Salt Lake City Neighborhood Guide

One of the first things to figure out when moving to a new city is the neighborhood landscape. Inevitably, you're going to get the question (likely from your Real Estate Agent), "What area are you looking to be in?" That's a hard question to answer if you've got no idea what the different vibes are in each neighborhood, let alone where they're located. Here's a quick guide of a few of my favorite neighborhoods to hopefully help you narrow down an answer to that pesky question of where to live.

Capitol Hill/Marmalade

The Capitol Hill neighborhood sits up high behind the Capitol Building just north of downtown and overlooks the city. Marmalade is a small neighborhood that sits just west of Capitol Hill. Named after the abundance of fruit trees in this area, they even have a Marmalade Jam Fest each summer. You won't find many restaurants or coffee shops in this area, but you're a very short distance to downtown (maybe a mile) which makes it a great central location to call home. You'll find a lot of older homes with charm and character, plus some great views since you're high up on the hill overlooking Salt Lake. Capitol Hill is also a great neighborhood for biking, hiking, or running with several trails located within walking distance.

The Avenues

The Avenues is one of the most desirable and priciest neighborhoods in Salt Lake. It sits just east of Capitol Hill and North of downtown and was the first neighborhood of Salt Lake which means you're going to find old, beautiful homes. Most of the homes in The Avenues have been refurbished and you're not going to find more beautiful architecture in the city. There are also several restaurants and coffee shops as well as a grocery store and other shopping located right in The Avenues, so convenience is another perk of living in this desirable area.

Liberty Wells

Liberty Wells is situated just south of Downtown and east of State Street around Liberty Park. Liberty Park is a massive park often called the Central Park of Salt Lake and includes two playgrounds, a splash pad, tennis courts, volleyball courts, a pond, and Tracy Aviary. Liberty Park is a transitioning up and coming neighborhood so affordability is a great perk of this area, but perhaps not for long. You'll also find the center of the Salt Lake Brewery scene with many local breweries popping up nearby as well as many restaurants including ethnic restaurants.

Sugar House

Sugar House is one of Salt Lake's most sought after neighborhood for its great shopping, restaurants and beautiful park. Sugar House's popularity has increased home prices in recent years, but finding an affordable home in this area is still possible. The homes in Sugar House are older for the most part which can pose a problem if you're looking for a lot of square feet or bedrooms. Sugar House is a hub of food and shopping which makes it a convenient and walking friendly neighborhood.

9th & 9th

You'll find the 9th & 9th neighborhood at the corner of 900 E and 900 S. 9th & 9th's appeal is in its condensed grouping of some of the best restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and shopping in the city. The heart of 9th & 9th will make you feel like you're standing in it's own little downtown with tree lined streets full of charming storefronts. Be prepared to pay for a home within walking distance of this walking street though. It very well may be worth the price tag to have such great places to be able to walk to from your front door.

Downtown

Downtown Salt Lake isn't just for the working professionals of the city. There are many great condos and apartments in the center of downtown, so if you're looking for an urban feel or a walking neighborhood, this is the place to be. You won't find a higher concentration of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in any other area of Salt Lake. City Creek Mall and Gateway mall are both beautiful malls located downtown that offer great shopping. Downtown might feel quiet on the weekends with the office buildings empty, but you'll still find a good number of places open. Gallivan Center is great place to find different festivals and music throughout the year as well as an ice skating rink in the winter. Pioneer Park transforms into a massive farmer's market in the summer which is quite popular. There's always something to do in Downtown Salt Lake.