FREE Summer Fun in Utah

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There is so much to do in Utah in the summer! And when all the kids are home, you want to spend time as a family. We have put together a list of some of the best FREE Summer Fun in Utah. These adventures are all tested by us to be family friendly: indoors and outdoors. We hope you have a wonderful summer exploring Utah!

City Festivals

City Festivals

Many cities in Utah have an annual city festival where the community can come together and celebrate. There are usually tons of FREE activities: movies in the park, parades, fireworks, and lots more. We have some favorites that we visit every year in our community, and neighboring communities. We have compiled the ultimate list of city festivals throughout Utah so you can find out what’s happening near you.

Utah City Festivals 2022

Summer Reading Programs

Utah has really great FREE reading programs to encourage your children to keep reading through the summer. On this post, we share our favorite programs that we participate in every year.

Parks

There is nothing better than a picnic in the park during the summer. We love playing at the park as a family! Here are some of our favorite parks in Utah, but there are more parks in Utah than we could ever share, so find one that you love near you. For our full list of parks: Parks in Utah

Magna Regional Park is a super fun park for all ages.
All Together Playground in Orem is such a fun place to play!

Pioneers

Utah is filled with Pioneer museums and memorabilia. Many of these museums are only open during the summer, so take the chance to visit one of Utah’s amazing Pioneer museums and learn a little bit about our state’s history with your family.

The village is set up to look like pioneer times.
Provo Pioneer Village has tons of hands-on activities for kids.

Here are our Top 10 favorite FREE pioneer spots! For our complete list, click here: Pioneer Adventures.

Splash Pads

One of our favorite ways to cool off in the summer is at the splash pad. There are splash pads all over Utah and they provide lots of water without having to worry about kids getting in over their heads at the pool. And they are FREE! Here are our favorites:

Spanish Fork Splash Pad
The Spanish Fork Splash Pad has a lot of water spraying!

Museums

Sometimes it’s too hot to be outside, so we love the FREE museums that Utah has to offer. These are our five favorites, but check out all of our free museums in Utah: Free Museums in Utah.

We love going to the Planetarium in the summer (and winter).

Hikes

We have a a HUGE list of hikes on our site. We love hiking. Summer is definitely a great time to hit the trail. Here are some simple, easy hikes that most anyone can do. Check out our list of 101 Family-friendly Hikes (free printable included) to give you tons of ideas for summer hiking.

The river is beautiful.
AF Canyon’s Nature Trail (Swinging Bridge) is paved and walks along the river part of the way.
Hidden Falls
Hidden Falls is only a 3 minute “hike” to the waterfall

Water Fun

Splash pads are a great free way to enjoy the water, but here are a few other spots that are free where my kids love to play and swim. Remember to watch your children as there are no lifeguards at these ponds and reservoirs.

Highland Glen Park has a great little beach.

Unique Stuff

Here are some unique activities that that are guaranteed kid pleasers!

Ledgemere Cave
This small cave is a great starting place for exploring caves. Bring a flashlight.

Scenic Drives in Utah: We put together a list of great places to go for drives in Utah. This way you can get out of the house, but still stay cool.

Gardner Village Historic Scavenger Hunt: Located in West Jordan, this little shopping area is also a historic part of Utah. This free scavenger hunt leads you through the shops and along the river that winds through the village as you look for different items.

South Weber Model Railroad Club: During the summer, on the 3rd Saturdays from 11-3, you can ride the train at the park in South Weber for FREE.

Train Rides at Shay Park: Another spot for FREE train rides at a train playground! Donations are encouraged. Rides are generally on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays.

Ledgemere Cave: This is the perfect cave to get your family started on caving. It’s located in a picnic ground in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Star Parties: The Salt Lake Astronomy Association hosts public star parties all year, but the summer is a good time to let the kids stay up late and see the stars, planets, and other objects in the night sky.

Wheeler Farm: This historic farm has a lot of fun animals. For a fee you can hop on a wagon ride.

Scipio Petting Zoo: This is a FREE petting zoo located right off the 1-15, and they are only open during the summer. We love stopping here on our travels.

R.A.M.P. in Weber County: This program provides free entry to places throughout Weber County on Saturdays. Check the schedule to find something near you.

Scipio Petting Zoo
The Scipio Petting Zoo has a lot of fun animals, like this camel named Wednesday!

Summer Movies

We are adding a summer movies section because lots of places or cities offer FREE Family movie nights throughout the summer. Bring a blanket, your own snacks, and enjoy the movie. We are currently updating this section, so we will add more cities as we learn about them! Make sure to check your local cities to see if they offer any FREE summer movies.

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