Amid Utah's Many Mountains Sits An Underrated City With Outdoor Escapades And Unique Entertainment

Cities like Salt Lake City or collegiate Provo garnish most of the hype when discussing Utah's great population centers. However, just down the road from these two beautiful destinations awaits another charming place to rest your head: Orem, also known as Family City USA. City planners have been gearing this town up to be one of the best places to raise a family in the nation, aiming to ensure no one within city limits is more than a half-mile away from one of the city's 19 parks and play areas. 

Orem is a real gem veiled by the larger towns around it, like one of Utah's many underrated state parks with iconic views hidden in the shadows of nearby National Parks. It might be absent from mainstream recognition, but it's home to a great university, many dedicated followers of the Church of Ladder Day Saints, and it's a member of Utah's "Silicon Slopes" — a group of cities gearing up to be the innovation capital of the world. These building blocks have helped Orem develop a unique roadmap that encourages local developers to dream up creative, wholesome attractions. 

While the people are doing great work, the most impressive attractions around Orem are all natural. Beautiful Utah Mountains are looming in the background of the city skyline; most notably present is the 11,000-foot Mount Timpanogos. This peak is the second highest in the Wasatch range, and it's waiting right in Orem's backyard. Whether trying to see the whole state and plan an unforgettable road trip through all of Utah's National Parks or just looking for a lowkey option to enjoy Utah County without staying in Salt Lake City, Orem has a lot going on inside and outside city limits.

Orem is the sixth most populous city in Utah, a sweet spot to inspire a more authentic vacation experience. The town is big enough to feature great restaurants, grocery, and accommodation options and small enough to remain full of surprises. While planning your trip, check the calendar at the SCERA Center of the Arts, a cultural hub with year-round special events. The center has an indoor performance venue and an outdoor theater shell that works together to put on musicals, concerts, and movie screenings. Even if there's nothing on the show calendar, the picnic areas, pools, and frisbee golf courses at SCERA Park are the places to be outside in Orem. If the weather isn't cooperating for picnics, find refuge at the UVU Museum of Art. This museum has cultivated works from the late 1800s and thoughtfully positioned them next to contemporary pieces that tell the story of Utah's changing with the times. 

Orem's most imaginative attraction is Dreamwalk Park, an indescribable immersive indoor theme park experience. This sci-fi walkway is equal parts art exhibit, engineering marvel, and spaceship. Park owners told KSL News that the goal of the theme park is to give you an out-of-this-world experience, making you think, "'I actually didn't feel like a mortal for a minute." That mission is a smashing success. Local Utah filmmaker Devin Super Tramp described the experience as if "​​'Willy Wonka,' 'Star Wars,' and Pandora's 'Avatar' land had a baby." 

You won't have to travel far for great food if you get hungry while walking on a dream. Chef Bobby Flay has come to Orem and set up a Bobby's Burger location right next door to Dreamwalk Park. Also nearby is the Tucano's Brazilian Grill, which has turned exotic meats into a local staple. 

Orem is perfectly located for four seasons of outdoor activity. The epic Wasatch Mountain Range surrounds the city on one side, and the Utah Lake awaits on the other. Drive out of the city in any direction, and you'll soon stumble upon iconic outdoor adventures. In fact, it will only take you 20 minutes to go from downtown to the Mount Timpanogos Trail head in Aspen Grove. This spot will lead you slowly and steadily through blooms of red paintbrush, white, leafy Jacob's ladder, and blue lupine wildflowers to Emerald Lake. 

You can stop for lunch at the lake and decide if you want to connect to the Timpanogos summit trail and end your day on top of a mountain. In the winter, the best local skiing conditions are also a 20-minute drive away at Sundance Mountain Resort. In addition to the world-famous ski runs near Park City, Utah is home to several uncrowded and intimate ski resorts. Sundance is a great example of Utah's more low-key side. Even though the Sundance Movie Festival is world-renowned, this ski resort still floats under the radar. It was recently mentioned in a Washington Post article covering "ski resorts with smaller crowds, lower prices, and better snow."

To access this mountain action, you'll drive through the Provo Canyon, another great outdoor destination near town. This canyon shapes the start of the Provo River Parkway, a paved hiking and biking trail that winds from the mountains to the Utah Lake State Park. The lake's shore has many board sports opportunities around Lindon Marina and sandy beaches perfect for soaking up the sun.