Downtown

Downtown is the most central base for a solo trip, with walkable sights, plenty of transit and many places to eat alone. It is comfortable by day and on the main streets in the evening, but the west side near Pioneer Park and Rio Grande is best avoided at night.

Downtown is the easiest base for a first visit. Temple Square, City Creek Center, the main library, concert halls and most central hotels are within a short walk of each other, and TRAX stops are on nearly every block. By day it is busy with office workers, shoppers and visitors. Evenings are calmer than in most big cities: restaurants and cocktail bars around Main Street and 200 South stay lively, but the streets empty out earlier than you might expect. The west side, toward Pioneer Park and the Rio Grande district, has visible homelessness and open drug use, so skip it on foot after dark. Staying on Main Street and east of State Street keeps you on busy, well-lit blocks.