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Attractions
Utah's diverse seasons and landscapes offer a variety of recreational opportunities. It is possible to mountain bike, golf, water ski, and snowmobile all in one day. Utah, host of the 2002 XIX Winter Olympic Games, is home to many world-class ski resorts that consistently produce the "greatest snow on earth". The state has over three million acres (3,107,070) of breathtaking forest land (Utah Wilderness Inventory by the Bureau of Land Management), and a golfer's paradise with over one hundred courses offering spectacular surroundings at an affordable price. The majority of Utah's courses are public, one of whichThanksgiving Point (a Johnny Miller Signature Golf Club and the largest golf club in the state)hosts the Annual Champions Challenge.
But that's not all. Some of the most amazing national parks in the U.S. reside in Utah. Explore the world's legendary parksArches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zions, and Capital Reef. Enjoy water sports in over 100 lakes, or cycle through the bountiful redrock deserts of Moab.
Possessing a prolific artistic and cultural atmosphere, Utah is home of the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival and the infamous independent filmmaker, Robert Redford-owned Sundance Film Festival, which has produced such films as The Good Girl (2003), The Butterfly Effect (2004), Garden State (2004), The Machinist (2005), and The Jacket (2005), and offers hundreds of theatre, dance, and music organizations, including The Utah Symphony, Ballet West, and the Utah Opera House. |
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Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for U.S. and international independent film. Held each January in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance, Utah, the Festival is a core program of Sundance Institute, a nonprofit cultural organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981.Presenting dramatic and documentary feature-length films in nine distinct categories and approximately 80 short films each year, the Sundance Film Festival has introduced American audiences to some of the most innovative films of the past two decades. Since 1985 the Festival program has evolved to include music, art, and dialogue. |
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The Museum of Ancient Life
The Museum of Ancient Life was opened in 2000 and houses a sizable collection of ancient fossils, skeletons, minerals, and rocks. The museum has the largest collection of mounted dinosaur skeletons in the world. This museum, as well as many other attractions, are found at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. Thanksgiving point was founded in 1996 by Alan Ashton, the co-founder of Word Perfect, as a venue where beauty and education could be experienced. |
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Hogle Zoo
Since its founding nearly 100 years ago in 1911, Utah's Hogle Zoo has seen millions of visitors pass through its gates. It is estimated that some 700,000 visitors enjoy the zoo's animals and exhibits each year. Hogle's animal collection has over 1,100 specimens of 250 species. The zoo sits on 42 acres in Salt Lake City. |
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Utah Jazz
Since coming to Utah in 1979, the Jazz have brought an entertaining brand of basketball to sports fans in Utah. For years the Jazz have been consistently among the NBA's best, making the playoffs 21 out of the last 24 years. The Jazz currently play at the Energy Solutions Center in Salt Lake City which has a capacity of 20,000. |
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Clark Planetarium
The Clark Planetarium was established in 2003 with the goal "to create and present enlightening experiences that inspire wonder in learning about space and science". At the planetarium the first "pitless" digital dome planetarium in the United States can be found. The Planetarium also features 15,000 square feet of free exhibits including: telescope displays, meteorites, a Foucault pendulum, earth globe and the newly installed Newton's Daydream. An IMAX certified big screen theater dedicated to science and nature oriented films is also featured. The planetarium is located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. |
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Temple Square
This beautifully landscaped 10-acre plot of ground in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City is one of Utah's most visited attractions. Centerpiece of the Square is the 6-spired granite Salt Lake Temple, and adjacent to this imposing edifice is the domed Tabernacle, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the great Tabernacle organ. Two visitors' centers with interactive videos, films, Old and New Testament paintings, and an 11-foot replica of Thorvaldsen's Christus are additional attractions. Christmas on Temple Square is a special delight to enjoy, with hundreds of thousands of lights sparkling on trees and shrubs around the Square, a life-size Nativity scene, and musical groups performing nightly throughout December. |
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BYU / Utah Rivarly
Get your tickets to one of the greatest rivalries in college sports. Located only 45 miles apart, BYU and Utah maintain a fierce rivalry that is driven by religion, proximity, and a long history. Each year the two schools compete in football in what is known as "The Holy War", but the rivalry is equally heated in all sports. |
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Park City
Park City was founded as a silver-mining town in 1869, but today it is a world-renowned destination for alpine adventurers and hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The Park City area has three world class resorts: Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort, and the Canyons Resort. Adding to its popularity is the fact that this picturesque resort town is located only 32 miles from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Visitors to Park City also enjoy numerous acclaimed restaurants, a plethora of outdoor recreational activities, and several fine lodging establishments. |
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