Day Trippin' › Utah › From Salt Lake City › Best history spots
Our picks for the best history spots within 3 hours of Salt Lake City: 20 places, 7 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 7 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 84101.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Thanksgiving Point, 25 min south of Salt Lake City.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Xboxtravis7992, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Museum · 32 min north
A big museum at Hill Air Force Base with more than 90 military aircraft, missiles and aerospace vehicles, from early planes to modern jets.
Heads-up: Open 9 am to 4 pm. Donations welcome. Large outdoor display.
Photo: Ravi Rishi, CC BY-SA 4.0
#2 · Family fun · 44 min southeast
A historic train ride from Heber City along Deer Creek Reservoir, and in spring and summer down into Provo Canyon, with many themed rides for families.
Heads-up: The Deer Creek Express runs year-round; the Provo Canyon Limited runs spring and summer. Book ahead for the North Pole Express and October pumpkin trains.
Photo: UtahStizzle, Public domain
#3 · Town · 1 hr 18 min north
A college town in Cache Valley with a historic downtown, Aggie Ice Cream at Utah State University and easy access to Logan Canyon.
Heads-up: Cache Valley Gardeners' Market runs Saturday mornings mid-May to mid-October at the historic courthouse; Center Street Market on summer Wednesdays. Logan Canyon starts at the northeast edge of town.
Photo: Unknown, Public domain
#4 · Museum · 2 hr 1 min south
Utah's oldest government building, the first territorial capitol in Fillmore, now a museum with pioneer rooms, cabins and an old stone schoolhouse.
Heads-up: Open Monday to Saturday; closed Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Photo: mliu92 from San Mateo, CC BY-SA 2.0
#5 · Museum · 2 hr 2 min south
A museum in Delta telling the story of the World War II Japanese American incarceration camp at Topaz; the camp site is nearby.
Heads-up: Open Monday to Saturday; closed Sundays and major holidays. Visit the museum first; at the camp site stay on the roads and take nothing.
Photo: Jens Lallensack, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · Museum · 2 hr 51 min east
A dinosaur museum in Vernal with fossil skeletons, local geology and a garden of 17 life-size dinosaur models outside.
Heads-up: Downtown Vernal, free parking. Annual Utah State Parks pass accepted. Good stop before heading to Dinosaur National Monument.
Photo: BLMUtah, Public domain
#7 · Museum · 2 hr 57 min southeast
A museum in Green River about the river expeditions and boating history of the Colorado Plateau.
Heads-up: Open Tuesday to Saturday.
Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Historic site · 56 min southwest
An overlook into one of the world's biggest open-pit copper mines, with giant haul trucks and exhibits about mining.
Heads-up: Buy timed tickets online; cash not accepted and walk-ups can be turned away when full. Park in the lot and ride a shuttle to the overlook. Fully ADA accessible; call ahead for ADA reservations.
Photo: BLMUtah, Public domain
#9 · Historic site · 1 hr 10 min north
A living-history farm in Wellsville with pioneer and Native American displays, farm animals and seasonal festivals.
Heads-up: Baby Animal Days in April, Historic Adventures in summer (Tuesday-Saturday), and a fall corn maze and pumpkin patch. Open days vary, check the calendar.
#10 · Historic site · 1 hr 21 min northwest
The place where the first transcontinental railroad was joined in 1869, with replica steam engines Jupiter and No. 119, a visitor center and auto tours on the old grade.
Heads-up: Engines skip boiler wash days. Pets on leash outside, not in the visitor center or engine house. About 30 miles west of Brigham City.
Photo: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
#11 · Historic site · 2 hr 25 min south
A restored 1867 black-rock fort near I-15 and I-70, with guided tours of the rooms and pioneer life.
Heads-up: Open daily; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Shorter hours on Sunday.
Photo: Tricia Simpson, CC BY-SA 4.0
#12 · Historic site · 2 hr 33 min southeast
A long canyon road known as the world's longest art gallery, with thousands of rock art panels.
Heads-up: No fuel or food; restrooms at Cottonwood Glen. Don't touch the art.
Photo: Peter morris13, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · Family fun · 28 min east
The 2002 Olympic ski jump and bobsled site near Park City, with free museums, ziplines, an alpine slide, an alpine coaster and summer freestyle jump shows.
Heads-up: Freestyle shows into the splash pool are ticketed and mostly on summer weekends; practice sessions are free to watch. Activities have height and weight rules.
Photo: GreenGlass1972, Public domain
#14 · Bike trail · 34 min east
A 28-mile rail trail from Park City through Wanship and Coalville to Echo Reservoir, with gentle grades for families.
Heads-up: Surface is a mix of asphalt and gravel (paved part near Park City, check). Shared with horses. Dog rules not posted.
Photo: Fuse.dragon, CC0
#15 · Town · 1 hr 46 min southeast
An old railroad and mining town with a historic Main Street of galleries and a mining and railroad museum.
Heads-up: First Friday art stroll each month. Museum has limited hours.
Thanksgiving Point (25 min), George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park (41 min), Prehistoric Museum (1 hr 54 min), Manti (1 hr 56 min), Fremont Indian State Park and Museum (2 hr 38 min)
Our top picks are Hill Aerospace Museum (32 min), Heber Valley Railroad (44 min), Logan (1 hr 18 min), Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum (2 hr 1 min) and Topaz Museum (2 hr 2 min). The page lists 20 places in all.
20: 7 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 7 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 84101.
Thanksgiving Point, about 25 min south of Salt Lake City.
8 need no pass or fee, including Cove Fort, Manti and Helper. Fees change, so check each place.
17 of the 20 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.