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For many years, Utah has experienced a very low unemployment rate, however wages are less than the national average and have not kept up with the steady rise in housing and food costs.
Utah is an "employment at will" state where it is legal to fire an employee for any reason. In Utah, an Equal Opportunity Employer EOE frequently does not include equality for homosexuals. The best employment and job security is with larger national companies which have an active policy of non-discrimination.
Granite Peaks Lifelong Learning (http://www.granitepeaks.org/) is part of the Granite School District in Salt Lake City and offers a wide variety of courses for serious education or for fun at a reasonable price. English as a second language, GED Prep and Food Handler's Permit classes are available, as well as a few Spanish-language courses. For those of you looking for something more fun, sign up for wine tasting, pottery or even ghost hunting!
The Univeristy of Utah Continuing Education Department (http://continue.utah.edu/) also offers classes on art, finance, foreign languages and a variety of specialty subjects.
Sports
Utah Jazz
Utah's main professional sports team is the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association NBA. Utah's fans are known as being raucous and their home court of EnergySolutions Arena is considered one of the most difficult places to play in the entire NBA. The NBA season lasts from November through mid-April; the playoffs can last as long as early June. It is directly accessible from the TRAX light rail system and service is often increased for games.
Salt Lake Bees
Utah also has two minor-league teams - the Salt Lake Bees minor-league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League who play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark south of downtown which is served directly by TRAX and the Utah Grizzlies minor-league hockey team of the ECHL, who play their home games at the Maverik Center formerly the E Center in West Valley City.
Real Salt Lake
pronounced ree-awl like in real madrid as opposed to the english word real is a member of major league soccer mls and plays their home games at rio tinto stadium in nearby sandy. it is also directly accessible from trax. the season lasts from march through october, with the playoffs lasting into november. they are a fairly new team, having only been established in 2005, but won the mls title in 2009.
Arts and cinema
Utah Symphony / Utah Opera
The Utah Symphony / Utah Opera collaborative (http://www.usuo.org/) perform at both Capitol Theater and Abravanel Hall.
Pioneer Theatre Company
(http://www.pioneertheatre.org/), who perform at the pioneer theatre on the university of utah campus.
Salt Lake Acting Company
(http://www.saltlakeacting...), whose theater is north of downtown
Gallery Stroll
Downtown Salt Lake City is home to at least 20 art galleries and antiques shops. A free downtown Gallery Stroll (http://www.gallerystroll.org/) is organized on the third Friday of every month. A "gallery row" of sorts is near 300 South and 200 East.
Ballet West Ballet Company
The Ballet West Ballet Company (http://www.balletwest.org) perform regularly at Capitol Theater downtown.
Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
The Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (http://www.ririewoodbury.com/) perform contemporary dance at the Rose Wagner theater, also downtown.
Salt Lake City has always had a love affair with live theater, and several historic buildings were playhouses in the 1930s. Two professional companies maintain a full performance season:
There is an active improv comedy community (http://www.utahimprov.com/), including several standing weekly or monthly performances. Salt Lake City is also home to Wise Guys Comedy Club, which features touring stand up comedians.
Kingsbury Hall, on the University of Utah Campus, features touring national plays, musicals, and other special performances. Red Butte Gardens (http://www.redbuttegarden.org) has a popular summer concert series in their amphitheater. The state-run event calendar Now Playing Utah lists touring acts and special events (http://www.nowplayingutah.com).
Movies are a passion for Salt Lakers, as Utah has served as the backdrop to many Hollywood blockbusters and Salt Lake is home to many film festivals sure, you've heard of Sundance, but there are many more. The Salt Lake Film Society (http://www.saltlakefilmso...) runs two movie theaters showing only independent and foreign films, and special screenings of classic films. They also provide screenings for the Sundance Film Festival in January. The Tower Theatre on 876 East 900 South was built in 1921 and is the oldest Salt Lake theater still in operation. The Broadway Centre Cinemas on 300 South and 111 East are within walking distance of downtown hotels.
Outdoor recreation
Great Salt Lake
Shallow, salty lake in northwestern portion of state northwest of salt lake city. the great salt lake marina, operated as a state park, great salt lake state park and marina (http://www.utah.com/state...) located on the south shore of the great salt lake, 16 miles west of salt lake city along interstate 80. the great salt lake marina has 300 slips and is available for year-round boating on the lake that never freezes. few power boats frequent the lake which makes this large lake with beautiful vistas and expansive night skies an excellent sailing location. the great salt lake yacht club (http://www.gslyc.org/) organizes sailboat races which occur all summer. the great salt lake is also one of the largest bird refuges in the west, and is home to a large pelican colony on the cliffs of antelope island. antelope island is a state park and offers a herd of bison, hiking and bird watching.
Snowbird
Little cottonwood canyon, (http://www.snowbird.com). this scenic resort is within 30 minutes of downtown. as well as skiing and snowboarding there's a scenic tram ride for non-skiers to top of 11,000 ft hidden peak which operates year round weather permitting, and the views from hidden peak in all directions are spectacular. in the summer, snowbird also operates a sort of carnival, with numerous rides and activities.
The Canyons
In park city, (http://www.thecanyons.com...). about 40 minutes from salt lake.
Deer Valley
In park city, (http://www.deervalley.com...). about 40 minutes from salt lake. no snowboarding.
Salt Lake City is a major hub for recreational activities of startling variety.
Summer activities, such as camping, hiking, mountain biking, rock-climbing, fishing, boating, etc are also popular, as the mountains around Salt Lake City provide outdoor opportunities of all kinds. A 10-15 minute drive provides access to dozens of canyon trails for hiking and mountain biking. Red Butte Gardens and the surrounding area, and City Creek Canyon are popular with locals. In addition, SLC is a 5-hour drive away from the major national parks and unique, striking desert sandstone terrain of Southern Utah.
There are several world class ski resorts accessible within minutes of SLC. Ski Areas in both of the Cottonwood Canyons are served by UTA buses. Park City, the main venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics, is a 40 minute drive up Parley's Canyon. They are famous for the light, fluffy snowfalls caused by the low humidity and the dreaded lake-effect. In addition, some of the heaviest snowfall in the nation occurs in the Wasatch Mountains.
Alta, Little Cottonwood Canyon, (http://www.alta.com). This resort is also within 30 minutes of Downtown. This resort does NOT allow snowboarding.