Two hikes, a spa day, a rooftop dinner, and one very salty morning
Sometimes what makes a good trip starts with a mistake.
Why Salt Lake City?
My initial plan was to enter the lottery to hike Angels Landing at Zion, but there was one problem…I booked a flight to the wrong airport.
Flying into Salt Lake would have required me to drive almost 5 hours to get to Angels Landing, so, instead of spending the weekend chasing my O.G. itinerary, I decided to turn my oops into a new adventure. I found new hikes, places to dine, added a touch of luxury, and even found a side quest and voilà… Erin meets Salt Lake City.
Aside from the wrong airport situation…. Salt Lake City had been on my list for a very long time. I’ve seen the airport plenty, but I don’t count it as an “I’ve been there state” unless I exit the airport. Other than checking the box on my countdown to visit all 50 states, the real draw for me was the hiking.
I wanted trails, adventures, and a killer view. What I ended up with was all of that, with a touch of luxury, a few surprises, and one very salty sunrise.
Hey Salt Lake… Hey
The feel of the city was like California and Texas had a baby and named it Utah. The streets were clean, and I loved how the modern buildings seemed to blend into the natural landscape and greenery. It made the city feel like the perfect weekend escape.
And then there were the mountains…
The 360-degree mountain views were the backdrop I always wanted but didn’t know I needed. I don’t think there was a moment when I couldn’t see them. They were beautiful and glorious, and a picture just doesn’t do them justice.
I’m pretty sure I said WOW at least 50 times a day, but I didn’t come all the way to Utah to look at the mountains from the car. It was time to wander.
Wandering the City…. and a farm
The highlight of my day was visiting the farm and learning how to make farm-fresh goat milk soap. I went to the location expecting to make soap. What I didn’t expect was for it to be a farm, and for the horses to steal the show.
And now I have to become the owner of a horse…. someday.
They were so sweet, and as soon as I was behind the fences, they all converged upon me. Then our tour guide said the horses are attracted to good energy… I guess I was bringing the vibes that day.
As someone who has never even had a pet, or really had a desire to own one, that took me by surprise. I also loved getting a tour of the farmstead. It was the kind of place I could actually picture myself having one day when this nomad finally finds a place to land.
The farm and city gave me my soft, slow start to Salt Lake, but the next day was a totally different story.
The reason for the trip is 2,726 feet of elevation gain… SERIOUSLY!
Lake Blanche is no joke! I knew it would be hard, but I didn’t know that my legs would be so mad at me. I was bamboozled into thinking it would be paved until the app directed me right, and I realized I would have to climb rocks!
It was only 6.7 miles, and I do that easily on any vacation. But going up a mountain is an entirely different matter. You think you’re in shape until you add elevation, steep climbs, and large rocks into the equation. But it was the steepness that took the challenge cake.
By the time I’d reached the top, I’d averaged about 25-30 minutes a mile, and with every step I took I was hoping that the view was worth the climb, and I am happy to report that I was not disappointed….
Or was I just happy to sit down?
All jokes aside, I wouldn’t rank Lake Blanche as my favorite view, but I felt really accomplished that I made it to the top. And honestly, I was so happy to know I had a massage booked for later in the day.
My legs and knees were so mad at me… but SPA here I come.
Basalt Day Spa was exactly what I needed, and you better believe I was patting myself on the back for the forethought of a massage after that climb. If I lived in Salt Lake City, this spa would be getting my money on a regular basis. As someone who loves a little luxury and has had a regular masseuse for years, I didn’t know what I was missing. It was definitely on the pricier side, but I allow one expensive thing on every trip. And this was mine.
However, the detox body treatment did what needed to be done…. ate and left no crumbs.
My inner bougie was living her best life, and my aching body was soothed.
I would absolutely go back. For me, it was a 10 out of 10, not only because my body felt amazing afterward, but because the staff was so nice and mindful. They even checked all of the products they planned to use to make sure that none of my allergens were listed.
After Lake Blanche, my body and my inner bougie were both very grateful.
Tapas, Mocktails, and Rooftops… Oh my! But is it worth it?
I love a rooftop moment, and since I had such a gorgeous backdrop accessible to me, I went to Van Ryders Rooftop Bar.
I booked a table so that I could watch the sunset over the mountains and enjoy tapas and a mocktail. The view was beautiful, but where we were seated was just okay, and we were blasted by the sun the entire time, which definitely made the experience less enjoyable.
What I wish I’d known? I’d skip the table reservation and grab a seat on a barstool on the rooftop. From there, it was a much better view. And honestly, I wasn’t impressed with the food or mocktail. For what it was, I thought it was overpriced and underdelivered. I basically paid for a view I could have gotten for free. Our waiter told us afterward that they had just changed the menu and were taking feedback, so I’ll give them that. One thing that absolutely did not miss, though, were the garlic fries. They were generous with them, too, which was definitely a plus.
But everything else, I could have done without.
Although the view was beautiful and the rooftop itself an experience, I left hungry and a little sweaty from the heat of the sun.
So what did we do? We went back to a place we’d stopped on our first night: Dee’s Family Restaurant for their amazing pancakes. They were so good we didn’t mind going back for more, and it honestly ended up being the more enjoyable experience.
So, was it worth it?
For me? The view was. The experience wasn’t. I’d skip the table reservation and grab a rooftop seat at the barstool if I were going to do it again. And if you’re looking for a meal that will leave you satisfied, I’d save my money for somewhere else.
FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE… AND UP A HILL
I love an Instagram moment… you may not, but I do it for the gram. So when I discovered the Bonneville Salt Flats, I knew I’d found my spot for a full-on photoshoot. We’d watched the sunset over the city, and now we’d watched the sunrise stretch across the salt flats.
BUT what will I wear??
To get ready for my close-up, I looked at pictures of the landscape beforehand because I wanted to make sure I didn’t blend in with the background. Chocolate on chocolate was the winner, and my friend and I admired the beauty and pointed the camera at each other. A time was had… and it was FREE.
Who doesn’t love a free activity day? I’ll wait and see if anyone raises their hand. So after coffee and a treat at Eats Bakery which is VERY worth the stop, it was time for another climb. It was our last day, after all and we did come for hiking and views. Hell Canyon was a breezy 390 ft elevation gain, and it was well with my legs and my soul. My legs, although feeling as good as they could, needed a little bit of movement. The city view was magnificent, and with each turn of the loop you could see more and more.
Salt Lake City is indeed WORTH the visit
Even though Salt Lake City wasn’t the original plan, I think that is part of what made the trip so much fun.
I wanted a hiking trip, but instead ended up with mountains, horses, a spa day, rooftop views, a very salty sunrise, and an excellent pancake. It was the perfect mixture of adventure, relaxation, and unexpected moments.
Would I put Salt Lake on my top 10 favorite destinations of all time? Probably not. But I had a blast.
Would I go back? Yes.
Angels Landing is still on the list….so I guess you’ll have to come back to hear about that adventure.
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