BYU NewsNet - Students break away for Memorial Day weekend

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and the day many Utah County businesses open their doors to the community for a range of summertime activities.

Provo is home to the largest water park in Utah, Seven Peaks. Its 16 waterslides, 500,000 gallon wave pool and slides with 100-foot drops will be among the attractions opening this weekend.

Michelle Lindsey, 21, from Henderson, Nev., who just graduated this spring, said she and her friends bought season passes last summer and would go at least once a week.

“The thing I liked about it is that in the summer you want to get tan, but when you lay out, it’s so hot and you get bored easily, but at Seven Peaks you’re playing, so it tricks you,” Lindsey said.

An alternative to Seven Peaks Water Park is Provo City’s Veterans Pool and Waterslide Park located at 450 W. 500 South.

Rachael Cox, 20, of Salt Lake, said during the summer when she visits her friends in Provo, she loves going to Veterans Pool because of how cost efficient it is and because it offers more to do than at a normal recreational pool.

“We go there often because it’s in town, close to places to eat, cheap and it’s not only a lap pool,” Cox said. “Me and my friends have such a good time relaxing when there is nothing better do to.”

The Sundance Resort offers summer activities as an opportunity for locals to get out of Provo without having to go very far from town. It offers a variety of things to do including an outdoor theatre. This weekend they are hosting the Utah State Down-Hill Race weekend, designed for community participation in a non-competitive environment.

Lucy Ridolphi, marketing and public relations manager for the Sundance Resort, said she really enjoys the outdoor theatre because it’s a great tradition of Sundance.

The summer activities of Sundance will offer their traditional scenic lift rides, hiking trials, mountain biking, fly fishing, horseback riding, kids’ camp and river rafting.

“The summer activities are a huge part of Sundance and a great way to involve the community,” Ridolphi said. “We have a lot of people from Utah Valley come up.”

Another popular pastime of Utah Valley residents is visiting the SCERA Center for the Arts in Orem. This weekend is the first time the outdoor movie theatre will be opening with a Bee Gee’s tribute band concert.

April Berlin, marketing assistant for the SCERA, said she is excited for summer because the outdoor movie series begins. She said the movie screen is 40 feet tall and the sound is run through their system so it’s good quality.

The SCERA will show seven outdoor movies throughout the summer, and all but one will be shown on Wednesdays at dusk (about 9:15 p.m.). Student admission is $3.

“I like watching it outside, it’s my favorite thing,” Berlin said. “Usually the movies are indoors and that’s what makes it different and unique ... I get to lie on my blanket under the stars.”

Other things to do around the Utah Valley include: golfing at Cascade Golf Courses, painting pottery at Color Me Mine, laughter at Comedy Sportz and Wise Guys Comedy Club, trampoline jumping at Jump On It and Jumpin’ Jacks, hiking at the Y and at Mount Timpanogos Caves, climbing at the Quarry, arcade games at Trafalga and Nicklecade, dollar movies at Movies 8, and scenic drives through Provo Canyon, Nebo loop and Alpine loop.