Home of The Mighty Five® national parks, 43 state parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas and The Greatest Snow on Earth®, Utah represents the best of both the Rocky Mountains and the Desert Southwest. The state’s growing tourism economy also features an exceptional culinary scene, accommodations ranging from affordable and unique boutique hotels to luxury resorts, and an abundance of cultural activities that highlight Utah’s deeply-rooted international stories.
Hotels and Resorts
Openings/Additions/Programs
- Deer Valley Debuts New Ski With A Champion Program: New for the 2016/17 ski season, Deer Valley invites you to ski with the Resort’s Ambassador of Skiing, Heidi Voelkner, a three-time Winter Olympic athlete, or five other Olympic snowsports athletes.
- New Lifts at Powder Mountain Resort: This season, Powder Mountain will expand terrain with with two new lifts, opening areas that were previously only accessible via snowcat. This expansion, in addition to capping annual and daily passes, allows Powder Mountain to hold true to its promise of preserving open spaces and allowing guests more skiable acres (ie. approximately three acres per skier).
- More Early Season Snow at Snowbasin Resort: This winter, Snowbasin Resort is adding 40 high-efficiency, automatic Rubios Evo snowmaking guns to aid in the making of pre-season snow. These guns use 90 percent less electricity than traditional snowmaking guns, making it a more sustainable option for the resort.
Culinary
- Several New Eateries Open in Salt Lake City: Quickly becoming a foodie hotspot, Salt Lake City’s innovative cuisine fuses international – and native – flavors with fresh ingredients.
- Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar: A new Italian restaurant opened in the newly renovated site of what was once Faustina Restaurant in Salt Lake City. The menu features house-made pastas and other classic Italian favorites with an added Utah-inspired flare.
- The West Side Tavern Opens in Salt Lake City: Wasatch Pubs & Beers, Utah’s original craft brewery, opens their third brew pub/tavern in Salt Lake City. With a basic tavern/pub style menu, the main attraction is their 24 beers available on tap, four of which are dedicated nitro taps and two that will be rotating seasonal offerings by either Squatters or Wasatch Craft Breweries.
- Table X: The new Salt Lake City-based Table X is the creation of a trio of chefs. In addition to regular seating, it will also feature a private dining room for up to 14 guests overlooking the
- Moab Adds Two New Restaurants:This fall two new restaurants were opened within walking distance of downtown Moab.
- 98 Center features live music and highlights local and regional meats and veggies.
- The Bangkok House Too, a sister restaurant of the popular Bankok House Moab, features sushi and traditional Asian cuisine.
Attractions
- Eccles Theater Now Open in Downtown Salt Lake City: Transforming the theater and live performance experience throughout the Intermountain West, the 2,400-seat theater is set to host national touring Broadway, concerts, comedy and other special events. The five-story Grand Lobby will house public art and events, reenergizing Downtown Salt Lake City and Regent Street.
- Goblin Valley State Park Received Gold Dark Sky Certification: Goblin Valley State Park received the Gold Dark Sky Certification in September 2016. The Park’s location in a remote corner of the Colorado Plateau and away from major urban centers yields a dark-sky resource that is comparable in quality to several Gold-tier IDA Dark Sky Parks in the region, such as Natural Bridges National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
- Southern Utah Museum of Art Now Open: The Southern Utah Museum of Art opened July 2016 at the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits the visual arts of southern Utah and the surrounding Colorado Plateau.
- Capitol Dome Tours Offered for 100th Anniversary: In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Capitol’s dedication, visitors can tour the building as part of an ongoing celebration. The dome’s interior features decades-old graffiti dating back to the 1020s.
- Fiery Furnace to Open to Public: Next year the National Park Service will stop allowing commercial guides to take clients to Arches National Park’s Fiery Furnace, instead making permits available to the public. Signs will also be added to assist visitors hiking on their own.
Upcoming Events
- Moab Folk Music Festival (Nov. 4-6, 2016): Moab presents the best of its local folk artists in this 100% wind powered, green event, “Music in tune with people in tune with nature.”
- 27th Annual Navajo Run Show and Sale (Nov. 11-13, 2016): The largest event of its kind in the country provides attendees the opportunity to experience Navajo culture through demonstrations of weaving, singing and other traditions; and to help support Navajo elders by purchasing their hand-woven rugs and hand-crafted jewelry.
- Bluff International Balloon Festival (Jan. 15-17, 2017): Balloon enthusiasts attend this festival each year for some of the most beautiful and unencumbered red rock flying in the southwest. One of the best winter festivals in America.
- Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 19-29, 2017): Ten days of independent film artists, critics and industry professionals from around the world assemble to celebrate the best of independent American and international films in this world-famous film festival.
- FIS Freestyle World Cup (Feb. 1-4, 2017): Deer Valley will be host to the FIS Freestyle World Cup event, which brings the world’s best freestyle skiers together as they twist, fly and race their way to the podium.
- Soldier Hollow and Utah Olympic Park holding Nordic Championships:
- http://utah2017.com/
- Solitude hosting Grand Prix http://usfreeskiing.com/events/grand-prix-solitude-%E2%80%93-freeskiing
For further information on Utah or to view the Utah Travel Guide online, please visit www.visitutah.com/au
Issued by the Utah Office of Tourism Australia / New Zealand Press Office.
For more information and/or high resolution images please contact:
Corey Marshall
Canuckiwi
+64 21 555 463
corey@canuckiwi.com
