Favorite Things From Each City We Lived in While in Utah!

My husband and I have lived the renters life for the past seven years in Utah. We just bought our first house, but it is not in Utah. We are living in Kentucky now. I was reminiscing about our good ol' Utah days and our places we called home for a time. I want to share with you my favorite things we did while we lived in each area. Not all the stuff was located in the areas where we lived, somethings are just places we travelled to while we lived in those locations. 

Downtown Salt Lake was our very first house. It is the home we came to after being married, it was our first car bought together, our first year of marriage, our first on everything being married. We had a little two bedroom, one level home on the outskirts of Salt Lake City. It was the perfect spot for us to start our life together. Our favorite things from this area were:

Moochies: This is the yummiest spot for a cheesesteak sandwich in Utah. There is the original location in downtown Salt Lake, but they do have a few spots in Utah now. I love the steak and my husband loves the chicken cheesesteaks. You can add peppers, mushrooms and any kind of cheese. They are known for their sauces that you can add, too. 

City Creek: We were way close to downtown where City Creek is so we got to go there often. We enjoy the food court and the Cheesecake Factory there. The shopping center is beautiful and a great activity to be out of the house. Don't forget to walk across the street to to temple square. This is a really fun area. We just recently went and tried Eva's Bakery which is walking distance from City Creek. It was such a cute little bakery and the desserts were yummy. 

Penny Anne's Café: We love Penny Anne's Café. The Salt Lake location is old school, but it has the best vibe. I love their pancakes, waffles, and bacon there. You can buy their pancake mix to take home which is really neat. They have opened a few more locations in Utah now. 

Ensign Peak: This is our go-to spot for hiking even after moving away from downtown. We love that it is a quick hike and gives a beautiful view at the top. I would suggest this hike to anyone in Utah and all our visitors. We were able to go quite often living so close to it. 

R&R BBQ: We may have eaten here way to much when we lived so close to the location. My husband would go here for all meals if he could. The location in Salt Lake it really fun and always hopping. We love their brisket, ribs, and pulled pork from there. I really like their pulled pork salads, too. 

Homemade Beignets: Our homemade beignet tradition started while we lived in Salt Lake. I found the hack on Pinterest and have never been the same since. All you need is the pre-made pizza dough from the fridge at a grocery store. You roll it out and cut square pieces and fry the dough for about a minute and then cover them in powder sugar. They are so simple and so good. 

The Park Café: One of our favorite breakfast spots is called The Park Café, it is located across the street from Liberty Park. They have the best potatoes and bacon from there. The little café is so cute and they have outside seating, as well. 

Ruby Snap Cookies: This was a fun find for us while we lived in downtown Salt Lake. We lived five minutes away and went way too often. The cookies are all so good. I have tried almost the whole menu of the cookies and would eat any of them. My favorites are the Penelope, Amy, Mia, and Maris. The storefront is adorable and just a fun experience. We later found in North Salt Lake they sold their frozen dough in Lee's Marketplace which ended up being our thing while we lived there. 

Utah Gymnastics Meets: Our first gymnastics meet together was while we lived in Salt Lake. It was close to our home. We have gone almost every year since. It is a fun outing for your family and it never hurts to support our Utah teams. Utah Utes have an awesome gymnastic teams so the meets are really fun and cool to watch. We love the Dippin' Dots at the venue. as well. 

Living Room Trail Hike: This hike is pretty close to Salt Lake. It was one of my favorite hikes we have done in Utah. The hike was long and had some spots that pushed us. The view at the end was so worth it though. There are rocks set up as chairs to watch the view of the city from. You can see the sunset well from there. It was so neat and one I would do again and again. 

West Valley City was our second place we moved after being married. We lived in my parents basement while my little sister was on her mission. It was such an adjustment after living on our own for a year as a married couple, but we had a ton of fun with my family. I am grateful for that time with them and in my childhood home. Without knowing at the time, my parents would sell the house a couple years later. Our favorite things to do in this area were: 

Café Rio: We love Café Rio and the West Valley location is my favorite. It's probably since its the one I have grown up with in my life, but they are quick and the food is always good. I go for the pork burrito enchilada style or the pork salads and the Tortilla soup. The Tres Leches Cake is my absolute favorite. There are locations all over Utah so any city you are in you'll be able to find a Café Rio. 

Hokulia Snow Cones: This is my families favorite snow cone place in the summertime. The little food truck shows up in the exact same parking lot every year. It's a fun little spot to stop for a cold treat. You can pick any flavors, add cream, ice cream, sour spray, or any fun toppings like that. The price is fair and the sizes are all so big. They have quite a few locations now today.

Leatherby's: My husband and I would go out for date night every weekend and one we liked to do was Leatherby's for some ice cream. When I was younger we went all the time for dance concert celebrations, birthdays, and with friends and had never gotten it to go. While we lived in West Valley that became our little trick. We would get a waffle cone and got it to go which made it super quick and just as good. I do like all the fun sundaes they have so dining in is a sweet treat, as well. 

Red Iguana: We love Red Iguana. It was my birthday dinner pick for the year we lived in West Valley, but I wish we would of found it sooner when we lived so close to it in Salt Lake. The shredded beef enchiladas are my favorite. They have really good sauce, rice, and beans. There is always a line no matter when you go, so be prepared to wait a bit. 

Chip Cookies: Chip Cookies started to become popular while we were in West Valley. There was only the one location in Salt Lake back then, but now they have a few around Utah. My absolute favorite cookie is the Biscoff Chip cookie. It has biscoff as the filling and little white chocolate chips in the cookie. If you are near one, definitely stop to try them. 

Roger's Bakery: There is a Ream's grocery store that has the best bakery. It's called Roger's Bakery and they have been there ever since I was born. We love their donuts so that would be a normal Saturday morning event for us. The maples bars, cinnamon twists, glazed, and the vanilla frosted donuts are all my favorites. 

Ab's Drive In: There is a cute little diner called Ab's Drive In that is in West Valley. They use to have the coolest little location close by my house and then they moved up the street a little bit to a new location. The milk shakes are above the rim and are delicious. We like their french fries! 

Daybreak was a treat to live in. We loved the area and our cute little cottage. We had great memories at this home. We found lots of new, fun things to do and eat while we lived there. This was also our little safe haven during the pandemic years. Our favorite things to do and eat in this area were:

Extreme Make Over Cottage: We got to live in the cottage that was built during the Extreme Makeover show in 2008. It was the coolest story and we felt so honored to be able to know the family and be able to help support them. It was a bonus that the cottage was so cute, too! It didn't have a ton of space, but we didn't have a ton of stuff so it worked out good. We fell in love with the area and really enjoyed our time we lived there. I have more details on my blog post "We Lived in the Extreme Makeover Cottage"

Duck Donuts: Duck Donuts opened while we were living in Daybreak. It became one of our favorite spots, as well as my mom and sister's, too. They would just show up with a box of donuts at our house. The concept of this donut shop is that you get to make your own. They fry the donuts right there in front of you and add whatever toppings you want to them. It was fun trying different combos and then our go-to's we found we liked. I loved the maple glaze with marshmallow drizzle or the vanilla frosting with the caramel drizzle. My husband went for the cinnamon sugar every time! 

Daybreak Lake: We lived right by the lake so we got to walk the lake everyday if we wanted to. The summer was a very busy place for this neighborhood. Everyone is out on bikes, walking, exercising, paddle boarding, or going to the parks. There are benches to go and sit, hammocks, little beaches, and docks to go and enjoy the views of the lake. They do food trucks every week and concerts every so often. 

Village Baker: If you are looking for the best cinnamon roll in Utah, then go to Village Baker. I don't know what they do to their cinnamon rolls, but they are delicious. The breading is so soft, the frosting has the perfect amount of sweetness and the cinnamon flavor is just right. I crave these rolls all the time. This was a must visit before we moved from Utah. 

Fireworks: The best place to be in Utah for Fireworks is to live in Daybreak. You have so many spots in the neighborhood to go and see fireworks from. We had our favorite rocks to sit on during our walks that were perfect for the firework shows. On the 4th of July we would walk to where the temple is and sit along side that hill. You can see the whole valley and all the fireworks in the area. It was my favorite thing we did each summer. 

Shops at the Riverwoods: While we lived in Daybreak, the Shops at the Riverwoods was just getting built up. There were so many cool stores opening and yummy food spots. We went to Capriotti's, Chip Cookies, and Rita's Shaved Ice in that area. Now today they have so much more and are all on my to try list next time I'm out that way. Sprinkles Cupcakes came to Utah now! We had tried them in California so it's fun to see some places coming to Utah. 

Roxberry Smoothies: We were addicted to Roxberry Smoothies while we were in West Valley, but we would have to drive a bit to get one. Now living in Daybreak, we had one right by our house! We stopped at least once a week for a smoothie. We found that they did mystery smoothies which was just the leftovers from other smoothies that they would combine and put in the deep freezer. We would buy those and keep them in our freezer at home. Peachy Keen and Tropical Twist were my favorites from there. 

Oquirrh Mountain Temple: If you live in Daybreak, then you can walk to the temple. It is in the neighborhood and so close. I loved having the temple so close. We would go on walks and pass the temple, if you drove on that side of the neighborhood then you'd see it, and getting off the freeway you would see it. It just was a neat thing to have apart of our everyday lives. 

Gourmandise: Gourmandise is a little bit of a drive from Daybreak to get to the Draper location, but it was the closest one to us. It was always a fun date night to drive and grab a bakery item for a treat. We love their strawberry rings, pistachio tarts, brownies, and cakes. The restaurant is cozy and moody, which is great for a date night! 

Hale Centre Theatre: My husband surprised me with tickets to Hale Centre Theatre for my birthday while we were in Daybreak. We went and saw "The Murder on the Oriental Express." It was the best experience. The actors were great and we followed the story right along. There was lots of twists and turns and was very intriguing. They had just built this new location not to long before we went and it is a beautiful spot. They have shows all throughout the year and lots of good options. I want to attend a Christmas show one year. 

Murray was our toughest home to live in, but we didn't mind the area. The mall was right by our house and some good food spots. We also lived about ten minutes from a Trader Joe's which is my heaven place. We didn't end up loving our home while living here, but on the plus side it got us out of the house a lot more allowing us to find some fun new spots! Our favorite places to eat and things to do were: 

Trader Joes: I can never live this close to a Trader Joes again! I had to set a limit on how many times a month I could go to this grocery store. If I could I would have gone every single day. They always have new items coming out, yummy treats, and just the vibe of the store is the best. My husband was a good support and went with me often and didn't say one word about all the things I would buy. I was able to do a bunch of Trader Joe's hauls for my blog during that time, so go check those out! 

Capriotti's: Right down the street from our house was a Capriotti's so we ate there a little bit. It's one of my favorite places so I could eat there everyday if I could. They have the yummiest sandwich called the Capistrami... Let me tell you, I don't like pastrami, but for some reason this sandwich is to die for. It has meat, cold slaw, cheese and a Russian dressing sauce. It is so good. We like the cheesesteaks from there, too! 

Fashion Place Mall: We lived very close to the mall which was so fun during the holiday season. Black Friday was so easy to roll out of bed and have a two minute drive. We stopped by often to our favorite stores. We got a few bags of the candied pecans during the Christmas season and got addicted to Lululemon. 

Twisted Sugar: Another yummy cookie place in Utah is called Twisted Sugar. They have the best sugar cookies. I love the banana crème pie and the cookie butter cookie. This was really cute for the holiday season. They have a yummy frozen hot chocolate for a sweet drink. 

Sam's Club Pretzels: We had a Sam's Club on one side and Costco on the other side of town. Basically take your pick of where you want to shop. We got to go to both, which I like for different things. I was obsessed with the soft pretzels from the little café area in Sam's Club. They are only a dollar and were delicious.

Hiking: We were so close to all the hiking trails in the area. We found some really cool spots to hike or walk along the pathways. The Suspension Bridge was really cool to hike. Heugh's Canyon Hike was very different from other hikes we had done in the area. It was back in a neighborhood to start and then just goes deep into trees and you don't even feel like a city is right next to you. Big Cottonwood Canyon Trail walk way is a great place if you don't want to go into the canyon. Olympus Hike was one we attempted, but ended up taking a wrong route so it was very short and not quite the hike. It is on my to do list when we are in town again. 

Shake Shack: We were lucky a Shake Shack was close by our house. We ate there often for a yummy burger and shake. If you get the app then sometimes you get deals like a free shake. I like the chocolate shakes from there. The location is super cute and the service is quick! 

Jordan Commons Movie Theater: If you are looking for a cute movie theater then go to Jordan Commons. The ticket counter and concessions are in a little town like area. They have Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory there that you can get, too. The theaters all are the luxury seating so every movie is cozy and fun. 

Murray Park: We didn't find Murray Park until the end of us living in Murray, but we went a few times a week for the time we had left there. The park has a ton of walkways, rivers, playgrounds, and lots of open fields. We enjoyed going and laying out in the sun and watching all the ducks. The river was peaceful and they had lots of benches to sit and hang out. 

North Salt Lake was one of my favorite places we lived. We loved the house and it was fun living on the other side of Salt Lake which we had never done before. There wasn't a lot of food options close by so we did have to drive a bit. The neighborhood was super nice to walk through and it was very close to the freeways which we loved. 

Kokonut Grill: Can you say addicting?! Kokonut Grill is the best little spot in North Salt Lake. We went too often to this place. We would get their bowls with chicken or pulled pork. The Teriyaki sauce was so good that we bought a bottle of it for our at home meals. The restaurant is very clean and the food was good every time we went. 

Parsons' Bakery: This was a cute little bakery in town. It had donuts, cookies, pastries, and anything else you would want from a bakery. We tried the cookies and little cinnamon tart roll. I loved their "Parfait" cookie which was a cookie with nuts and chocolate chunks. It was so good. They do close early there so don't go for an evening treat. 

Keva Juice: This was a favorite spot for me. Keva Juice has the best price for smoothies and has awesome flavors. I loved the Citrus Sunrise the most from there! This is the only location in Utah, but it is worth the drive if you aren't by it.

Cutler's Cookies: We tried Cutler's a few years ago, but hadn't lived by one until North Salt Lake. I love their peanut butter cookie that has a peanut butter frosting and a chocolate frosting on it. I found a recipe that is close to theirs and make them at home, too! They have good sugar cookies, too! There are a few locations in Utah. 

Handle's Ice Cream: We fell in love with Handles Ice cream in St. George, so we were excited that we had one close by in the area. We would grab Café Rio and an ice cream when we would go that way. I really like the Chocolate Peanut Butter Ripple, Praline Pecan and the Banana Crème Pie. My husband really likes the Strawberry ice cream. We have gotten an ice cream cake from there and thought it was one of the best we have had. 

Legacy Parkway Trail: We really enjoyed walking along the Legacy Parkway Trail. From our neighborhood there were a bunch of spots where you could access the walkway. The sunsets were gorgeous from there. You could go for miles or just a short walk. We found our little loop through the neighborhood and on the trail and back. The trail didn't seem too busy anytime we went, which we liked. 

Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolate: We lived right down the street from Mrs. Cavanaugh's chocolate factory. We got off early from work one day to make a tour and had a fun time. We laughed through most of it, but I bet for a younger self it would of been very fun. The chocolates from there are really good. I loved the caramels and my husband loved the "Gregory" because it's his name. 

Pace's Dairy Ann: I really enjoyed going to Pace's Dairy Ann. They have really good ice cream and the vibe is really fun. I tried the banana split and the chocolate dipped cone. The french fries are good and they have really good fry sauce. 

Bahama Bucks: We really liked Bahama Bucks' They have smoothies, shaved ice, and milkshakes. I got a different flavor of smoothie each time we went. I want to try the shaved ice next time we go! The shop is really cute and fun. 

Lee's Marketplace Bakery: Our favorite donuts in the this area was from the bakery in Lee's Marketplace. They had square shaped donuts and lots of toppings. Every holiday they had really cute donuts. For Halloween the donuts were on a really good sale for a dozen. We stopped in the mornings before work probably way too much, but it was fun and delicious! 

Timbermine Steakhouse: One of our favorite restaurants is Timbermine. The building is dark and moody with an out doors theme. There are lots of collectibles to look at while you wait for a table. There is a stream that goes along the middle of the tables. I really like the french fries there. My favorite thing to get is the steak kabobs that have mushrooms and peppers with it. 

Our Kitchen Café: There is a random little restaurant along Redwood road called Our Kitchen Café that is really good. We lived right by it so we ate there a few times. I love their pancakes! They have cinnamon in them and the syrup is so good. My husband liked the Carne Asada and eggs plate. 

Now off to Kentucky to explore some new favorite spots! What have been your favorite things in the area's you have lived?