We love to take a trip between Christmas and New Years. This year that trip was to Utah. The temperatures were going to be about what they were at home, so we figured, why not? We had both always wanted to see Salt Lake City and we had family members that were spending the holidays in Park City. It made perfect sense for the end of 2023.
AND WE'RE OFF!
After recouping from Christmas for a day, we were off to the airport on the 27th. We had a fairly long day of travel with a layover in Denver. There we went to the Great Divide Brewery airport location for a beer, but we were saving our appetites for a burger and fries from In & Out. We couldn't get there fast enough, but first, we needed to board the next flight and fly over some mountains.
HOLIDAYS SPIRIT
We knew, while in Salt Lake City, we would be walking to a lot of the places we wanted to see. So, after checking into our hotel, we set out for a couple of the breweries that were close to our hotel. The downtown area was still decorated for Christmas, which added to the vibe of the cold weather.
COFFEE SHOPS
Salt Lake City has some really great coffee shops. My favorite was the one we went to on the last morning. Brian got to experience his first cup of Turkish coffee. He was super excited about that.
Brian's pour over coffee. He looks for this everywhere we go.
BREWERIES
The beer scene in SLC is way bigger than I could have imagined. We tried several while we were there by way of foot or uber. We were never disappointed.
FOOD
In-N-Out Burger is a must for us if there is one in the vicinity. We went straight from the airport to the closest one. Crown Burgers was the first place Brian had ever had pastrami on a burger. It's a really good burger place that's been around for a long time. At the end of our brewery day, we ate at a place called the Red Iguana. It is known for it's mole sauce flight. That was very interesting, and oh, so yummy.
SIGHTS
From the huge mall to the capital building, there was no shortage of things for us to walk to, and the city makes sure you are safe by providing large orange flags to use while crossing the street. It's a great idea, but we are the only ones I saw use them, and it was just because we never had before.
LDS THINGS
We have always wanted to see the Salt Lake Temple and the Tabernacle. Honestly. the architecture and story of how these were built is pretty amazing. The Temple was being renovated to be able to withstand earthquakes, so you can imagine the disappointment of seeing it with scaffolding covering practically the entire building. Hopefully we will see it again someday, but for now, hearing Christmas Music played on the pipe organ in the Tabernacle made up for not seeing the temple in it's normal state.
Anybody who knows Brian well, knows his love for music, and how it affects him. He has wanted to hear the Tabernacle Organ for a really long time. The organist was practicing while we were there, and it tugged at Brian's heart in a huge way. I love that music makes him emotional.
SALT FLATS
I don't even know how to explain or describe this really. You just need to see it for yourself.
NEAT
EXPERIENCE
OLYMPICS
I had never been this close to skiing before. The sound alone is something I will never forget. I was on sensory overload when we first stepped out of the car.
MOOSE!
I always get so excited to see moose. I spend a lot of time looking for them if I know we are visiting a place they live. This time, I wasn't looking. I gasped so hard when I saw them that it made Brian jump.
PARK CITY
We spent our last day of the trip in Park City. Not only is it a beautiful drive, but it's a very lively. bustling mountain town. There were so many people there. It's one of those towns that almost makes you feel like it's a scene from a Christmas movie.
We spent a lot of time driving and walking around Park City. It definitely had a Christmas vibe going on with the snow, the decorations, all the skiers ending on the slope right in the middle of town, and the life size globes. It's a special place.
TIME TO GO HOME
We spent New Years Eve in the airports and on the planes. Seeing the mountains from the plane will never get old to me. Neither will the view of the Louisville Airport welcoming us back home.
Comments