Provo



Provo, a city in the Wasatch Range region of the state of Utah in the United States of America, is known as a base for exploring the surrounding countryside and national parks. Approximately 90% of the residents are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon), compared to about 65% of the state as a whole. It is also the location of Brigham Young University, an LDS-owned university; the public Utah Valley University is located in the adjacent city of Orem.

Provo has a population of about 115,000 people, but the Provo-Orem metropolitan area that encompasses Utah Valley is home to over half a million people. Other cities in the valley are very accessible, especially Orem, which sits side-by-side with Provo. Because of Orem's proximity, visitors to Provo should also look at things to do in Orem, as well as places to eat and sleep, depending on their needs.

The, is in the Utah Valley Convention Center (220 W Center St, Suite 100, , M-F 8:30AM-5PM). Its website provides free maps, itineraries, and activity ideas for Provo and the rest of Utah Valley.

Understand
The LDS (Mormon) church dominates here, and many businesses (including some gas stations) are closed on Sunday. BYU students are not required to practise the Mormon faith, but are required to abide by the Mormon code of conduct (no premarital sex, no consumption of tea, coffee or alcohol) while enrolled at the university.

On BYU campus, nearly all campus services are closed Tuesdays between 11AM and noon due to weekly campus devotionals and forums.

The main area code in Provo is 801, but because the area served by 801 is also served by a second area code (385), the area code must be dialed along with the local number.

By plane
The most common way to get to Provo is to fly into Salt Lake City, and drive or catch a shuttle from the airport. The drive follows I-15 and usually takes between 45 minutes and an hour, but can take up to an hour and a half during heavy traffic; for better traffic conditions, travelers can take I-215 through the Salt Lake Valley until it connects to I-15, then take I-15 to Provo.

Allegiant Air offers twice-weekly flights between, and Mesa, Arizona.

By bus
You can take the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus and light rail system from northern Utah and Salt Lake City into Provo, but scheduling is limited. In addition to that, public transportation in Provo is mostly on a 30-minute or hourly schedule, although some routes have 15-minute service, so plan your transit schedule carefully.

Route 550 runs between the Salt Lake City airport parking garage and Salt Lake Central Station about every half-hour. From there, you can transfer to FrontRunner to get to Provo. Below are some options. For bus rides, always check the UTA website for detours and schedule changes. With the implementation of FrontRunner, express buses from Salt Lake City have been canceled.
 * Weekdays, you may take the southbound TRAX line to the Sandy City Transit Center. From here you may Transfer to the 811 Bus Route (Utah Valley Trax Connector) that will deliver you to the Lehi Intermodal Center. From there you may board the Southbound FrontRunner train to Provo. This option will take about two hours.

Greyhound also stops in Provo (124 N 300 W). Provo is a stop on the routes from Salt Lake, Las Vegas, and Grand Junction.

By train
Amtrak serves Provo with the California Zephyr, which runs daily between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago. The train platform (PRO) is at 600 S 300 W and has no services.

FrontRunner is a commuter rail service that connects Provo to major cities along the Wasatch Range, including; Orem, American Fork, Lehi, Draper, South Jordan, Murray, Salt Lake City, Woods Cross, Farmington, Layton, Clearfield, Roy, Ogden and Pleasant View. The train averages and the time from Provo to Salt Lake City is 55 minutes. Many stations are intermodal and connect to other Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus lines and Trax. The Fronrunner/UTA Intermodal station is located at 690 South Freedom Boulevard.

By car
I-15, which connects Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, runs through the western half of Provo. By car, Provo is about 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, 6 hours from Las Vegas, and 8 hours from Denver (on Highway 6/I-70). Take I-15 exit 263 for south Provo; exit 265 for downtown (east) or Utah Lake (west); exits 265 and 271 for north Provo and Riverwoods, via Orem; and exit 272 for Provo Canyon, via Orem.

There is heavy construction on I-15 as the freeway is being redeveloped. Slow down, watch for construction workers, and expect delays. From the north, taking State St (from exit 279) through American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Lindon, and Orem is often (but not always) a viable surface-street alternative to the freeway.

Get around
UTA operates a bus system throughout parts of Provo and Orem, but service in the rest of Utah County is sparse when compared to Salt Lake County. New cycling paths are being built throughout the city. Cars are the main method of transportation. Parking is generally easy to find except on the Brigham Young University campus (although permit parking generally opens up to the public in the evenings).

Car rentals are available at the Salt Lake City airport and in various places in Provo. Several car rental agencies are listed here.

The majority of Provo's streets follow a grid layout. The city limits between Provo and Orem are often unmarked and unclear. When following directions and finding addresses, take care that you are in the correct city. Many newer road signs indicate the city next to the street address. Also, there are two major streets named "University": University Avenue, which runs through Provo from north to south, and University Parkway (often called simply "Parkway" or the "Diagonal") which runs through both Provo and Orem.

See










Do






Eat
Listed below are notable restaurants within Provo city limits, but there are many good restaurants in Orem that are easily accessible.

Treats
As a college town, Provo has a large number of places to get family and "date night" treats. In addition to the standard chains (Coldstone, Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen, Jamba Juice), here are some local favorites.



Go next

 * Orem and other cities in Utah Valley, which have a number of interesting sites, including several Daughters of the Utah Pioneers museums, the Springville Museum of Art, and the Hare Krishna Lotus Temple in Spanish Fork.
 * Park City, home of the Sundance Film Festival.
 * Provo Canyon and Heber Valley, including Deer Creek Reservoir, the Heber Valley Railroad and Heber Valley CAF/Aero Museum in Heber City, skiing at Sundance Resort, and hiking in Wasatch Mountain State Park.
 * Salt Lake City and other cities along the Wasatch Range. Many of these towns also have rich pioneer heritage.
 * Timpanogos Cave National Monument, located along Highway 92 in American Fork Canyon. This national monument offers a strenuous but scenic hike to an impressive cave featuring myriad formations. Entrance to the cave is possible only on a ranger-led walk, with two options available: an off-trail spelunking tour and an on-trail tour through the cave's most scenic rooms.
 * Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn State Park in Fairfield.