Visit Utah: Temple Square

We did a brief walk through Temple Square one morning while in Utah.  The Temple Square is home to all things related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).  The Temple itself is currently undergoing renovations, but there was still a lot to see.  

There are gardens, reflecting pools, galleries, restaurants, and more spanning 5 blocks. 

We got there quite early as we had plans later in the morning, so some places were still closed, but we did get to learn a little more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while exploring the area and all the outdoor exhibits and statues.

One of the highlights was the Tabernacle, where the renowned Tabernacle Choir performs.  The day we visited they were no performances going on, unfortunately, but we could still visit inside and listen as they demonstrated the acoustics and played the organ - even dropping a pin that could be heard from the back of the hall. 

Parking is plentiful, and there are restrooms on site (the nicest restroom building I've ever seen!). 

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Visit Salt Lake City: Iceberg Drive Inn

Iceberg Drive Inn is a restaurant chain that originated in Utah and has since branched out to other states.  They offer burgers, fried foods, and are ultimately known for their thick shakes!

They offer a variety of flavors, such as Brownie, Cookies & Creme, Nutella, Reese's, and seasonal flavors like Peppermint and Eggnog. 

Check out how thick those shakes are!

Fries

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Iceburger

Zucchini Strips

The Fries were really good, but the Zucchini Strips were a little too thick in my opinion.  Everyone loved their burgers or sandwiches, and of course - the shakes!

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Visit Salt Lake City: Red Iguana

While in Utah, I discovered that thousands of Mexicans arrived in Utah in the early 1900s to work in the mines, which led to an abundance of great Mexican restaurants.

Red Iguana is one of them.

The first time we tried to go there, we made the mistake of going the same night as a Utah Jazz game, so it was packed.

We didn't want to wait for the 35-45 minutes we were quoted, so we returned the next day, at the recommendation of the employee, who said it shouldn't be too crowded.

We returned early afternoon, thinking it was an off-peak time, but we were wrong!  It was very crowded, but thankfully no wait.

And we were lucky to get seated, because we were told that parties larger than 5 need to make reservations, which we did not have.  Fortunately, the employee gathered seats around a little table to squeeze us in - we were grateful!

We were immediately given some Chips & Salsa that were so addicting.  The salsa was smooth with a little spice.  We loved it and got seconds (complimentary!)

Shrimp Quesadilla

The Shrimp Quesadilla was an appetizer, but it was huge, like a meal in itself!  

Beef Burrito

Enmoladas

I opted to order the Enmoladas, made with their signature mole.  Enmoladas are described on the menu as: Three corn tortillas folded into triangles, filled with refried beans, topped with mole negro, sprinkled with a queso fresco and cotija blend, then topped with pickled red onions.

It was my first time having enmoladas, and it was delicious.  There was a little sweetness from the mole, and I loved the smoky beans and pickled red onions.  

Tacos de Pollo

Red Iguana

The Red Iguana is a combo plate consisting of a cheese enchilada, a beef taco, beef flauta, chile relleno, and a beef tostada.  It also came with rice and beans on the side.  It was a huge plate and perfect if you can't decide what to order and / or want to try a bunch of popular items.   

Chili Verde Chimichanga

The food was fantastic and the service was great.  Highly recommend Red Iguana when visiting Salt Lake City!


Red Iguana
736 W North Temple St

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

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Visit Salt Lake City: The First KFC

Did you know the first KFC opened in Utah?  We went to the site of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken, which was originally Harman's Cafe, named after the person to whom Colonel Harlan Sanders sold his recipe to.  The original restaurant was demolished and a new KFC was erected in its place.

Inside it's like a mini museum with all sorts of memorabilia.  

Of course you can still order your KFC faves.

Fried Chicken

Chicken Tenders

If you're looking for a fun and tasty piece of history in the Salt Lake City area, go check out the first KFC!

KFC
3890 S. State Street

Salt Lake City

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Visit Salt Lake City: Maverik

Maverik is a chain of gas stations / convenience stores throughout 12 Western states.  We came across many of them in Utah.

They are similar to a Buc-ees, but on a much smaller scale.

They have a variety of snacks, drinks, as well as food made to go (wraps, sandwiches, pizza, salads, etc.).

The one we stopped at had a very clean restroom, and a Maverik's near SLC has actually won "America's Best Restroom!"

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Visit Salt Lake City: Nickelmania

Nickelmania is an arcade chain in Utah.  It costs $2.50 to enter (everyone must pay the admission fee, regardless if they play video games or not, and if you have to leave for whatever reason, you must also pay the fee again), and you get a reloadable game card.

Games are in multiples of nickels, and even just $5 can really stretch far!  

There are all sorts of games - baseketball, skeeball, pinball, vintage arcade games, racing games, and so much more!

If you play any games that offer tickets, any tickets will be automatically loaded to our game card. 

You can redeem your tickets for typical arcade prizes, like candies, costume jewelry, and toy cars.  And of course there are bigger and better prizes the more tickets you have.

Nickelmania was a fun way to spend a few hours!

 

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Visit Salt Lake City: Slackwater

Pizza is always a good idea, and while in Salt Lake City, we ordered pizza from Slackwater, which has four locations throughout Utah. 

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

The Buffalo Chicken Pizza was topped with chicken, bacon, red onions, cheese, Gorgonzla crumbles, and a honey buffalo sauce.  It was very tasty!  

Cardiac Arrest

The Cardiac Arrest is a meat-lovers dream, topped with pepperoni, ham, sausage, and bacon.  

Both pizzas were really delicious, with a chewy crust, a three cheese blend, and loaded with toppings.  

Dreaming of a White Christmas Beignets

The kids absolutely loved the beignets.  The bite-sized beignets were dusted with sugar, sprinkled with candy cane bits, and came with whipped cream and white chocolate sauce on the side). 

Slackwater
684 S 500 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 386-9777

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Visit Utah: Great Salt Lake State Park

We couldn't visit Salt Lake City without visiting Great Salt Lake State Park.  

The Great Salt Lake is what is leftover of Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric lake which spanned 20,000 miles!  

The Great Salt Lake was just stunning, especially with the mountains in the background.  

The high salinity of the lake means there are no fish, but there is algae and brine shrimp.  We couldn't see any of the shrimp, or sea monkeys as they are called, but there are displays in the visitor center where you can see them.  

There is a "rotten egg" smell due to the oolitic sand, a green sand which is a mixture of bird poop, dead shrimp, and dead shrimp egg casings.  

There is not much to do at Great Salt Lake State Park (there is an admission fee per vehicle), but there are picnic areas, and you can camp.  It was still a nice place to visit for some leisurely walks!

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Visit Utah: Arctic Circle

Arctic Circle is a fast food chain that originated in Utah and is now in several states.  They have a typical fast food menu, along with items I've never seen before anywhere.  They are known for their shakes, as well as being the originator of Fry Sauce.  

Bacon N' Cheddar

Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger

Chicken Rings

Chicken Rings are an Arctic Circle "original."  It is one of the items I've never seen elsewhere, so I had to try it.  It was okay.  Not as crispy as I'd hoped, but good enough. 

Arctic Circle is said to have been behind the very first Fry Sauce.  We used it with fries, onion rings, and even the chicken rings!

Onion Rings

Fries

Shake

If you order a combo, you can sub a shake for your soft drink at no additional charge!  There are all sorts of flavors to choose from - Nutella, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Triple Chocolate Brownie, Moose Tracks, and so many more!
 

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