City Cast Salt Lake podcast host Ali Vallarta here. I am on a journey to visit all 511 parks in Salt Lake County, and I’m sharing stellar finds along the way.
Your classic park is a field with some courts of sorts. But Salt Lake parks are equipped for so much more. Here are some delightful, less common hobbies you can take up for free.
🛬 Model Airplanes
In 2016, the Salt Lake City Parks Department opened a model plane airport with a 550-foot runway, a remote control airplane and helicopter flyer’s dream. For those of us who saw season two of “The Rehearsal” and want to stay outside the aircraft for now, the Ute RC Association can get you set up.
Can you spot the cricket pitch? (Ali Vallarta/City Cast Salt Lake)
🏏 Cricket
Cricket is finally gaining popularity in the U.S., despite being second only to soccer in global popularity. You’ll find Samoan and British pitches at Southridge Park in Taylorsville, and British pitches at Rosewood and 11th Avenue Parks in SLC and Lodestone Park in Kearns. Check out the Utah Cricket Association.
🪂 Hang Gliding at Flight Park
Flight Park in Draper attracts hang gliders and paragliders from around the world. Once the shore of Lake Bonneville, this is where the mountains meet consistent north winds to create lifting air. Flying is not a cheap hobby, but POTM Paragliding will teach you!
A remote control excavator’s dream at Centennial Park. (Ali Vallarta/City Cast Salt Lake)
🛻 RC Crawlers
The course for remote control crawlers at Centennial Park in West Valley is pretty dreamy. If I were gonna get into it, I’d have to go with the FTX Utah edition.
