Salt Lake City more than games

By Tatsha Robertson, Globe Staff, 02/06/02

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SALT LAKE CITY - The tickets for your favorite sporting competition have been snapped up long ago. That doesn't mean there won't be more than enough to see and do in Salt Lake City during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

You don't need tickets to party at the many Olympic-related festivals for the duration of the games (through Feb. 24), or to tour the spectacular headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or to experience Utah's breathtaking canyons.

Some of the most fascinating tours and the most exciting things to do cost very little - if anything. The problem is deciding what to do and how to do it all in such a short time.

Do not leave home without a camera. Salt Lake City is breathtakingly beautiful. The city shimmers at night, with an amazing backdrop of snow-capped mountains that rise more than 10,000 feet. Adding even more drama, high-rises have been wrapped in building-size screens depicting Olympic athletes.

Start your journey in downtown Salt Lake City. The area will be packed with revelers, musicians, athletes, and reporters from across the world. There will be no designated parking downtown, so it's best to take a shuttle or bus.

Every day, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., there will be a free festival in downtown's Washington Square. Visitors will enjoy a plethora of cultural foods and entertainment. Dress warmly and don't carry bags larger than 12-by-12-by-6 inches because they will be confiscated for security reasons; don't even think about bringing a backpack. And try not to be put off by the military troops and security personnel, because they will be everywhere.

Nearby is the Olympic Medal Plaza, where every night teary-eyed athletes will be awarded medals. The free shows will start at 7 p.m., but tickets are required. For ticket information, check out the official Olympic Web site, www.saltlake2002.com.

To learn about the area's fascinating history, begin at Temple Square. Located in the heart of the city, Temple Square is as important to the Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, as the Vatican is to Catholics.

Fleeing religious persecution, Brigham Young and his fellow Mormons arrived in the area in 1847, and Mormons from all over the world have since been drawn to Temple Square. The 10-acre refuge where Young made his home is the fifth-most-visited place in the United States. It includes the beautiful six-spire Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years to build and is open only to faithful Mormons. Still, there is more to see in the square, including the Tabernacle, home to the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The public can watch the choir rehearse on Thursdays and perform on Sunday mornings.

Temple Square also includes the Museum of Church History and Art, and the Family History Library. The library has the largest collection of genealogical information in the world. The church founded the library in 1894 to help its members trace their bloodlines; today the church has records of 2 billion names. Admission and research are free, and Staff, 02/06/02

members will be on hand to help. During a complimentary tour of Temple Square, young Mormon missionaries will point out buildings and answer questions about the church. Ever since its earliest days in Utah, the church has dispatched young people to spread the word and win over converts. In a normal year, the missionaries would take down your name, but church officials promise there will be no proselytizing during the Olympics.

If you want to get away from Salt Lake City, hop on a bus or shuttle and go 30 miles to Park City, which will have 78 competitions. Once the home of silver miners, Park City is now an upscale ski town and home of Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Ski Resort.

Lined with brick storefronts, eateries, art galleries, and shops, Main Street will become a pedestrian mall during the Olympics.

Even at this late date, condos are still available at Deer Valley Resort. If two couples share a condo at the base of the mountain, the cost could be as low as $108 a night for each adult, according to spokesman Robert Foster. He said many of the guests are coming to the events without tickets but instead plan to attend Olympic celebrations and to ski.

Tired of the Olympic madness? Just an hour's drive from Park City is the Great Salt Lake. If there's time for a day trip, drive 225 miles from Salt Lake City to Arches National Park. Pay a small entrance fee, take a short hike, and see the world's largest concentration of natural stone openings. It's worth the drive.