Attractions
Saltair’s comparison to Coney Island began before Saltair was constructed. Coney Island was a bustling place by the mid-1880s, offering visitors boardwalks, bathing pavilions, racetracks, live music, games, a roller coaster, cafes, hotels, an aquarium, and structures reassembled from the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition. Architect Richard Kletting toured Coney Island and other amusement parks across the country before designing Saltair’s pavilion.
Inspired by the national fad for Near Eastern imagery, Kletting’s “Moorish” design offered the exact sense of escape the public wanted. A short train ride from downtown Salt Lake City, Saltair offered respite during the hot summer months and provided workers with an affordable source of entertainment in their leisure time. Fifty cents bought visitors a round trip train ticket and admission to the resort.
"When we see the wearied and heated merchant close his doors, the mechanic drop his tools, the women and babies leave the heated city to come out here and rest and enjoy the balmy breezes of the lake and mountains, I take it to be a tribute to the nerve and enterprise that built this magnificent resort."
- Territorial Governor Caleb W. West
Opening Ceremonies, June 8, 1893
With a wide variety of attractions that changed annually, most visitors spent the entire day at Saltair, while others took a quick dip in the lake after work. The high salinity of the Great Salt Lake made for a unique swimming experience, and the Victorian amenities provided at other swimming parks were especially welcomed at Saltair.
