Things To Do in Utah

Bumper cars collide, mini roller coasters swerve along tracks, and tubes weave around slides at a soft play area inside The Hollywood Connection's 160,000-square-foot facility. Roller or inline skates glide to pop and rock tunes in a rink illumined with cyber lights and IntelliBeam, and the laser-tag arena glows in neon paint, black lights, and fireflies that carry demands across enemy lines. Elsewhere, golf balls tumble down greens toward 18 holes with themes such as the Old West, an underwater cove, and the prehistoric era. An arcade hosts more than 100 driving, racing, and combat-simulator video games, and a 15-screen Carmike Ritz movie theater treats up to 2,000 viewers to new releases on digital, 3-D-capacity screens. Visitors can reenergize between attractions with popcorn or snow cones from the snack stand (open Friday–Sunday), nab cones from the ice-cream parlor, and shape stacks of nachos into pompadours at the '50s-themed diner.

In the river's crystalline ripples, one can glimpse momentary reflections of the wild grasses, evergreens, and mountain peaks looming above the water. Not far off, a bull elk bugles, projecting his call down into the river valley. This landscape attracts outdoorsmen from all over, and guide Brandon Bertagnole, a certified casting instructor with the Federation of Fly Fishers, helps them get the most out of every adventure. He takes fly fishermen out on trips to the Green and Provo Rivers, where trout hold in the cool, rock-strewn currents to await their next meal. For hunters, Brandon has access to an 8,900-acre private ranch. Trophy mule deer, elk, and moose roam habitats from wetlands to mountain shrub, which also give cover to pheasant for upland bird hunting. To facilitate each guided outing, Park City Outfitters' two-bedroom condo in Snow Country Condominiums accommodates up to six human guests or two elk in people clothing.

Frolicking in a 500,000-gallon wave pool, plummeting from 100-foot free-fall slides, and drifting along a 1,200-foot lazy river with 5 mph currents are just a few of the diversions found within Seven Peaks' net of water parks. The aquatic havens spread across Utah, Missouri, and Indiana, luring families and adventurous kayakers with forests of twisting water slides such as the Provo location's Boomerang, which sends passengers ricocheting down three stories. Calmer fun awaits at child-friendly areas such as the Salt Lake location's Dinosaur Bay, where toddlers splash and ride small slides, and lazy rivers welcome both whippersnappers and adults hoping to relax.

In addition to its water parks, Seven Peaks manages a fleet of fun centers in Utah and Missouri. Visitors to the Lehi location enjoy rides on a pirate ship or in bumper boats, and guests at the Orem location can putt through a glowing, neon mini-golf jungle lit by black lights, or whack at the imagined faces of arch-nemeses in the batting cages.

As standup paddleboarding has grown in popularity around the Salt Lake City area, Bear Lake Water Adventures has grown with it, expanding its collection of water equipment to accommodate those interested in exploring the emerging sport. From their outpost in Garden City, instructors outfit guests with standup paddleboards and kayaks, teaching them how to propel and maneuver their boards from standing, kneeling, or panicked fetal positions. Riders work their cores as they maintain balance, although boards are stable enough for seasoned riders to bring a dog along. Beyond lessons, Bear Lake's team members also rent and sell and standup paddleboards.

Seven Peaks' multiple locales thrill guests with attractions ranging from water slides to go-karts and bowling. At Seven Peaks Waterpark Provo, the aquatically inclined can cascade down water slides, seesaw around the mammoth half-pipe tube ride, or ride the crests of the 400,000-gallon wave pool. Guests can scan the attractions at Seven Peaks Waterpark Salt Lake City, such as unique water slides and the Amazon River, then plummet off the Cliffhanger, a curvy slide that ends with a sudden 5-foot drop into a pool. The Lehi and Orem locations house an assortment of waterless excursions, including mini golf, go-karts, batting cages, and laser tag.

The Utah Pass of All Passes lets guests use the Fun Centers’ bowling lanes to show off elite bowling skills developed from years of rolling watermelons into doghouses. Pass holders also receive perks such as access to skating at Peaks Ice Arena, admission to events at Rocky Mountain Raceways, and admission to baseball and arena-football games.

More than two decades ago, Angy Ford, the owner of Bravo Arts Academy, taught her first piano lesson. In the years that followed, Angy’s student base steadily grew, taking over her home-studio space and filling it with noise like a college roommate with no conception of personal space. Angy was heartened by this positive response and overwhelmed by the number of students knocking at her door, so she moved her operation to its current Ogden studio space, which, like the home studio that came before, has continued to expand. Here, Angy couples her bread-and-butter music classes with a host of other engaging pursuits—from art classes to dance lessons—that help kids develop confidence, coordination, and artistic skills. The academy’s facilities invite tots to tumble over thick foam, ballerinas to pirouette over a floating marley floor, and pianists to tickle the ivories in a group setting.

Broken down by age group, the academy’s offerings include preschool, where classes are kept small and incorporate sign language into the curriculum, and extends all the way to private music lessons for adults. Angy models her daycare after the best practices she observed while visiting more than 50 childcare centers, encouraging creativity and learning rather than running infants through daily gauntlets of strength.