Coral sunsets, cool evenings, and blissfully sunny afternoons make Utah a prime location for summer fun. With innumerable outdoor activities and educational opportunities, summer in the Beehive State is exciting for adults and children alike. The following 10 summer activities are some of Utah’s best.
Best suited for the later summer months (during late spring and early summer, the river’s water is typically too high and too cold), tubing the Provo River is not only a refreshing adventure, but an escape from the dog days of summer. Although you can tube or raft the river with your own equipment, it is recommended that you enlist the services of trained river guides that will give you the equipment and know-how necessary to both have fun, and stay safe.
A rainbow of interwoven waterslides that scream for attention from passerby, Cowabunga Bay is a center of family fun that cools everyone off during the summer months. With fun food, periodic deals, and new facilities, the water park is one of the best in Utah.
For many Utahans, Park City is the ideal summer destination because it offers cooler temperatures and a variety of activities and entertainment. One of the city’s most popular attractions is the alpine slide, and its cooler younger brother, the mountain coaster. $17 dollars for a single ride on the slide and $24 for a single ride on the coaster, it’s a better deal to purchase a duo ticket that gets you into both for $34.
One of Utah’s most stunning and underrated resorts, Sundance is the brainchild of famed actor Robert Redford. Nestled into the side of Mount Timpanogos, the resort offers views that will send your head spinning (in a good way). And while you may think the ski resort’s lift is only worthwhile in winter, you’re wrong. The resort’s scenic panoramas are best from a birds-eye view, made possible by the lift. Throughout the summer and into early fall, the resort also offers moonlight lift rides.
The largest farmers market in Utah, the Salt Lake City Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from June to October in Pioneer Park. With artisanal goods, gourmet food, and a wide selection of locally-grown produce, the farmer’s market is an exciting shopping experience for families.
Taking place every year in early June, Orem’s Summerfest is a classic carnival experience shaped by the Utah Valley community. With all of the expected rides and treats, the family-friendly festival ends with a spectacular firework show.
With concerts in both Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, the Twilight Concert Series has become a staple for Utah’s music-loving population. Welcoming well-known performers from all sorts of music genres, the performances can be crowded, but that is to be expected when tickets are only $10. Held outside, you can enjoy music and local beer all under the shimmering night sky.
A staple for theater-lovers as well as families and individuals looking for more theater exposure, the world-renowned Utah Shakespeare Festival presents a number of famous Shakespeare plays every year, as well as popular musicals and other well-known productions. The Shakespeare plays are held in an open, outdoor theater resembling what they would have been like during Shakespeare’s time.
A conglomeration of local food trucks, the Provo Food Truck Roundup takes place in South Provo every Thursday during the summer. With massive gourmet corndogs, tiny doughnuts with interesting toppings, and wood-fired personal pizzas, the roundup is a place to discover great cuisine as well as feed your hungry family and meet up with friends. Oftentimes, the roundup even features live music from local artists.
Utah’s closest thing to Disneyland, Lagoon Amusement Park is a step back in time to the glory days of iconic Americana. With cotton candy and funnel cake galore, the park doesn’t skimp on anything, including exciting rides. If you’re feeling up to it, brave one of the USA’s oldest rollercoasters, as well as some of its newest and most intense. If you are more interested in the Ferris wheel and carousel, Lagoon has also got you covered.
