Utah's architecture is pretty special - not to mention diverse! But some structures are more modern than you may realize. The world was watching Utah back in 2002 when the Beehive State hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Do you remember the excitement of the downhill skiing events and the pageantry of the ice skating competitions? Or maybe you remember the record-breaking speed skating! Utah's Olympic Oval was built specifically for the Winter Games, and it hosted the long-track speed skating competitions. The Oval is open to the public today, and it's the perfect place to play all year long. Let's take a look!

The Utah Olympic Oval is a one-of-a-kind venue that was built for the 2002 Winter Games. The best thing about the Oval? It's open to the public, and you can play like an Olympian here year-round.

You'll find the Oval in Kearns/Salt Lake City - right in the heart of Utah!

They say that this is "The Fastest Ice on Earth," because the Utah Olympic Oval is the site of more Olympic world records for speed than anywhere else...and you can skate on the very same ice where record-breaking history was (and still is) made!

Visit during Public Skating hours to circle the 400-meter ice oval with your friends and family. This is the same ice where Olympians set new Olympic records in 10 events and broke world records in eight! You might not be as fast as Derek Parra, Casey FitzRandolph, or Chris Witty, but you're certain to have a blast at this Olympic venue.

Lace up your skates and get out there! The fees are nominal and vary by age group.

Check out the public calendar for more info on public skating dates and times.

The Oval hosts speed skating competitions throughout the year, and will be the venue for even more large-scale events in the future. Keep an eye on the calendar at the Oval so that you can see some of the world's best athletes compete.

Does the thrill of speed skating entice you? The Oval offers classes where you can learn this sport - and then practice on the very same ice that the world's best skaters compete on.

Maybe figure skating is more your speed. Yup, they have classes for that, too!

Want to learn a new sport that none of your friends know? Sign up for a curling class and you'll quickly learn that this highly-underrated game is a lot more complicated (and fun!) than it looks.

The stones used at the Oval are the same ones used in the 2002 Winter Olympic games.

Here's something Olympians never got to do at the Oval in 2002 - Cosmic Curling! Because black lights make everything even better.

Get your kids hooked on hockey at the Oval. From the smallest squirts...

...to men's and women's hockey leagues, you'll improve your skating skills and perfect your slap shot.

Most Americans will never have a chance to play at the same venue where Olympic greats once competed. Visit the Utah Olympic Oval soon!

Learn more about the Utah Olympic Oval, check out the calendar of events, and see the classes it offers on its website. Pop over to the Oval's official Facebook page and follow it so you won't miss a minute of the action there! You can also ogle some pretty neat Utah Olympic Oval photos, both past and present.

Want to play around at another 2002 Winter Olympics venue? If winter fun is on your radar, visit this snow tubing park at Soldier Hollow! Or, check out Deer Valley Resort for year-round fun! This resort hosted freestyle and alpine ski events during the Winter Olympics in Utah, and it's the perfect place for hiking, biking, picnicking, and enjoying live music events the rest of the year.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/utah/deer-valley-concert-series-picnic-ut/