Christie Porter

For this year’s 2023 Best of the Beehive, we are taking a look at what Utah is the best at compared to other—less best—places. Utah has been dubbed the happiest state, the nerdiest state, the most business-friendly state, etc., etc. This year, Utah also has the new distinction of being the best state. Period. It’s science. U.S. News & World Report ranked Utah as the best overall state, largely thanks to its high scores in the ranking’s categories of “Economics” and “Financial Stability.”  However, there are some categories where the Beehive State falls short. In those cases, we prefer to see it as…we’re the best at being the worst. 

The Best at Being Happy

Utah is ranked among the happiest states in the union, according to WalletHub, but not so much for our actual emotional and physical well-being. Rather, we scored high in the “Work Environment” and “Community & Environment” categories.

Places that bring us joy >>>

The Best at Inviting the Supernatural

Utah has something of a reputation for the unexplained and supernatural. Not only are our residents adept at magical thinking, but the Beehive State is reportedly home to some of the most haunted places in the country.

Top supernatural attractions >>>

The Best at Geeking Out

Utah is ranked as the nerdiest state—most recently by Zippia in 2022, which looked at our super geeky internet search history—earning supporting distinctions as well, like the state that plays the most Dungeons & Dragons.

Where to get your nerd on >>>

The Best at Shopping in Style

In the days where much of the shopping for home can be done from home, a place has to be pretty special to lure us outside. These home-design retailers aren’t just shops

They’re experiences >>>

The Best at Starting a Business

Utah is the most entrepreneurial state in the country, as found by a 2020 Seek Capital study. The study looked at factors like the growth of the working-age population, employment rates, business tax climate, cost of living and business survival rates.

Utah-bred businesses of note that have grown from cool local startups >>>

Best Adventures for Kids

Utah is the fastest growing state because we’re the best at having kids, but it takes a little extra planning if you’re traveling with the whole family.

Parent and adventure blogger Stephanie Reed of Salt Project has some tips for getting kids excited about outdoor adventures >>

The Best at Digging up Dinosaurs

We even have our own raptor named after us! Just as an example of our dinosaur discovery supremacy, more than 6,000 different fossils have been found at a single dig site in Emery County.

Top paleontological spots to visit >>>

The Best at Getting Outside

There is a lot that makes Utah’s outdoors remarkable, and having the highest concentration in the world of International Dark Sky Association-certified Dark Sky Parks is certainly one of them.

At 24 parks, there is no shortage of places to go outside at night and look up >>>

Wasatch Faults

Some things maybe we wish we weren’t the best at.

The dubious distinctions >>>

Want to find more Beehive favorites? Read our Best of the Beehive picks from 2022!

Utah is ranked among the happiest states in the union, according to WalletHub, but not so much for our actual emotional and physical well-being. Rather, we scored high in the “Work Environment” and “Community & Environment” categories. Places that bring us joy:

A stroll through the Urban Arts Gallery is never the same stroll twice. The Urban Arts Gallery is an alternative art gallery that features monthly rotating exhibitions of primarily local, contemporary, pop culture and, you guessed it, urban art. The current exhibition for July focuses on forms of sculpture with the theme “Dance With Depth,” and August’s theme is “Cosmic Currents,” inspired by astrology. The Gallery hosts a variety of community events, workshops and classes and also makes the work of local artists available to buy online.

Catching a Plan-B Theatre performance at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center is an experience. At Plan-B’s core are local playwrights and theatre professionals, helmed by Artistic Director Jerry Rapier, who embrace progressivism, inclusion, diversity and equality. Plan-B also has a delightfully subversive streak that challenges expectations, power and the status quo. For instance, the focus of the 2023-2024 season is the subversion of classic literature by amplifying the voices of femme and gender-fluid characters.

Catching a show at Kilby Court has always been high on the cool kids’ list of favorite haunts, but the main attraction is the much-anticipated annual Kilby Block Party. The music festival draws big names from the indie music scene (who might not deign visit Small Lake City otherwise) and stellar local musicians. It’s become the don’t-miss show of the season.

Sipping coffee and taking in the sights and sounds at Mestizo Coffeehouse & Art Gallery provides a little more tranquility and introspection than some of the other entries on this list. It’s an eclectic, community-driven space that not only has a tasty coffeehouse menu (people love the Mexican Mocha) but a fine arts gallery for underrepresented artists.

The Urban Arts Festival started with a small art competition that quickly outgrew its premise. “At the Urban Arts Gallery, we’d do an annual skate deck competition, and it became so big that we thought, why not do an event around it?” Kat Aleman is Utah Arts Alliance’s Manager of Marketing and Communications. She says the event, Urban Arts Festival, outgrew its initial expectations, too. “We asked ourselves, how else can we focus on skate and street and urban art culture? Over the years, it became this huge festival,” says Aleman. 

The Urban Arts Festival now takes over the Gateway in Salt Lake City every September, and it’s Utah’s largest free community art event, drawing an estimated 20,000 attendees and featuring 200 artists, performers and musicians. Among the core elements are local car club exhibitions and the annual Lowrider Hop Off. Of course, “It’s still the Urban Arts Gallery and the skate competition is a focal point of the festival,” says Aleman. 

The Urban Arts Festival is Sept. 2–3, 2023 at The Gateway, and it’s free and open to the public.

Utah has something of a reputation for the unexplained and supernatural. Not only are our residents adept at magical thinking, but the Beehive State is reportedly home to some of the most haunted places in the country. Top supernatural attractions:

Skinwalker Ranch is a paranormal hotspot in the Uintah Basin, itself rife with unexplained events—from UFO sightings to eerie animal encounters—and the subject of multiple investigations and books (we recommend The Utah UFO Display). While Skinwalker Ranch is not open to the public, you can catch all of the action on the HISTORY Channel show, The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. Blind Frog Ranch (blindfrogranchoutpost.com), another ranch in the Uintah Basin with a haunted history (and a TV show), offers paid tours. 

The West Desert ghost towns of Frisco and Ophir are echoes of Utah’s mining past. Once bustling hubs of silver and gold extraction, these eerie remnants now stand as haunting reminders of a bygone era. Wander through abandoned structures to uncover the faded stories of these forgotten towns.

Fielding Garr Ranch at Antelope Island State Park is a meticulously preserved homestead from the time of pioneers. Explore the historic buildings and structures—including the cemetery—while immersing yourself in the stunning natural beauty of Antelope Island, from which you can visit Fremont Island where famed graverobber Jean Baptiste was exiled. 

You can explore the remnants of towering kilns, silos and the crumbling structures (where multiple workers are said to have met tragic ends) of the Portland Cement Works in Salt Lake City, which has since been converted into a haunted attraction—Fear Factory.

Utah is the most entrepreneurial state in the country, as found by a 2020 Seek Capital study. The study looked at factors like the growth of the working-age population, employment rates, business tax climate, cost of living and business survival rates. Utah-bred businesses of note that have grown from cool local startups:

The outdoor gear and apparel retailer, Backcountry.com, began as a passion project in a Park City garage, offering hard-to-find outdoor gear. Today, it has become a trusted online destination, providing adventurers with a wide range of high-quality products to fuel their outdoor pursuits. 

Blue Boutique started as a small lingerie store in Salt Lake City. Over the years, it evolved into a sophisticated and inclusive shop, offering a diverse range of adult products, while fostering a welcoming and empowering atmosphere for customers to… explore.

Entrepreneur Jeremy Andrus has left an indelible mark on the business world with his ventures. As CEO of Utah-based Skullcandy, he led the audio brand’s expansion into global markets, revolutionizing the headphone industry. He then revitalized Traeger, the iconic wood-fired grill company, propelling it to new heights.

Utah is the fastest growing state because we’re the best at having kids, but it takes a little extra planning if you’re traveling with the whole family. Parent and adventure blogger Stephanie Reed of Salt Project has some tips for getting kids excited about outdoor adventures:

Keep it short and sweet. Reed has a list of 88 Utah hikes for young kids on Salt Project. “These are tried and true favorites from our own family and, yes, age 5 or younger did every one,” says Reed. 

Make it fun for everyone. Pack a special treat or go grab ice cream after.  

Stay close to home.  Living in Utah, you don’t have to go far for adventure. There is so much to do and see right here in our own backyard. 

Make it a priority. “Your kids are only young once and they don’t need any more toys,” says Reed. “They just need YOU. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Go make some memories today.” 

Need ideas? “This is one of my kids’ favorite adventures,” says Reed, pointing to a packed weekend with the kiddos through Southern Utah. “This is a great adventure for ages 10-plus, but littles can definitely join in the fun with some assistance and encouragement.” The adventure includes:

• Visiting the Saturday Market at Tuacahn
• Mural-hunting and lunch at Tacos Plaza in St. George
• Hiking Red Reef trail in Red Cliffs and Petrified Dunes Trail in Snow Canyon 
• Post-hike treat at Berries-n-Cream in St. George
• A guided UTV tour through Sand Hollow
• Grabbing a slice at Riggatti’s Pizza in St. George and Centro Woodfired Pizza in Cedar City

We even have our own raptor named after us! Just as an example of our dinosaur discovery supremacy, more than 6,000 different fossils have been found at a single dig site in Emery County. Top paleontological spots to visit:

Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, near Price, has the densest concentration of Jurassic-era dinosaur fossils in the world, according to the Bureau of Land Management. More than 12,000 bones, belonging to at least 74 individual dinosaurs have been excavated here, with many of them on display throughout various museums in Utah.

The Quarry Exhibit Hall is a true paleontological marvel nestled within Dinosaur National Monument. This site contains towering rock walls embedded with countless dinosaur bones.

Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park boasts life-size dinosaur sculptures that transport visitors to a world long extinct. Discover more than 100 species of prehistoric creatures while strolling along winding paths of interactive, educational and entertaining exhibits.

Stewards of Utah’s prehistoric past 

The Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) might be the best place to learn about Utah’s prehistoric past and one of the best places to get up close with some extraordinary fossils—short of making it out to a paleontological excavation site itself (but we’ll get to that, too). What sets NHMU’s fossil collection apart from other museums is its focus. “One thing I really love about our exhibits—they’re really focused on the fossil record of Utah and Intermountain West, so there are exhibits that you can only see in our museum,” says Randall Irmis, Ph.D., Curator of Paleontology and Head Curator at NHMU and Associate Professor of Geology at the University of Utah. 

Irmis and members of his department split their time between working in the museum or the lab and prospecting or excavating fossils in the field. “Utah is the best single state or province in North America for understanding Earth’s past,” says Irmis. What makes Utah one of the best places to discover dinosaurs? “Our geology and our climate,” says Irmis. Most fossils are found in sedimentary rock, which Utah has in abundance, and, because we are a desert, the rocks are exposed rather than covered in vegetation, “which makes it easier to find those fossils and why we have such an amazing fossil record.”

The fossils NHMU’s team excavates in the field might make it to the museum, but it takes a considerable amount of time and effort before the paleontologists are ready to reveal their findings to the public. 

“I hope, when people come to see what’s on display at the museum, they see how much Utah and the Intermountain West have changed over geologic time. It may be a high desert today, but, in the Late Cretaceous, it was a subtropical flood plain like Southern Louisiana.” And, at other times, Utah was covered in ocean. 

“There are so many amazing creatures from Earth’s past that draw the imagination, and Utah has become known for these weird and wonderful, extinct creatures. What’s so cool—whether you’re talking about dinosaurs, or soft-bodied animals that lived in the ocean—there are so many of these animals that we have the fossil record of. They’re not just something people dreamed up, these things existed.”

If you’re interested in volunteering with NHMU’s paleontology team, keep an eye on their website for calls for volunteers.