Things to Do in Utah Valley

Our residency program takes its name from the beautiful mountain valley it calls home. Utah valley has a population of more than 500,000 people and is home to a growing high-tech mecca, including world headquarters for some prominent computer and technology corporations.

Just 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City, host city of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Utah County offers all the conveniences of a major metropolitan community, as well as numerous recreational activities year-round. You’ll find a wide variety of activities for every season of the year, including outdoor adventure, arts and entertainment, sports, scenic drives, bird watching, and more.

Popular venues in Utah Valley are the outlet shops at Traverse Mountain, and Thanksgiving Point offers:

  • 55-acre gardens
  • 18-hole golf course
  • Museum of Ancient Life
  • annual tulip festival
  • theatre and IMax
  • shopping
  • dining

For more ideas, visit the Utah Travel and Tourism website and choose your adventure.

Quality of Life

The Provo and Orem area boasts one of the highest standards of living in the country.

  • Provo and Orem topped the Best-Performing Cities at #2, in the large cities 2013 Milken Institute report.
  • Provo and Orem ranked among the 100 safest cities in the United States, according to CQ Press in 2013.
  • Kiplinger Report ranked the Provo area number two for home value recovery in 2012.
  • Utah Valley is home to Brigham Young University (approximate enrollment – 30,000)
  • Utah Valley University (approximate enrollment – 33,000)

Recreation

Utah Valley, like much of the state, is a recreation enthusiast's dream centrally located to 15 spectacular national parks and monuments. The Wasatch Mountains provide a backdrop for Utah Valley, with high peaks and rugged terrain, with an abundance of activities along trails through forests, wildflower meadows, lakes, waterfalls, and snowcapped mountain peaks.

During summer afternoons you can leave the office and within minutes be hiking impressive mountain trails, fly fishing the Provo River in the canyon, jet-skiing on nearby Utah Lake, or splashing through one of the Intermountain West's largest water parks.

In the winter, you are just minutes from several world-class ski resorts and wilderness areas where you can downhill or cross-country ski, snowboard, snowshoe, snowmobile, or go ice fishing. With an average annual snowfall of more that 42 feet, Utah's white splendor has been characterized as the greatest snow on earth.

Sundance Resort

Just minutes from the heart of Utah Valley is Sundance Resort and ski area. Sundance offers year round activities that can be enjoyed by everyone, including a ski resort, summer outdoor theater, great dining and shopping. The Sundance Institute located in Provo Canyon offers locals and visitors an opportunity to experience some of the region's artistic culture. Every year, some 20,000 people attend Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival. Several films that premiered at the festival have been the recipients of Oscar, Emmy and International Film Festival awards.

National and State Parks

Utah valley is centrally located with convenient access to seven national monuments and six spectacular national parks such as Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon.

Just a three-hour drive from Provo is Moab, a small resort town at the center of the most stunning red rock landscapes on the planet, bordering Arches National Park and near Canyonlands National Park. The town is a popular base for mountain bikers who ride the extensive network of trails that include Slickrock Bike Trail, and off-roaders who come for the annual Moab jeep safari.