UTGA Events

Events of the Utah Tour Guide Association

UTGA hosts regular events to provide members with opportunities to hone their skills, gain new information, and socialize. If you want to join us for any of our events, send us a message, follow us on Facebook, and join UTGA today. See photos from our previous events in the galleries under the calendar.

December 2025 and January 2026 – Tours of Salt Lake City Parks with Park Rangers

UTGA members enjoyed tours of the International Peace Gardens, Liberty Park, and the Salt Lake City Cemetery led by Salt Lake City park rangers who have developed tours they present to the public. The tours provided insight into the history of the parks, the city, and how people can enjoy these public spaces.

December 2025 – UTGA Annual Business Meeting Luncheon

UTGA members gathered for the annual business meeting of the association and a presentation from Becky Keeney of the Utah Office of Tourism about Utah Forever, a new initiative from the state tourism office for people who work in the industry to commit to being better stewards of the state and passing that ethos on to those we interact with who are visiting. Annual association business was conducted, and a lunch was provided with no charge to attendees.

November 2025 – UTGA Basic Tour Guide Training

In November, four volunteers from the Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation participated in another round of our Basic Tour Guide Training as they prepare to start offering more tour opportunities in the coming years. The training includes modules on research, interpretation, communications, flexibility, and more. Students also learned more about the local regulations and considerations of being a tour guide in general and in Utah. The training concluded with practical experiences for each of the students helping lead part of a walking tour and a step-on tour. This basic training course is required toward becoming a Certified Utah Tour Guide and a valuable training for even experienced tour guides.

November 2025 – Nine Mile Canyon Tour

In November, Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association were led on a tour of Carbon County’s Nine Mile Canyon in central Utah, sometimes referred to as the Longest Art Gallery in the World. The canyon contains a magnificent collection of ancient rock art, most from the Fremont culture but also from other indigenous people through time. Our guide was local, Layne Miller, who is probably the world’s foremost expert on the canyon and what is found there. This excursion was fantastic in helping our members who attended learn more about ancient rock art, the Fremont people, and life and settlement in this corner of Utah.

October 2025 – Walker Center Rooftop Tour

In October, Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association received a complimentary tour of the Walker Center Rooftop in downtown Salt Lake City. This new offering, provides guests a chance to visit one of the most iconic rooftops in town with its weather van radio tower. We learned the history of the building, enjoyed the beautiful architecture, and unique perspective of downtown on our tour.

September 2025 – Sir Walter Candy Company

In September, Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association were introduced to local candy makers and their new location in South Salt Lake at Sir Walter Candy Company. Their shop includes delicious Belgian chocolate, their signature flavors of caramel popcorn, and other yummy treats. Additionally, Sir Walter Candy Company has a treat bar where you can order custom fresh creations including popcorn or waffles drizzled in chocolate with all kinds of toppings and chocolate dipped frozen bananas or frozen hot chocolate.

May 2025 – Syracuse Utah Temple Open House

In May, Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association were invited to tour the newly completed Syracuse Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This new temple is visible from the main access points to Antelope Island State Park, where Salt Lake’s best wildlife viewing opportunities can be found.

April 2025 – UTGA Basic Tour Guide Training

In April, another group of Utah tour guides came together for basic tour guide training that included skills training in research, interpretation, communications, flexibility, and more. Students also learned more about the local regulations and unique components of being a tour guide in Utah. This round of training spanned five two-hour classes over three weeks and concluded with practical experiences for each of the students helping lead part of a walking tour and a step-on tour. This basic training course is required toward becoming a Certified Utah Tour Guide and a valuable training for even experienced tour guides.

March 2025 – Cedar City FAM Tour

Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association traveled to Cedar City, Utah, to learn more about what that corner of the state has to offer. We were hosted by Visit Cedar City and treated some amazing experiences that we were less familiar with. Our visit to Cedar City included a visit to ancient petroglyphs at Parowan Gap, a hike in Thunderbird Gardens, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, a visit to a local winery, and lunch at a local hotspot. Many of our members lead tours to Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks and take guests through Cedar City when heading to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. By visiting Cedar City and learning more about what is available in the area, we are better able to provide our tour guests with special, memorable, and personalized experiences in Utah.

February 2025 – Thanksgiving Point FAM Meeting

In February, members of the Utah Tour Guide Association visited Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. This local attraction includes several fun and educational destinations such as Museum of Ancient Life, Butterfly Biosphere, Ashton Gardens, Museum of Natural Curiosity, Curiosity Farms, and more. UTGA members were introduced to all of these attractions and given All-Access Passes to experience all of their amazing adventures.

January 2025 – UTGA Basic Tour Guide Training

In January a group of nine Utah tour guides came together for basic tour guide training that included skills training in research, interpretation, communications, flexibility, and more. Students also learned more about the local regulations and unique components of being a tour guide in Utah. The training concluded with practical experiences for each of the students helping lead part of a walking tour and a step-on tour. This basic training course is required toward becoming a Certified Utah Tour Guide and a valuable training for even experienced tour guides.

January 2025 – The Other Side Donuts and Academy FAM Tour

The Utah Tour Guide Association toured The Other Side Donuts and The Other Side Academy in January to learn more about this social enterprise and its great work in helping individuals overcome addiction and become happy and contributing members of our local community.

December 2024 – UTGA End-of-Year Retreat

The Utah Tour Guide Association held its annual end-of-year retreat in December. More than 25 guides and friends joined us for our annual business meeting, two great speakers, an introduction to our updated training and certification program, and fun.

Keith Erekson, author of Real vs. Rumor, gave a great presentation on how to be a better researcher and sharer of history, something we do every day as tour guides. Tim Glenn, director of the new Museum of Utah, gave a great overview of the new museum that will open in May 2026 at the Utah State Capitol complex. A Big thank you to those who came and the Sons of the Utah Pioneers for the use of their great space.

October 2024 – Hill Aerospace Museum Tour

Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association took a tour at Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah. Our guide, a very knowledgeable and experienced docent, shared the new hangar gallery with us and told us about what people can experience when they visit this fantastic, free museum.

September 2024 – FAM Tour of Fort This Is the Place at This Is the Place Heritage Park

Alex Stromberg, historian at This Is the Place Heritage Park, took members of UTGA on a tour of their newest exhibit–This Is the Place Fort. This three-sided stone fort is representative of the history of fort building in Utah during the mid and late 19th century including settler forts and military forts. We learned about what guests can experience and do when visiting this attraction. We also learned about the restoration of the nearby Riter Cabin, one of only two remaining structures dating back to 1847, and we were treated to always yummy Brigham’s Donuts.

May 2024 – FAM Tour of Hogle Zoo’s new Wild Utah section

UTGA Members were led on a tour of the new Wild Utah section of Hogle Zoo. This interactive area lets visitors get up close and learn about the wildlife of Utah. They also have several hands-on, educational activities throughout the section. We learned about their conservation efforts and the rescue efforts of the zoo as all of the larger animals in this area are rescues.

April 2024 – Heber Valley FAM Tour

In April, the Utah Tour Guide Association celebrated its 20th anniversary with a full-day FAM tour in Heber Valley. We were treated to a tour of Heber Valley Creamery. We visited the zip line, the Homestead Crater, and Ritual Chocolate. And, we were given a special informational tour at Soldier Hollow and the Heber Valley Railroad. The group also enjoyed lunch at Cafe Galleria in the historic heart of Midway, Utah.

April 2024 – Taylorsville Utah Temple Open House

Members of UTGA were invited to tour the newly built Taylorsville Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which stands right in the center of the Salt Lake Valley along Interstate 215, one of the main routes to Southern Utah and ski resorts in the Cottonwood Canyons from the Salt Lake City International Airport.

February 2024 – Great Salt Lake Mirabilite Mounds Tour

Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association celebrated International Tourist Guide Day with a tour by a park ranger at Great Salt Lake State Park to share a natural wonder with us only found in two other places on Earth–mirabilite mounds. These beautiful terraced formations of salt are created in the winter time as warmer water carries the salt up to the surface. When the waters of the Great Salt Lake are very low, as they have been in recent years, these mounds form on the beaches around the lake. If the lake were at higher levels, the formations couldn’t form as the moving water would prevent their creation on the lake bed.

January 2024 – Utah Capitol Building 2024 Exhibits FAM Tour

The Utah Tour Guide Association was treated to a tour of two new exhibits on display in the Utah State Capitol Building for 2024 including an exhibit about the capitol dome on the 3rd floor and another celebrating 100 years of film history in Utah on the 4th floor. The employee from the Utah Capitol Preservation Board that created the dome exhibit led us through that, while an employee of the Utah Film Commission shared the 4th floor exhibit with us. We were also treated to a look inside the governor’s office by a member of his staff as arranged by one of our members who serves as a docent at the capitol building.

December 2023 – UTGA End-of-Year Retreat

The Utah Tour Guide Association hosted a half-day end-of-year retreat for its members and others at This Is the Place Heritage Park. The day included the annual business meeting for UTGA and a end-of-year celebration dinner. In between these, participants were treated to a presentation about “The Lost History of Saltair” by Ian Christensen (currently researching and writing a comprehensive history of the Great Salt Lake’s best known resort. Attendees also got to attend a “Photography for Tour Guides” workshop presented by our own Christopher Vanderwilt. We also hosted concierges from local hotels and destination marketing companies to see what our members have to offer at our first ever UTGA Member Showcase. At the end of the day, after a yummy dinner from The Red Iguana, awards were given for the 2023 UTGA Member Photography Competition and we played another round of Utah trivia. Attendees could also spend some time in the Heritage Village for their annual Candlelight Christmas programming.

November 2023 – Tour of the Thomas Kearns Mansion (Utah Governors Mansion)

Members of UTGA joined a tour with Preservation Utah of the Thomas Kearns Mansion also known as the Utah Governors Mansion, a beautiful mansion on South Temple Street in Salt Lake City. Thomas Kearns was once owner of Silver King Coalition Mines in Park City and of the Salt Lake Tribune. Kearns also served as a U.S. Senator from Utah. This spectacular 1902 mansion is open for tours through Preservation Utah and serves as the official residence of Utah’s governors.

October 2023 – Leaf-Peeping on Mount Nebo National Scenic Byway

UTGA Members got together for a leaf-peeping excursion on the Nebo loop, a scenic byway that crosses the backside of Mount Nebo, the tallest mountain in the Wasatch Range. This national scenic byway starts in Payson and ends in Nephi. The leaves were in peak condition offering spectacular vistas in all directions.

September 2023 – Tour of Gilgal Sculpture Garden and 10th Ward Meetinghouse

Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association met at Gilgal Sculpture Garden, a visionary art environment in Salt Lake City. They were introduced to the garden, its creator, and the sculptures. We were then given a private tour of the 10th Ward Meetinghouse, the oldest church meetinghouse for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still in use in Salt Lake City. We were treated to the organ and a tour from a long-time member of the congregation who, as a teenager, worked for Thomas Child in Gilgal Sculpture Garden.

May 2023 – Tour of the Violin Making School of America

UTGA members were treated to a special tour of America’s oldest violin making school that happens to be right in the downtown Salt Lake City. Students at the school make several instruments throughout their course of study including several violins and a cello. The school is not open for public tours.

April 2023 – Tour of the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple

Members of UTGA were invited for a tour of the newly constructed Saratoga Springs Utah Temple during its open house period.

April 2023 – UTGA Book Club Potluck with the Editor of This Is the Plate

Members of the Utah Tour Guide Association who had read This Is the Plate: Utah Food Traditions gathered for a potluck dinner and discussion. Those who attended brought a Utah food tradition to share with the group. We were delighted to host the editor of the book, Carol Edison, at our dinner.

March 2023 – Preservation Utah Introduction and Tours

Members of UTGA met at the Memorial House in Salt Lake City’s Memory Grove park to be introduced to Preservation Utah, a local non-profit that fights to preserve historic structures throughout the state. After a presentation from the interim president, we were treated to a tour of Memorial House and the Meditation Chapel in the park. After, we made our way to the Salt Lake City and County Building to participate in one of the tours that Preservation Utah offers in historic buildings around town. We were taken into the foundations to see the seismic engineering that helped save the building in recent earthquake events and up in the clock tower and into the council chamber.

February 2023 – Bryce Canyon FAM Tour

At the invitation of Ruby’s Inn, members of UTGA spent two days in Bryce Canyon Country. On the way south from SLC, we stopped at Burns Saddlery in Salina and were shown around their leather, silver, and hat workshops. In Bryce Canyon City, staff from Ruby’s Inn introduced us to what our guests can enjoy and experience in the winter and year round. We also had a member of the local county’s office of tourism tell us what we can expect this year as a centennial year for Bryce Canyon, and a local entrepreneur told us about her quest to make geology more accessible for every-day travelers with Backseat Geology audio tours. We experienced the national park by snowshoe and yak tracks and the new Ice Ribbon by Ebenezer’s.

February 2023 – Hardware Ranch Elk Wagon Ride

Members of UTGA visited the Utah Department of Natural Resources’ Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area in northern Utah where hundreds of elk are cared for in the harsh winter months. A local outfitter offers wagon rides into the elk pasture select days in the winter.

January 2022 – UTDNR Bookstore Tour

UTGA Members were introduced to the map and bookstore of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. We learned about the amazing collection of resources the store offers including free publications and a vast array of maps and guides.

December 2022 – Annual Business Meeting & End-of-Year Celebration

Our annual business meeting was held at the First United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City. After our meeting luncheon, Scott, the church’s organist, gave us a tour of the historic building and demonstrated the beautiful, historic, fully-restored pipe organ. A couple of weeks later, This Is the Place Heritage Park hosted us in the Pioneer Center for our annual end-of-year celebration dinner. We enjoyed food from Greek Souvlaki, a local chain of Greek restaurants, with desert from Mrs. Backer’s Pastry Shop. Then, we had lots of fun playing a Utah trivia game.

November 2022 – Topaz Museum & Site Tours, Rockhounding in Delta, stop in Eureka

Members of UTGA headed to the western desert for a visit to Delta, Utah. We were given a tour of the Topaz Museum, a fantastic collection of artifacts and stories of the horrific Japanese internment of WWII. Afterwards, we received a tour of the Topaz War Relocation Center site just outside of town. After a quick lunch, our member Oz, led us to the Boneyard where we did some basic rockhounding by sifting and digging through piles of dirt to find treasures. On our way back to Salt Lake City, we drove by where Amelia Earheart made a crash landing and then took a stroll through historic Eureka, the heart of the Tintic Mining District.

November 2022 – Topaz Stories and From the Ground Up

As a close to our reading of Citizen 13660 by Mine Okubo, we were met by a descendant of a Japanese internment camp resident at the Utah State Capitol Building for an introduction to the temporary Topaz Stories exhibit and to hear her family’s story. Afterwards, we visited a local rock shop, From the Ground Up, and were welcomed and shown the full collection including gemstones and fossils.

October 2022 – Smith Family Archaeological Preserve

Members of UTGA joined a tour of the Smith Family Archaeological Preserve on the westside of Utah Lake. This preserve protects a collection of ancient petroglyphs from the Fremont era.

September 2022 – Salt Lake City’s Black History Walking Tour

UTGA Members were led on a walking tour in downtown Salt Lake City by local historian Rachel Quist to discover some of the city’s Black history and history of red-light activities in downtown. This is one of two walking tours Rachel offers as part of the University of Utah’s continuing education program.

August 2022 – UTGA Book Club “Roughing It” by Mark Twain Presentation

Adam Petty from the Church History Library in Salt Lake City shared insights into Brigham Young and life in Salt Lake during the time of Mark Twain’s visit that he wrote about in Roughing It, our most recent UTGA book club material.