THE US UTAH DESTINATIONS
aying ‘the road to Moab is four hours long’ sounds like the opening of a heart-wrenching Nat King Cole ballad, but the scenery along this stretch of road is so beautiful and thought- provoking, it could inspire a song in anyone. The road to Moab from Salt
S
Lake City really is four hours long, and en route we came across driving rain, snow-covered forests, vast, rocky sun-kissed canyons, abandoned gas stations and expansive plots of land littered with wrecked cars. I was on my first trip to Utah
– having arrived by way of Delta Air Lines’ inaugural flight from Heathrow to Salt Lake City, a route launched earlier this year – and after spending a whirlwind few days in the city of the saints, I was about to enter the second
and very different phase of the trip. Lured by the promise of burgers so good they’re famous state-wide, plus some gnarly outdoor pursuits in Utah’s vast national parks, there was a lot to look forward to.
◗ SALT LAKE CITY Delta Air Lines’ new 11-hour flight – the first direct service from Heathrow to Utah’s capital – began in April, and was a source of much excitement when I arrived, with small shop owners in downtown Salt Lake voicing their enthusiasm for the commercial potential of the new link-up. After a hassle-free airport
experience and quick transfer downtown, by 7pm we had checked in to the very trendy Hotel Monaco (Where to Stay, page 69), and were making our
This stretch of road is so beautiful and thought-provoking, it could inspire a song in anyone
way to dinner at Squatters Pub Brewery. It was Sunday and the streets were quiet, but the street art, craft brew bars and buzzing restaurants painted a picture of a young, interesting, up-and- coming city. The state capital was founded
by Mormon followers in the mid-19th century and still has strong links to the faith today. Consequently, until fairly
recently, there were strict rules surrounding nightlife conduct and the selling of alcohol. These have relaxed as more young people have moved to the city from surrounding states to set up breweries, cafes and bars, but it is still worth reading up on the rules before a night on the town. Salt Lake City has found the perfect balance between heritage and hipster allure, with the added bonus of never being more than 40 minutes from the slopes. Hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics cemented the city’s status as a must-visit for any winter sports aficionado. There is a massive ski and extreme sports culture, and our enthusiastic host was forever trying to convince us to don our boots and hike up the Wasatch Mountain range to the northeast of the city.
1 September 2016
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TOP TIP Find out more about what to do, where to go and how to get to Utah at
visitutah.com/uk
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