Planning a meeting Salt Lake City? Attending an event or exhibiting at Salt Palace Convention Center? We’ve got the ultimate planning guide. 

As Salt Lake City gears up to host the Winter Olympics in 2034, visitors will notice the infrastructure upgrades in and around the city. In addition to the Olympics, sports fans have plenty to cheer about. In 2024, the city welcomed an NHL expansion team that’s known as the Utah Hockey Club, which plays at the Delta Center, home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz. 

Situated at an elevation of 4,330 feet, Salt Lake City boasted a population of 209,593 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city's population grew by 10.5% from 2010 to 2020, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, according to the most recent census data. 

For event organizers, it’s good to know there are 8,000 hotel rooms accessible in the city’s downtown, according to Visit Salt Lake. 

In February, we spent 48 hours in Salt Lake City checking out meeting options and things to do in and around the city. Here’s our curated list of what’s available for meeting planners, attendees and exhibitors in the destination. 

Industry: Utah is home to most of America’s industrial banks, with 15 of the nation’s 23 located in Salt Lake County. These banks control more than $200 billion in assets within Utah, representing 20% of the state’s total financial assets, according to CNBC. 

Fun fact: The University of Toronto’s research showed that Salt Lake City had one of the strongest recoveries in unique visitor foot traffic, with activity levels reaching 155 percent of pre-pandemic levels at one point in 2023. 

Getting there: The Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City and the Salt Palace Convention Center are located less than seven miles from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Fun fact: Attendees can take the Utah TRAX train from the airport to downtown for $2.50. 

Where we stayed and what we did in and around Salt Lake City 

1. Accommodations. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, which features 700 guestrooms and suites, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking views of the city skyline and surrounding mountain peaks. Each guestroom is outfitted with modern furnishings, separate seating areas, high-speed internet streaming, a Smart Mirror vanity and digital room key entry via the World of Hyatt app. When not in the room, guests can enjoy the hotel’s rooftop Sundance Terrace complete with a pool, cabanas, firepits, as well as a 24-hour fitness center.  

2. Location. Conveniently located near many of the area’s popular attractions, Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City is a short walk to the city’s eclectic Main Street, Temple Square, Capitol Theatre, City Creek Center, Vivint Arena, and more. Nine world-class ski resorts, including Deer Valley and Park City, are also within reach via a short drive. 

3. Lunch in a Regency suite. Executive Chef Ryan Olivas put together a delicious menu that featured: Citrus Caprese, Baby Gem Wedge, Miso Soy Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, Herb Roasted Elk Tenderloin, Charred Broccolini, Funeral Potato au Gratin, Ritual Chocolate Bark and Olive Oil Cake. 
 

4. Meeting space. The 25-story Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City officially opened its doors in October 2022, debuting as the first Hyatt Regency hotel in Utah. The hotel is primed for hosting both intimate and large-scale gatherings of up to 2,875 people, boasting the city’s largest indoor hotel ballroom and largest outdoor rooftop space with its Sundance Terrace. Additional meeting spaces include 21 flexible breakout rooms, pre-function areas, and a second ballroom, Hyatt Area Director of Sales & Marketing Jarrod Finley told us during a tour of the venue. 

5. Dinner at Salt Republic. Located in the lobby level, The Salt Republic is open for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Guests can enjoy a seasonally crafted breakfast buffet, as well as lunch and dinner at the all-day Salt Lake-inspired American bistro restaurant featuring an open-kitchen concept. Menu staples such as organic meats and a rotating flatbread menu provide diners with many menu options to choose from. The Salt Republic also has a private room available for a more intimate setting. Recommendation: Get the bread service. 

6. Breakfast in Regency Club. Located on the 5th floor, the Regency Club serves breakfast from 6:30-10:30 a.m., with snacks served 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

7. FamilySearch Library. Located two blocks from the Hyatt, this library helps guests learn about their ancestors by accessing millions of records. Talk to genealogy experts and explore your family tree. 

8. Snowshoeing at Solitude. Located 29 miles from downtown Salt Lake, Solitude Mountain Resorts offers 1,200 skiable acres. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, the resort offers eight chairlifts, 80 runs, three bowls, and 500 annual inches of snow. Other nearby ski areas include Alta, Brighton, and Snowbird. 

9. Lunch in Solitude Village. Honeycomb Grill serves contemporary American cuisine. With its slopeside location, spectacular mountain views are always on the menu. 

10. Wellness options. Guests can earn Hyatt points for working out one of the hotel’s Pelotons in the fitness center that features floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the snow-capped mountains. Plus, there are also guided workouts available via an app. 

11. Walking tour of downtown Salt Lake City. Visit Salt Lake VP Communications Ryan Mack gave us a walking tour of downtown. Be sure to see the Utah State Capitol building, Temple Square, Salt Lake Tabernacle, City Creek Center, Memory Grove Park, Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Conference Center for the Church of the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and more.  

12. Take in incredible city views. Located about two miles from the Hyatt, Ensign Peak features panoramic views of the city skyline. Visitors can walk, run, or drive to the lookout point. We opted to run on a sunny and warm winter day. Tip: Go at sunset for even more spectacular views. 

13. Street curling and s’mores. During the winter months, the Hyatt offers street curling, which uses synthetic ice to create an iceless curling experience, on its rooftop terrace. Bundle up and let your inner Olympic spirit loose. A rooftop curling menu features a hot toddy and s’mores with a table-top fire bowl, chocolate, and homemade graham crackers and marshmallows.

14. Dinner at Mar | Muntanya. For a more elevated experience, guests can venture to the hotel’s sixth-floor rooftop for a taste of Executive Chef Tyson Peterson’s inspiring recreations of Northern Spanish cuisine highlighting the culinary bounty found in Salt Lake City at Mar | Muntanya while soaking in views of the mountain scenery. Farm-to-table dining is a cornerstone of the restaurant, embracing the state of Utah’s preservation and homesteading heritage that parallels the shepherding communities in Northern Spain. 

15. Breakfast at Eva’s. Located about two blocks from the Hyatt, Eva’s is a well-known and loved bakery and breakfast spot downtown. If you like pastries, try their signature Kouign Amann. 

16. Visit to FENCETECH. Since we were in town, we decided to pop over to the American Fence Association’s annual trade show and conference that was held Feb. 24-28 at the Salt Palace Convention Center. Want to know more? Read Recap: FENCETECH 2025 Grows Exhibitors by 10%+ Year Over Year in Salt Lake City 

17. Convention center. Attached to the Hyatt, the Salt Palace Convention Center features 675,000 square feet of meeting space, including 515,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 164,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and 45,000 sq. ft. of ballroom space. 

18. Attractions pass. The Salt Lake Connect Attractions Pass gets visitors into 18 of Northern Utah’s most popular attractions. By bundling some of the city's best attractions, this all-in-one pass is a great deal on a fun-filled itinerary--from the Clark Planetarium IMAX Theater and the Natural History Museum of Utah to The Leonardo and Utah's Hogle Zoo. 

19. Check out the Salt Lake Temple. While the Salt Lake Temple is currently closed during an extensive renovation of the structure that was dedicated in 1893, visitors can view the exterior of the building, featuring six attached spires with an angel Moroni statue. Many are eagerly anticipating the completion of construction when the church will be open to the public for several months. Renovations, which began in 2019, are estimated to be completed in late 2026 with an open house celebration planned for April–October 2027. Updates on the construction can be found here. 

20. Shopping at City Creek Center. Located one block from the Salt Palace Convention Center, the City Creek mall offers a variety of stores, including Nordstrom, Macy’s, Louis Vuitton, Apple, Alo, and more. A full list of stores and restaurants is available here. 

Main image: Salt Lake City skyline, Photo: Visit Salt Lake