Utah

Travel Guide North America USA Western United States Utah

Introduction

The famous Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Utah is one of the Western United States and is an absolute highlight of any trip if you are into landscapes, national parks and outdoor activities. Winters are great for skiing up north around Salt Lake City, while the parks in the southern half of the state are great year-round, though spring and autumn are the best times to avoid either cold or hot conditions and crowds in winter and summer.

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Geography

Utah covers around 85,000 square miles, making it the 13th largest state in the US. About 2.75 million people live in Utah, mainly concentrated in Salt Lake City and the adjacent region in the central north. Utah borders Idaho and Wyoming to the north, Colorado to the east, Nevada to the west and Arizona to the south. It borders New Mexico at one single point in the southeast. Utah is generally rocky with three distinct geological regions: the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. Utah is also home to a range of fantastic landscapes, from arid deserts with sand dunes to pine forests in mountain valleys.

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Cities

Layton
Orem
Ogden
Provo
Salt Lake City, the state's capital and largest city.
Sandy
St. George
Taylorsville
West Jordan
West Valley City

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Sights and Activities

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Events and Festivals

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Weather

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Getting There

By Plane

Salt Lake City International Airport (IATA: SLC, ICAO: KSLC, FAA LID: SLC) is the major airport in Utah and is located several miles west of downtown Salt Lake City. It handles over 20 million passengers a year, mainly by domestic flights though there are still quite a few international connections.

By Train

The California Zephyr, operated by Amtrak, travels between Chicago and Emeryville (San Francisco), stopping en route in a number of places in Utah, including Salt Lake City.

By Car

By Bus

Greyhound offers a wide range of bus connections to and from Utah.

By Boat

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Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

Utah has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.
Otherwise, those Interstates are the fastest way to cross the state. North-south by using I-15 from Idaho to Las Vegas and east-west via the I-80 from southern Wyoming to northern Nevada and on to California.

By Bus

By Boat

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include: