Family Day in Salt Lake: Kid-Approved Stops (and Pizza to Finish)
A great Salt Lake family day is easier to pull off than you'd think — almost everything worth doing is a short drive apart, and it ends, as all the best days do, with pizza. Here's the itinerary.
Morning — go big. Start at the Natural History Museum of Utah, built right into the Wasatch foothills, where two-story dinosaur skeletons (most of them dug up here in Utah) turn "learning" into the loudest, happiest part of the day, and the hands-on kids' exhibits keep even the squirmy ones busy. The building itself is worth it — the valley views from up there are reason enough to go. Got animal kids instead? Utah's Hogle Zoo is home to more than 800 animals across the African Savanna and Asian Highlands, plus daily giraffe feedings, a zoo train, and a carousel for the younger crowd. Check the event calendar when you arrive — there's usually a free animal encounter you can catch.
Afternoon — keep it moving. The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium down in Draper is the heavy hitter: a shark tunnel you walk straight through, sea turtles and stingrays, an Asia gallery with a giant Pacific octopus, and Gentoo penguins you can book an encounter to meet. Rather stay downtown? Clark Planetarium at The Gateway keeps its hands-on exhibits free to walk in and runs an IMAX dome for the big finish, and Discovery Gateway Children's Museum right next door is built for tinkering — a helicopter to climb into, a car to "fix," water play, the works. For a dose of Utah history with pony rides and fresh-baked donuts, This Is The Place Heritage Park is hard to beat, and if you've got an artsy kid, The Leonardo downtown blends art and science into one hands-on afternoon.
Evening — the payoff. Tired, happy kids and grateful parents all want the exact same thing now: an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner where nobody has to behave perfectly. Litzas is made for it — hand-tossed pizza, a salad with that legendary ranch, garlic bread, and a room that's never too fussy for a worn-out family at the end of a big day. Order a couple of sizes and let everyone build their perfect slice.
Adventure all day, pizza to finish. That's a Salt Lake family day done right.
