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Scenic Drives
Windows down when the weather allows. Roads chosen as much for what surrounds them as where they end.
Choose this directionExplore Roads & Streets
Take the road that gives you something to talk about.
Some days call for a highway, some for a city sidewalk, and some for the turn you almost missed. Roads & Streets is our guide to scenic drives, walkable neighborhoods, memorable stops, and getting more out of the miles between here and there.
No bucket-list theater. Just places worth going and better ways to experience them.
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Start with the kind of day you want.
A route is easier to choose when you know whether you want open road, a few good blocks, or one excellent excuse to miss the fastest turn.
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City Walks
A few good blocks, someplace worth eating, and enough character to keep you off your phone.
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One-Day Road Trips
Leave after breakfast. Come home with a story. No luggage carousel required.
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Neighborhoods & Main Streets
Independent shops, local institutions, good architecture, and the places where a city shows its personality.
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Worthwhile Detours
Roadside stops, overlooked landmarks, unexpected views, and other reasons to ignore the fastest route.
Choose this directionFeatured story
The Saturday, Distilled: Take the Long Way
A good day on the road does not require a twelve-step itinerary. Pick a direction, choose two or three anchors, dress like the day matters, and leave enough room for something unplanned.
“The point is not to see everything. The point is to remember something.”
One anchor, one meal, one optional stop—and enough judgment to know when the day has found a better plan.
8 min read
Read the full storyRoutes worth taking
A plan with room to breathe.
Four launch guides, built around real places and practical decisions. Check every verification date and official source again before leaving; roads, fees, access and hours change.
These routes were researched from current public sources. They are not presented as firsthand Distill My Heart Adventures reviews.
Scenic DriveCottonwood Heights to Brighton, Utah
Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake
A close-to-the-city mountain drive with granite walls, creekside pull-offs and an accessible boardwalk at the top when weather permits.
- Start
- Mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon on SR-190
- Finish
- Silver Lake Recreation Area, Brighton
- Distance
- 15 miles one way to Silver Lake
- Travel time
- Plan about 45 minutes each way before stops; check live canyon traffic
- Make a day of it
- 3–5 hours
- Best time
- May–October for the boardwalk, subject to weather; fall color draws heavier traffic
- Effort
- Easy drive; optional 0.9-mile lake loop
- The feeling
- Cool air, tall rock, creek noise and a genuine change of altitude
Three primary stops
- The canyon mouth. Reset the day here: confirm conditions, put the phone away and let SR-190 narrow the view to rock, water and road.
- Cardiff / Mill D area. A useful middle anchor for a short creekside pause or trailhead stop. Park only in posted legal spaces and display the required pass inside a posted fee area.
- Silver Lake. The Town of Brighton describes the lake as fifteen miles up-canyon, with an accessible interpretive boardwalk open roughly May through October, weather permitting.
Practical details and optional detour
Optional detour: Continue around the Brighton Loop only if parking and traffic are calm. A full lot is a good reason to keep moving and save the walk for another day.
- Check UDOT’s live Cottonwood Canyons page before leaving; closures, traction restrictions and uphill controls can change quickly.
- Posted Forest Service recreation fee areas include Cardiff / Mill D and summer access at Silver Lake. The current local pass listed by Brighton is $10 for three days per vehicle.
- Big Cottonwood Canyon is a protected watershed: dogs and swimming are prohibited. Service-animal exemptions apply under the posted order.
- In winter, canyon traction rules are stricter than ordinary Utah roads and parking systems may require reservations at resort destinations.
Worth knowing
The road is the main event. Choose one walk, not four; if a trailhead is crowded, the better day may be a slow drive and a long lunch back in the valley.
3–5 hours Last verified
City WalkSalt Lake City, Utah
9th & 9th, Liberty Park and Gilgal on Foot
A flexible Salt Lake City loop connecting an independent business district, the city’s oldest park and one singular sculpture garden.
- Start
- 9th & 9th business district (900 East and 900 South)
- Finish
- Return to 9th & 9th after Gilgal Sculpture Garden
- Distance
- About 3.5 miles, depending on the Liberty Park loop
- Travel time
- 75–90 minutes of walking
- Make a day of it
- 3–4 hours with a meal and browsing
- Best time
- Late morning through early evening; spring and fall are especially comfortable
- Effort
- Easy urban walk on sidewalks and park paths
- The feeling
- Local storefronts, mature trees, public art and room to change your mind
Three primary stops
- 9th & 9th. Begin around 900 East and 900 South. Browse first, then choose one place to eat rather than trying to turn every storefront into a checkpoint.
- Liberty Park. Walk west to Salt Lake City’s oldest and second-largest park. The city lists park hours as 5 a.m.–11 p.m.; the Rotary Playground remains under construction into summer 2026.
- Gilgal Sculpture Garden. Continue north to the small public garden at 749 East 500 South, home to twelve original sculptures and more than seventy engraved stones.
Practical details and optional detour
Optional detour: Add the Out of the Blue whale sculpture at the 1100 East roundabout, then decide whether the extra blocks improve the walk or merely make it longer.
- Street parking varies by block. Read posted signs and avoid treating residential driveways or private lots as neighborhood parking.
- Use marked crossings on 700 East, 900 East and 900 South; these are active city streets, not a pedestrian promenade.
- Salt Lake City sponsors bus routes 1, 2, 9 and 21 as part of its Frequent Service Network; confirm the current UTA trip plan before leaving.
- Business hours change often, so choose a meal stop on the day rather than building the route around an unverified opening time.
Worth knowing
This route works because it is adjustable. One good shop, a park bench and a long lunch can be the entire afternoon; Gilgal is there when the day wants one more chapter.
3–4 hours with a meal and browsing Last verified
One-Day Road TripSalt Lake City to Wendover, Utah
Salt Lake City to the Bonneville Salt Flats
A full-day westbound run across the basin to a landscape that rewards preparation, restraint and a very good pair of sunglasses.
- Start
- Salt Lake City
- Finish
- Bonneville Salt Flats access road near I-80 Exit 4
- Distance
- About 240 miles round trip; BLM places the flats 120 miles west of Salt Lake City
- Travel time
- Roughly 4 hours total without stops
- Make a day of it
- 7–10 hours
- Best time
- A dry, clear day; avoid the hottest part of summer afternoons
- Effort
- Easy walking, but high exposure to sun, wind and heat
- The feeling
- Big sky, hard horizon and the useful feeling of having gone somewhere
Three primary stops
- Great Salt Lake State Park. Use the westbound leg for a lake-level view near Magna. Admission applies; check the park’s current alerts, hours and water access before committing.
- Bonneville Salt Flats access. Take I-80 Exit 4, follow signs toward the Speedway and use the paved parking area at the end of Leppy Pass Road. Day use is free outside special events.
- Wendover. Refuel both the vehicle and the people before turning east. Choose the meal on the day; verified business hours are deliberately not baked into this route.
Practical details and optional detour
Optional detour: Black Rock at Great Salt Lake State Park adds a short walk and another way to read the basin, but skip it when heat, smoke or current park alerts make the stop less worthwhile.
- The BLM says there are no facilities on the flats. Carry water, sun protection and enough fuel to reach Wendover comfortably.
- Never drive onto wet or submerged salt. Seasonal closures are posted, the edge can conceal mud and recovery can be dangerous and expensive.
- Salt residue is corrosive; wash the vehicle after any permitted drive on a completely dry surface.
- The BLM lists multiple exclusive-use event periods in 2026, including July 7–13 and July 27–August 8. Check the official schedule on the day you go.
- Overnight camping and fireworks are prohibited on the salt flats. Personal sightseeing and photography do not require a permit outside restricted event areas.
Worth knowing
When access is restricted, the paved road and designated viewing limit may still offer the better choice. The salt is a protected landscape, not a blank parking lot.
7–10 hours Last verified
Field GuideAnywhere in the United States
How to Plan a One-Day Road Trip That Feels Like a Day Off
A repeatable route for choosing one anchor, one meal and enough unscheduled room to keep the day from becoming work.
- Start
- Home, after breakfast
- Finish
- Somewhere worth sitting before the drive home
- Distance
- Choose a radius that keeps driving under half the day
- Travel time
- Aim for no more than 4 hours behind the wheel
- Make a day of it
- 8–10 hours
- Best time
- Any free day with workable weather and daylight
- Effort
- Adjustable; include at least one short walk
- The feeling
- Deliberate without becoming scheduled to death
Three primary stops
- One anchor. Choose the view, neighborhood, museum, trail, market or event that would make the drive worthwhile on its own.
- One meal. Pick a place connected to the destination, then verify its hours directly before leaving. Keep a second option nearby.
- One closing stop. End with a park bench, coffee counter, overlook or early dinner where the day can land before everyone gets back in the car.
Practical details and optional detour
Optional detour: Choose one only after the anchor and meal are working. A detour earns its place by improving the day, not by filling an empty line in the itinerary.
- Check road, weather and destination alerts on the morning of departure.
- Download the route for weak-service areas and tell someone your general plan when traveling remotely.
- Carry water, a light layer and a little cash; verify fuel or charging availability before long rural segments.
- Build a bad-weather alternative that uses the same town or neighborhood rather than canceling the entire day.
- If the group is tired, hungry or no longer interested, skip the next stop without holding a meeting about it.
Worth knowing
A successful day trip is not the one with the highest stop count. It is the one whose pace still feels good during the drive home.
8–10 hours Last verified
The deliberate stop
Let every stop contribute to the day.
A good route is not an excuse to collect pins. Stop when the place adds a meal, a walk, a sound or a little more character to the day.
Eat Somewhere Local
Find the diner, counter, market, or neighborhood restaurant that belongs to the place—not the same exit-ramp option available everywhere.
Find a drink or place for laterWalk Before You Leave
Even on a driving day, park the car for a while. A town reveals more at three miles per hour than it does through a windshield.
Try the Salt Lake City walkStay for One More Song
When a bar, patio, record shop, or live room has the right energy, the schedule can wait.
Follow the day into SoundsWhat to bring
Pack for the Day You Actually Want
Bring enough to stay comfortable and flexible, not enough to turn the trunk into a product catalog.
Dress for the day like you meant to leave the house. Comfort matters, but “comfortable” does not have to mean “gave up.”
- Water
- Sunglasses
- A real camera or a charged phone
- A light layer appropriate for the destination
- Comfortable shoes that still look intentional
- Offline directions for areas with weak service
- A small cooler when appropriate
- A little cash
- A road playlist
- Enough empty space in the schedule to make a detour
Road music
Give the Miles a Soundtrack
The right playlist changes the distance. Start with Snapbacks & Stetsons, explore the Sounds collection, or choose something built for the particular road ahead.
Flagship playlist
Snapbacks & Stetsons
Country at the center, with enough range for the highway, the city edge and the last miles home.
Explore the Sounds collectionIf the player is unavailable, use the direct Spotify link below.
Open Snapbacks & Stetsons in SpotifyWhen the driving is done
The Last Stop Should Not Be Behind the Wheel
A good route sometimes ends with dinner, a neighborhood bar, or a bottle opened after everyone is home. Explore Drinks or use Whiskey Flight Deck to build a tasting for another day.
If anyone is drinking, they are not driving. Choose a sober driver, safe ride, or save the pour.
Latest from Roads & Streets
Start with a route that already has a point of view.
Launch guides for a mountain road, a city neighborhood, a Utah day trip and the practical art of making an ordinary Saturday matter.
Scenic Drive
Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake
A close-to-the-city mountain drive with granite walls, creekside pull-offs and an accessible boardwalk at the top when weather permits.
Cottonwood Heights to Brighton, Utah3–5 hours
Read this guide City Walk
9th & 9th, Liberty Park and Gilgal on Foot
A flexible Salt Lake City loop connecting an independent business district, the city’s oldest park and one singular sculpture garden.
Salt Lake City, Utah3–4 hours with a meal and browsing
Read this guide One-Day Road Trip
Salt Lake City to the Bonneville Salt Flats
A full-day westbound run across the basin to a landscape that rewards preparation, restraint and a very good pair of sunglasses.
Salt Lake City to Wendover, Utah7–10 hours
Read this guide Field Guide
How to Plan a One-Day Road Trip That Feels Like a Day Off
A repeatable route for choosing one anchor, one meal and enough unscheduled room to keep the day from becoming work.
Anywhere in the United States8–10 hours
Read this guide Practical Field Guide
The Saturday, Distilled: Take the Long Way
A good day on the road does not require a twelve-step itinerary. Pick a direction, choose two or three anchors, dress like the day matters, and leave enough room for something unplanned.
Back roads and city blocks8 min
Read this guide Current routes Every time-sensitive guide shows a verification date and links its sources.
Honest photography Real streets and roads, with creators and licenses recorded.
No invented mileage Unverified details are omitted or clearly framed as planning advice.
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Put Something on the Calendar
Occasional routes, neighborhood finds, seasonal drives, and ideas for getting more out of a free Saturday.