Utah Valley Living

[Nikk]

Fellow FJR'ers,

I'm in the early stages of a possible 2-3 yr. relocation for work into the Utah valley area. "Silicon Slopes" here I come ... maybe.

Anyway, I'm looking for local knowledge about neighborhoods in the area, for a married couple, no kids, that like to enjoy our adult beverages and motorcycles; but of course not at the same time.

So any neighborhood and nightlife insight you might share would be appreciated. I'm aware of Utah's strict liquor laws and strong religious ties; but I'm hopeful there might be a few progressive areas popping up.

Feel free to reply here or forum message me if you prefer.

Nik

 

[Spud]

I lived there for several years. The location is fantastic for outdoor stuff. There is great riding all around. The area is getting pretty damned crowded with all the development pushed up along the wasatch range. Of course if you're coming from back east i suppose that's a subjective observation.

Beer is 3.2 no matter what brand unless you are in certain bars and can get "full strength" meaning regular beer anywhere else in the world. You can buy "full strength" at state operated liquor stores, I assume at a big premium. Mixed drinks have to be made with regulated dispensers that give exactly one weak-ass shot. Don't hold your breath on finding a cool local main street with little pubs and taverns you can walk between on a weekend night...

I know people that live down there that are normal adults in professional jobs and the norm is to sneak mini-bottles or flasks in to restaurants or bars to compensate. It will take you back to high school days lol...

 

[juniorfjr]

Last summer on the way to Montrose, Co. we stayed and looked around Cedar City. It's a nice medium small city just about where we wanted to be. After a few days there, I decided that we were not going to fit in there. One night in a Chili's off the freeway, us and another couple were the only ones in the bar and the restaurant were crowded. Oh, you have to look high and low for a good cup of coffee also.

 

[Nikk]

I'm not a Starbucks fan, I'd rather go to a locally run coffee shop if I can; but they have decent coffee and it looks like they have stores every 3-5 miles all through the valley.

Anyone have the scoop on areas like South Salk Lake, Jordan, Sandy, American Fork, Saratoga Springs, Orem?

 

[Uncle Hud]

Nikk posted: I'm not a Starbucks fan, I'd rather go to a locally run coffee shop if I can; but they have decent coffee and it looks like they have stores every 3-5 miles all through the valley.
Anyone have the scoop on areas like South Salk Lake, Jordan, Sandy, American Fork, Saratoga Springs, Orem?

My adult sons, their wives, and I stayed in Sandy for a week's skiing during the 2014 season and enjoyed it immensely. When we were there, you could buy full-strength beer only at the state-owned liquor stores. Didn't affect us much, as we stocked up between the airport and our hotel. At the evening happy-hour "manager receptions", we had no problems putting away a BUNCH of free 3.2 beer!

Click here for the all-knowing Wikipedia.

A lot of Utah citizens are Latter-day Saints -- maybe the vast majority. Devout Mormons do not drink caffeine or alcohol, so coffee and beer won't be drawing the same crowds as in Baltimore or DC.

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I learned about all this while skiing in SLC during the 1977 season. Slid up to the bar at Snowbird, and asked for a beer. "Sir, we can only sell alcohol to members of our private club."

It was dumbfounding, and for a few seconds I couldn't even process his meaning.

The bartender continued, "The State requires us to charge $50 for a membership. We allow new members a ten-day trial period. I will imprint your credit card, and leave the sales slip with you. If you do not want to continue your membership beyond today, just tear up the sales slip and carbons when you leave (it was 1977, man) and I will interpret that as the end of your trial membership. You will not be charged for anything beyond the cost of your drinks."

I thought it was a pretty slick workaround.

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Atlanta-area joke with a similar theme:

Q: Why should you never invite one Baptist to your tailgate party?

A: Without other Baptists present, he'll drink up all your beer.

 

[Spud]

There's sort of a cultural shift that happens south of the "point of the mountain" at Draper. Once you head south from there you are in "happy valley" and it is a very, very conservative culture driven by BYU and its 30,000 students and all that goes along with that. Salt Lake will be a little more liberal minded, and that's what's north of the point. This is all of course subjective and speculative, but that's been my experience. There is also a ton of tech money pouring into that area. I'd say go for it if you have the opportunity.

 

[its just rain]

And when you can't stand it any longer you can go for a cool get-away weekend over to Idaho or Colorado! But then you have to be careful that it's not another LDS town.

 

[juniorfjr]

There's sort of a cultural shift that happens south of the "point of the mountain" at Draper. Once you head south from there you are in "happy valley" and it is a very, very conservative culture driven by BYU and its 30,000 students and all that goes along with that. Salt Lake will be a little more liberal minded, and that's what's north of the point. This is all of course subjective and speculative, but that's been my experience. There is also a ton of tech money pouring into that area. I'd say go for it if you have the opportunity.

The growth and economics are what was intriguing to me. There is a ton of new resources coming into Utah.

 

[Spud]

Yep....

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/13/a-high-tech-mecca-rises-to-rival-silicon-valley.html

https://officesnapshots.com/2013/02/21/adobe-utah-campus-office-design/

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/11/a-visit-to-the-nsas-data-center-in-utah/416691/

https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-expands-in-utah-with-the-opening-of-its-newest-facility-designed-to-leed-gold-standards/

 

[FjrVfr]

I did about six years in SLC (06-12). It's beautiful country but I wouldn't go back if you put a gun to my head. It's like being a Yankee fan at Fenway.

 

[erixun]

Sorry I did not see this sooner, I just got back from Cancun. PM me and I will try and get you with the local info you want. I currently live just north of SLC, and have lived in Utah Valley for a couple of years, and have family spread across the state.... no not multiple wives.... one is enough thanks.

Oh and on the 3.2 beer note... https://www.cityweekly.net/utah/the-32-myth/Content?oid=2157643 and there are liquor stores around for the brands that do not make the 3.2 stuff that you want..

When my wife worked at Goldman Sachs she had people relocate from New York all the time, most kicking and screaming at first. To my knowledge, not one has left yet, even past their 'tour', and do not want to ever go back. If you like the outdoors and the change of seasons, this is the place as the say.

 

[Nikk]

@Spud, Thanks for the "point of the mountain" tip. In my early research I was looking at that Lehi and American Fork area. Just because it was near the lake and Google Maps shows a few "bar & grill" in the area! If this move gets momentum I'll have to recon that area. Thanks for the general frame of reference though.

@erixun, PM in-bound!

The geography and the job opportunity are the big pull for me. I'm a bit apprehensive (probably too strong a word) about the culture shift being that I'm not active in the religion scene and a DINK.