The Saltair pavilion, on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake about 16 miles west of downtown, is a strange Moorish-revival concert venue that stands in for what was once the "Coney Island of the West." The current building, opened in 1981, is the third pavilion on the site — the first two burned down.
Today Saltair functions mostly as a live-music venue for touring acts (rock, electronic, indie) drawn to the otherworldly lakeshore setting. The lake itself has receded substantially over the last decade and the actual shoreline is now nearly a mile away across exposed salt flats. The drive west along I-80, the receding lake views, and the very strange architecture combine into one of the more memorable side-trips from the city.