Explore Colorful Alien-Like Landscapes In An Immersive And Dreamy Art Experience In Utah

Utah is a pretty cool place, home to unique tourist draws like a hip resort with vintage trailers and drive-in movies as well as quirky art projects like Solitude Speedway, a giant depiction of Utah's salt flats made from tape. And if you make your way to the town of Orem, you'll discover Dreamwalk Park. Co-founders Ben McPherson and John Pope explained to Fox 13 that they wanted to "transport you to another world" when they designed the project. 

Dreamwalk Park is an immersive theme park that spans 50,000 square feet of otherworldly and interactive landscapes, immersing you in a sci-fi-esque wonderland. Inspired by film sets and pure imagination, they have created nearly half a mile of dreamlike pathways that indeed make you feel like you've left Earth and have been transported to an alien planet. Stepping through Dreamwalk's portal brings you into one fascinating space after the next, each with a whimsical title befitting locales that feel plucked from a "Star Wars" movie. 

Quantum Veil is a dreamy, winding hallway with glowing walls adorned with tiny sparkling lights akin to distant stars. Galactic Grotto, built to resemble an underground cavern, features a cascading waterfall and is draped with lush flora, ornate cave formations, and colorful orbs. Yet another mini-world features giant clusters of mushrooms that loom in the Fungi Forest, a beautiful fluorescent-lit jungle-scape.

Dreamwalk isn't your everyday art walk where you simply pass through and take in the exhibits visually. It invites you to get involved with what you see by interacting with the creations and, similar to an escape room excursion, unlocking the story behind each landscape. A scannable card, or "portal pass," ignites the animatronic aspects of the tour. Additionally, with the use of a UV flashlight, or "Dreamwalk Decoder Wand," guests can go on "light quests," illuminating hidden clues and even using the decoder to draw their own patterns onto the walls.

The Tomb of the Mythics boasts over 50 unlockable discoveries and is a must-see chamber that serves as a sacred mausoleum for mythical creatures like gnomes and unicorns. Robot lovers will enjoy the Merge Marketplace, where they can play robot-themed arcade games like "Web Raid," "Gulp," and "ReBoot" and see a party scene for robots unfold. Akin to an intergalactic club on a spaceship, a robot DJ spins dance tracks while its mechanized fans recline at the bar and jam out in the rafters.

To top off the experience, atmospheric music accompanied by mini-light shows occurs throughout each set along with carefully selected scents. Like other immersive art exhibits that you can step inside, it's certainly a masterpiece. A Dreamwalk quester on Google agreed when describing the puzzles, games, songs, and colors as "absolutely magical."

Ticket options differ depending on which experience you want to have at Dreamwalk. While the "Fully Immersive Experience" offers a full walk-through and a portal pass, there is a sensory-friendly tour available with reduced light, sound, and fog. Reservations can be made online, and either experience costs $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for children, plus an additional $2.95 for a decoder light. Even the "Fully Immersive Experience" offers Accessibility-Friendly Sessions for guests with limited mobility or vision who would prefer fewer fog effects and increased lighting. Additionally, guests should notify staff upon check-in if they need elevator access.

Dreamwalk Park is in Orem, Utah, less than an hour south of Salt Lake City (SLC) airport, one of the easiest airports to navigate in America. It's located on the south side of University Place Mall,  just off East University Parkway, and you can find parking on all sides of the mall. There are dining options in the food court and restrooms in the ticketing lobby, so consider taking care of those needs before heading to Dreamwalk, as there aren't any along the immersive tour. It's exciting to know that Dreamwalk is currently elevating its experience, so stay tuned for future dining, event, and festival additions.