Accomodations near SLC station?

[RobertF]

I also walked around downtown SLC... it was ok... but be prepared for people to try and convert you to be a Mormon if you go near Temple Square.

I'm not sure thats a fair characterization.

First of all, Salt Lake proper is less than 50% Mormon now... it's not likely that someone on the street is just going to pick you out of the blue and try to convert you ...

Temple Square is, after all, about it's namesake, the temple. It's also about our (Latter-Day Saints) feelings with respect to Christ and his Gospel. It is assumed that a person attending temple square has some interest in at least learning about the church, since they came there (we don't tend to go round up people at gunpoint for tours unless the attendance numbers are down). I mean, you would not expect presentations on investing in mutual funds there, would you?

Guided tours are available but optional. Missionaries are everywhere, but I don't think that they are overly in your face. They are there when you enter to say "Hi", and point you in the direction of anything you might be interested in. Certainly they will also discuss the gospel with you too. There are a number of things in the area including the Temple, two visitors centers (with an incredible statue of Christ in the North Visitors center), the tabernacle, the conference center (well worth a visit). If you are interested in geology then there is the family history library and there is also a church history museum.

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building (JSMB) houses a theater where a movie plays. Right now it's a movie about the life of Joseph Smith, founder of the church. Other movies about the history of the church, etc... play at the North Visitors center. The North visitors center and the conference center also houses some wonderful art. There are also some wonderful restaurants at the top of the JSMB. The Garden is great for lunch or dinner and the Roof restaurant is a very nice (but expen$ive) premium buffet. My wife did it for our anniversary, it was amazing.

The South visitors center is more directed to the pioneers and the building of the temple. It's well worth the trip. There is one room in this visitors center that I love. It has a full on view of the temple and you can just sit there and reflect on life or whatever.

Many people enter Temple square and do feel a special spirit about it. Whatever your faith, it can be a moving experience learning about the trials of the pioneers, or learning of the life of Christ.

I actually work for the church, and my office looks over temple square. It's a very different experience working for the church than working for anywhere else, I can tell you that!!

You can see a picture of my office view at My office view

Robert

P.S. Should have added.... The Mormon Tabernacle Choir practices every Thursday evening and has a live program every Sunday that you can attend if you should wish. There is also a organ recital but I'm not sure when that is. You can google lds tabernacle choir for more information if you like.

 

[jackal]

The past two times I've been through SLC and visited Temple Square, the Conference Center was closed (the first time was for President Faust's funeral and the second was in preparation for a conference or something.) Hopefully, third time's the charm!

Having seen the majority of Temple Square, driven up to the state capitol, and checked out the new city library, I had sort of assumed I was going to drive out of town as soon as I picked up my rental car. But Salt Lake is such a wonderful, friendly town, and I'm sure there's much more to see--I might spend a good bit of the morning there (or maybe even more) before leaving--we'll have to see! If I do end up staying, we should meet up for lunch, Robert, if you're in town that day (May 15)!

 

[jackal]

Hmm...the Radisson went up to $199, so no go there.

I looked at the Little America. It's up to $109/night (I should have acted right when I first read RobertF's post), but it's a good possibility.

However, given the late hour I'll be arriving (11pm if the train's on time) and the fact that I just want a [decent] place to crash, the $79 Plaza seems to be my first pick, still. (Hmm...other options include a $59 HoJo and that $75 Metropolitan, which isn't on TRAX like I thought but with TempurPedic mattresses might be worth the cab ride...)

I also thought about the SLC Sheraton (thought I might try to get a nicer room out of my complimentary SPG Gold membership I have), and it's only $152/night, but the reviews are only mediocre, and it's hard to pay more than $100 for mediocrity (even if my standards are pretty low--so I'd probably give it glowing reviews!).

And the more I think about it, a stay at the Grand America in an Executive King Suite or even a nice upgraded room in the Sheraton would be killer, but...honestly, Tom Bodett's right in his old Motel 6 commercials when, over the pitch black screen, he says, "This is a fancy expensive hotel room at night. This is a Motel 6 room at night. Yup...we can't see the difference, either." The fancy covers and beautiful view are nice for awhile, but realistically, I'm happy as long as the bed's not lumpy, the A/C works, and the room doesn't smell bad. (High speed Internet is a bonus, but I can live with my slow cell-based connection...)

Maybe I'll try the Grand America next time when I have more time to enjoy such luxury...For now, I'll really have to think about the Plaza vs. the Metropolitan...

 

[RobertF]

Hmm...the Radisson went up to $199, so no go there.
I looked at the Little America. It's up to $109/night (I should have acted right when I first read RobertF's post), but it's a good possibility.

However, given the late hour I'll be arriving (11pm if the train's on time) and the fact that I just want a [decent] place to crash, the $79 Plaza seems to be my first pick, still. (Hmm...other options include a $59 HoJo and that $75 Metropolitan, which isn't on TRAX like I thought but with TempurPedic mattresses might be worth the cab ride...)

I also thought about the SLC Sheraton (thought I might try to get a nicer room out of my complimentary SPG Gold membership I have), and it's only $152/night, but the reviews are only mediocre, and it's hard to pay more than $100 for mediocrity (even if my standards are pretty low--so I'd probably give it glowing reviews!).

And the more I think about it, a stay at the Grand America in an Executive King Suite or even a nice upgraded room in the Sheraton would be killer, but...honestly, Tom Bodett's right in his old Motel 6 commercials when, over the pitch black screen, he says, "This is a fancy expensive hotel room at night. This is a Motel 6 room at night. Yup...we can't see the difference, either." The fancy covers and beautiful view are nice for awhile, but realistically, I'm happy as long as the bed's not lumpy, the A/C works, and the room doesn't smell bad. (High speed Internet is a bonus, but I can live with my slow cell-based connection...)

Maybe I'll try the Grand America next time when I have more time to enjoy such luxury...For now, I'll really have to think about the Plaza vs. the Metropolitan...

Yeah.... the Grand America is for when you have time to enjoy ... They have this expen$$$$$ive weekend breakfast buffet that is just to die for... It better be for what it costs!!

There is also a Howard Johnson's up on N Temple. The trax station is about a block away. The sign says something like $69 bucks. It's across the street from the Triad on the North (if you know where the Triad is) and the TRAX station is on the south side of the TRIAD.

 

[LP Guy]

Sorry for the late response on this post...Jackal or one member asked about the location of the SLC station. The station is not in the most desirable location as far as I am concerned. I was debating on taking Amtrak last year to my brothers wedding, but the station kind of turned me off. It's kind of like a one room schoolhouse looking building. It has a few chairs and a reception desk from what I could tell. I noticed several baggage carts laying around the sides of the building and a Coke machine on the inside. The station was closed when I went past, and I ended up hitching a ride to the wedding with my parents...I really wanted to take the rail but the building and appearance turned me off. I hope to catch the rail sometime in the near future because I really enjoy some of the stories you guys tell. I guess it wasn't my bag of tea at the time. I hate judging a book by its cover like that, because it's normally not me to do so. It was late in the evening and I just felt a bit weary of taking the train at that particular time. I do remember the location being off of Rio Grande.

 

[jackal]

Well, I've already taken the trip and been through the SLC station, but thanks for the post.

I'm not sure if things have moved since you went through, but the Amtrak station is currently a temporary Amshack on the south end of the new intermodal transit center. It's literally a 30-second walk to the FrontRunner and TRAX trains (I hopped on TRAX and rode it to the Plaza Hotel literally with a view of the Mormon Temple outside of my 13th-floor room). Worked great! I felt safe, too.

I drove around the area where I think the station used to be the next day (looking at the old Rio Grande depot), and that area was sort of iffy with some vagrants, but the intermodal transit center is new, modern, well-lit, and safe-feeling. I understand Amtrak will be moving into the actual intermodal transit center building in the near future (a nice, futuristic stainless steel and glass building).

I'm still confused where Amtrak used to be...I didn't see tracks anywhere else, unless Amtrak was where it is now but it was out of the way and ugly before the new transit center was built...

 

[RTOlson]

Amtrak used both the Union Pacific Station (now part of the Gateway Center) and the Rio Grande Depot (now owned by Utah Historical Society) as stations at different points (UP first and then Rio Grande) in its SLC history.

IIRC, there used to be spur tracks to take the trains to those stations' platforms. According to this Intermountain Contractor article, these tracks were cut off during aquaduct construction. I just glanced at the article, but it might be worth a full read.

Ironically, I believe the vagrants converge on Salt Lake City, in part, because of its nature of being the largest city in the state. I recall them hanging out in front of downtown shopping centers and may have well shifted to the Gateway Center (which is near where you were exploring).

 

[jackal]

Amtrak used both the Union Pacific Station (now part of the Gateway Center) and the Rio Grande Depot (now owned by Utah Historical Society) as stations at different points (UP first and then Rio Grande) in its SLC history.
IIRC, there used to be spur tracks to take the trains to those stations' platforms. According to this Intermountain Contractor article, these tracks were cut off during aquaduct construction. I just glanced at the article, but it might be worth a full read.

Ironically, I believe the vagrants converge on Salt Lake City, in part, because of its nature of being the largest city in the state. I recall them hanging out in front of downtown shopping centers and may have well shifted to the Gateway Center (which is near where you were exploring).

The Gateway Center (inside on Rio Grande St. [the mostly-pedestrian area] and on 400 W) seemed very clean and safe. The vagrants were hanging out on the west side of the Rio Grande depot (along 500 W).

It was slightly confusing at first because Google Maps shows the icon for the Amtrak depot on 400 W in Pioneer Park, which is a block east of the Rio Grande depot. I was thinking that there must have been another depot there, or that the Amtrak depot took up that entire block between Rio Grande St. and 400 W, but satellite imagery was inconclusive (the homes there do appear to be fairly new construction...). Also, the stub tracks to the Rio Grande depot sort of appear if you scroll south to where 900 S and 400 W intersect, and they lead north along 400 W (almost in the middle of the street, it appears). That would lead you right up to where the SLC Amtrak icon is on Google Maps but still one block east of the Rio Grande depot.

Google (or NAVTEQ) needs to update their database so others aren't as confused as I was...