Salt Lake City is full of attractions, ranging from its Mormon Temple Complex to its concert venues, restaurants, and an outdoor art space filled with curious sculptures. But just 25 minutes south of Salt Lake City is the city of Draper, a vibrant community that’s one part business hub, one part mountain town, and one part family haven. The recreation opportunities in Draper are near-endless. From casual family fun to adventure parks, you’ll find it here. There are also plenty of shopping options, from boutiques to shopping malls, catering to whatever your fancy.
For outdoor adventurers, the hiking there is nearly unbeatable. The trails may not be as iconic as more famous routes in the West, but some of the hikes branching out from Draper are just as challenging, with scenery that could compete with them all. These options are all laid out in a town that is best described as idyllic, and happens to be close to a major urban center with an international airport. When you take in all the other amenities nearby, Draper just might be the center of everything you could want in a trip out west.
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Have fun playing in Draper, Utah
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium lights up night – Victoria Ditkovsky/Shutterstock
Draper traces its history back to 1849, when a farmer moved there and built the city by raising cattle to sell to migrants heading to California. The town grew and grew, somewhat thanks to its proximity to the growing Mormon community in Salt Lake City (the name of the city even comes from the name of the first Mormon bishop of the town). It also has a curious nickname — The Egg Basket of Utah — that came from its later role as a top egg producer, even supplying eggs to the U.S. Army during World War II. Today, it’s home to entertainment, new businesses, and attractions for people who live in Draper, all over the Salt Lake area, and for people passing through.
You could enjoy a day just in one strip straddling I-15, where you could spend the morning tackling the slides at Cowabunga Bay Waterpark before taking in some aquatic life at the awe-inspiring Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. If you love catching air on your bike, check out the Draper Cycle Park, a dirt pump track with jumps sure to thrill any two-wheel rider. And if you can’t choose between laser tag, bumper boats, go-karts, arcades, mini-golf, a ropes course, bowling, and dinner, there’s one easy stop for a fun day: Boondocks Food and Fun has all of that. The choice is yours.
Outdoor adventurers near Draper
Draper, Utah ends where mountains begin – Jason Finn/Shutterstock
Draper is a city with entertainment and shopping complexes, but it also has 117 miles of trails you can hike, run, or even tackle on horseback. On the east side of Draper is Corner Canyon Regional Park, with hikes ranging from a few miles to 15 miles or more. Just beyond the limits and adjacent to Corner Canyon is the Lone Peak Wilderness, with seemingly endless options for adventure in mountains that rise to the sky. The city of Draper at its core is a gateway to the awe-inspiring mountains that you can see from all over the city.
If you go a little north of Corner Canyon you can explore Sandy, Utah’s ultimate base camp and Draper’s next-door neighbor. After some adventure through the wilds of Utah, continue on in Sandy to America First Field, home to the professional soccer teams Real Salt Lake and the Utah Royals, and only 13 minutes from Draper. Of course, your proximity to Salt Lake City means that when you want some big city action, it’s a quick drive away. You might even want to stop halfway between Draper and SLC for endless outdoor adventures at Milcreek. For a great combination of family-friendly amenities and real outdoor adventures, where active entertainment options range from extreme sports to amusement rides, Draper is truly a vibrant “one-size-fits-all” extension of Utah’s biggest city.
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Read the original article on Islands.