Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Salt Lake City, UT
Every summer, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. This page is where we showcase the 2024 list of winners for the Salt Lake City area. (Click here for the full list of nominees.)
Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! So while you're visiting KidsOutAndAbout, be sure to browse through our packed daily calendar, check out our Everything That's Free page, and sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter that shows everything happening in our area. Keep coming back... the site changes every day!
2024's Top 20 ranking + category winners! Scroll down for more about each venue, with links!
| 1: Utah's Hogle Zoo 2: Loveland Living Planet Aquarium 3: Clark Planetarium 4. Thanksgiving Point 5. Lagoon Amusement Park 6. Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum 7. Natural History Museum of Utah 8. My Local Library 9. Tracy Aviary 10. Wheeler Historic Farm 11. Cornbelly's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest 12. Little Beakers - Sandy 13. Museum of Natural Curiosity 14. Classic Fun Center 15. Salt Lake Bees 16. Hale Centre Theatre 17. This Is the Place Heritage Park 18. The Leonardo Museum of Creativity and Innovation 19. Alta Canyon Sports Center 20. Red Butte Garden |
Arts Education: Hale Centre Theatre Sports Education: Salt Lake Sidekicks STEM Education: Clark Planetarium |
© 2024, KidsOutAndAbout.com. This information may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of KidsOutAndAbout.com.
1. Utah's Hogle Zoo
Visit the animals of the African Savanna, the bears and pinnipeds at Rocky Shores, or the big cats of the Asian Highlands plus much more! Classes, events, camps, and daily programs occur all summer long! Visit hoglezoo.org for details.
2. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium showcases ecosystems from around the world. Come see sharks, otters, penguins, seahorses, sea jellies, snakes, caimans, piranhas, stingrays, and more! Make sure you don't miss the Expedition: Asia habitat, featuring clouded leopards, Asian small-clawed otters, giant Asian fish, birds, and more.
3. Clark Planetarium
Clark Planetarium is Salt Lake’s go-to destination for visitors of all ages who want to discover and learn about space and science. Play on the gravity floor, see a real meteor and explore other worlds. With three floors of free exhibits and two state-of-the-art theaters featuring films about space and science, you and your family are sure to have fun while learning something new.
4. Thanksgiving Point
Thanksgiving Point Gardens, the Children’s Discovery Garden, Farm Country, and the Museum of Ancient Life, Emporium, and restaurants offer stimulating and engaging experiences in a safe, family-friendly setting. They foster learning, bring families closer together and provide beautiful gathering places for groups of all kinds, giving them opportunities to share their cultural heritage and common bonds.
5. Lagoon Amusement Park
Lagoon offers fun for all ages! From thrilling rides and coasters, challenging carnival games and activities, live and exciting entertainment, and the Lagoon A Beach water park, to the beautiful campground and Historical Pioneer Village, Lagoon has something for the entire family.
6. Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum
Discover the power of play at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum! Located at the Gateway shopping center in downtown Salt Lake City, Discovery Gateway offers 60,000 square feet of interactive, hands-on fun. Visit the Museum to explore engaging workshops, programs, and exhibits that invite the whole family to create, learn, and play together!
7. Natural History Museum of Utah
The Natural History Museum of Utah is a premier family attraction and active research institution located on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Guests can explore more than 5,000 artifacts on display that highlight Utah’s incredible history, from ancient past worlds ruled by dinosaurs to the biodiversity that thrives throughout the state today. Explore billions of years of awesome at NHMU.
8. My Local Library
Of course, our local library system is not really ONE place, it is MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication.
9. Tracy Aviary
Tracy Aviary offers opportunities to view hundreds of live birds. Families can also watch bird shows, attend classes and summer camps, take guided tours, and hand feed some of the birds. Birthday party packages are available.
10. Wheeler Historic Farm
Wheeler Historic Farm is a Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation facility, open to the public 365 days a year. A restoration of the turn-of-the-century dairy farm of Henry J. Wheeler, the farm includes demonstrations and exhibits. As an interactive working farm. Visitors can milk cows, view farm animals, and learn about the buildings and machines that made this 19th-century farm successful.
11. Cornbelly's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest
Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point is home to Utah's original corn maze & most popular destination for fall family fun, including: pumpkins, hayrides, cow train, pumpkin blasters, pig races, jumbo jumper, pumpkin princess playland, Halloween parades, ropes course, bee lines, amusement rides, gemstone mining, yummy fall food, fireworks and much more.
12. Little Beakers - Sandy
At Little Beakers, children and their families can conduct hands-on science experiments in our fully equipped lab during 1 hr or 2.5 hr Open Lab sessions. Choose slimy and bouncy polymers, volcano-like reactions, DNA extractions, explosions, or any of the other 30+ experiments from the Little Beakers procedures book. All equipment and materials you’ll need are included. The best part? You do the science, we do the clean-up! Additional services include: Birthday Parties, Camps, Homeschool and After School Science Classes, Group Events, Dissection and Guided Lab sessions and Parent’s Night Out. Locations in Sandy and Orem. Visit our website to learn more and plan your visit!
13. Museum of Natural Curiosity
With more than 400 interactive experiences, you can choose a new adventure each time you visit the Museum of Natural Curiosity®. For more educational opportunities, visit the Exploratorium exhibit in the Innovation Gallery or take a class in one of the Dickson Academy classrooms. The options are endless for all curious minds at the Museum of Natural Curiosity.
15. Salt Lake Bees
16. Hale Centre Theatre
Hale Centre Theatre's mission is to enrich lives through world-class theatre. We are grateful to offer family friendly entertainment to almost 600k patrons annually. Tickets available at hct.org
17. This Is the Place Heritage Park
This is the Fun Place for Everyone! Ride trains, pan for gold! Meet our farm animals and ride ponies! Interact with the Blacksmith, Tinsmith and Saddle-maker! Card and spin wool, make take-home crafts, do pioneer chores, play old-fashioned games and so much more!
18. The Leonardo Museum of Creativity and Innovation
The Leonardo is a contemporary museum that explores the unexpected ways that science, technology, art, and creativity connect. Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, The Leo is your place to see one-of-a-kind, interactive exhibits and participate in ever-changing programs, workshops, and classes.
Once home to the Salt Lake City Public Library, The Leonardo’s building has been a center for learning, curiosity, and discovery for the people of the Wasatch Front for nearly 50 years.
19. Alta Canyon Sports Center
Alta Canyon Sports Center offers an outdoor pool w/ water play features and a water slide; wallyball; sand volleyball; racquetball; birthday parties; summer camps; preschool; after-school care; and classes (swim lessons, tennis, karate).
20. Red Butte Garden
Red Butte Botanical Garden, located on 100 acres in the foothills on the eastern edge of the University of Utah campus, is an official arboretum of the state of Utah. The Garden has welcomed guests since 1985 and is the largest botanical garden in the Intermountain West with over 20 acres of display gardens and five miles of hiking trails winding through an extensive Natural Area.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in three categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator: Hale Centre Theatre
Hale Centre Theatre's mission is to provide innovative, professional family theatre and theatre education that involves and elevates our community.
Top Sports Educator: Salt Lake Sidekicks
Salt Lake's premier martial arts school! Our mission is to empower each and every member with leadership skills, character development, and confidence through martial arts training! Programs are available for ages 3 and up!
Top STEM Educator: Clark Planetarium
Clark Planetarium is Salt Lake’s go-to destination for visitors of all ages who want to discover and learn about space and science. Play on the gravity floor, see a real meteor and explore other worlds. With three floors of free exhibits and two state-of-the-art theaters featuring films about space and science, you and your family are sure to have fun while learning something new.
