Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City

The huge shallow lake is the second saltiest body of water in the world after the Dead Sea and is several times saltier than the ocean and rich in minerals. Floating weightlessly in the water of the Salt Lake is one of the main attractions, and although this natural wonder is worth seeing, the facilities are somewhat limited. The Great Salt Lake State Marina has a beach at one end and boat launching ramps, but there are no boat rentals available. Great Salt Lake has been declared a World Heritage Bird Sanctuary due to the numbers of migrating birds that are attracted to the brine flies and brine shrimp that survive in the saline waters. Antelope Island is the largest of the lake's ten islands and can be reached either by boat or by a causeway, offering excellent picnicking, hiking and camping opportunities. The island also boasts a herd of about 600 American Bison, introduced in 1893, and other interesting animals such as coyotes, bobcats, deer and a small herd of elk. Early mornings along the shore of this vast expanse of water can be extremely beautiful.

Opening Times:
The marina is open year round and the beach is open daily from 8am to sunset

Admission:
Free admission to beaches; Antelope Island Park entrance fee $9 per vehicle or $6 for walk-ins or cyclists. Entrance fee to the Marina is $2

Pioneer Memorial Museum, Salt Lake City

Devoted to objects connected with historical events, the Pioneer Memorial Museum is crammed with photographs, furniture, textiles, toys and a doll collection from the daily lives of the pioneers that have been painstakingly collected by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. All four storeys are full of relics of Utah's history, including personal effects of Mormon leader Brigham Young. A short film is shown every half hour.

Getting There:
Bus 23 from the city centre

Opening Times:
Open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm year round; also open on Sunday, from 1pm to 5pm, in July and August

Admission:
Free, but donations are welcome

Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City

Modelled after the national Capitol building in Washington DC, the Utah State Capitol sits on a hill above the city, a prominent sight surrounded by acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. Memory Grove, to the east of the building, contains statues honouring Utah veterans, and the grounds are a favourite destination for joggers and walkers. The impressive granite structure of the Capitol building is crowned by a copper dome and fronted by columns, representing one of the greatest examples of the Renaissance Revival style in the nation. A colossal chandelier illuminates the interior walls that are covered with murals illustrating Utah's history. Several busts proclaim the state's prominent figures, including Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon pioneers who founded Salt Lake City. Marble staircases lead to the third floor where the Senate, House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court of Utah are based. The state legislature meets in January and February and visitors are welcome to sit in the galleries overlooking their chamber. Visitors can choose to wander through the building alone or join a guided tour.

Getting There:
Bus 500 is the circular Capitol City bus

Opening Times:
Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 6pm. Guided tours run every hour between 9am and 4pm, from Monday to Friday

Admission:
Free

Temple Square, Salt Lake City

The four-hectare (10-acre) Temple Square complex includes the Mormon Temple, the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall. It is at the heart of Salt Lake City, in location and spiritual importance, and the symbolic epicentre of the Mormon religion or Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. Temple Square is the city's biggest attraction, particularly the majestic six-spired Temple, topped by a golden statue of the Angel Moroni, which forms a striking silhouette on the city's skyline. The Temple was completed in 1893 after 40 years of heavy labour and the expenditure of millions of dollars. It is a holy place closed to the non-Mormon public. Confirmed believers may enter the Temple, but only for the most sacred of religious ceremonies, and non-Mormons can learn about temple activities at the visitor centres. The oval shape of the Tabernacle, topped by an impressive domed roof, is home to the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir whose weekly rehearsals and organ recitals are open to all free of charge, and illustrate the outstanding acoustic properties of the Tabernacle building. The Gothic-style Assembly Hall, constructed from granite left over from the Temple, is the venue for concerts and lectures. The two visitor centres, North and South, contain religious murals and paintings, exhibits and presentations about the Mormon faith, a film depicting the arrival of the first Mormon pioneers in Salt Lake City, and photographs of the Temple interior.

Getting There:
Bus numbers 3, 4, 5, 23 or 50

Opening Times:
The North and South visitor centres are open daily from 9am to 9pm. Choir rehearsals in the Tabernacle are on Thursdays from 8pm, and choir broadcasts are on Sundays from 9.30am. Organ recitals take place from Monday to Saturday at 12pm, and Sunday at 2pm. The Temple is closed to non-Mormons

Admission:
Free

Tracy Aviary, Salt Lake City

Situated on eight acres on land in Liberty Park, the Tracy Aviary is the oldest bird sanctuary in the United States, and a wonderful 'urban oasis' among the hustle and bustle of downtown Salt Lake City. Home to over 400 well cared-for birds, from 135 species - including bald eagles, flamingos and hawks - the aviary is popular with visitors of all ages, bird-lovers or not. With daily shows - including flight demonstrations given by professional handlers, pelican feeding, and a special showcase featuring the most beautiful, iridescent little birds of the Amazon basin - it is not hard to see why the Tracy Aviary is consistently voted one of Salt Lake City's premier tourist attractions.

Opening Times:
Open daily, from 9am to 5pm

Admission:
$7 (adults), $5 (children 3-12). Other concessions are available

Dinosaur National Monument, Salt Lake City

The Dinosaur National Monument straddles the border between Utah and Colorado. The reserve was created to preserve the layers of rock in which Jurassic Era dinosaur skeletons and bones were found embedded at a site in the Utah section of the Monument area. In 1909 an exposed sediment riverbed was discovered to contain layers of prehistoric plant and animal fossils. A quarry went into operation on the site, where full dinosaur skeletons as well as fossilised remains of sea creatures up to three times older than dinosaurs were excavated. A visitor centre has been built over the quarry to protect the fossils, and forming one of the walls is the exposed rock layer containing over 2,000 dinosaur bones that has been enclosed as a permanent exhibit. (This is currently closed, but visitors can see fossils by hiking half a mile (1km) from the temporary visitor's centre). Although the quarry is often the main reason for visiting the Dinosaur National Monument, the area also contains acres of some of the most beautifully rugged mountain scenery in the north, with colourful sandstone cliffs, deep river canyons and forests, along with a number of scenic hiking trails, unique wildlife and thrilling whitewater rafting on two of the Colorado River's fast-flowing tributaries.

Getting There:
There is no public transport to the park

Opening Times:
The temporary visitor centre (four miles north of Jensen, Utah) is open daily from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Admission:
Admission fees will not be charged in 2011, until after the Quarry Visitor Center and Exhibit Hall open on October 4