- **Tracy Aviary** (Liberty Park): Go after 3 or on a weekday to skip the 11-to-3 rush. Weekends are busiest. Cost: $10.95 kids, $16.95 adults. Site: https://tracyaviary.org/
- **Thanksgiving Point** (Lehi (about 30 minutes)): Worth the drive for the Museum of Natural Curiosity. Buying online saves $3. Cost: $20 kids, $27 adults. Site: https://thanksgivingpoint.org/

## If you have one day

1. **MORNING**: Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum (Go at opening · The Gateway, 444 W. 100 S. · $14.50 kids, $18 adults). https://discoverygateway.org/
2. **LUNCH**: Red Iguana (North Temple · North Temple). https://www.rediguana.com/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: Tracy Aviary (After the midday rush · Liberty Park · $10.95 kids, $16.95 adults). https://tracyaviary.org/

## If you have two days

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

1. **MORNING**: Utah’s Hogle Zoo (A full morning · East side, 2600 Sunnyside Ave. · $18.95 kids, $22.95 adults). https://www.hoglezoo.org/
2. **LUNCH**: The Pie Pizzeria (Near the University · University of Utah area, 1320 E. 200 S.). https://www.thepie.com/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: Natural History Museum of Utah (Late on Wednesdays · University of Utah area · $20.95 kids, $24.95 adults). https://nhmu.utah.edu/

## Where to stay

- **Downtown** (best for first-timers): Close to Discovery Gateway, with Liberty Park and the Aviary a short drive south. Near Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum and Red Iguana.
- **Near the University** (for the east bench): Close 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.
- **Lehi** (for thanksgiving point): Right by Thanksgiving Point, about 30 minutes south. Near Thanksgiving Point.

## Easy restaurants near the big stops

- **Red Iguana** (Mexican, North Temple): . https://www.rediguana.com/
- **The Pie Pizzeria** (Pizza, University of Utah area, 1320 E. 200 S.): . https://www.thepie.com/
- **Pizzeria Limone** (Pizza, Several Salt Lake-area locations): . https://www.pizzerialimone.com/

## Rainy-day backup plan

- **Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum**: A children’s museum at The Gateway.
- **Natural History Museum of Utah**: Big indoor galleries with mountain views.
- **Thanksgiving Point**: Hundreds of hands-on exhibits indoors.

## Practical tips

- Parking, Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum: The first hour of parking at The Gateway is free.
- Parking, 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.
- Strollers and accessibility, Natural History Museum of Utah: All exhibits work with strollers, but the museum doesn’t lend them, so bring your own.
- Strollers and accessibility, 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.
- Changing tables, 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.

## Free and cheap wins

- **Liberty Park**: A free city park.

All free things to do in Salt Lake City: https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/guide/#free


## 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 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](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/guide/#free) and [this weekend’s list](https://littlesweekly.com/salt-lake-city/).

### 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.