Salt Lake City's Temple Square district is the most popular tourist destination in Utah, attracting more than 5 million people, according to the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. Temple Square is the world headquarters of the LDS Church. The main attraction is the Church_fs Salt Lake City Utah Temple, but there are a host of other facilities, including two visitors' centers and several restaurants. Note that non-Mormons are not permitted entry into the Temple proper.
Temple Square springs into overdrive twice a year when the LDS church holds its semiannual General Conference, an event that attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. Other popular events on Temple Square include the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir_fs "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast and "The Christmas Lights at Temple Square." The LDS Church maintains beautiful gardens year-round that are worth seeing if you see nothing else.
Get In
By Road
Temple Square is the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. Temple Square is the staring point for the famous Salt Lake City grid system. All streets are in a North-South East-West Grid with progressively larger street numbers as they move out from Temple Square. Temple Square itself borders North Temple, South Temple, West Temple, and Main Street in Salt Lake City. The southeast corner, on the corner of South Temple and Main Street, is the beginning of the street coordinate system in Salt Lake City.
Temple Square Visitors Center Shuttle
Temple Square runs a visitors shuttle from Salt Lake City International Airport to Temple Square that includes a short driving tour of Salt Lake City. The Shuttle Runs from the West Side of Temple Square to all terminals of the Salt Lake Airport and at last check ran year round. At the Airport Go to any information or ticket counter and ask for an information brochure. At Temple Square Ask any of the name-tagged attendants or the Visitor's Center. The shuttle claims to do a round trip in just over two hours with stops at several locations. The drivers are very courteous and require no tip.
The Shuttle is not a bad way to get a free trip from the airport to downtown.
Public Transportation
The Utah Transit Authority runs both buses and light rail in downtown Salt Lake City. The light rail, called TRAX, has a line that heads south through the southern suburbs to Sandy, and another line eastward to the University of Utah. Many of the city buses and most of the express busses have terminals at TRAX stations. Most of the buses that run downtown stop at Temple Square.
Get Around
Temple Square is Pedestrian friendly with plazas and fountains and fantastic gardens spread throughout. Visit one of the visitor's centers to get a map or ask one of the name-tagged attendants for directions. Temple Square is one of the most wheelchair friendly places I have ever seen.
See
The LDS Temple
Mormon Tabernacle
Beehive House
Lion House
Joseph Smith Memorial Building
LDS Conference Center
LDS Church Office Building
See The Gardens at Temple Square in the spring and Summer or The lights at Temple Square in the winter.
Do
Attend a recording of Mormon Tabernacle Choir: weekly recording of Music and the Spoken Word
Take a tour of the LDS Conference Center: You will see lots of LDS-related art and architecture as well as a series of waterfalls and carefully-groomed gardens on the roof of the structure. Free.
Go to the top of the Church Office Building: Gives you great views of pretty much everything on Temple Square and in Salt Lake City including the fabulous mountains.
Buy
Not much to buy. There are cookbooks and nick knacks at the lion house gift shop. I do recommend the Lionhouse Cookbook for its legendary Mormon recipes.
Eat
About the only thing you can buy on Temple Square is Food. There are several good restaurants right on temple square.
The Roof: High end eats very swank suit and tie recommended.
The Garden: Nice eats more casual restaurant.
The Lion House Pantry: Great Traditional Mormon Cooking. Come hungry and often the fare changes daily.
Drink
Spencer's for Steaks and Chops. 55 South West Temple. 01-238-4748. ww.spencersforsteaksandchops.com/saltlakecity. 1AM-2PM lunch and 5PM-11PM dinner. Aged, hand cut and seared to perfection. Spencer's for Steaks and Chops of Salt Lake City is the ultimate steakhouse restaurant. Featuring USDA prime beef, Spencer_fs restaurant offers sizzling hot porterhouses, juicy filet mignons and the bone-in ribeye for which Spencer_fs is named. If you prefer the sea to the plains, try the fresh seafood such as seared rare Ahi Tuna, alder planked salmon, parmesan encrusted Alaskan Halibut or cold-water Australian lobster.
Spencer's was recently recognized in Salt Lake Magazine for the Best Steak in Salt Lake City. Contact us for groups or simply to make a reservation (although reservations are not required). See you in Spencer's for Steaks and Chops!</drink>
Sleep
Hilton Salt Lake City Center. 55 South West Temple. rom the airport: I-80 Eastbound(City Center). Take I-80 east . Exit at 600 South. Follow 600 South to West Temple.(4 lights) Turn left on West Temple Hotel is 3 1/2 blocks on right.. 01-238-2000. ww.saltlakecitycenter.hilton.com. :00PM. 2:00PM. 109-$159. The Award Winning Choice among Salt Lake City Hotels
Our Hilton Salt Lake City hotel rooms feature all the comforts of home, luxury hotel services, great hotel dining, and all the necessities of the business traveler, such as:
Wireless High-Speed Internet access available (surcharge) offering wired solutions
24-hour fully staffed Business Center
On-site AVIS rental car
Three great dining options - In-Room Dining, Trofi and Spencer's for Steaks and Chops
Indoor heated pool and whirlpool
State-of-the-art PrecorR Fitness Facility
The Retreat - A full service spa offering world class massage therapy, facials and more
Valet Parking - Offering convenience and security (surcharge)
StarbucksR Coffee - Served in the coffee bar located in the main lobby
Airport Transportation offered by Valley Shuttle Transportation
Your Home Base for Salt Lake City Vacations
Make sure you check out our web site under Hotel Specials to recieved the best deal in town!</sleep>
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