The best of Salt Lake Valley.

You do not need to spend a dime to have a great day in the Salt Lake Valley. Here are the free spots locals love, from downtown Salt Lake City out to Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan.

The Salt Lake Valley is packed with bakers who actually know what they are doing, from downtown croissant shops to family-run Colombian and Czech spots out in the neighborhoods. Here are eleven local favorites worth the drive.

The Salt Lake Valley is a dream for riders, with mountain singletrack on one side and miles of flat paved paths down the middle. These are the trails locals actually ride, whether you want a heart-pounding descent or an easy cruise with the kids.

Morning food is a big deal across the Salt Lake Valley, from a trolley-car diner up Emigration Canyon to biscuit shops and all-day brunch spots in Sandy. Here are 10 local favorites worth waking up for.

Brunch is a weekend sport in the Salt Lake Valley, and the spots prove it. From Liberty Park to Sandy, here are the places locals actually line up for.

The Salt Lake Valley has quietly built one of the best coffee scenes in the Mountain West, full of small roasters who source carefully and roast their own beans. Here are the local shops worth the drive, from downtown Salt Lake City out to Sandy and Draper.

Date night in the Salt Lake Valley does not have to mean the same dinner every time. Here are 11 spots locals come back to, from candlelit pasta in Salt Lake City to a tram ride up Little Cottonwood Canyon.

The Salt Lake Valley hides a serious sweet streak, from old-school donut counters to artisan gelato and soft serve that looks like art. Here are ten dessert spots, spread from the Avenues to Sandy, that locals come back to again and again.

Dirty soda is basically a Salt Lake Valley love language, and Salt Lake County is packed with shops mixing fountain pop with cream, syrups, and fresh fruit. Here are the spots locals actually drive across town for.

When the maples turn red and the air gets crisp, the Salt Lake Valley turns into one big fall playground. These are the spots locals actually go to, from pumpkin patches in South Jordan to witches in West Jordan to golden aspens up the canyon.

Summer in the Salt Lake Valley means fresh peaches, warm bread, and a slow morning walking booth to booth. These are the farmers markets locals actually go back to, from downtown Salt Lake City out to Murray, Holladay, and Daybreak.

You do not have to drive to the mountains to wet a line. The Salt Lake Valley is full of stocked ponds, a couple of bigger lakes, a long river trail, and a real trout creek, all close to home. Here are the spots locals actually fish.

The Salt Lake Valley wraps right up against the Wasatch, so a real mountain trail is never more than a few minutes away. Here are the best hikes near Salt Lake City, from 20-minute leg-stretchers above downtown to canyon waterfalls and alpine lakes, loosely ranked by how much locals love them.

The Salt Lake Valley sits on old geothermal ground, but the real soaking is a short drive out of Salt Lake County. These are the hot springs locals actually load up the car for, from a free pool on the edge of Utah Lake to a crater you can scuba dive.

When the weather keeps everyone inside, the Salt Lake Valley still has plenty of ways to wear the kids out. These are the indoor spots locals lean on for a rainy or snowy day, from Salt Lake City down to Draper.

The Salt Lake Valley runs deep on Mexican food worth driving for, from old-school taquerias to mole people wait an hour for. These are the spots locals send their friends to first, downtown to the south end.

Few places pack as much green space into one valley as the Salt Lake Valley, from big downtown lawns to wild canyon gullies. These are the parks locals keep coming back to, spread across Salt Lake County so there is a good one close to you.

Pizza runs deep across the Salt Lake Valley, from blistered Neapolitan pies downtown to fold-it-in-half slices in Sugar House and a thick crust legend in South Salt Lake. Here are the 9 spots locals keep going back to.

You do not have to leave the Salt Lake Valley to find a drive that makes you roll the windows down and slow way down. These canyon climbs, bench overlooks, and lake roads are all close to home, and a few sit minutes from downtown Salt Lake City.

When the heat hits, the Salt Lake Valley has some seriously good splash pads, and almost all of them are free. Here are the spots worth packing the towels for, from Bluffdale up to Cottonwood Heights.

Good sushi is easier to find in the Salt Lake Valley than people expect, from downtown Salt Lake City counters to neighborhood spots in Murray, Sandy, and West Valley City. Here are the places locals come back to.

Looking for things to do with kids in the Salt Lake Valley without burning a whole weekend on planning? These are the spots across Salt Lake County that locals take their kids back to, again and again.

The canyons that ring the Salt Lake Valley hide some of the best waterfalls in Utah, and most sit a short drive from Sandy, Holladay, or downtown. Here are nine waterfall hikes worth the trip, from five-minute family strolls to steep canyon climbs.

When the snow settles over the Salt Lake Valley, the whole place turns into a playground. These are the winter activities locals actually leave the house for, from outdoor rinks and free sledding hills to a million holiday lights and world-class powder up the canyon.

The Salt Lake Valley runs deep on good tacos, from downtown carts to Rose Park trucks to suburban taquerias pressing their own tortillas. These are the spots locals send their friends to first.