By Sage Thee
No tourist traps here! Salt Lake City is home to a plethora of beautiful scenery, cool architecture, and fun events—many of which tend to attract a pretty high volume of tourists. I love the love that our city gets, but I don’t love crowded places and full parking lots. If you’re anything like me, you’re looking for an experience off the beaten path. Here are some of my favorite eclectic and lesser-known gems that Salt Lake City has to offer.
Gilgal Gardens
749 E 500 S, SLC 84102
Filled with twelve unique sculptures and over 70 engraved stones designed by Thomas Child to inspire visitors to ponder the “mysteries of life,” Gilgal Gardens is one of my favorite spots in Salt Lake. As an added personal bonus, because the sculptures are so interesting and thought-provoking, Gilgal is the perfect place to write!
Land Cruiser Heritage Museum
476 W 600 N, SLC 84101
I’ve loved old cars and niche museums ever since I was a little kid, and the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum delivers that in spades, with over 90 models of the Toyota Land Cruiser from around the world, and even the very first Land Cruiser imported to the U.S. and the one that drove on all seven continents.
Bell, Book, and Candle
57 S 600 E Suite #3, SLC 84102
Located upstairs at the Wise Dragonfly, this little shop is filled to the brim with handmade jewelry, magical gifts, ephemera, and vintage treasures. Bell, Book, and Candle has quickly become one of my all-time favorite locally-owned small businesses in Salt Lake.