Play Pt. 2 

BEST DOG-WALKING Readers’ Choice
ntttTanner Park
nttThe park itself is pleasant enough, tucked back against the east side I-215 belt route with a clearly marked path. But the real appeal is the proximity to Parley’s Historic Nature Park and its winding trails for off-leash strolling with your four-legged friend. You’ll always find a stash of plastic bags to pick up your pup’s business, and conveniently placed “poop pipes” for you to store said refuse (temporarily) while you hike along. You’ll enjoy the views; your furry companion will love the freedom.2760 S. 2700 East
nt2. Mill Creek Canyon
nt3. City Creek

BEST SKIING Readers’ Choice
ntttAlta
nttIf you love to ski, then you must love Alta. And by that we mean ski, not board. (Keep in mind, Snowbird, which does allow boarders, is just a few minutes down the hill, so boarders can always meet up with their skiin’ buddies later for drinks.) With no boarders allowed, skiers have all 2,200 acres to themselves. The variety of terrain allows skiers of all levels to find the perfect run. Also, Alta offers the Ski Free After 3 Program, which grants free access to the Sunnyside lift and tow ropes until close. This resort continues to be a local favorite with its powdery snow and low ticket prices without skimping on quality. Highway 210, Little Cottonwood Canyon, 359-1078, Alta.com
nt2. Snowbird
nt3. Brighton

BEST DAY SPA Readers’ Choice
ntttThe Kura Door
nttMake a note to your honey: You want'make that need'some pampering, Japanese style. You need to soak in an ofuro tub while wind flutes carry you away. Then you want a 60-minute Kura massage, perfect to prepare you for a green-tea-and-ginger-sea-enzyme body wrap. After your Arcona enzyme facial (of the famed L.A. Arcona Studio, known for its use of fruit and wine enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and active botanicals) and a warm buttermilk-and-brown-sugar pedicure, you should be ready for your botanical body waxing. By day’s end, you will be turning Japanese, we really think so.1136 E. Third Ave., 364-2400, TheKuraDoor.com
nt2. Breathe Day Spa
nt3. Sego Lily

BEST TRAILBLAZERS IN PRICE
ntttPrice Area Singletrack Society
nttBetween 2002 and 2004, Fuzzy and Dondra Nance and the Price Area Singletrack Society (PASS) built more than 70 miles of trails on Wood Hill in the Price area (FYI, a single track is 24 inches wide or less). Since then, more than 200 mountain bikers have stopped in Price to ride. The International Mountain Biking Association Subaru trail crew will be in Price April 20-22 to design and build up to 20 additional miles of track in the same area. Committed to making Price a mountain-biking destination, PASS has posted maps of the Bookcliffs Trail System posted on Utah Mountain Biking and Trail Finder Websites.groups.msn.com/PriceAreaSingletrackSociety

BEST ADVENTURE IN EDUCATION
ntttCollege of Eastern Utah
nttAlready with the lowest tuition in the state, in 2007-08, the College of Eastern Utah will be the only Utah college not to increase its second-tier (institutional) tuition or fees. You can take your first two years of classes (transferable to any Utah university) and use the extra money for classes in biking, mountaineering and river guiding. If adventure is your game, CEU’s outdoor recreation program (CE.CEU.edu) will teach you how to shoot a gun, tie a fly, climb a mountain, ride a horse, float the Green River, bike into the San Rafael, kayak Labyrinth Canyon or explore the ancient civilization at Range Creek. … You know, the lessons we really want in life.451 E. 400 North, Price, 435-613-5000, CEU.edu

BEST LUNCHTIME HIKE
ntttCity Creek Park
nttA five-minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City, the pleasures of City Creek are simply too numerous to do justice. The colors of the flowers, shrubbery and trees, the sounds of the creek, the joy of dogs scampering around the paths, the neighborly way strollers and hikers greet each other. What better way to pass a lunch than taking sandwiches up to the creek and letting nature caress you with the healing sight of woodlands and an eternal variety of greens, yellows and oranges? North Temple and State Street

BEST LONG-DURATION GEEKS
ntttIntermountain Silent Flyers
nttLongest flight duration that is. The Intermountain Silent Flyers (IMSF) is the Utah branch of a 25-year-old national hobby club. The club attracts techno types with diverse backgrounds. Holding their transmitters high to block the sun’s glare and never removing their gaze from their motorless gliders, they dialog a unique language: “nice zoom,” “specked out,” “boomer,” “dorked landing,” “big sink,” “hat sucker,” “tight core,” “positive air” and “spot landing.” They host national events held at “The Point,” “Francis Peak” and designated flying fields. Spectators are always welcome, so check it out if you’re not Soar afraid. SilentFlyer.org

BEST PLACE TO WATCH 10,000 SNOW GEESE TAKE FLIGHT
ntttDelta Snow Goose Festival
nttThe end of winter is nigh when migratory birds start heading north again. And at the end of February and beginning of March, a whole mess of them gather in the waters between Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area and Delta, Utah, as a stopover on their 3,000 mile journey. Thousands of geese gather and take to the air en masse, the collective honk sounding like a Los Angeles freeway during rush hour.millardcounty.com/pr02.html

BEST ROPES COURSE CLASS
ntttRopes Course
ntt“Team-building” can be nothing but a bunch of corporate jargon'but it can be presented in a gorgeous setting, with plenty of flair. This largest-in-Utah course along the Provo River offers dozens of activities, from simple ground-based games to zip lines and climbing towers. Your group can work together, play together and experience quite an eventful day together. 3606 W. Center, Provo, 801-373-8897, ClasRopes.com

BEST CORPSE COURSE
ntttMortuary Sciences 1010 at Salt Lake Community College
nttThere are few jobs with as much security as mortician, yet for some reason, training for the trade has been notably absent in Utah higher education. That changed in fall 2006, when Salt Lake Community College began offering the state’s first mortuary sciences course at its Redwood Road campus. Instructor Shannon Warenski presented the Egyptian roots of funeral preparation, addressed embalming techniques and made sure students had a foundation in the ethics of the business. As Utah’s population increases and ages, it’s good to be prepared for a growth industry. 4600 S. Redwood Road, 957-4111, slcc.edu

BEST BIRDER’S EDUCATION
ntttBear River Bird Refuge Wildlife Education Center
nttBrigham City’s Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge has long been a favored destination for bird-watchers keen on spying everything from ducks and geese to avocets and tundra swans. But it became an even more exciting place last year with the completion of the new Wildlife Education Center. Its 28,000 square feet include research facilities, an auditorium and many vibrant, interactive exhibits to teach visitors about the feathered fauna who pass through. You’ll know more about the Great Salt Lake wetlands than you ever thought possible. 2155 W. Forrest St., Brigham City, 435-723-5887, fws.gov/BearRiver

BEST HOOPS-WATCHING BARGAIN
ntttRocky Mountain Revue
nttLeave your mega-contract superstar complacency at the door'this is where the guys who are still hungry hang out. Salt Lake Valley residents get a unique opportunity every July to watch draft picks, free agents and other young prospects compete in the Rocky Mountain Revue. An $8 adult ticket gives you a chance to watch NBA-caliber athletes for the cost of a Friday night movie. Throw in a 2006 promotion that allowed attendees to get two free tickets for a November home Jazz game, and it was the best basketball deal in town. UtahJazz.com

BEST MONUMENT VALLEY MOVIE HISTORY LESSON
ntttGoulding’s Lodge
nttThe vintage Westerns of the 1940s and ’50s made Utah’s Monument Valley the cinematic embodiment of the Old West. And who introduced legendary director John Ford to the region? Utahn Harry Goulding, whose descendents still operate his namesake lodgings. Visitors can check out John Wayne movie sets, examine movie memorabilia and take one of the area’s trademark films back to your in-room VCR. You’ll feel like you’ve walked in The Duke’s footsteps. Route 163, Monument Valley, 435-727-3231, Gouldings.com

BEST PLAY-STUDY OPPORTUNITY
ntttWestminster College “Winter at Westminster”
nttOxford? Paris? Barcelona? That’s “study abroad” for suckers. Collegiate ski bums nationwide are making their way to Westminster College to take advantage of a winter program that allows students to take regular college courses and enjoy lectures on the outdoor sporting industry, all while getting perks like special early-tram priority at Snowbird. And classes are only scheduled Monday through Thursday, making every weekend a three-day weekend on the slopes. 1840 S. 1300 East, 484-7651, WestminsterCollege.edu/snow

BEST FLEXIBLE BILINGUAL CLASSES
ntttIngles Para Latinos
nttYes, English-first advocates, it’s always sooo easy for an immigrant working three jobs to sign up for a class to learn a second language. Well, it’s getting easier. As with this innovative program, Spanish-speakers looking to learn English can take as many as nine different sessions per week'at any of a variety of midday, evening and even weekend time slots'for only $5 per week. It’s a unique opportunity for those with irregular schedules to stay with a program'and that’s something to cheer about in any language. 615 S. 300 East, 556-1763

BEST PLACE TO SEE LOCAL EX-COLLEGE FOOTBALL STARS PLAY FOR PAY
ntttUtah Blaze
nttFor years, if you wanted to follow the professional careers of former gridiron Utes and Cougars, you needed to hope they were on the network NFL games of the week. With last year’s debut of the Arena Football League Utah Blaze, you can see them up close and personal even after their eligibility expires. At press time, the 2007 Blaze roster boasts several players with local ties, including linemen Manaia Brown and Hans Olsen from BYU and ex-Utes Kautai Olevao, Jesse Boone, Garrett Smith and Clarence Lawson. It’s like supporting the home team times two. UtahBlaze.com

BEST YOUTH MAGIC INSTRUCTION
ntttDoug Roy’s Royal Academy of Magic
nttAs anyone who ever tried as a fourth-grader to make a coin disappear will tell you, kids love magic. But darn those pros and their “magicians’ code,” because it makes it awfully hard for interested youngsters to pick up tips from anything besides a book. Doug Roy offers four-week magic classes for kids ages 8-14, providing materials, the fundamentals of rope, card and coin tricks, and guidelines on how to give a good performance. Class locations and dates vary across the valley, but one is likely to materialize soon near you. 918-9140

BEST STREET PARTIERS
ntttMountain Town Stages
nttThis nonprofit group turns Park City’s Main Street into a Footloose, only with good music, for much of the summer, staging concerts that often end in fireworks on three stages on upper, middle and lower sections of Main Street, referred to by locals as the “strap-on extension.” In winter months, Mountain Town puts on shows at the Egyptian Theatre. It also hosts a singer/songwriter festival in May and acts as a support group for local musicians. 435-901-7664, MountainTownStages.com

BEST SUMMER CAMPFLY
ntttFreestyle
nttThis summer camp lets any Joe Q Public off the street use the 750,000 gallon Utah Olympic Park splash pool to perform back flips, spins or plain old belly flops with skis or snowboards strapped to their feet. It’s the same facility used to train Olympians, a pool at the bottom of synthetic ski jumps. The camp is open for beginners to experts, age 6 to 60. There is even an expert training program teaching freestyle aerials that might, someday, land your kid in the Winter Games. Those who just like to watch can take a picnic to the Olympic park on summer weekends and watch the real athletes practice. P.O. Box 682436, Park City, 435-658-2359, FlyFreestyle.com

BEST BOBSLED DRIVING LESSONS
ntttUtah Olympic Park
nttDuring the 2002 Winter Games, the crown prince of Monaco drove a four-man bobsled halfway down the Utah course, then flipped it over and rode on his head. Think you could do better? Then sign up for bobsled driving lessons taught by coaches from the U.S. national team. The Utah Olympic Park also offers winter camps for those who fantasize about piloting the luge (essentially a very fast sled) or the skeleton (like the luge, but you drive face first). Introductory camps start around $200. 3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City, 435-658-4200, OlyParks.com

BEST INDOOR BOULDERING
ntttThe Front
nttWhen you can’t get out to natural climbing spots, your year-round climbing spot is right around the corner. The climbing wall provides more than 10,000 square feet of climbing space, and with weekly changes to individual sections of the wall, the routes are always new. And if you just feel like training for your next climb, take advantage of the full-service weight room, aerobics equipment or yoga classes. First-timers or veterans will find a perfect reason to get on the rocks. 1450 S. 400 West, 466-7625, FrontSLC.com

BEST FLAT MOUNTAIN BIKING
ntttPark City
nttOnce you’ve ascended 4,000 feet (in a car), Park City is a novice biker’s dream. Paved trails trace the path of the highway from Snyderville all the way to Park City. Old rail lines converted to trails run from Park City to Heber. And interesting signs along the way educate about local history. Then there is the Mid-Mountain trail, an on-mountain path that lets bikers cruise along at around 8,000 feet from The Canyons all the way to Deer Valley. (Again, drive to a start point at the top of the mountain.)

BEST GYM/HEALTH CLUB Readers’ Choice
ntttGold’s Gym
nttGold’s Gym does its part to fulfill the American dream, offering members bright, shiny facilities that in certain locations stretch out like a massive airport hangar filled with new equipment and generous tubs of muscle powder. Utah residents have their choice of 19 locations, but Salt Lake City fitness enthusiasts swear by their chain’s Cardio Cinema, a darkened room with a screen projecting films while runners run, cyclists spin and elliptical users, um, elipticize. Other highlights include a kid zone, steam room and pool. Multiple locations, GoldsGym.com
nt2. 24 Hour Fitness
nt3. Xcel Fitness

BEST OGDEN HIKING TRAIL
ntttIndian Trail
nttAbove the Ogden River, Ogden city and the Great Salt Lake, through fir and spruce and wild flowers of clover and collomia runs, if not the best Ogden Canyon hiking, certainly its most popular hiking trail. The Indian Trail is all the better due to the fact that its 4.3-mile length is made essentially impassable to motorized vehicles and to most mountain bikers by virtue of its rock outcrops. Even the Shoshone Indians of past thought this was the best way to escape high water of old. For the Ogdenite’s ideal three- or four-hour hiking respite, find the Smokey Bear sign.Trailhead east of Ogden off 22nd Street

BEST SPINNING INSTRUCTORS
ntttSports Mall
nttThis expansive Murray health spa and gym could be deemed the best in any number of categories. Best gym for families? Check. Best gym to avoid Stallone types? Check. Best personal trainers and group instructors? Check. Best all-around facility? Check. But, one category stands out at the Sports Mall'its spinning instructors are the best around, the most informed, the friendliest and the most willing to teach you the right techniques while pushing you through a great workout. Herman, Jim, Evi, Judi, Linda, Elissa, Leslie, Peggy, Mark, Bobbi, Stan, Karlyn, Mike, Megan, Diana and Pierre'you’ll know them by the music they play during their dynamic and varied 50-minute workouts. Get a VO2 test (to best determine your aerobic capacities; critical for safe and effective spinning) from Sports Mall trainer and fitness expert Scott Browning and let your inner wheels turn and burn. 5445 S. 900 East, Murray, 261-3426

BEST LOW-COST LANGUAGE CLASSES
ntttSalt Lake Community Education
nttWhile the majority of the educated world has long been bilingual, Americans are famous as second-language laggards. You need not break the bank to end that trend. For as little as $50, you can learn all the Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese or even Russian and Arabic or ESL that a two-month, one-day-per week course can provide, courtesy of language classes through the Salt Lake City School District’s Salt Lake Community Education programs. Most classes are held early evenings and at local public schools in a neighborhood near you. Multiple locations, 578-8236 or 578-8275

BEST YOGA CLASSES Readers’ Choice
ntttCentered City Yoga
ntt If the only thing standing between you and yoga is a fear of vriksha-asana, ushtra-asana or any other seemingly unpronounceable, much less attainable pose, take heart'Centered City helps students enroll in classes suited for their individual strengths, abilities and intent. Bright and inviting, the downtown studio’s facilities will help you focus on the goal at hand, whether it concerns weight loss, stress management or simply the desire to feel like a kid again. The first class is free for Utah residents, as is every session of Amy Conn’s Quality of Life program for cancer survivors, fighters and their loved ones.918 E. 900 South, 521-9642, CenteredCityYoga.com
n2. Flow Yoga
n3. The Front Climbing Gym

BEST DEEP TISSUE MASSEUSE
ntttJulietta Hernandez
nttWhen Hernandez lays her hands on you, don’t expect to start talking in tongues or to begin jumping up and down after years of being bedridden. However, you can expect to swear just a little bit while the muscles you’ve been abusing by not using perform their own kind of liberating dance. If you need to be healed and pampered (yes, she has a kind streak), try her deep tissue massage. Thanks to her precise trigger point work, you can kiss any tension in your body goodbye. 533 S. 700 East, 799-4999 nn