I have traveled all over the world. I have friends in cities big and small. And one of the most common questions I get asked, especially as someone who typically identifies as more progressive, is “Why do you stay in Logan Utah?” But there is a lot that Logan and Cache Valley have to offer.
Outdoor adventure
The outdoors are one of the top reasons I stay in Logan despite the fact I could realistically live anywhere as a work-from-home freelancer.
Partly situated along the Logan River, the city itself has plenty of beautiful trails and natural areas of beauty. But once you get into Logan Canyon, there is even more to enjoy. Logan Canyon has an incredible amount of trails – like the Ephraim Logan trail, which I continue to somehow get lost on but enjoy all the more for the new directions it takes me in. No trail is quite like another.
With the changing of the seasons, there is always something different to enjoy about Logan Canyon – whether it’s rock climbing, skiing or snowboarding at Beaver Mountain or Cherry Peak, hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, or just relaxing.
Within 45 minutes of Cache Valley you have the scenic Bear Lake. This area is great for summertime swimming, lounging at the beach, good old fashioned American shakes and burgers, and an amazing view any time of year.
And for those who prefer their outdoors with a caddy and cart, the Logan River Golf Course has just what you need.
Downtown Logan
In addition to great outdoors opportunities, Logan UT also boasts some great downtown attractions that people come from all over Cache Valley to enjoy. Situated near the top of Northern Utah in the United States, it is the Cache Valley center.
On Federal Avenue you have a fantastic selection of local businesses – including some of the world’s best coffee: Caffe Ibis. But there is also a great pizza joint, a locally owned and made soap shop, WhySound – an all ages music venue, a smoke shop, and one of the classiest wine bars around: Barrel & Stave.
Center Street boasts Cache County’s first and (currently) only brewery: Prodigy. It also hosts a well-loved pub, a movie theater dedicated to old classics, a theatre that hosts local plays, The Red Fox – a classy sex-positive shop, a vegan eatery, and much more.
Just off of Center Street, on Main Street, there is The Cache Bar, which has a great selection of drinks and food – as well as live music, The Ellen Eccles Theatre – which hosts a variety of plays both local and touring, and more delicious eateries such as Stacked and Logan’s Heroes. On North Main you have the Cache Valley Mall, with a brand new events center next to it.
All of these businesses provide not only unique offerings, but also great community service with a lot of care.
Educational opportunities
Logan UT also boasts a lot of educational opportunities. People can learn about local history and the Wild West at the American West Heritage Center. Zootah (also known colloquially as Willow Park Zoo) offers a range of animals to see with fun science facts about each one. The Stokes Nature Center up Logan Canyon allows people to learn about nature in unique hands-on ways. Toward the south of Cache Valley, Hardware Ranch provides information and up-close experiences with local wildlife – particularly elk.
Of course, no discussion on educational opportunities in Logan is complete without mentioning Utah State University. The Utah State University campus boasts a wide range of community activities for residents and every college student – including museums, plays, orchestral concerts, rock concerts, and much more. Utah State University also brings a lot of additional diversity to the valley – to the tune of 20,000 students from around the world each year.
The music scene
Of course, it should go without saying that Logan has a great music scene – especially since Open Door Policy is a part of it! But in all seriousness, the bands here really care about the art of music, about each other, and about the people that come out and enjoy the rock shows. And the opportunities to see music continue to grow in Logan.
WhySound has been Logan’s go-to venue for over a decade and continues to excel at what it does – but new places are beginning to offer music as well, such as The Cache Bar, Prodigy Brewing, The Events Center, Eagles, and other local bars, eateries, and venues.
New people are welcome
Logan has invested a lot recently in making the area more accessible to visitors. It now offers a wide range of hotels, from affordable rooms to luxurious Suites Logan. And each hotel is within a mile of great city and outdoor attractions and activities. There is a definite ease with which anyone can find something they’ll enjoy nearby.
The city is also constantly growing. New apartments are always being built and areas like North Logan are quickly expanding. Logan Regional Hospital recently finished a gigantic expansion and Logan High School has seen some major renovations and expansions in recent years as well. It has become a place for modern living for those who care to make their home here.
Come check Logan out
So if all you know about Logan has to do with the Latter Day Saints, Logan Utah Temple, or Brigham Young, come learn more about the area and see what the city has to offer. Just don’t forget to do it while listening to some of our greatest hits!