Free & Cheap Things to Do in Salt Lake City

History & Culture

Salt Lake City's downtown anchor — a 35-acre block built by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and the most-visited tourist destination in Utah. The grounds are open daily and free, with the iconic Salt Lake Temple at the center, the 1867 Tabernacle famed for its acoustics and free Tabernacle Choir broadcasts, the 21,000-seat Conference Center, the Assembly Hall, and the new South Visitors' Center that opened in May 2026.

Address: 50 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150

Tip: The Salt Lake Temple itself is closed for renovation through 2027 — the rest of Temple Square is open and unaffected. Free guided tours leave from the South Visitors' Center daily in over 40 languages. Tabernacle Choir rehearsals are free and open to the public Thursday evenings; the live Music & The Spoken Word broadcast is free Sunday mornings.

History & Culture

Utah's 1916 neoclassical capitol stands on Capitol Hill overlooking downtown — granite-clad with a copper dome, the rotunda decorated with WPA-era murals depicting Utah pioneer history. The building is open to the public Monday–Thursday 7am–8pm and Friday–Sunday 7am–6pm, with free docent-guided tours running hourly weekdays 10am–3pm and self-guided tours anytime during operating hours.

Address: 350 N State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84103

Tip: Guided tours last about an hour and don't require a reservation for individuals (groups must book ahead via the tour request form). Walk the grounds for free downtown views — Capitol Hill is the highest point in central SLC. No guided tours Nov 25–27 and Dec 7–Jan 1 around the holidays.

Parks & Nature

SLC's oldest and second-largest park — 80 acres dating to 1882, with a pond and two islands, a paved 1.5-mile jogging loop, the free Chase Home Museum of Folk Arts, the separately-ticketed Tracy Aviary inside the park, playgrounds, and Memorial Day–Labor Day paddleboat rentals. Park hours are 5am to 11pm year-round and admission is free.

Address: 600 Harvey Milk Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Tip: The Rotary Play Park playground is closed for reconstruction through summer 2026, but the Rice Pavilion playground and other amenities are open. Chase Home Museum of Folk Arts on the west side is free; Tracy Aviary inside the park charges separate admission (around $15+) and isn't covered by the park's free entry.

Hiking & Outdoors

Short, steep hike to the most historic overlook in Salt Lake City — Brigham Young and seven pioneer leaders climbed this peak in 1847, two days after arriving in the valley, to lay out the city below. The trail is 0.9 miles round-trip with 383 feet of elevation gain, rewarded with sweeping views of the Salt Lake Valley, the Great Salt Lake, and the surrounding Wasatch and Oquirrh ranges.

Address: 1002 N Ensign Vista Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84103

Tip: Trailhead is just above the State Capitol — drive State Street north to the Capitol, fork right onto East Capitol Boulevard. No shade on the way up; carry water. Allow about an hour round trip. An easier overlook at 5,060 feet is a 0.3-mile walk from the trailhead if the full summit feels too steep. Open year-round; spectacular at sunset.

History & Culture

Salt Lake City's Catholic cathedral, completed in 1909 — Romanesque exterior with twin towers fronting South Temple, and a Spanish Gothic interior with hand-painted murals, German stained glass, and a 5,189-pipe Kenneth Jones organ. Open Monday–Sunday 7:30am–9pm with no admission charge.

Address: 331 E South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Tip: Free guided tours are usually offered Sundays at 12:30pm following the 11am Mass — meet in the vestibule. Concerts (often free) run year-round; check the cathedral's calendar before visiting. Be respectful during Mass times if you arrive while a service is in progress.

Arts & Culture

Salt Lake City's most idiosyncratic green space — a half-acre lot tucked behind a residential block at 749 East 500 South, packed with 12 stone sculptures and 70 engraved scripture panels created by Mormon bishop Thomas Battersby Child Jr. between 1947 and 1963. Includes a sphinx with Joseph Smith's face. Free, year-round.

Address: 749 E 500 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84102

Tip: Hours are April–September 8am–8pm and October–March 9am–5pm; closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Walking-tour brochures are stocked at the garden entrance; bring one to decode the sculptures and panels. Easy to miss — the entrance is a narrow walkway between buildings.

History & Museums

Four floors of pioneer-era artifacts in a 1902 building modeled on the old Salt Lake Theatre — one of the largest collections of pioneer relics anywhere, run by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Period rooms, clothing, wagons, photographs, and household items from the 1847 Mormon migration through statehood. Free admission.

Address: 300 N Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84103

Tip: Hours are Monday–Friday 9am–4:30pm; closed weekends. Call 801-532-6479 ahead to confirm — staffing is volunteer-run and hours can shift. The carriage house annex out back holds wagons and a stuffed two-headed lamb. Plan 1.5–2 hours to do it justice; this is a deep collection.

Family Fun

Three floors of free interactive science and astronomy exhibits in downtown Salt Lake City — meteorites you can touch, a moon-walk simulator, weather demos, and a 360° space wall. The Hansen Dome planetarium and Northrop Grumman IMAX theaters charge separately for shows. Adjacent to the TRAX Planetarium Station, walkable from Temple Square.

Address: 110 S 400 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Tip: Exhibits are completely free; dome and IMAX show tickets are $10 adults / $8 ages 3–12 (under 3 free). Hours are Sun–Thu 10am–7pm and Fri–Sat 10am–10:45pm. The dome shows go fast on weekends — buy show tickets online ahead. The free exhibits alone are worth a 90-minute stop on a hot or rainy day.