13 Ways Living in Utah Ruins You For Life

Living in Utah is a unique experience – our state is definitely like no other. Utah has the most beautiful scenery in the world, but that’s not all. Living here will ruin you for ever living anywhere else…here are just 13 ways in which that’s true.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/

1. Easy access to hiking. Jen M./flickr Want to go on a hike, surrounded by stunning scenery? In most parts of our state, you can be on the trail in less than 20 minutes. 2. Utah loves kids. Torrey Wiley/flickr Kids are loved and appreciated just about everywhere they go in our state. Not only do we have tons of kid-centric venues, our kids are also welcome in almost every restaurant in Utah. 3. Utahns enjoy cultural and fine arts inexpensively. Utah Symphony/Facebook No matter where you live in Utah, you have access to plays, musicals, music concerts and find art museums. The best part? It’s available at a budget-friendly price! Even our world-class Utah Symphony tickets are affordable, especially when compared to those in other cities. 4. Parking is plentiful. Edgar Zumiga Jr/flickr Utahns are definitely spoiled when it comes to parking. Even in Salt Lake, we have tons of access to free or inexpensive parking. Try finding a parking spot in Chicago, San Francisco or New York...and if you can find one, be prepared to pay $30 to park! 5. Our snow is unrivaled. michael g. halle/flickr The snow really IS better here. Try skiing/boarding elsewhere and you’ll know it’s true. 6. Utah has a low crime rate. Nate Grigg/flickr Utah’s crime rate is amongst the lowest in the nation. 7. Once you’ve lived in Utah, you’ll never enjoy French fries the same way again. Dyana/flickr Try asking for “fry sauce” in Texas and see the strange looks you get. 8. We have absolutely amazing mountains. Garrett/flickr And, if you live in many spots in Utah you don’t have to drive for hours to see them — you can just look out your window. 9. Entrepreneurship is strong in Utah. Foodlander/flickr Utahns are do-it-your-selfers, and love to run their own businesses. Our state is small-business friendly. And, if you’re a consumer, you’ll find plenty of small businesses to visit (don’t miss the SLC Farmers Market this summer!). 10. Our red-rock country is gorgeous — a great place for fun, recreation and relaxation. Steve Corey/flickr Places this beautiful abound in our state. 11. Utah tomatoes are the best in the country. Jessica Spengler/flickr Sure, other places have tomatoes, but they’re not the same. 12. People in Utah own homes. Photo Dean/flickr Our rates of homeownership are high in Utah, due to relatively affordable housing opportunities. If you move to some other parts of the country, you may have a hard time buying a house. 13. Utahns are the nicest, friendliest people. Flickr/Thomas Hawk You’ll be hard-pressed to move to another state and find better people. It’s true...living in Utah has spoiled us for anywhere else.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Utah? Tell us in the comments!