Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Salt Lake City (must see)

Formerly known as the Hotel Utah, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building is meant to impress and, in all candor, is very impressive indeed. Constructed between 1909-11, it was the "Grand Dame" of hotels in the Intermountain West for most of the 20th century, with the LDS Church as its chief stockholder. Topped by a huge cupola shaped as a beehive (Utah's state symbol), this lavish example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture stands out both for the elegant exterior design, as well as for the noble, high-class, epicurean interior décor and amenities.

John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Liberace, Warren Burger, John Glenn and Ella Fitzgerald all slept and dined here in their sojourn. Today, the building is a public venue and lounge, as well as an "active museum" of sorts. Make it a point to go to the top floor, where you will be treated to sublime, uninterrupted views of the Temple Square and the expansive downtown Salt Lake City core. When properly planning your itinerary, you may additionally elect to dine at the top-floor Garden Restaurant, which is guaranteed to render the experience truly unique and special.