Salt Lake County begins just past the Point of the Mountain, and its southern cities are closer than the name suggests: Riverton and Draper are about half an hour from downtown Provo. This hub gathers the county's city pages, each timed from Provo, together with the big venues and signature events that pull Utah Valley north for a day or an evening.
It sits beside Salt Lake & Beyond, which keeps the longer day trips: Park City, Ogden, the national parks. Here the questions are simpler: which city, what to do there, and how to be home for dinner.
Start here
For the city itself, Things to Do in Salt Lake City is the stop-by-stop FrontRunner day, fares and the train home included. Draper, Sandy and South Jordan From Utah County is the short hop just past the Point, and game night at the Delta Center covers parking and the train for Jazz and Mammoth games and concerts.
The cities, nearest first
Each drive time is OpenStreetMap routing from downtown Provo without traffic, as measured on the city's own page. Rush hour at the Point of the Mountain can add a good deal more.
- Herriman and Riverton: Riverton about 29 miles and 35 minutes, Herriman about 34 miles and 42 minutes. Blackridge Reservoir, the Cove and Juniper Canyon.
- Draper: about 30 miles and 36 minutes to the aquarium. Corner Canyon, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium and the flight park.
- Sandy: about 31 miles, 35 to 40 minutes. The Hale Centre Theatre, America First Field and Dimple Dell.
- West Jordan and Taylorsville: West Jordan about 34 miles and 42 minutes, Taylorsville about 39 miles and 47 minutes. Gardner Village, the Conservation Garden Park and the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center.
- Murray and Midvale: Midvale about 35 miles and 41 minutes, Murray about 38 miles and 46 minutes. Wheeler Historic Farm, Murray Park and Midvale's Main Street murals.
- South Jordan and Daybreak: about 35 miles and 44 minutes to Daybreak. The lake loop, the new Bees ballpark and Oquirrh Lake.
- Cottonwood Heights, Holladay and Millcreek: Cottonwood Heights about 40 miles and 49 minutes, Holladay and Millcreek about 42 miles and 52 minutes. Millcreek Canyon, Millcreek Common and the canyon-mouth parks.
- Salt Lake City: about 45 miles and 50 minutes at a quiet hour, or about an hour and five minutes on FrontRunner.
The big venues and signature events
- Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary: the zoo-and-birds day, costed and timed.
- The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, with the tickets, the exhibits and a plan for the day.
- Game night at the Delta Center: Jazz, Mammoth and concerts.
- Temple Square in December: the lights, the Christkindlmarkt and the crowds.
- Gardner Village's WitchFest in West Jordan each fall.
- Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, the summer edition.
- Pro sports from Utah Valley, for the teams that play in the county.
- The Wasatch Front's big annual events, the calendar Utah Valley keeps missing.
Next door: Davis County
North of Salt Lake City, Davis County has two pages of its own: Bountiful and South Davis County, for Mueller Park, Holbrook Canyon and Handcart Days, and Layton, Kaysville and Farmington, for Station Park, Frightmares and the road to Antelope Island. Lagoon and Antelope Island have guides of their own.
Without a car
FrontRunner takes about an hour and five minutes from Provo to Salt Lake City, running every 30 minutes at weekday peaks and hourly midday and on Saturdays. At Murray Central it meets the TRAX Blue Line, south toward Midvale and Sandy, and the Red Line, west to Daybreak. FrontRunner does not run on Sunday, so a Sunday in Salt Lake County is a drive. Our FrontRunner guide has the rest.
Every guide
13 guides sit under this hub, from the city pages to the venues and the big nights out.
New this season
The most recently written or updated guides under this hub, by their last edit.
- Things to Do in Cottonwood Heights, Holladay & Millcreek, Utah, From Provo: The Canyon-Mouth Suburbs updated September 29, 2026
- Things to Do in Draper, Utah, From Provo: Corner Canyon, the Aquarium, the Flight Park and the Temple updated September 29, 2026
- Things to Do in Herriman & Riverton, Utah, From Provo: Blackridge Reservoir, the Cove, Juniper Canyon and the Oquirrh Trails updated September 29, 2026
- Things to Do in Murray & Midvale, Utah, From Provo: Wheeler Farm, Murray Park and Midvale's Murals updated September 29, 2026
- Things to Do in Sandy, Utah, From Provo: Hale Centre, America First Field, Dimple Dell and the Cottonwood Mouths updated September 29, 2026
- Things to Do in South Jordan and Daybreak, From Provo: The Lake Loop, the Bees' New Ballpark and Two Temples updated September 29, 2026
Frequently asked
How far is Salt Lake County from Provo?
Closer than the name suggests. The county begins just past the Point of the Mountain, and OpenStreetMap routing puts Riverton City Hall about 29 miles and 35 minutes from downtown Provo and Draper's aquarium about 30 miles and 36 minutes, without traffic. Salt Lake City itself is about 45 miles, or 50 minutes at a quiet hour.
Can I visit Salt Lake County without a car?
Much of it. FrontRunner takes about an hour and five minutes from Provo to Salt Lake City, running every 30 minutes at weekday peaks and hourly midday and on Saturdays. At Murray Central it meets the TRAX Blue Line, which runs south toward Midvale and Sandy, and the Red Line, which runs west to Daybreak. FrontRunner does not run on Sunday.
Which Salt Lake County city is closest to Provo?
Riverton and Draper, at about 30 miles each, with Sandy barely farther at about 31 miles.
What can I do for free in Salt Lake County?
Plenty. Wheeler Historic Farm's grounds in Murray, the Conservation Garden Park in West Jordan, Gardner Village's WitchFest displays each fall, Knudsen Park's water play in Holladay and the Jordan River Parkway all cost nothing.
Where do Bountiful and Layton fit?
They are in Davis County, north of Salt Lake City, and have pages of their own: Bountiful and South Davis County, and Layton, Kaysville and Farmington.