So you’re coming downtown for the Chalk Art Festival — well let’s make a whole day of it!

Coming downtown is easy. You can drive, of course — but if you don’t want to wrestle with parking, then you should consider taking TRAX or Frontrunner. TRAX has stations close to State Street all the way down to 10000 South, in Sandy — and once you get out of downtown, they’ve all got free parking lots. If you’re coming from the north, consider hopping on the Frontrunner — the kids will love it, and they’ve got group rates!

More info on TRAX
More info on FrontRunner

Of couse, if you decide to drive, The Gateway has paid parking available.

Once you’re downtown, make the most of your trip! Consider starting your day at the Downtown Farmers Market, which runs from 8am to 1pm on Saturday in Pioneer Park — a short 800 feet south of the Gateway.

Of course, there’s plenty to do at the Gateway! There’s Discovery Gateway and the Planetarium … there’s the movie theatres and did I mention the shopping?

And when you get hungry, there are plenty of options — including Festival sponsors Thaifoon, California Pizza Kitchen, and Flemings.

But the best thing about coming downtown is that you’re not stuck in any one place … TRAX is free downtown, from Gateway all the way to the City Library (an architectural gem, worth the detour, just for the views!). So gather up the kiddies and trot out to 400 West. There’s a TRAX station right there. Climb aboard a train (there’s one about every 7 minutes) heading NORTH. You can hop off at the Temple Square station to see the sights or check out the City Creek building projects — most of them nearly complete! Or wait two more stops and hop off at Gallivan Plaza station and grab a bite to eat at some of the best eateries in the state. If the kids are driving the menu chioces, you can’t go wrong with Rich’s Burgers! If the grown-ups have a say, you should really check out Eva or The Atlantic. All three choices are pocketbook friendly.

If you’re going to City Library, be sure you’re on a UNIVERSITY line train. There’s the library, of course, and a few wonderful shops on the plaza — including a wonderful comic book store (my favorite)!

So there you go! Come on down to the Festival and make a day of it!

( Need more ideas? Check out Visit Salt Lake! )