This is the Place Heritage Park has always been one of our favorite Utah State Parks, and we recommend a visit to anyone wanting to learn more about pioneer history in a fun way. They recently changed how everything works at this This is the Place. It is now free to enter the grounds and visit the buildings and monuments. During your free visit, there are lots of activities at This is the Place. You will need to pay per activity or grab a Daily Experience pass that includes all activities. This post explains everything you need to know about the changes at This is the Place Heritage Park.
Why We Love This is the Place
Our boys, big and little, love this Utah state park for a few different reasons. One is that you they are learning history in a fun way. Throughout the village, there are workers who run the buildings. They also teach about what life was like during early Utah times, and we always learn new things every time we visit. This last trip we learned how pharmacists made pills, and also how Morse Code started with flag and window signals. The teaching is done by play actors who stay in character demonstrating pioneer methods. This keeps it is fun and interesting. Demonstrations include a blacksmith, tin smith, a printing press, and many others.
Second, the park is full of interactive experiences for kids to feel a part of life in the late 1800s. You can pan for gold, pull a handcart, make a bracelet, do pioneer chores, pet the animals, learn pioneer dancing, and more. This is the best part of This is the Place Heritage park and why our kids have always loved to visit. Here are some more details about how the hands-on activities work at This is the Place Heritage Park.
Finally, This is the Place Heritage Park hosts really fun events. The 4th of July, Little Haunts and Candlelight Christmas are a few of our favorites. During the events there are even more activities going on like a candy cannon on the 4th of July, or pioneer dancing and gingerbread cookies during Candlelight Christmas. So make sure to plan a visit on a fun holiday event, too.
Free Activities
It’s important to know which activities you want to do, and which will cost before you go. One of our favorite things is walking through the village at This is the Place Heritage Park and listening to the volunteers talk about the people who lived there. This is all still free. A lot of the buildings also have activities. Some are free and some are not. Luckily, they hand you a map that has a list of everything that costs, so you can decide. You can also check that list here: This is the Place Activities.
Some of the fun activities that you can enjoy that are still free are pioneer chores, the playground and splash pad, get a shave, carding wool, and sending your own telegraph message. Lots of our favorite activities are free and give you just a little taste of pioneer life.
Paid Activities
When you come to visit This is the Place Heritage Park, you can purchase an experience pass for $25/person. This will allow you to do all the activities throughout the park. They have added a bunch of new activities that require a fee such as creating a brass keychain, axe throwing, and making a prairie diamond ring. You also pay to ride the train around the village (which we always do to rest our legs), as well as panning for gold, and more. We love all of these activities, but if you are looking to save, you could choose just a few to pay for as you go. You can also buy an experience pass for your kids, but not yourself, if you want them to try everything.
Brigham’s Donuts
Another thing we love to do is grab some Brigham’s Donuts when we visit This is the Place Heritage Park. They are mini donuts and are really delicious. There are a few other treats you can grab in the park: ice cream in the ice cream parlor, candy and sodas in the ZCMI shop, and food in the hotel restaurant.
Pioneer Center & Gift Shop
When you first arrive at the park, check in at the Pioneer Center to purchase tickets. Make sure to spend some time walking through this building. There is a diorama of This is the Place with a fun scavenger hunt. You can also read about how this state park came to be and enjoy the statues and view of the official monument.
The Heritage Gift Shop has a ton of great items. We love perusing the variety of things they have in the gift shop, so make sure to stop in on you way into or out of This is the Place Heritage Park.
Tips for Families
Plan to spend longer than you think. We always think we can go and be done in a few hours, but then we end up staying WAY longer. There is just so much to do and enjoy at the park. That leads us to our next tip.
Bring a lunch, water, and snacks. There are lots of spots where you can eat lunch, including a ton of picnic tables at a large pavilion. Then you don’t have to worry about leaving to get food. They also have a restaurant if you want someone to make lunch for you.
Use a stroller or wagon if you have young kids. This spot has a lot of walking, so when our kids were young, we always brought our stroller. There are some spots where it can be tricky to push the stroller, but mostly you can use sidewalks.
Dress for the weather. In the summer, wear sunscreen, hats, sunglasses. And in winter, you’ll want a coat. You are in and out of buildings, so be prepared for the weather.
Consider a Family Annual Pass. They are $165 for 2 adults and up to 6 dependent children. If you plan to visit twice, it is worth it because with the annual pass you get an experience pass every time you visit. That’s $25/person so if you have a family of 6, you’ve almost paid for it with one visit. More info here.
We know that you will love This is the Place Heritage Park as much as we do. For current hours, pricing, and other details, visit their website: This is the Place. And for other great Pioneer activities in Utah, check out our post about all the pioneer sites in Utah: Church History Sites in U.tah
