The stay-at-home tourist

Is this the year of the stay-cation?

Do the state of the world, the price of gas, the bounces of the economy and the lack of relatives living near resorts have you thinking about staying home this year?

Lucky for you, you live in an area that attracts an average of 9.5 million visitors a year. If they can find things of interest to do in the Salt Lake area, you can, too. Maybe it's been awhile since you've been to popular attractions. Maybe there are things here you take for granted. Maybe you've been too busy going other places. Maybe there are new things that you've never tried.

But if you stop and look at the Salt Lake area through a tourist's eyes, you can find plenty to do for a few days, a few weeks or even the rest of the summer.

According to the Utah Office of Tourism, the Salt Lake City Convention and Visitors Bureau and Utah.Com, here are some of the most popular things for tourists. You might find them interesting, too.

1. Temple Square. Temple Square even ranks 15th on the Forbes list of Top 25 Most Visited Tourist Destinations in the United States, so you know it attracts lots of visitors. The worldwide headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it actually now encompasses a 35-acre complex of museums, visitors centers, historic buildings, gardens and more.

And there are lots and lots of free things to do: Take 30-minute tour of Temple Square, which tells of the history and significance of the main buildings. Take a 20-minute tour of the Beehive House, and learn about Brigham Young as a family man. Take a tour of the Church Office Building Plaza Gardens and the Conference Center Roof Garden.

Pick up a van for a tour of Welfare Square or the Humanitarian Center. Visit the Museum of Church History and Art; see one of the original pioneer log cabins; sit and watch the church's public service announcements in the South Visitors Center.

For a nice overview of not only the square but also downtown Salt Lake City, go to the 26th floor Observation Deck in the Church Office Building. Knowledgeable guides can tell you about everything from construction projects to medical facilities to old mansions as you get this bird's-eye view.

There are also daily organ recitals in the Tabernacle and Conference Center. Thursday night rehearsals of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir are open to the public.

2. Mountains high. Lots of visitors come to ski and snowboard in the Wasatch Mountains. But all those mountain resorts also offer summer activities: hiking, picnicking, wildflower viewing.