Draper is located right in the middle of several great cities. To the north is Sandy and South Jordan. To the east is Riverton, Bluffdale, and Herriman. South of Draper is Lehi and Highland, with Alpine to the east. If you work in one of these areas, or are considering apartments in any of these cities, consider staying with us at ICO Vista Station Apartments in Draper, Utah. As you can see. Draper is at the center of an amazing region of Utah!

As part of the Utah Valley area, Draper shares similar weather with Salt Lake City and the rest of the valley. The spring sees mild temperatures with unexpected storms coming up from time to time, while the summer lives up to Utah’s reputation for dry heat. Most of the summer will be clear and dry, with June, July, and August seeing very little precipitation. However, Draper’s location at the far eastern part of the Wasatch Front means it can stay a few degrees cooler than the middle of the valley.

Things start to cool as fall brings comfortable weather that’s perfect for taking advantage of the great hikes and activities around Draper. Snow starts falling around December and lasts until around March. Accumulations are generally small, and snow usually melts between storms, but large storms that dump significant amounts of snow are always possible.

Here’s the 10-day forecast for Draper, UT.

Draper is home to great restaurant chains such as Cafe Rio, Costa Vida, Toscano’s, and plenty of other Utah staples, but there are many unique restaurants and cafes that can only be found here in Draper, UT. Here are a few of our favorites:

Penny Ann’s Cafe – Winner of Best of State for Breakfast, Penny Ann’s is a very popular place for breakfast and lunch. You’ll find all your favorite classic breakfast foods cooked to perfection. Penny Ann’s Cafe is famous for its heavenly hotcakes: light and fluffy sour cream pancakes covered in your choice of topping. Penny Ann’s is also famous for its grilled Reuben sandwich served with fries or a salad. If you’re in the area, don’t forget to stop by Penny Ann’s Cafe!

The Ridge Market and Cafe – This award-winning restaurant sits high above the valley and offers stunning views of the distant mountains for guests to enjoy during their meal. The heart of the restaurant is its authentic Stefano Ferrara brick pizza oven, which imparts great flavor to its dishes. If you’re looking for authentic, high-quality meals, you’ll find them at The Ridge Market and Cafe.

Garage Grill – The decor of this restaurant will leave you amazed. There are race cars, helmets, posters, outfits, and just about everything related to racing you could imagine. But don’t think this restaurant is all about the decor: The food is top of its class. You’ll find classic burgers and fries, wood-fired pizzas, and fresh sushi. There’s also a wide selection of local craft beer to choose from. Don’t miss out on this unique Draper experience!

Whatever you need, you’ll find it in Draper! Home to three large shopping centers, residents have everything from home improvement to clothing and footwear within minutes of their home.

Here are some of the biggest and best shopping centers in Draper, UT!

Draper Peaks – Large shopping center hosting craft shops as well as other stores and restaurants

Draper Crossing – Large dispersed shopping area home to a mix of large box stores and small shops

Hidden Valley Shopping Center – Large complex with box stores, restaurants, and smaller retail spaces

Paragliding and Hang Gliding – For those looking for adventure, you don’t have to go too far from home to get it. The point of the mountain just south of Draper is a popular launching point for paragliders and hang gliders. On any given day, weather permitting, you might see dozens of men and women strapped to parachutes or hanging from gliders as they soar through the air. 

Nice Sky Adventures offers lessons as well as tandem and solo adventures to get you into the sky as soon as possible, whether you’re a veteran of the sport or just beginning. This is an incredibly popular activity, so book your flights in advance!

Hiking – Draper pushes right against the base of mountains and offers visitors and residents great access to local hiking trails that criss-cross the mountains. Some local favorites include Potato Hill Trail, Ghost Falls Trail, Coyote Hollow Trail, and many others. There’s also a suspension bridge over Bear Canyon that offers beautiful views and a bit of excitement too!

Golf – Draper is home to several great golf courses spread throughout the city. The most popular courses are South Mountain Golf Course, Riverbend Golf Course, and Hidden Valley Country Club. Take a break and enjoy a round of golf in beautiful Draper, Utah!

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium – This is one of the most popular attractions in all of Utah! With almost 13,000 reviews on Google and an average rating of 4.6, you can’t go wrong visiting this amazing aquarium. Ever wanted to pet a stingray? You can at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. What are you waiting for? Try to buy your tickets ahead of time if possible, as they can get very busy, especially on weekends.

Cowabunga Bay Waterpark – Looking to cool down on a hot day? Cowabunga is the perfect place for the whole family. Younger children will enjoy the splash pad areas and the lazy rivers, while older children and adults will love the Mondo, an 800-foot water slide full of twists and drops. It’s the most intense attraction at the park! For those who prefer something less hair-raising, the water playgrounds and smaller slides are just the ticket!

Draper Historic Park – This park pays homage to the early pioneers and residents that originally settled Draper. There’s a beautiful covered gazebo and several monuments explaining some of the history of the area. Just across the street is the Sorensen Home, a local museum that contains hundreds of artifacts from the days when Draper was first settled. There’s also a small shop that sells candy, soda, books, and more. This is a great place to catch a glimpse of what life used to be like in Draper over a century ago!

Draper is a great place to live if you plan on taking advantage of all Utah has to offer. It’s right next to Interstate 15, which runs through the entire state. Using I-15, Draper residents are just 20 miles away from downtown Salt Lake City, a short drive from all the dining, shopping, and entertainment Salt Lake City has to offer. If the outdoors call you, Draper is just south of the entrance to Big Cottonwood Canyon, which takes you to several of the area’s most famous ski resorts, such as Snowbird and Alta. 

Pursuing an education? Draper is only 25–30 minutes from Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University to the south and The University of Utah to the north.

Good news, parents: Draper has some of the best schools in the state! Draper’s school district, Canyons School District, is highly rated and dedicates more resources to its students than the average school district in Utah. In fact, five of the top 20 schools within the Canyons School District are found in Draper. Whether you have kids or not, a great school district is a sign of community health and prosperity.

Job prospects for someone living in Draper are good. Draper is close enough to both Salt Lake City and Lehi to comfortably commute, and both cities are known as tech and financial hubs offering high-level employment. Draper itself is home to quite a few corporations that employ hundreds of residents, with Coca-Cola and 1-800 Contacts being among some of the largest employers in the city. 

Looking for a job? Check out the latest jobs in Draper, UT.

Draper residents enjoy a lower cost of living in many aspects of life compared to the national average. Groceries, healthcare, transportation, and utilities are all below the national average in terms of cost. 

Notably missing from that list is housing. The median home price in Draper is around 515,000 dollars, almost twice the national average. This makes apartment living a much more attractive option for many. Here at ICO Vista Station Apartments, we offer luxury living at a competitive price. Living at ICO also helps you to prepare to afford a house, should you decide to buy one: Each time a resident pays rent, 100 dollars goes towards the price of a new Ivory home!

Here’s more about the cost of living in Draper, Utah.

Most residents of Draper appreciate its proximity to the Salt Lake metropolitan area and the influence it exerts. At the same time, those who live in Draper tend to enjoy and take advantage of their close proximity to the mountains. Hiking, biking, hang gliding, and countless other outdoor activities are among the hobbies of most Draper residents. Everyone is very welcoming to visitors and more than happy to help out. People are generally kind and willing to help out in any way they can.

Living in Draper means you’ll have access to the Frontrunner, a train that runs north–south through Utah and Salt Lake County. There’s also the TRAX light rail system, which has a station in Draper and operates in the area, especially around Salt Lake City. Both of these systems are supported by a robust bus system that operates throughout the entire Salt Lake Valley and has routes that extend much farther south.