Provo

America's Freedom Festival at Provo

Large festival held every year around the 4th of July. Features the Stadium of Fire, Grand Parade, Balloon Fest, Freedom Days (vendor stalls and carnival rides), Colonial Days, and other activities and events.

BYU Bookstore

Large campus bookstore also offering sweets, art, and BYU/Provo souvenirs. Particularly significant for its large collection of foreign language children's books (located downstairs). Also an outlet for LDS Distribution Services.

Mon 8AM-6PM, Tue-Fri 8AM-8PM (closed Tue 10:45-11:45AM), Sat 8AM-6PM

BYU Creamery

BYU's famous ice cream. The main location has a burger grill (11AM–9PM). The creamery has an outlet in the CougerEat cafeteria in the Wilkinson Student Center on BYU campus called Sugar & Spice. Other notable outlets include the Wyview Creamery (1990 W 400 N, M–Sa 7AM–midnight) and the CSC (just south of the BYU Conference Center and slightly northeast of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, M–F 8AM–7PM, Sa 9AM–7PM). Many vending machines on campus also sell cups of BYU Creamery cookies & cream ice cream.

Mon–Thu 11AM–11PM, Fri Sat 11AM–midnight

BYU International Cinema

Shows foreign and classic films four days per week in a large auditorium. Tickets not required. See website for weekly schedule (showing times usually provided two weeks in advance). (Campus map).

Sep-Apr: Tue Wed Fri evenings, Sat·Free

BYU Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum

Life science museum featuring taxodermied animals in their natural habitats. Very large collection of animals from all over the world, including unusual ones such as a liger (cross between a tiger and a lion), a giant grizzly bear, and a huge elephant named Humphrey. Public shows, which usually include live animals, offered weekdays at 7:30PM and Saturdays at 1PM and 3PM, in the atrium. Children's classes for ages 5-12 ("Saturday Safari") offered on Saturdays in the summer.

Mon-Fri 10AM-·Free

BYU Museum of Art

Museum of art featuring rotating, world-class exhibits, in addition to a permanent collection. Audioguides and docent-led tours available. The Museum Cafe offers lunch onsite (11:30AM-2PM). Next door is the Harris Fine Arts Center, which features galleries of student art. Close by is also the Harold B. Lee Library, which features art and historical exhibits on the 1st and 3rd floors.

Mon-Wed Fri 10AM-6PM, Thu 10AM-9PM, Sat noon-5PM·Free

BYU Museum of Paleontology

Small but well-kept museum featuring dinosaur fossils, including a top-rated Jurassic Period exhibit. The fossils in this museum were previously kept in storage beneath the football stadium.

9AM-5PM·Free

BYU Museum of Peoples and Cultures

Very small but award-winning museum focusing on cultural anthropology. Regularly features exhibits about Native American cultures, but also features other cultures.

Sep-Apr: Mon Wed Fri 9AM-5PM, Tue Thu 9AM-7PM; May-Aug: Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM·Free

BYU Planetarium

Planetarium offering shows for the public. Reservations may be made online. (Campus map).

Mon-Sat 7PM, 8PM·$2/person

Bombay House

Authentic Indian restaurant in downtown Provo, started by a BYU student from India. Well known for its naan and lassis.

Mon-Sat 4PM-10PM·$10-20

Brick Oven

Brick Oven has been a staple of BYU students and Utah County residents for decades. Known for their pizza and homemade rootbeer. Located near BYU campus.

Mon-Thu 10:30AM-10PM, Fri Sat 10:30AM-11PM·$5-15

Bridal Veil Falls

waterfall in Provo Canyon that is popular with cyclers and hikers. The waterfall is viewable from the road and a viewing station. A short bike/walking trail leads to the bottom of the falls. The middle level of the falls can be reached via a short but steep trail.

Brigham Young University (BYU)

Visit Brigham Young University campus. (Campus map) Begin at the Visitors' Desk in the Hinckley Center (North Campus Drive) for an overview and for a guided golfcart tour, if desired. Art galleries at the Museum of Art and Harris Fine Arts Center. Education in Zion exhibit at the Joseph Fielding Smith Building, and other exhibits and events at the Harold B. Lee Library. Food and venues at the Wilkinson Student Center, where the BYU Bookstore is located.

Mon-Fri 8AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-3PM·Free

Burgers Supreme

A locally owned burger restaurant that offers more than just burgers. They also have all sorts of sandwiches, salads, ice cream, and sides like "Zucchini Stix" and taquitos.

Mon-Thu 10:30AM-10:30PM, Fri Sat 10:30AM-11PM·$5-10

ComedySportz

Interactive live comedy show downtown since 1999. Schedule of shows and tickets available at their website. Some shows not open for reservation. Family appropriate.

$4-10/adult, $4-5/child

Covey Center for the Arts

Plays, concerts, events, and an art gallery downtown. Check the website for the schedule and tickets.

Ticket office: Mon-Thu 10AM-6PM, Fri 10AM-2PM

Deseret Industries

The ultimate thrift store. You can buy anything here: clothes, kitchenware, books, knickknacks, electronics. The place is a ginormus gold mine. The store is also a vocational rehabilitation facility and donates some items to humanitarian causes around the world.

Mon 10AM-6PM, Tue-Sat 10AM-9PM

Downtown

Incredible collection of historic architecture, and an eclectic mix of restaurants and shops. Downtown Provo is also home to several major employers, including NuSkin International. The LDS Church has converted a historic burned-out Tabernacle to a LDS Temple (see separate listing below).

Anytime·Free

Fat Cats

Bowling alley and game center, including traditional arcade games and billiards. Attached to the alley is Costa Vida, a Mexican restaurant.

Mon-Thu 9AM-midnight, Fri Sat 9AM-1AM·$3-4/adult, $3/child

Guru's

Chic and creative cafe serving breakfast, sandwiches, salads, wraps and pasta. Often offers live music in the evenings.

Mon-Thu 8AM-9PM, Thu-Sat 8AM-10PM; breakfast served Mon-Fri 8AM-11AM, Sat 8AM-1PM·$5-10

Hike the 'Y'

A giant concrete Y towers over Provo from "Y Mountain." The zigzagging hike to the Y is relatively easy and takes most people about 45 minutes each way (although if those recently at lower elevations may wish to plan on more time). Once at the Y, you have a lovely view over Utah Valley and Utah Lake. (Another trail leads south from the Y to the peak of Y Mountain.) The hike itself is exposed with little shade, so plan accordingly when hot. The trail is particularly popular with BYU students. Facilities available at trailhead.

J-Dawgs

It used to be a hotdog stand on the corner. J-Dawgs has expanded to its own restaurant and offers gourmet hotdogs. Known for its Polish hotdogs and "special sauce." Very popular with BYU students.

Mon-Sat 1AM-9PM·$5

Kneader's

Bakery offering sandwiches and treats. Known for its all-you-can eat cinnamon French toast and sourdough pancakes.

Mon-Sat 7AM-10PM; breakfast served 7AM-11AM·$5-10

La Dolce Vita

Family-owned Italian restaurant operating in Provo since 1984. Featuring Napoli (Naples) cuisine.

Mon-Fri 11AM-10PM, Sat noon-10PM·$10-20

Macey's

Although Macey's is a grocery store, they serve huge soft-serve cones for a very cheap price. When you walk in, head back to the right towards the bakery/deli and order your ice cream at the counter.

Mon–Sat all day

Mount Timpanogos

Located to the north of Provo, Mount Timpanogos is a very prominent and well-known landmark across the Wasatch Range. It rises to an impressive elevation of 11,752 ft (3,582 m). It is the location of one of the few permanent snowfields in Utah, and is also the location of several breathtaking, scenic, and popular hikes.

Museum of Mormon History of the Americas

formerly Museum of Mormon Mexican History

Small extension of the Museo de Historia del Mormonismo en Mexico. Covers history of the Mormons in Mexico, mostly through replicas of period newspapers in Spanish and English, but a few relics are included. Worth it to see the old church relics and original copies of the Book of Mormon in Spanish, but otherwise probably only interesting for those particularly interested in Mormons and Mexico. Not recommended for children.

Tue-Fri 2-7PM, Sat 10AM-6PM·Free

Nicolitalia Pizzeria

One of the many pizzerias in Provo. Owned by a guy from Arlington, MA (you can ask him to call out your order in his Boston accent).

Mon-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM·$5-10

Provo City Center Temple (LDS)

The Mormon temple, dedicated in March 2016, is located in downtown Provo. The site used to house the Provo Tabernacle, a combined meeting house and community center built in 1898, but a 2010 fire destroyed the interior and roof, with only the outer walls left standing. The LDS Church chose to preserve the outer walls, restore the original exterior, and convert the interior into the city's second temple. As with all LDS temples, only church members with "temple recommends" are allowed inside the temple, but the surrounding grounds are open to all.

Free

Provo Pioneer Museum & Pioneer Village

Large collection of pioneer artifacts and history. Museum run by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP). Recreated Pioneer Village next door run by the Sons of Utah Pioneers (SUP) (Jun-Aug: M 5-8PM, Tu-F 4-7PM, Sa 1-4PM).

Jun-Sep: Tue-Sat 1-4PM; Sep-Oct: WFSa 1AM-4PM; Mar-Jun: WFSa1-4PM·Free