Connect Pass Sightseeing Deal
I recently heard about quite the sightseeing deal in Utah. It's called Connect Pass and it's offered through the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. An adult pass is $20 and includes admission to 12 sites, including a free lunch buffet at the Lion House pantry. Right now, it's a buy 1 day, get 1 free, so we had 2 days to tour around. Although we could have been more intense in our touring, we ended up visiting 7 places and had a great time! First, we started at Clark Planetarium in downtown SLC, where they printed out our cards. Their museum is small, but we thoroughly enjoyed their "Under the Sea" IMAX movie.
My favorite pics from the planetarium were these photos on Mars and then...
the Moon! The kids look cute in their matching family shirts. I made (well - the iron-ons anyway) them for our Disney World vacation last May.
Right across the street was the Gateway Discovery children's museum. It was more crowded than I like when I visit museums, but it's an amazingly well-done museum. First, the kids played in the beehive ball area and then explored this musical instrument.
Christina would have hung out in this play house all day! Look at her elated smile.
Daniel enjoyed the water area.
Daniel was surprisingly tall enough to do this climbing wall. Both he and Katie had a great time being little monkeys!
Our newest construction workers - Christina and Daniel
The theater area had fun costumes that the kids tried on. Christina opted to wear hers while she created a comic strip. What a cutie patootie!
My three little rays of sunshine!
Bobette the Builder
Katie shows off her creation and her new contacts
On the outside patio there was a Life Flight helicopter that the younger kids liked to play inside.
After two museums in a morning, we headed for lunch near Temple Square. Our free buffets at the Lion House Pantry worked out well. The chicken pot pies were especially tasty!
This photo made me laugh. Daniel wondered who these statues were (Joseph and Emma Smith).
It was amazing to walk out of the restaurant and see this! We walked on the east side of the temple grounds and saw the beautiful reflection pool, gardens, church headquarters, R.S. building, and of course - the Salt Lake Temple. I've mostly seen Temple Square from the west side, so it was a treat to explore the other side this time.
We walked through the North Visitors Center on Temple Square. It's always such a joy to see the Christus statue. The little kids seemed to really enjoy it this time. We saw their newest movie about the family. It was clever, going through 6 different rooms that felt like rooms in a home. Katie and I really felt the Spirit of peace during this movie.
Daniel wanted to go downstairs and see all the paintings and exhibits. This "Love Thy Neighbor" story of the Good Samaritan was interesting to him.
On our walk back, we noticed visitors going in and out of the Tabernacle (famous for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) and we also were able to pop in and see it. Since it was the week of Pioneer Day (a big holiday in Utah - July 24), things looked so festive. I loved the patriotic bunting and flags in the tabernacle. They did their classic "drop a pin" demonstration that shows off the amazing acoustics of the tabernacle. I feel like I am officially NOT living in Utah with all our Temple Square sightseeing.
Next we walked in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and took the elevator to the 10th floor. What a view. I think this photo of the kids is one of my vacation favorites. We walked through the Family History Center where they added a play area for kids. It was a nice spot for the kids to let loose - well, sort of anyway - and play.
Here's another view of the Lion House on our way back. This was one of Brigham Young's residences.
We took a 20-minute tour of the Beehive House next. I loved the beehive accents throughout the home. All the kids were tired and bored and squirrely, but I was happy to return for a tour. I hadn't seen it since I was 12 and in the Beehive program in the church. I enjoyed seeing such cute sister missionaries who did tours for us in Salt Lake. It made me thankful to have served a mission and especially in a temple visitors center.
A few pretty shots of the Beehive House. Love the hollyhocks and bunting!
Then we headed to our van, which we had parked conveniently close. I even found free parking on the street. Hooray for free! On our drive back to Orem, I took the kids around the Capitol and then geared up for some freeway driving. The freeways are much improved from 10 years ago when I used to work often in SLC. The HOV lane got us 'home' in no time at all!
I recently heard about quite the sightseeing deal in Utah. It's called Connect Pass and it's offered through the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. An adult pass is $20 and includes admission to 12 sites, including a free lunch buffet at the Lion House pantry. Right now, it's a buy 1 day, get 1 free, so we had 2 days to tour around. Although we could have been more intense in our touring, we ended up visiting 7 places and had a great time! First, we started at Clark Planetarium in downtown SLC, where they printed out our cards. Their museum is small, but we thoroughly enjoyed their "Under the Sea" IMAX movie.
My favorite pics from the planetarium were these photos on Mars and then...
the Moon! The kids look cute in their matching family shirts. I made (well - the iron-ons anyway) them for our Disney World vacation last May.
Right across the street was the Gateway Discovery children's museum. It was more crowded than I like when I visit museums, but it's an amazingly well-done museum. First, the kids played in the beehive ball area and then explored this musical instrument.
Christina would have hung out in this play house all day! Look at her elated smile.
Daniel enjoyed the water area.
Daniel was surprisingly tall enough to do this climbing wall. Both he and Katie had a great time being little monkeys!
Our newest construction workers - Christina and Daniel
The theater area had fun costumes that the kids tried on. Christina opted to wear hers while she created a comic strip. What a cutie patootie!
My three little rays of sunshine!
Bobette the Builder
Katie shows off her creation and her new contacts
On the outside patio there was a Life Flight helicopter that the younger kids liked to play inside.
After two museums in a morning, we headed for lunch near Temple Square. Our free buffets at the Lion House Pantry worked out well. The chicken pot pies were especially tasty!
This photo made me laugh. Daniel wondered who these statues were (Joseph and Emma Smith).
It was amazing to walk out of the restaurant and see this! We walked on the east side of the temple grounds and saw the beautiful reflection pool, gardens, church headquarters, R.S. building, and of course - the Salt Lake Temple. I've mostly seen Temple Square from the west side, so it was a treat to explore the other side this time.
We walked through the North Visitors Center on Temple Square. It's always such a joy to see the Christus statue. The little kids seemed to really enjoy it this time. We saw their newest movie about the family. It was clever, going through 6 different rooms that felt like rooms in a home. Katie and I really felt the Spirit of peace during this movie.
Daniel wanted to go downstairs and see all the paintings and exhibits. This "Love Thy Neighbor" story of the Good Samaritan was interesting to him.
On our walk back, we noticed visitors going in and out of the Tabernacle (famous for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) and we also were able to pop in and see it. Since it was the week of Pioneer Day (a big holiday in Utah - July 24), things looked so festive. I loved the patriotic bunting and flags in the tabernacle. They did their classic "drop a pin" demonstration that shows off the amazing acoustics of the tabernacle. I feel like I am officially NOT living in Utah with all our Temple Square sightseeing.
Next we walked in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and took the elevator to the 10th floor. What a view. I think this photo of the kids is one of my vacation favorites. We walked through the Family History Center where they added a play area for kids. It was a nice spot for the kids to let loose - well, sort of anyway - and play.
Here's another view of the Lion House on our way back. This was one of Brigham Young's residences.
We took a 20-minute tour of the Beehive House next. I loved the beehive accents throughout the home. All the kids were tired and bored and squirrely, but I was happy to return for a tour. I hadn't seen it since I was 12 and in the Beehive program in the church. I enjoyed seeing such cute sister missionaries who did tours for us in Salt Lake. It made me thankful to have served a mission and especially in a temple visitors center.
A few pretty shots of the Beehive House. Love the hollyhocks and bunting!
Then we headed to our van, which we had parked conveniently close. I even found free parking on the street. Hooray for free! On our drive back to Orem, I took the kids around the Capitol and then geared up for some freeway driving. The freeways are much improved from 10 years ago when I used to work often in SLC. The HOV lane got us 'home' in no time at all!
