Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City’s tourism slogan, “Different by nature,” says it all. Surrounded by canyons, lakes, mountains and state parks, SLC’s natural beauty abounds. And culturally? It’s quite different from the rest of its Utah neighbors. First, it’s one of the most diverse cities in the state and is incredibly LGBTQ+ friendly. Though the area has seen a handful of racially charged incidents in recent years, SLC has a slew of equity and inclusion initiatives in progress. It even declared racism a public health crisis and recently launched a Racial Equity in Policing Commission, a Cultural Concierge program and an equity ambassador team, which has members stationed throughout various city departments. The city’s also an entertainment and recreational mecca. There are hiking, biking, rafting and rock climbing opportunities, and 10 different ski resorts call the area home. Prefer something indoors? Check out the Clark Planetarium or the Natural History Museum of Utah, or head downtown for restaurants, nightlife and live music. If you need help getting around, try the city’s GREENBike program or hop on a TRAX train (many downtown fares are free!) If you’re looking for community, SLC has you covered there, too. The city plays host to a seemingly endless stream of community events, like the Utah State Fair, Pioneer Day and, most notably, the Sundance Film Festival. — Aly J. Yale