Jump in your car from our office right in the airport complex and you’re only a short drive from Salt Lake City itself. The airport is only about seven miles west of the city – simply follow the exits and drive east on the I-80 (Interstate 80) to be in the heart of the town in just over 10 minutes.

The main difference to remember is that you’ll be in left-hand drive cars, driving on the right-hand side of the road and passing other cars on the left. One other significant difference is that in the US you can make right turns on red lights at intersections, as long as the way is clear. Other than that, most driving laws are similar and common sense. Speed limits in the state vary by road type and will be clearly signposted. On interstate, the top limit is usually 75mph, but there are some 80mph stretches. In cities and towns, the limit will drop to 30mph.

Salt Lake City and the International Airport are both in the northern part of Utah, with interstates the best way to get out and explore the rest of the state. With lots of desert here, there aren’t many minor roads. The I-80, as well as linking you with ‘SLC’, as the locals call it, continues north-east on into Wyoming, or west into Nevada. You can also link up with the I-15 for the far north of Utah and Idaho, or head into the south-west of the state towards Fishlake National Forest and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

If you’re staying in Salt Lake City, it has a grid-based street naming system that makes finding your bearings simple. Temple Square is the very centre of the city, and streets are named north, west, east and south in relation to it.

Salt Lake City is world renowned as the headquarters of the Mormon Church. So, aside from touring the neo-classical grandeur of the buildings at Capitol Hill, expect to see all the churches and landmarks to do with the history of this religion. What you’ll also find is a relaxed and chilled feeling to the city that makes it similar to Austin in Texas, or Oregon’s Portland. Great coffee shops, people packing for winter sports, quirky museums and superb food markets. And beyond that, the rugged beauty of Utah awaits.

A peek at the past

While Salt Lake City has all the modern trappings you’d expect – great shopping, cutting-edge museums, independent cafes and coffee roasters – it also does a great job of preserving the history of when it was a new settlement. Head for Wheeler Historic Farm, here since 1886 and a great place to take children. They can feed the animals and try their hands at milking cows, while there are displays and even hay rides. Go even further back in time at the Museum of Ancient Life, with its dinosaur exhibits. However, the very best fossils are to be found at the fabulous Natural History Museum, home to one of the best dinosaur collections in the world.

Head for the hills

The fresh, clear views and snowy peaks – depending on the season – draw people from across the world to Salt Lake City. Pack your skis if you come in winter, but there are lovely walks to be had all year round. Park up and explore Ensign Peak, a steep but short distance from the city. It’s the place where the city and Mormon church’s founder, Brigham Young, planned the layout of the town. Other hikes will reward you with views you’ll never forget – such as to Grandeur Peak, Mount Timpanogos and to Lake Blanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Peaks and points

One of the joys of car hire from Salt Lake City Airport is that you can venture out to see more of Utah. You’ll be greeted by an unforgettable landscape of red rocks, peaks tipped with the whitest snow and plunging canyons.

In the south of the state, after a drive that will show off Utah’s nature at its very best, you’ll find the haunting, eerie Bryce Canyon National Park. Its famed for its ‘Hoodoos’, the towering, teetering pillars of stone left after erosion. They’re made up rocks of remarkable hues, while the swathes of evergreen forest provide a verdant contrast. There are four viewpoints which afford the best vistas – Inspiration Point, Bryce Point, Sunset Point and Sunrise Point. Time your visit at the latter two and have your camera ready to capture the blissful rise or fall of the sun.