When we left the church 12 years ago with our 3 daughters, oldest was 7 at the time, we didn't know what to do with all our free time. I mean what do NORMAL people do on weekends??? So we brainstormed and came up with a list of fun things for families to do in Utah ON A SUNDAY. Here it is, working from North to South. I can't write about all of them so, where possible I'll just provide links. Yes, we did ALL of these and had a blast, all are open on Sunday:

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/bear_river_migratory_bird_refuge/
Note: The day we went here was cold and windy. As we drove across the causeway a flock of pelicans flew about two feet off the ground about ten feet front of our car. They were flying against the wind so their ground speed was like a slow walk. Unbelievably cool thing to see.

Dugway geode fields: http://geology.utah.gov/utahgeo/rockmineral/collecting/rkhd0500.htm

George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park: http://www.ogdencity.com/about_ogden/attractions/dinosaur_park.aspx Note: This place is great for little kids.

Antelope Island State Park: http://www.utah.com/stateparks/antelope_island.htm
Note: They have a visitors center here and a beach you can go swimming in the Great Salt Lake at.

Geocaching: Anywhere on earth. We created our own geocaches.
http://www.geocaching.com/
Note: We did a geocache up Rock Canyon and had it there for 8 years. People would find it and write a little in the log book. We have that log book to this day. Lots of fun.

University of Utah Museums
http://nhmu.utah.edu/

Hogle Zoo
http://www.hoglezoo.org/
Note: Don't miss the bird show and make sure you ride the train.

Bought a $80 inflatable raft (The Sea Hawk) at Costco and floated down the Jordan River. Used that same raft (seats 5) for snow tubing on local hills. Best purchase ever!

Park Silly Sundays: http://www.parksillysundaymarket.com/

Sunday Morning donut runs to the best donuts in Utah: Banbury Cross: https://plus.google.com/112861539289225663913/about?gl=us&hl=en

Sundance Brunch: http://www.sundanceresort.com/dine/foundry_brunch.html

Sundance Ski lift in the summer. Then hike to Stewart Falls:
http://www.sundanceresort.com/explore/sum_lift_rides.html

Numerous day hikes throughout Utah.

Dimple Del Recreaton Center: http://www.recreation.slco.org/dimpledell/

The Living Planet Aquarium
http://www.thelivingplanet.com/index.php

Gourmet dinners at home where the whole family participates.

Movies (My personal favorite theater is Thanksgiving Point because they have great popcorn and almost no one goes there on Sunday so we do our best to support them)

Costco every Sunday (2 miles from my home)

Build a garden

Lagoon: http://www.lagoonpark.com/

Highland Glen Park (We hid multiple geoacaches here. An ultra-cool activity is to go there just after a light snow storm and look for animal tracks. Beautiful park) http://wikimapia.org/13148259/Highland-Glen-Park-Highland-City

Fox Hollow Golf Course: Hitting a bucket of balls on a Sunday morning when I used to be in Church just feels right!

Art Dye Park: Looks like nothing from the road but its really big and beautiful. Nature trails that lead up to Highland Glen and they have a frizbee golf course. http://wikimapia.org/13148259/Highland-Glen-Park-Highland-City

TONS of bike rides all over Utah. Northern Utah county is getting FILLED with bike paths that go from Bridal Veil Falls clear to Salt Lake. Going on a ride today in Highland.

Some of our favorite times are sitting around as a family and having coffee on a Sunday morning like we're doing right now.

Clothing shopping: Which would be pure HELL for me, but since I DON'T GO and my wife and three daughters DO GO, then I have the house to myself.

Middle of the night get togethers. My three daughters stayed up ALL NIGHT last night just talking. They can do that because they don't have church today or ANY Sunday. Beautiful.

I'll add more as I think of them.

Went to the Sand Dunes. http://www.duneguide.com/sand_dune_guide_little_sahara.htm Note: This was my kids least favorite place because the wind was blowing and they didn't like getting sand blasted.

Alpine or Nebo loops in the fall.

Took Trax to Salt Lake and then went to the Gateway mall. I WOULD do the same for the City Creek Mall but the morons have it closed on Sunday. God, I hope it goes bankrupt so the Church loses a fortune and someone with business sense comes in an opens it for Sunday business!

OH, campouts and multi day trips to national parks. Yellowstone is amazing in the spring (and hot and crowded in the summer!)



Edited 11 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/2013 06:12PM by Ihidmyself.

+1000!

Great things to do and a wonderful list.

My question is that you had penguins flying in front of your car? Didn't think penguins could fly, let alone them being in Utah. Just askin'

Thank you! My wife is a TBM, so I have been feeling like my Sundays are a total waste (and have been for a long time). I bet I could even get her to do some of these! (If not, they sound like fun on any day, too). Man, am I jealous of you right now, to have your family with you for all that.

but rather to fight the guilt and fear the Church uses to manipulate and control it's members. All I did was gently tease my wife for all the guilt she felt when we didn't do exactly what the church wanted her to do. "Really??? You want to force our 3 year old to sit through Sacrament??? She should be out looking for butterflies." or "Do you have Stepford Wives today?" (my wife used to be in the Relief Society presidency.) or maybe "You mean to tell me that it's the second week of the month and you haven't finished your visiting teaching yet??? How do you LIVE with yourself?"

Hang in there my friend. It took me two years and a lot of tithing but we're all out. Maybe some of these activities might get your wife wondering why the heck she's wasting time in churc?

Love Dugway Geode beds! We're also avid geocachers as well ;) Great list!

That is a great list! Thanks so much for putting that together. It's actually been on my mind to come up with activity ideas to replace the 3 hour drudge that has been my weekly routine for the last 32 years.

Thanks for doing all the work for me!!

You have inspired me to get out and see some of the sights near where I live. Not that I go to church on Sundays but most Sundays I spend puttering around the house.

Have you ever been to the U-Dig fossil bed in Delta? And if so, was it worth the cost? My husband and I would love to take a road trip there or to any other fossil bed that allows the public to dig and collect trilobites or ammonites or any other non-vertabrates.

Yeah, now I see that. Well, maybe we could look in some other place for that kind of fun. We wouldn't want to knowingly contribute to a company that most assuredly is Mormon and thereby contribute funds to the Mormon church. Yuck!

Most Sunday's we just relaxe, watch tv, go to the store, read, talk, etc. You know, like NORMAL people do! And I gotta say I NEVER get tired of waking up on a Sunday and saying

HEY, I don't have to go to church today!!!

Great to meet you today at the gathering in Lehi. I really enjoyed our conversation.

Thnks a lot !

From the time I was a kid until I left Mormonism as a grandma. Now I get the meaning of weekend. And I love it.

Concerning your note about City Creek: I am surprised that restaurants, like Cheesecake Factory, signed on. Come Christmas shopping C.C. will take a hit. People will flock to Gateway on Sunday. I am with you in hoping that C.C. goes broke and someone comes in that wants to stay open 7 days. I hate that this state closes at sundown Sat. night. My gf and I wanted to go to Thanksgiving Point as well, but since they shutdown, almost, on Sunday, we will go elsewhere. =(

Wonderful post!

You understand the real meaning of eternal families. Your children will cherish these memories forever, and pass on to their children the true meaning of family.

Omg wat should I do today it's so boing here and I don't like the beach uuhhh I guess we have to go to beach

My favorite was to PACK AND MOVE OUTTA STATE.

What is wrong with businesses being closed one day a week?

Thanks for this list. We are active LDS and will be in Utah over the weekend and we're looking for something to do on Sunday other than attend church. We have a 'no rules on holidays' family policy. This allows us to make precious memories with our kids without throwing away everything we believe in. Works for us.