What is Provo Utah Known For? Mountains, Brigham Young University, and Mormons, (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, shortened version: LDS).
Over the years, Provo Utah has grown into the second largest city in Utah. Salt Lake City is the largest city in Utah.
Mormon Culture in Provo
While over 93% of Provo Utah are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, there are still people who are not members of the church who love to live here in Provo. There are other Christian domination churches in Provo. Catholics have churches in Provo and there is also a Buddhist Monastery.
Utah itself is ranked by the Gallop Poll as the most religious state which can be quite surprising when you think of the southern bible belt.
Provo is ranked as the most religious city in Utah.
When you drive around Provo, you will see LDS (Mormon) chapels in every neighborhood. The LDS chapels are where members go to church on Sundays, where the youth activities are held during the week, and social gatherings take place.
You will see a lot of people walking to church on Sundays since the church membership is divided into “wards” ( congregations). These wards are determined through geographical locations and the number of members living in a geographical area.
In most neighborhoods in Provo Utah, people live within a very short walking distance to their ward, or church building.
When people visit Provo Utah, they typically comment on how many chapels they see in community neighborhoods. It is something you don’t see in other states.
To give you an idea of how close they are in proximity to each other, check out this search on google maps:
Everyone is welcome to attend church in Provo Utah whether you are a member or not. You are also free to NOT go to church at all. People in Provo are accepting and inclusive.
There are two LDS Temples in Provo, Utah. There is one in the foothills in the Indian Hills area of Provo and one that is in Downtown Provo, called, the City Center Temple.
Brigham Young University
One of the top reasons Provo has such a highly religious population is because it is home to Brigham Young University, BYU.
BYU is the largest religious university in the United States with over 35,000 students. 97% of the students are Mormons, LDS, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
When a student is accepted to Brigham Young University, whether they are a member of the Church or not, they agree to adhere to a very strict code of behavior.
Part of the code is no drinking alcohol. So while many college towns have a lot of bars and clubs, Provo does not.
BYU is a ‘dry’ university.
There is no alchol served or sold or allowed to be brought into the BYU Football games or any athletic games.
What do they have that is so delicious?
Ice Cream! While many college towns and cities are serving beer on tap, in Provo, we are serving Ice Cream and Soda concoctions!
You will find ice cream parlors on every other corner in Downtown Provo and throughout the campus areas.
On every single busy street in Provo, you will find Sodalicious, Swig, and a local favorite, Station 22, which has an entire wall dedicated to sugary, carbonated drinks from around the world.
Let’s not forget about the Mountains!
One of the most beautiful things about Provo Utah and why so many people are attracted to Provo; the mountains.
The Wasatch Front Mountains and the Uinta Mountains. Right in Provo we have Provo Peak which stands at 11,068 feet.
We also have the Provo Canyon, home to more mountains, the Provo River, lakes and many hiking trails. It is also home to the Bridal Veil Falls which I recently visited with my grandchildren. It was breathtaking!
We also have the Y mountain. You can read about the Y mountain here: Y Mountain in Provo, Utah
Provo is also home to Kyhv mountain. Not only that, but you get the most amazing views of Mount Nebo and Timpanogos.
Hiking in the spring, summer, and falls is a must-do activity among Provo residents.
Winter outdoor sports like skiing, snow-boarding, and snow hiking are extremely popular here in Provo.
We have this saying here in Provo: “I get to live where people come from all the world to visit.”
