The Best of Utah

Even with its flaws, Utah is a fantastic place to live. If you think about it, there is so much diversity in the state. The weather has a broad range and offers mild extremes in the Winter and Summer. For outdoor enthusiasts, Utah could arguably be the best state in America. The southern half of Utah features stunning, redrock desert and a wide variety of outdoor activities: four wheeling, hiking, fishing, biking, canyoneering, rafting, and rock climbing. The Northern half of Utah features rugged mountains also full of weekend activities: hiking, camping, biking, fishing, hunting, skiing, and climbing. With all of the diversity of Utah, where is the best place to live in order to take advantage of as much as possible.?

The great capitol of Utah is Salt Lake City. SLC is a great place to live because of the delicate balance that it holds. It is the largest city considering population, but along with the larger population comes some rich culture that can't be found anywhere else in Utah. SLC is home to the University of Utah, so for college students, it is a great option. From the perspective of an outdoor enthusiast, SLC is a great center of the state. Within 30 minutes from the great Wasatch front and the majority of the major ski resorts, SLC has great access to most outdoor activities. Within a four hour drive, lies the Southern capitols of Moab, Ceder City, and St. George, as well as the Southern national parks.

For more of an isolated feel, Cedar City and St. George are busy cities in the Southern end of the Utah, that offer great opportunities as well. Cedar City is the home of Southern Utah University, and St. George is home to Dixie state university. Both these cities are within a hour or two from all of the major southern parks and they are a stone throw away from Las Vegas. 

The two small town cities are Kanab and Moab. These are both located near the southern border. They both are tourist locations, but from an adventurer's point of view, they both have easy access to all of the Southern parks. They also come with a cozy, small town feel and are packed with a variety of culture. 

The Northern city to live has to be Logan. Logan is the home of Utah State University, and is a bustling city. Logan is very close to the Northern mountain range, and is close to a few ski resorts. Although the mountains are not as extreme as the Wasatch front, there are still plenty of activities that are available: hiking, camping, biking, skiing, and fishing. 

An honorable mention would have to be the city of Vernal, it is the best place for those extreme hunters and fishers. Also a great place to live is in Utah county. There is a large amount of growth and opportunity, and Utah county is home to Utah valley university and BYU. Utah county is right in the middle of the state, and offers easy access to just about anywhere.

Standing above all these towns, and voted by Outside Magazine's 2013 best town in America is Park City. Park city is one of the wealthiest towns in Utah. It is a mountain town tucked away in the Wasatch front, yet just 15 minutes from SLC. Park city contains great skiing, hiking, and biking right outside your front door. It has a solid tourist base, but it also has a small town feel that attracts millionaires from across the country. All in all, Park city is the best place to live in Utah.