joevare image; www.flickr.com

When planning a visit to Salt Lake City, most people imagine themselves floating down slopes of champagne powder, playing 18 holes of golf, or trail running. But if you have an interest in geology – or simply want to witness the one of the world’s largest open pit mines – then consider taking a short road trip to the Oquirrh Mountains to visit the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine.

Having a 2.75 mile diameter and a 0.75-mile depth, this enormous man-made crater has yielded over 19 million tons (17.2 billion kilograms) of copper – more than any other mine on the planet. Here, enormous shovels dig up the earth up in 98-ton scoops. The roads criss-crossing the mine stretch an aggregate 500 miles. And the smokestack, at 1,215 feet in height, is the tallest structure in Utah; if it were 35 feet taller, it would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Empire State Building. The pit itself stretches from 4,390 feet to 8,040 feet above sea level, and the vehicles used in it would dwarf many houses.

Bingham Canyon Copper Mine operates its own on-location visitor center. Open seven days a week, April 1 – October 31 each year, this center stands at about mid-height in the mine, at 6,440 feet above sea level. Inside, you’ll learn about various aspects of this mine itself, as well as the big picture of world mineral consumption. Whether you’re interested in the “old days” of the Bingham Canyon Mine, the enormous and modern equipment used at the mine today, or the geology of the world, you’ll find photographs, illustrations, maps, artifacts, and 3-D models to educate you.

ZacharyTirrell image; www.flickr.com

Salt Lake 1954; davecito image; www.flickr.com

Notice the shorthand street names: in 1954, 2nd East was 200 East, so on.

Salt Lake City has one of the most notorious and seemingly mysterious street numbering systems in the nation. However, anyone who lives in Salt Lake City – or who is mathematically minded – agrees that this system is incredibly useful and straightforward once learned.

When thinking about Salt Lake‘s streets, imagine a graph – like one from sophomore geometry class. The center of this grid is (0,0); here this is Temple Square (or, more precisely, the intersection of Main Street and South Temple Street). Think of South Temple Street as the graph’s X-axis, and Main Street as the Y-axis. In Salt Lake City, almost all streets run north-south or east west – and perpendicular to each other. Counting away from the Temple, parallel streets are named in order of increasing distance from this center point.

North-South Running Streets:

Main Street is the Y-axis, and has a value of “0.” The street running parallel to, but east of, Main Street is 100 East, followed by 200 East and 300 East. To the west of the Temple, the same rule applies. The first street to the west is called 100 West Street, and the 12^th is 1200 West Street.

East-West Running Streets:

The streets parallel to the X-axis, South Temple, are named in the same order. The first street north of the temple is 100 North, and the 10^th street south of it is 1000 South.

Putting it Together:

Once you’ve learned this, you’ll recognize immediately that the intersection of 900 East and 700 South is nine blocks east and seven blocks south of the Temple.

Specific building addresses are given as a more precise location along a certain street. Cafe Trio has the address 680 South 900 East. It is located on 900 East Street, quite near – just north of – the intersection of 900 East and 700 South.

One final word of advise: many streets carry a proper name in addition to their numerical names. Don’t worry; both should be printed on road signs.

Looking south on Salt Lake City; Edgar Zuniga Jr. image; www.flickr.com

Looking south from Capitol Hill; State Street (100 East Street) stretches the entire length of the valley.

LenDog64 image; www.flickr.com

Salt Lake City is known for Mormons, and it’s known for skiing. These days, it even has a reputation for great sushi. But Irish food? And Irish pubs? Yep. Salt Lake has ‘em. And while some of these are rather divey bars with little Irish ambiance beyond their name, a couple warrant a visit – whether you have Irish affinity, or simply want to enjoy a nice meal (or beer) on the town.

MacCool’s Public House (1400 South Foothill Boulevard #166, inside Foothill Village Shopping Center; 801-582-3111) is a great all-around gathering place with Irish flair. Whether you want to enjoy a meal with your family, play shuffleboard with a Guiness, or grab a quick sandwich, you will be well satisfied at this restaurant. MacCool’s menu includes a variety of traditional Irish fare, as well as some American items, and creative, contemporary variations on the two. MacCool’s occasionally hosts live Irish music; chances are, if you stop by on a weekend, you may get to enjoy musical accompaniment with your meal.

Piper Down (1492 South State Street; 801-468-1492) underwent a radical remodel in 2009. Formerly a tough-looking, dark bar, this was completely redone and significantly expanded to be spacious and welcoming. Through its physical changes, Piper Down retained its hardcore Irish theme. Stop by for a fine whiskey, a delicious beer, a game of pool, a live show, a burger and basket of reuben potato skins, a full, Irish dinner, or even a salad.

Bob B. Brown image; www.flickr.com

Happy hour serves many functions. It can be a way to refuel after a day of skiing, or a time to catch a beer with your coworkers at the day’s end. Or it can be a good chance to check out a new-to-you restaurant. Whatever the case, happy hour always involves discounted prices on food and/or drinks, and therefore allows you to enjoy yourself for about half the price of what the same outing would cost just an hour later. If you’re in Salt Lake Valley and are looking to get out for happy hour, consider stopping by these restaurants.

Porcupine Pub & Grille (3698 East Fort Union Boulevard; 801-942-5555) stands precisely in the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, perfectly positioned and ready to accept après-ski skiers. Those spending a full day on the slopes will be forced off the hill around 4pm by closing lifts – just in time for happy hour. Whether you’re at Big Cottonwood Canyon’s resorts, Brighton or Solitude, or at Little Cottonwood Canyon’s Snowbird or Alta, if you’re heading back toward Salt Lake City for the evening, Porcupine is precisely on the way. Though specials change daily, you can count on enjoying the likes of enormous chicken, bean, salsa, tomato, pepper, and cheese-covered nachos. . . half-priced and accompanied by one of 20 varieties of draught beer.

Ahh Sushi (22 East 100 South; 801-359-6770) stands in the center of downtown. This basement restaurant-slash-beer-bar offers “Sushi Happy Hour” 5-6pm (and 10-11pm), as well as $3 and $4 rolls and $3 schooners of beer all night on Wednesday. Given the incredible popularity of this establishment, the fish is guaranteed to be fresh. If you aren’t able to make happy hour itself, consider stopping by for discounted lunch rolls. (Ahh Sushi is a 21+ establishment only.)

Eva (317 South Main Street; 1-888-314-8536) is a “small plates restaurant” and cocktail lounge, serving pasta, pizza, and tapas. Serving their meals in an historic, classically decorated dining room, Eva’s has coupled historic charm with contemporary cuisine to create an all-around elegant experience for its guests. Offering happy hour prices on their food Monday-Friday 4-5pm and Monday-Thursday 10-11pm, Eva’s gives you multiple options for sampling their inventive and fresh Mediterranean dishes at bargain prices. If you can’t make it in during the weekday, try stopping by Friday or Saturday 11pm-12am for weekend happy hour prices.

Christopher’s Prime Steakhouse and Grill (134 West Pierpont Avenue; 801-519-8515) offers a different kind of happy hour. Serving an early evening, three course dinner from 4:30-6:30pm nightly, Christopher’s allows you to choose among entrees of prime & wagyu meatloaf, grilled chicken marsala, and Parmesan-crusted snapper – all served with sides of your liking and a fixed dessert, for a total of $22. If you happen to dine at this fine steakhouse any later, you’ll find yourself paying double this amount.

Lava Hot Springs in Summer (Edgar Zuniga Jr. image; www.flickr.com)

As winter sets firmly into Utah, it can prove quite refreshing to experience a change of scenery. Despite the excellent skiing and winter recreation surrounding Salt Lake City, the valley smog and weekly routine can become oppressive in the wake of the holiday rush. If you’re feeling flat, it could greatly lift your spirits to get out of town next weekend and see something new. Especially if that trip were to an inexpensive destination rich with natural hot springs.

Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, stands about 2.5 hours north and slightly east of Salt Lake City. This small, mountain town has a newly renovated, 20,000-gallon outdoor pool with more than 2.5 million gallons of naturally hot mineral water coursing through it every day. The water is constantly refreshed and contains no chemicals, sulfur, or odors.

In terms of lodging, you’ll find a plethora of affordable options ranging from vacation rentals, to bed & breakfasts, and budget motels. For a town of its size, Lava Hot Springs also has a surprising amount of dining and night life. And while some options are down-home, country style, others are rather high brow.

The town of Lava Hot Springs is a charming and petite community, with cowboy bars and all amenities within walking distance of each other –perfect if you plan to drink. The pool itself is open 363 days a year (closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas); check online for specific hours. If you’re interested in even more relaxation, look into getting a massage at the Aura Soma Lava Hot Springs Rejuvenation Center.

With I-15 leading more than 90% of the way from Salt Lake City to Lava Hots Springs, the town requires only about 10 miles of off-interstate driving (on US 30) to reach –so should be doable in almost any road conditions.

Leaving I-15 for Lava Hot Springs (Edgar Zuniga Jr. image; www.flickr.com)

Upsilon Andromedae image; www.flickr.com

While Valentine’s Day might rightly seem like a distant date on the calendar, it actually is only about two months away. And though most will likely wait a while before setting concrete plans, it certainly does not hurt to begin considering your options. As Salt Lake Valley can regrettably fill with gloomy smog during the winter months, a high-elevation restaurant in nearby Little Cottonwood Canyon could serve as an extra special place to celebrate this day. Snowbird Resort, perched loftily in the crisp air of the Wasatch Mountains, offers three choices for special Valentine’s Day dinners.

The Lodge Bistro, located at the pool level of The Lodge at Snowbird, offers dinner 5:30-9:30 on Valentine’s Day. Providing a half dozen options from each the appetizer, soup and salad, and entree categories, this special menu allows you to pick and choose the bistro-inspired meal of your desire.

The Wildflower Restaurant, on the third level of the Iron Blosam Lodge, serves it own Mediterranean Valentine’s Day menu, with a fixed appetizer, soup, and dessert, as well as a choice among three entrees.

Sitting atop the towering Cliff Lodge, The Aerie Restaurant offers a prix fixe, five-course, fine dining dinner. Those who have been to The Aerie know that, from its lofty view, to its ridiculously extensive wine list, this is one of Utah’s best restaurants. And because a bottle of wine quite logically goes with a romantic Aerie dinner, you may look into reserving a special dinner-and-lodging package.

Reservations are strongly recommended for all of these dinners.

Illusive Photography image; www.flickr.com

Salt Lake Roasting Company (Casey Serin image; www.flickr.com)

Salt Lake City contains a truly surprising volume of coffee shops. And while the number of these might seem excessive, the industry thrives. Catering to students, business persons, love birds, and connoisseurs of leisure, these cafes tend to be busy around the clock.

Coffee Garden (878 East 900 South; 801-355-3425) is almost completely packed on any day of the week, and at any time of day. Located in one of Salt Lake City’s most coffee-thirsty neighborhoods, 9^th & 9^th, the Coffee Garden offers a modern, fairly spacious environment in which to chat, play chess, check your email, or view its current art displays. Though there are plenty of tables and outlets for laptops, the wireless internet here is often stretched quite thin; if you must accomplish a real amount of work, consider another location.

Salt Lake Roasting Company (320 East 400 South; 801-363-7572) serves as one of the city’s most classic coffee houses. Operating out of a two-story building between Downtown and the University of Utah, this caters to students and business persons alike, and offers ample working and eating space. In addition to coffee, Salt Lake Roasting provides a better-than-average food menu, offering fresh and healthy sandwiches, soups, and desserts.

Coffee Connection (1588 South State Street; 801-467-4937) entered the city’s busy cafe scene in the summer of 2007, quickly establishing itself as one of the most popular and enjoyable places to grab a brew. Opened by a fine artist/ jeweler/ DJ, Coffee Connection provides a very visually pleasing place to study or work, as well as a pipeline into the city’s cultural scene. Take a look at the rotating art displays whilst you enjoy your beverage or lunch.

Sugar House Coffee (1100 East 2011 South; 801-883-8867) occupies a bright, fairly spacious building tucked into the center of Salt Lake City’s Sugarhouse neighborhood –yet slightly back and away from its bustling, main drag. Providing one of Salt Lake’s best environments in which to settle in for a multi-hour work/study session, Sugar House Coffee offers a variety of sitting arrangements, plenty of natural light, its own parking spaces, a substantial food menu, and a robust wireless internet connection.

Alchemy Coffee (390 East 1700 South; 801-322-0735) has a stronghold in yet another neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Liberty Heights. Catering to the young and artsy crowd that tends to live nearby, Alchemy Coffee fills the walls of its relatively small dining room with locally-made art, and keeps a busy performing arts schedule. Additionally, Alchemy offers soups, sandwiches, and wireless internet. Because of the cafe’s petite size, you won’t have to compete very much for a wireless signal here.

Coffee Noir (1035 East 200 South; 801-532-3212) occupies a quiet building on a quiet corner of a quiet neighborhood, just south of the Avenues and west of the University of Utah. Providing limited indoor and outdoor seating and wireless internet, Coffee Noir provides an excellent, modern-yet-cozy environment in which to work without interruptions… or simply enjoy a morning coffee.

NoBrow Coffee (315 East 300 South; 801-364-3448) aims to please Salt Lake’s hipster crowd, serving coffee and tea in a modern, art-filled space ever since 2006. In keeping to a clean aesthetic, the dining room itself has fairly limited seating. In addition to its coffee, NoBrow actually has its own skateboarding team.

NoBrow Coffee (makelessnoise image; www.flickr.com)

Kevygee Image; www.flickr.com

Takashi (18 West Market Street; 801-519-9595) appears over and over again as one of Utah’s best restaurants. Serving Japanese cuisine, Takashi knows the difference between an inventive roll and a true gastronomic delicacy. For dinner, try their numerous specialty (and traditional) rolls, entrees, appetizers, sakes, and deserts.

The New Yorker (60 West Market Street; 801-363-0166) stands just a few seconds’ walk west of Takashi and serves American and continental cuisine heavy in top-notch meats and seafood. Ask your server for a recommendation from their lengthy wine list to match your veal or lamb plate.

The Paris (1500 South 1500 East Street; 801-486-5585) enjoys a romantic location in the 15^th &15^th neighborhood. Serving decadent cuisine in the gourmet French tradition, this restaurant specializes in excellent and knowledgeable service designed to help you best savor this fine dining establishment to its full potential.

Fresco Italian Cafe (1513 South 1500 East Street; 801-486-1300) stands just across the street from The Paris and serves traditional Italian dinners in a charming and intimate dining room. Meals are crafted with fresh herbs, homemade sauces, and are served by candlelight. Given its exceptional food, generous wine list, and expert service, this is a true fine dining restaurant.

The Metropolitan (173 West Broadway Avenue; 801-364-3472) steps out of Old Europe and into the 21^st Century. Crafting new American cuisine in an ultra-modern restaurant, this chic establishment draws from the freshest local ingredients possible to create an ever-changing menu to match every season.

Kimberlykv Image; www.flickr.com

Eating on a budget in Salt Lake City doesn’t need to entail steering through a fast food drive-through or visiting a dingy buffet. In fact, many of Salt Lake’s best and most loved restaurants come with a price tag of roughly $10 per plate.

Red Iguana (736 West North Temple; 801-322-1489) lies a few miles northwest of downtown, and is one of Salt Lake’s best examples of affordable and popular dining. In business since 1985, this Mexican restaurant specializes in Oxacan moles and draws huge crowds. Taking no reservations, would-be customers sometimes line up for half a city block to enjoy this delicious, richly flavored, homemade cuisine.

Thai Siam (1435 South State Street; 801-474-3322) also sits outside of Salt Lake’s center. Serving large portions of classic Thai dishes, this restaurant draws loyal customers with quick service, a spacious and relatively simple dining room, and generous amounts of vegetables, meats, and sauces. If you’re interested in takeaway, Thai Siam generously stuffs its to-go boxes.

Ruth’s Diner (2100 Emigration Canyon; 801-582-5807) stands even farther afield, and has a location in the beautiful, tree-lined bottom of Emigration Canyon. In business since the 1930s, Ruth’s is most famous for its hearty, southwestern-influenced breakfasts and “mile-high” biscuits. However, this restaurant serves three meals a day and even has occasional live music during its afternoon and even hours.

Discovery Gateway (Zaui Images; www.flickr.com)

The Utah Museum of Natural History (1390 East President’s Circle, University of Utah Campus; 801-581-4303) now occupies one of Salt Lake Valley’s newest and best structures, the Rio Tinto Center. Officially opening on November 18, 2011, this this brand new building contains numerous collections and exhibits illustrating the biology, anthropology, and earth sciences centered around the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin. Situated in the far northeastern portion of town, and on the highest part of the U of U campus, this museum shares its neighborhood with the Red Butte Garden and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail System –so can easily be visited in combination with either of these nature-centric attractions. Visit the museum’s website to learn about the building’s design and its surrounding trails.

Utah Museum of Fine Arts (410 South Campus Drive, University of Utah; 801-581-7332) is also located on the U of U campus, but is nestled more deeply in its center. A community and university staple since the early 20^th Century, this museum today holds a permanent collection of more than 18,000 works. In its nearly 75,000 square feet of space, its numerous galleries showcase an ever-changing set of paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures. Check online for a listing of free admission days and specific instructions for ticket-free parking.

Discovery Gateway (inside the Gateway Center, 840 North 300 West; 801-322-5286), formerly the Children’s Museum of Utah, is precisely that: Utah’s best kid-friendly museum. Filled with bright colors and wild shapes, this museum features exhibits designed specifically to fascinate kids. These include The Terrace, where kids can practice being a helicopter paramedic, the Media Zone, which illustrates how news and weather studios function and allows kids to practice being a television personality, and The Studio where kids can dabble in science, art, and engineering. An extremely high-quality museum, this is enjoyed equally as much by parents as by their offspring.

Museum of Utah Art and History (125 South Main Street; 801-355-5554) focuses specifically on the state of Utah itself. While the Utah Museum of Fine Arts often imports art from around the nation and world, this museum showcases that created by Utah artists, as well as that whose subject is the region itself. Aiming to provide Utah and its visitors with a sense of its own history and art, this includes exhibits on Native American tribes, Mormon pioneers, frontiersmen, miners, and railway workers.

The Church History Museum (45 North West Temple Street; 801-240-4615) sits at Temple Square and is a cost-free way to enrich your understanding of the rather short history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Whether or not you are Mormon, the story behind this unique religion is as fascinating as it is short. So if you find yourself at Temple Square, stop in to experience an enriched and detailed debriefing of the church’s background.