Life in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City combines a cosmopolitan feel with a relatively small town atmosphere and low cost of living. Salt Lake City is no New York, LA, San Francisco, or even Denver...but you can find entertainment to keep you going from weekend to weekend.
Outdoor Recreation
The Great Outdoors are so close. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the western United States is incredibly accessible from Salt Lake City. The Wasatch Front (our local mountain range) is dotted with canyons that extend east into the heart of the mountains. Along the western edge of the valley lie the Oquirrh Mountains, and to the north sits the Great Salt Lake. Total transit time from central SLC to complete wilderness is 10-20 minutes.
In the warmer months, world class mountain biking, hiking, and trail running can be found along the Wasatch Front and in the canyons. The Radiology Department hosts a yearly mountain bike ride for the residents and faculty, which always ends at an attending's house for a barbeque. If you travel 30 minutes to Park City, you will only find a larger outdoor playground in which to play. Road cycling is a popular sport among residents, as well as the city in general. If civilized sport is more to your liking, there are numerous golf courses throughout the valley, some more affordable than others. There are several reservoirs close to town which bristle with water-skiers, windsurfers and sailboats on hot summer weekends.
There are seven ski resorts within 30 minutes from downtown SLC. If you prefer cross-country skiing, try Mill Creek Canyon; the upper road is closed and groomed throughout the season, making for a great place to ski only 15 minutes from downtown (and dogs are allowed). Mill Creek Canyon is also a great place for snowshoeing, as are the other Wasatch Front canyons.
An Olympic City - we've hosted the world!
There are plenty of things to do in town, as well. There are numerous coffee shops, bars, and clubs in which to spend your hard-earned resident money. A wide variety are restaurants can be found featuring Greek, Italian, sushi, Indian, Thai, etc. fares. Salt Lake City has a fair number of good music shows, with both well-known and up-and-coming bands making stops. Tickets are never too expensive.
The city public library system is pretty good, and the zoo is a good place for families. Sundance Film Festival time is always fun – whether you choose to watch movies, or the people. If you prefer watching sports, Utah Jazz NBA games, Utah Grizzlies minor league hockey, and Salt Lake Bees AAA minor league baseball games await. There is also Real Salt Lake, our MLS soccer team. Tickets for University of Utah collegiate sports, including football, are easy to get as well.
