Dropping into a new city as a location-independent professional is always an adventure. You trade commutes for cafés, and office chatter for whatever soundtrack a new neighborhood offers. Still, the feeling of being solo tends to follow you — except in Salt Lake City. During my recent workcation, something about the mountain air, the ease of the city, and the creativity pulsing through its neighborhoods made it feel unexpectedly grounding.
Salt Lake City is often marketed as a launchpad for some of the country’s best ski resorts — Park City, Snowbird, Brighton — but a different identity is emerging. Wellness, entrepreneurship, and women-led innovation are reshaping the city’s cultural heartbeat. Across town, new community-focused concepts are challenging expectations of what SLC is supposed to be.
If you’re craving a quick reset that won’t pull you away from your responsibilities, here’s how to experience the restorative, soulful side of Salt Lake City.
Finding Soul In The Maven District
During my stay, the Maven District became my home base — a pocket of intentional living in Central Ninth, built around wellness, creativity, and community connection. The district was born out of founder Tessa Arneson’s desire to create a hub for the businesses her clients frequently inquired about while she ran her Pilates studio. Instead of sending people all over the city, she envisioned a centralized neighborhood where local brands could coexist and thrive together.
In partnership with marketing visionary Rocky Donati, Arneson transformed that idea into a live-work-play district grounded in “tenacity, curiosity, and love.” Today, the Maven District is Salt Lake City’s largest community of women-owned small businesses — more than 80 percent of its brands are led by women.
And it shows. There’s a softness here. A sense of soul that’s hard to replicate.
What’s On The Block?
The Maven District brings everyday living back to the block — no national chains, no sterile mixed-use complexes, just a curated ecosystem of local businesses.
A few highlights:
- Early Owl for smoothies, French toast, and bright, welcoming morning energy
- Cosmica for modern Italian plates and cocktails
- Maven Stay, a staffless boutique hotel with suite-style rooms
- Maven Live, affordable apartments creating real neighborhood continuity
- Maven Create, a warm, collaborative coworking and event space
- Maven Strong, a Pilates + wellness studio that anchors the district’s energy
- Randy’s Records, a longtime neighborhood staple since the 1970s
Meeting Arneson and Donati brought everything into perspective. “Soul” was the word that kept surfacing — both in how they engage with the district and in how the community receives it. Faces quickly become familiar here. Even in just 48 hours, I felt integrated into the neighborhood’s rhythm.
How To Spend 48 Hours In Salt Lake City
Day 1: Arrival & Grounding
- Morning: Ease into your stay at Early Owl with smoothies, fresh produce, or their indulgent banana French toast. The light-filled space is perfect for adjusting to the mountain altitude.
- Midday: Stroll the district to explore its murals or drop into a class at Maven Strong. For lunch, don’t miss Tandoori Taqueria, a Mexican-Indian fusion concept. Standout items include the tacos (Tikka Tikka and Tandoori are must-tries), as well as the famous Tessa Bowl.
- Afternoon: Set up for a remote working session at La Barba, Maven’s resident coffee shop. Alternatively, grab a day pass at Maven Create for a cozy, creative coworking environment.
- Evening: Make your way to Cosmica for shareables like elk carpaccio or arancini, or go all in with shrimp linguine or Mafaldine Bolognese. If you want a nightcap, head to Policy Kings Brewery, Utah’s first Black-owned brewery.
Day 2: Movement & Exploration
- Morning: Head to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail for a gentle sunrise hike offering sweeping views of the city.
Alternatively, rent a bike from the district’s nearby Greenbike station and pedal to Sugar House Park — a scenic 30-minute ride through some of SLC’s most charming neighborhoods. - Midday: If work calls, return to Maven Create, or enjoy a breezy work session from your suite with a coffee from La Barba.
- Afternoon: Explore Maven District’s unique retail concepts, including: Acrely Farms (bloom-to-bottle CBD), Lovebound Library (romance-forward bookshop), and Mineral and Matter (jewelry and accessories). Creative travelers can book sessions at Art Haus, while wellness seekers can choose from several treatment providers within the district.
- Evening: Close out your stay at Urban Hill, an award-winning fine dining concept. Here, the menu offers wood-fired meats, fresh seafood, and seasonal pairings — just five minutes from the district.
The Unexpected Ease Of Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City surprised me. It’s rare to find a place where you can toggle between deep focus and deep restoration without friction. But the Maven District — and the city around it — isn’t built on extraction or exclusivity. It’s built on intention.
At 4,300 feet, productivity finds its breath. And, if you let it, so do you.
