Getting There -- Ogden is easily accessible from the north and south via I-15, and from the east and northwest on I-84. Shuttle service to and from Salt Lake International Airport is about $30 to $40 one-way; try Xpress Shuttle (tel. 800/397-0773) or USS Ogden Express (tel. 866/746-5438). For best service, call at least 24 hours in advance.

Visitor Information -- The Ogden/Weber Convention and Visitor's Bureau maintains an information center at Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave., Suite 201, Ogden, UT 84401 (tel. 866/867-8824 or 801/627-8288). From I-15 north/I-84 west, take exit 341A and head east to Wall Avenue; turn north (left) to the station. The information center is open in summer Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm; the rest of the year Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm.

For information on the national forests in the area, contact the Ogden Ranger District, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 507 25th St., Suite 103, Ogden, UT 84401 (tel. 801/625-5112). You can also inquire at the visitor center at Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave. (tel. 801/625-5306).

Getting Around -- Driving is the easiest way to explore Ogden. The streets are laid out in typically neat Mormon-pioneer fashion, but with a slightly different nomenclature than, say, Salt Lake City. Those running east to west are numbered from 1st Street in the north to 47th in the south, and north-south streets are named for U.S. presidents and other historical figures. Most people define the city center as the intersection of 25th Street and Washington Boulevard.

For car rentals, try Avis (tel. 800/831-2847 or 801/394-5984), Enterprise (tel. 800/736-8222 or 801/399-5555), and Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 801/614-5005).

The Utah Transit Authority (tel. 888/RIDE-UTA or 801/743-3882) provides bus transport throughout greater Ogden, daily with limited service on Sunday. Exact fares are required; schedules are available at the information center. For 24-hour taxi service, call Yellow Cab Co. (tel. 801/394-9411).

Fast Facts -- The IHC McKay-Dee Hospital Center is at 4401 Harrison Blvd. (tel. 801/627-2800). The main post office is at 3680 Pacific Ave. (tel. 800/275-8777). The local newspaper is the Standard Examiner. Sales tax is just over 6%.