Around Westminster College

Westminster College sits on a shady 29-acre campus in the Sugarhouse district of Salt Lake City. It’s approximately 2.5 miles southeast of downtown, a 20-minute drive from the Salt Lake International Airport, and 30 minutes from seven major ski resorts with easy access to mountain biking, rock climbing and hiking.

LODGING

If you're not staying on the Westminster Campus, other nearby choices for lodging include:

Wildflowers Bed & Breakfast, a charming Victorian, just a few minute’s walk from campus. 800-566-0009.

Homestead Village in Sugarhouse at 1220 East 2100 South; 801-474-0771

University of Utah Guest House on the University of Utah campus, a five-minute drive from Westminster. 801- 587-1000; 888-416-4075 

Marriott-University, also about a five-minute drive from the Westminster Campus at 480 Wakara Way. 801-581-1000.

NEARBY DINING AND SHOPPING

You can explore three of Salt Lake’s most interesting neighborhoods within minutes of campus: Sugarhouse, 15th & 15th, and 9th and 9th.  

SUGARHOUSE

Sugarhouse Park: From the Westminster campus, walk south along 1300 East until you reach 2100 South. Take a left on 2100 South and walk up to the park. A walk or jog around the park, in full view of the Wasatch Mountains to the east, is a lovely way to unwind after morning and afternoon workshops. Or, take a book, walk down to the stream and read in the shade of some of Salt Lake's oldest cottonwood trees.


Sugarhouse Plaza: Urban shopping plaza with open space and a natural stream running through its heart. Writers might be interested in the Barnes & Noble bookstore with café or the newly renovated public library. Bikram Yoga has a studio here if you like your yoga hot!
Breathe Day Spa offers a full-service menu of pampering treatments. 801-466-4200. Wild Oats Grocery store also has a nice deli for lunch sandwiches and great assortment of salads.

For restaurant eats: Try Tsunami for sushi, Noodles for a quick salad or bowl of pasta, or Rubio’s for a quick bite of Mexican food, Maggie Moo’s for ice cream. A few blocks west, Pei-Wei offers fresh Asian food to stay or to go. Across the street from Sugarhouse Park, Dodo offers indoor and patio dining. Go for steak, seafood, salads, or the intimate bar.

The Sundance Catalog Store is right across the street from Wild Oats. Here, you’ll find a terrific discounted selection of Sundance’s high-end clothing, shoes, jewelry, home furnishings and accessories.
Nearby, the Nordstrom Rack is a great place to go for that item of clothing you forgot to pack, or for a super bargain on a pair of shoes.
Along 1100 East, the main east-west thoroughfare through Sugarhouse, you will also find a much-sought-after Patagonia Outlet and a State Liquor Store (in Utah, all spirits are state-regulated, but you’ll find plenty of wine and liquor at the Sugarhouse store. (For one of the best wine shops in the region, visit Salt Lake’s renowned Wine Store on 300 East between 200 and 300 South).

From the Patagonia Outlet north, wander amid several one-of-a-kind boutiques, consignment shops, 10,000 Villages, a super yarn store, the occasional tattoo parlor and psychic reader as well as a U.S. Post Office and Image Eyes for fancy spectacles.

15th AND 15th

Leave the Westminster campus at the northeast corner, cross 1300 East (by Chevron) and walk up 1700 South for two blocks to 1500 East. Take a left and follow 1500 East down to 1500 South (two blocks again). Here you'll find one of Salt Lake's best and most beloved bookstores, The King's English where the staff is exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful and you can sip a cup of coffee or tea while you browse and read.
If you've worked up a hunger from your walk and book browsing, you have plenty to choose from in one small block at 15th and 15th.  

Fresco Italian Café  Modern Italian cuisine  in a cozy atmosphere. Dine indoors or under the trellis on the intimate patio. Dinner only. Reservations for Thursday-Sunday are a must. (801) 486-1300.
The Paris Bistro Go for appetizers and a glass of wine or a full-on dinner. Dinner only. Reservations are a good idea. (801) 486-5585.
Mazza The Middle Eastern fare is fresh and fabulous and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Lunch and dinner – no reservations, but it’s a popular spot, so you may have a wait. Leave your cell phone number and go browsing the nearby shops. They’ll call when your table is ready.
You’ll also find Einstein's Bagels and a Starbucks coffeehouse in the same block.

9th & 9th

The name refers to the street coordinates, at 900 East and 900 South – walkable (a little under two miles) from Westminster, or easy to access by car or bus. Here you’ll discover all kinds of locally owned, one-of-a-kind shops housed in old cottages, and a couple of excellent places to eat.


Western River Fly Fishing is like a big General Store for fishing aficionados. It’s not unusual to see customers casting their rods on the front lawn of this popular destination. If you want to tack a guided fly fishing trip on to your stay, talk to these guys.
Hip & Humble is full of high-end house wares, decorative items, vintage aprons, bags and bangles.  Floribunda for fine stationery, ribbons, scarves and jewelry. The Children’s Hour stocks children’s books, gifts and clothing for women and children. Centered City Yoga is the local yoga studio that costs 12 dollars a session (usually between 60-85 minutes).

Mazza Middle Eastern cuisine is the second and larger location of the original Mazza at 15th and 15th. Delightful. The Coffee Garden for luscious lattes and fresh, housemade scones. Cocoa Caffe, 5 blocks to the west, serves thick Italian hot chocolate and Italian coffees and a light menu. Barbacoa  Fresh, quick, super good Mexican food.

DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY NIGHTLIFE

 


Almost all of Salt Lake’s music venues and bars are classified as “private clubs.” All that means is that they have to charge an inexpensive state-mandated temporary “membership fee” – usually about $5 for two weeks. 
Find nationally touring bands at the Depot, a nightclub in the historic Union Pacific Depot.  Dance to live music and  at The Port ‘O Call, sip super martinis at The Red Door, Kristauf’s Martini Bar, or The Mynt.

DINING

Salt Lake serves up every type of cuisine you can imagine. Here are some of our favorite spots in or near the downtown area.
Tony Caputo’s Market & Deli for Italian style sandwiches and all good things Italian. Settebollo serves authentic Neopolitan pizza. Takashi for superb sushi and a high-end sake menu. Lemon Grass for a bit of Thai flavor. Ask for the bistro menu at the bar at Metropolitan and sample innovative American fare at a reasonable price. Award-winning brewpubs with better-than-pub food menus: Squatters, Red Rock, Desert Edge. The Bayou, while not a brewpub, serves over 150 types of beer along with Cajun food and burgers with sweet potato fries.  Hong Kong Tea House for authentic dim sum and full Chinese menu. Café Trang for Vietnamese food. Hires Big H for burgers and fries, inside the restaurant, or delivered via car hop.

LOCAL TEA AND COFFEE HOUSES

Coffee Garden
Cocoa Caffe
Beehive Tearoom
Alchemy Coffee
The Tea Grotto

 

We also invite you to check out www.visitsaltlake.com for a comprehensive city guide, explanations of the state’s liquor laws (really, they’re simple!), and websites for most of the restaurants and shops listed on this site.

Staff at Westminster’s Concierge Desk as well as Writers@Work staff or volunteers are available to provide more details and directions.