Things to Do in Salt Lake City with Kids
The four best things to do in Salt Lake City with kids are Hogle Zoo ($21.95 adults / $17.95 kids 3–12 in summer), the Natural History Museum of Utah with its wall of real dinosaur bones ($22.95 / $17.95), Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum downtown, and Clark Planetarium — whose entire exhibit floor is completely free. Add Tracy Aviary in Liberty Park and the free Wheeler Historic Farm and you have two full days of kid-approved Salt Lake City without ever leaving the valley.
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The big four kid attractions
Hogle Zoo, at the mouth of Emigration Canyon, is the anchor. It runs 9 a.m.–6 p.m. March through October, summer admission is $21.95 for adults and $17.95 for kids 3–12, and children 2 and under are free. The Natural History Museum of Utah on the University of Utah foothills is the sleeper hit for dinosaur-obsessed kids — the Past Worlds gallery holds hundreds of real dinosaur bones, admission is $22.95 adults / $17.95 kids 3–12, and it’s open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily (Wednesdays until 9). Downtown, Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum at The Gateway is built for the under-10 crowd — a fossil-dig pit, a kid-scale flight-for-life helicopter, and hands-on water and construction zones. Two blocks away, Clark Planetarium’s three floors of space exhibits cost nothing; you only pay if you add a Hansen Dome or IMAX show ($10 adults / $8 kids, plus tax).
The free and nearly-free day
Salt Lake City is unusually good at free with kids. Clark Planetarium’s exhibit floor is free every day. Wheeler Historic Farm in nearby Murray is a working 19th-century dairy farm with no admission fee at all — kids can watch the 5 p.m. cow milking, chase chickens down the lanes, and a wagon ride runs about $3. Liberty Park, the city’s oldest park, has one of the best playgrounds in the valley plus paddleboats and a summer splash zone; inside it, Tracy Aviary ($12.95 ages 13+, $8.95 kids) is a manageable 8-acre bird park a toddler can actually finish — and on summer Mondays admission drops to $5 after 5 p.m. City Creek Center’s choreographed fountain shows downtown are free too.
Worth the short drive
Twenty minutes south in Draper, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is the biggest aquarium between Denver and the coast — penguins, sharks, a rainforest wing with free-flying birds, and Utah’s own Great Salt Lake ecosystem tank. On the east bench, This Is The Place Heritage Park ($12.95 adults / $8.95 kids 3–11 in summer) is a living-history pioneer village where kids pan for gold, ride ponies, and take a miniature train — timed right, the baby-animal season in spring is the best version of it. Both pair well with a morning attraction downtown for a full day.
What most people get wrong: paying full price at every gate
The mistake families make is treating each attraction as a separate $60–$80 outing. Salt Lake sells a Salt Lake Family Faves pass through Visit Salt Lake that bundles the zoo, aviary, planetarium, children’s museum, and natural history museum at a real discount — if you’re hitting three or more, the pass pays for itself. The second version of the same mistake: not realizing how much of the best kid stuff here is free. Between Clark Planetarium’s exhibits, Wheeler Farm, Liberty Park, and the City Creek fountains, you can run an entire zero-dollar day in the middle of your trip and the kids won’t notice the difference.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free thing to do in Salt Lake City with kids?
Clark Planetarium — all three floors of space exhibits are free every day, and it sits downtown at The Gateway next to Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum. Wheeler Historic Farm in Murray is the best free outdoor pick: no admission, a working dairy farm, and wagon rides for about $3.
How many days do you need in Salt Lake City with kids?
Two full days covers the big four (Hogle Zoo, Natural History Museum of Utah, Discovery Gateway, Clark Planetarium) plus Liberty Park. Add a third day if you want the Loveland aquarium in Draper and This Is The Place Heritage Park.
Is Hogle Zoo or the aquarium better for young kids?
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is fully indoors and stroller-easy, which makes it the better pick for toddlers or a hot or snowy day. Hogle Zoo is bigger and better for kids 5+ who can handle a few hours of walking — summer admission is $21.95 adults / $17.95 kids.
What can you do in Salt Lake City with kids in winter?
The aquarium, Clark Planetarium, Discovery Gateway, and the Natural History Museum are all indoors and open year-round. Hogle Zoo stays open too (10 a.m.–5 p.m. November–February) and is far less crowded in the snow.
Is there a discount pass for Salt Lake City attractions?
Yes — the Salt Lake Family Faves pass from Visit Salt Lake bundles Hogle Zoo, Tracy Aviary, Clark Planetarium shows, Discovery Gateway, and the Natural History Museum of Utah at a discount over gate prices. It’s worth it if you plan on three or more attractions.
Keep planning your trip: Salt Lake City — Complete Guide · 7-Day Utah Road Trip
