I have been maintaining this list for over 10 years because I love being able to take my family and do things for cheap or free – especially with how expensive everything has become. There are so many different places all over Utah to visit, so I tried to include as many as I could. If you know of any others, please leave a comment or email me at lovebugsandpostcards@ gmail.com.
This list of discounted and free admission days in Utah includes Hogle Zoo, Thanksgiving Point, Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, Red Butte Gardens, and so many more. I work to update the list regularly throughout the year. Let me know which one of these free admission days in Utah is your favorite.
Last Updated: 11/2/25
Discounted and FREE admission days in Utah
- Hogle Zoo (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Wild Wednesdays at Hogle Zoo are on the last Wednesday of the month.
- November 26, 2025
- December 31, 2025
- January 28, 2026
- February 25, 2026.
- Buy your tickets online for $6/person, or at the gate for $8/person. 2 and under are free.
- More information https://www.hoglezoo.org
- Wild Wednesdays at Hogle Zoo are on the last Wednesday of the month.
- The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (Draper, Utah)
- They are doing a $2 discounted ticket day on September 8, 2025.
- More information https://livingplanetaquarium.org
- Utah Museum of Fine Arts (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Admission is free on the first Wednesday and the third Saturday of the month.
- More information https://umfa.utah.edu
- Red Butte Garden (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Free Admission Days at Red Butte Garden for 2025:
- Arbor Day – Friday, April 25, 2025
- Pioneer Day – Monday, July 24, 2025
- Labor Day – Monday, September 1, 2025
- Zeke Dumke, Jr. Day – Monday, October 6, 2025
- Annual Gift Shop Holiday Sale – Saturday & Sunday, December 6th & 7th, 2025
- More Information: https://redbuttegarden.org
- Free Admission Days at Red Butte Garden for 2025:
- Clark Planetarium (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- The Clark Planetarium is free to explore. There are some paid features, but most are still inexpensive.
- Free Admission
- More Information: https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/clark-planetarium
- National Parks FREE Admission + free 1-year National Park Pass
- Most of the National Parks are free. Some require passes, and may require reservations as well.
- National Parks free days 2025:
- January 9: National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter Jr.
- January 20: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- April 19: First day of National Park Week
- June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
- August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- September 27: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
- More information: https://www.nps.gov
- Lights at Temple Square (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- The Lights at Temple Square turn on the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and remain on until January 1.
- Free Admission
- More information: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org
- Weber County RAMP Free Days (Ogden, Utah)
- Free admission to several different activities in Weber County, including:
- Ogden Dinosaur Park
- Pools and Aquatic Centers
- Crossroads of the West Ropes Course Challenge
- Treehouse Children’s Museum
- Ogden Nature Center
- More Information: https://www.webercountyutah.gov/County_Commission/ramp
- Free admission to several different activities in Weber County, including:
- Gardner Village (West Jordan, Utah)
- Open (almost) year-round
- Seasonal decor/events for Halloween and Christmas
- More information: https://www.gardnervillage.com
- Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum (Provo, Utah)
- This is a free museum.
- Public exhibits and educational programs are offered.
- More Information: https://mlbean.byu.edu
- There are four other FREE museums close to here and maintained by BYU.
- Hill Aerospace Museum (Layton, Utah)
- The museum is open from 9 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
- Admission is FREE
- More Information: https://www.aerospaceutah.org
- Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum (Price, Utah)
- Free on Thursdays from 4:00-7:00 pm
- FREE ADMISSION TO THE USUEASTERN PREHISTORIC MUSEUM:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- President’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Pioneer Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Day after Thanksgiving
- Day after Christmas
- More Information: https://eastern.usu.edu/prehistoric-museum
- Peery’s Egyptian Theater (Ogden, Utah)
- Free Admission to Peery’s Egyptian Theater:
- Code Blue Revival – the Songs of Simon & Garfunkel – 11/03/25
- More Information https://www.ogdenpet.com
- Free Admission to Peery’s Egyptian Theater:
- Provo Pioneer Village (Provo, Utah)
- Admission is FREE–Donations are gladly accepted
- Check their Calendar for Hours
- More Information: http://www.provopioneervillage.org
- Conservation Garden Park (West Jordan, Utah)
- Admission is free. You can see open dates/times on their site.
- More Information: https://conservationgardenpark.org
- Thanksgiving Point (Lehi, Utah)
- Thanksgiving Point has five different venues. The Museum of Natural Curiosity, Museum of Ancient Life, Farm Country, Ashton Gardens, and the Butterfly Biosphere.
- $2 Tuesdays in August 2025
- More Information: https://thanksgivingpoint.org
- The Hutchings Museum (Lehi, Utah)
- Admission is free for veterans & military
- Tickets are only $4-$5/person
- More information: https://johnhutchingsmuseum.org/visit
- Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park (Ogden, Utah)
- Dinosaur Park is an exciting collection of creatures from prehistoric crawlers to predators and even flying reptiles. More than one hundred dinosaur sculptures fill the park. These realistic full-sized sculptures are based on actual fossil skeletons and are brought to life by robotics, artistic details, and state-of-the-art sound systems.
- There is free admission on the following days thanks to Weber County RAMP:
- June 10, 2023
- July 8, 2023
- See upcoming events here: https://www.dinosaurpark.org
- Memory Grove Park (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Free Admission
- More Information: https://www.slc.gov/parks/parks-division/memory-grove
- Liberty Park (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Features include playgrounds, splash pad, tennis courts, volleyball courts, jogging/walking paths, bocce ball courts, a gazebo, a pavilion with grills and power, a swimming pool, horseshoes, grills with tables, and more.
- Learn more here: https://www.slc.gov/parks/parks-division/liberty-park
- City Creek Center (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- City Creek Center is a mall with fun walkways, ponds, streams, a splash pad and so much more! Partially inside, partially outside, and right across from Temple Square in Downtown Salt Lake City. This is a fun place to stop and enjoy some time with any age.
- Learn more here: https://shopcitycreekcenter.com
- The Gateway (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Lights On! Holiday Lighting Event 11/22/25
- Last Hurrah! New Years Even event 12/31/25
- Winter After Dark Art Stroll 11/21/25, 12/5/25, 1/16/26, 2/20/26
- More Information: https://atthegateway.com
- The Viridian (Library Event Center)
- First Friday Concerts (FREE)
- Lyrical Opera Theater 11/7/25
- Salt Lake Symphonic Choir & Santa 12/5/25
- Holiday Movie Classics on the big screen (FREE)
- 12/1/25 – Jingle All The Way
- 12/8/25 – Polar Express
- 12/15/25 – Mickey’s Christmas Carol
- 12/22/25 – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
- Ultimate Bingo Night 2/27/26
- Fae Masquerade 5/22/26
- 50s Prom: Enchantment Under the Sea
- More Information: https://events.slcolibrary.org
- First Friday Concerts (FREE)
Free Admission Days in Utah
Also, be sure to check out this HUGE list of over 100 things to do in Utah as well as Unique Things To Do In Utah
If you know of other events or more free admission days in Utah, please let me know and I will add them. I would love to make this a more extensive list – so leave a comment and I will add it to the list. Thanks!
Thanks for your article!
Clark Plantarium is listing free show admission for Nov 8th, 2022 https://slco.org/clark-planetarium/events/
Also, how do you hear about the Aquarium $2 days? I was sad to have missed the last one, and want to know how I can hear about the next one.
Thank you
Thank you! I will add that. I have signed up for their newsletter and also follow them on Instagram. There isn’t usually much warning, maybe a few weeks at most. Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you so much! Is their any discounts to visit Lagoon?
Lagoon offers discounts regularly but as far as I know there aren’t any promos right now. I will add Lagoon and any promos I find going forward. Thanks for asking.
Hi Coralie! Love this website! Can’t wait to see the updates for 2021!
THANK YOU for sharing all this terrific info about FREE admissions to fun places to visit as families. Do you have any updates for 2019? Once again, THANK YOU!
The hill Aerospace Museum near Ogden is free! Lots of fun airplanes and activities
The Hill Aerospace Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm. Just take exit 338 from I-15
Thank you so much for sharing this great list!
Ogden Christmas Village is for free
Ogdens Christmas Village is for free
Will you please do an updated one of these lists for 2017/2018? Thanks!
Working on it this weekend! 🙂 thanks
I took my family to the Loveland Living Aquarium on the 28th of December of 2016 and they DO NOT OFFER the free wednesday. Waste of gas and time to be turned away.
Hi Stacey, Sorry that happened.
It is actually Hogle Zoo that has free admission days on the last Wednesday of every month in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb. Hopefully, you will be able to take advantage of a free day there. The aquarium has had a few discounted nights, but as far as I know they don’t do any free admission days. HTH.
I think they may be free on Veterans Day, (for Veterans and their families)
Discovery Gateway has a Holiday Food Drive, where you receive 1 Free admission for every 2 non-perishable food items. This year it was Nov 22, 2016. Watch for it next year?
Good to know! Thank you. I will look for that and add it.
Just a heads-up, the website for the Utah Museum of Fine Arts says they are closed for renovation until August 2017.
Thanks for the fun list!
Thank you 🙂
I will update that.
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Thank you, Coralie.
Do you have a Facebook page?
You are welcome William. We are at
https://www.facebook.com/lovebugspostcards
Thanks 🙂
Do you have an updated list for 2015-2016?
Working on this now! sorry
Thanks! Please keep us updated!
You’re Welcome! I will. 🙂
Thank you for sharing i work with people with disabilities and this just makes our job better.
Bless you for sharing
In September, the Smithsonian Institute has a nation-wide free museum day. There are a number of museums in Utah that participate. You have to sign-up through the Smithsonian website and print out tickets, two admissions per family. I have been able to take my son to Discovery Gateway last year and the Leonardo this year for free. Keep an eye out in August/September, they advertise in the SL Trib the date. Also, if you go online to SL Trib, the entertainment calendar gives a listing of a lot of activities going on in the area. They designate free events and family-friendly events. We do seomthing new almost every weekend…mostly for free!
Awesome!
Does Hogle Zoo know that its there free days? or do we have to have a paper saying it or something??
Not exactly free … but just the cost of canned food! 🙂
Discovery Gateway’s
Holiday Food Drive
Wednesday, November 26
Make it a family tradition to give back to the community on the day before Thanksgiving at Discovery Gateway! Bring in a donation for the Utah Food Bank and receive 1 FREE admission for every 2 non-perishable food items donated at the museum during this one-day-only event!
The aerospace museum at hill air force base is always free (they gladly donations though) and my nieces and nephews love going there to see the planes.
The living planet aquarium is giving free admission to military members and their families on veterans day with military ID card. I know this only applies to select people, but still.
Thanks so much for the information!
Timpanogos Cave is not included in fee free (we tried it once). Also, This is the Place has the annual Huntsman Day (free ice cream too!) in June.
Anything extra (Zoo Lights etc.) at most of these places is never covered for a free day. We tried UMFA on a free day when they had that fantastic and super expensive car exhibit a year or two ago. We could see the rest of the museum, not the car exhibit.
Love this list!! We have done several of these, but I had no idea about the Museum of Fine Arts or free zoo days (our zoo membership expired and we got a Thanksgiving Point on instead of renewing, but I have felt really sad about that!) I’ve already put it all in my calendar. 🙂
Also, you might want to make a designation about the National Parks. There are five National Parks in Utah (you surely know because they top the list), the rest are part of the National Parks SYSTEM, but do not have the very unique designation of being National Parks (there are only 58 of those in the country). The rest of the list are National Forests, Monuments, Recreation Areas, etc. Really cool places, but not in the same field as true National Parks. (Like Timp Caves vs. Yellowstone–the caves are awesome, but the size and amount of things to do are vastly different.)
wow! thanks so much. I’m trying to come up with experience gifts for this Christmas and this helped a ton!
Discovery Gateway is doing free admission for military/veterans on Nov 11. Also free admission on Nov 26 with donation of two nonperishable food items per person.
The day after thanksgiving in Vernal the have a HollyDays festival with tons of freebies, contests, and fun for the kids like camel rides.
There are also quite a few festivals that midway by Heber host, one of my favorites is Swiss days usually the weekend after Labor Day. It has a parade and lots of activities for free.
Great info thank you! Sure hope the Living Planet Aquarium has one too….
Golden Spike is free to the public on May 10. They do a reenactment of the railroads meeting in Promatory Utah. If you have never been there, it is a must. You even get a tour of the trains and they have a museum.
Where did you find the information about the zoo? The link provided doesn’t show any free admission days. Just wanted to verify before making plans 🙂
I called up there and they verified it. 🙂
I called today Zoo free day: Nov-Feb 2015 the last Wednesday of the month this doesn’t include zoo lights. Hours 9am-4pm
Thanks for all the good info. Will share the dates of the different activities with family and friends. Sounds like there is always some place to go that is not expensive. Thanks again.
Is Kolob Canyon part of the National Parks? We were able to get in free of charge last President’s Day.
Kolob Canyon is part of Zions National Park,
Thanksgiving Point has 2 buck Tuesdays in August at almost all of their facilities with $2 menu items at their restaurants as well. Another smaller but fun and interactive local gem is the Hutchings Museum in Lehi, Ut. They offer free admission one day during their Round-up Days in June. They do bird shows and have actors dressed up for a “night at the museum” experience. It is my children’s favorite museum, and their ages range from 1-15. Hope this helps!
The Springville Museum of Art is always free admission! They have Community and Family Night the first Monday of the month (except Jan,Jul,& Sept due to holidays) from 6-8 where there are always art projects corresponding to current exhibitions. They also have a Children’s Art Festival in June (usually the first or second Friday) that offers 15-20 art making booths on the front lawn along with balloon animals, face painting, and food trucks. And it’s all free! Check out their website for more activities: http://www.smofa.org
Says it was updated 11/4/14, but a lot of the dates still say 2012 or 2013. Difficult to tell what was updated for 2014.
It is completely updated now – was in the middle of making the changes 🙂