Surrounded by natural beauty and with plenty of opportunities for recreational activities, Bountiful, Utah, is a fabulous place for families. This suburb just north of Salt Lake City offers diverse activities for kids of all ages to engage in. Check out our recommendations for family-friendly activities in gorgeous Bountiful.

Salt Lake City Library

[caption id="attachment_22" align="alignright" width="300"] “The City Library” by Anna C. Brandão Alves is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0[/caption] Just 11 miles from Bountiful, lies the striking Salt Lake City Library. This library is one of the most beautiful architecturally designed buildings in all of Utah. The building is over 24,000 square feet and houses over 500,000 books. When you enter the lobby of the library, you'll notice its six-story curving walls that embrace the multi-level reading galleries, a 300-seat auditorium, and computer rooms. The glass walls give visitors to the Salt Lake City Public Library spectacular views of the Wasatch Mountains and the Salt Lake Valley. The four spiraling fireplaces proved a warm feeling to the library, and you'll find natural light throughout the entire structure. Take the kids to the Children's Library on the lower level. This five-story atrium gives the feeling of open space, and if it gets too sunny, shade cloths help to keep the room cool. Kids can find the book they love and curl up in “Grandmas Attic”, sit outside and read by the waterfall, or engage in games in the Large Craft and Story Rooms. Other notable places to explore at the Salt Lake City Library are The Gallery with beautiful pieces of artwork, the Library Beehives on the Rooftop Terrace, and the Community Garden. After checking out some books and wandering through this Salt Lake City gem, have a snack in the coffee shop. You can find the Salt Lake City Library at 210 E. 400 S. In Salt Lake City.

Discovery Gateway Children's Museum

Visit the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum so the kids can engage in interactive exhibits and displays. The 60,000 square-foot museum encourages families and kids to learn and educate themselves through play. The mission of the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum is to inspire children to discover and connect with the world around them to make a difference in their lives as well as others. All the exhibits and programs help children learn in a playful yet meaningful way, and helps parents to support their children's abilities and development. Help kids understand the basics of banking and finances at the interactive First Utah Bank Discovery Branch. Children will get to “use” an ATM machine, experience what a drive-through transaction is like, and even see money whoosh up through a wind tube. Aspiring mechanics will enjoy the Mark Miller Subaru Express Service Exhibit where the youngsters can change the oil, work under the hood, and even fill the car with gas. Kids of all ages will enjoy the Water Play exhibit. The 38-foot table filled with water features nine interactive, educational components including racing rivers, a water vortex, and a water wall with ramps, a tipping bucket, and spinning wheels. Take the kids to The Garden where they'll learn the importance of bees.  Head over to the Move It! area where the children can run through an obstacle course, stretch on yoga mats, or try their hand at hula-hooping. The Discovery Gateway Children's Museum also offers a variety of educational programs and summer camps. The museum is located at 440 W. 100 in South Salt Lake City.

Creekside Park

Have a fun day playing outside when you take the family to Creekside Park in Bountiful. The playground has large slides, a merry-go-round to spin on, and a fun water feature. The kids can pump water using a hand pump and the water pours into the nearby creek where they can splash and play on a warm afternoon. You'll find climbing structures, swings, a large structure with a tower, a bridge, and a rope climbing pyramid. After a day of play, take the kids on the stroller-friendly path that wanders alongside the creek. If you plan on spending the day at Creekside Park, bring a lunch so you can picnic and water shoes so the kids can play in the creek while keeping their feet protected. Find Creekside Park at 600 E. Mill St.

Lagoon Amusement Park

Just north of Bountiful near Farmington is the fun Lagoon Amusement Park. Kids of all ages will get a thrill on the various rides. Teenagers and adults will feel the adrenaline rush of riding the Cannibal mega coaster, the Colossus roller coaster, or the Cliffhanger. The little ones will have fun on the merry-go-round, the Dinosaur Drop, riding around the dragonfly swing, or enjoying the undulating Jumping Dragon. When you need a break from experiencing the 50 rides, head over to Pioneer Village. Feel like you're in an Old Western town when you stroll along the wooden sidewalks or get your picture taken wearing Western clothing. Pioneer Village is a reconstruction of what a typical town would look like in the late 1800s. The village has over 42 buildings that house artifacts from that era. Explore the one-room schoolhouse, doll museum, and hardware store to get a glimpse of what life was like for early settlers in the Bountiful area. When the weather heats up, take the family to Lagoon Amusement Park's Lagoon A Beach. This part of the park features six acres of slides, waterfalls, splash pads, swimming holes, and beaches. Ride the rapids down the 65-foot water slide or relax tubing down the lazy river pool. Check the website for holiday-themed events such as the Halloween Frightmares entertainment. Some of the attractions are really scary for the older kids, and for the younger ones, the park offers non-scary trick-or-treating at Pioneer Village. Lagoon Amusement Park is located at 375 N. Lagoon Dr. in Farmington. We hope you and your family enjoyed exploring these family-friendly activities in Bountiful. Which one was your favorite? Is there a hidden gem you'd like to share with us? If so, feel free to drop us a line and we'll add it to the list.