With a friendly atmosphere and easy hospitality, the charms of this city do not always unfold immediately to visitors; instead, they sometimes need to be sought out or looked up through tourist information before they will offer their full reward. A good starting point for any visit is the restaurant on top of the TV tower; while slightly pricey, it provides a great view of the city and the Neckar valley.

Stuttgart is enclosed by hills on three sides of the city, while the fourth side opens up toward its river harbor. Notable attractions include the nearby four castles and the famous Weissenhof estate, and it is a mecca for car fanatics. As the home of the Porsche and Mercedes Benz car companies, it is not surprising that the Mercedes Benz and Porsche museums act as focal points for petrol heads.

Food and drink also usually feature heavily in any visit to Stuttgart. The city is dotted with a multitude of restaurants and cafes offering local or international cuisine and beautiful views of the city, alongside all types of nightclubs, discos, bars, and pubs encompassing various themes and providing something for all different clientele. The region in which Stuttgart is situated also has a long history of winegrowing, and for the last 800 years, winegrowers have been permitted to serve their wine in their own private households. This leads to a relaxed atmosphere where home made wine and food can be consumed in comfortable surroundings while hanging out with the locals. The many great wines which are made here have international appeal, and the region’s long tradition can be seen by taking the wine hiking trails which are carefully documented in the winemaking museum or directly experienced in the various seasonal wine rooms and taverns.

Finding accommodation to stay in and around Stuttgart is easy, as there are many great quality B&Bs, hostels and hotels available, including a lavish new Hilton Garden Inn which has just opened near to the Mercedes museum.

For visitors looking for a touch of peace and tranquility, the many wide ranging parks across the city offer an ideal chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of normal life. The city is renowned for its range of boutiques, exclusive stores, and shopping malls which have something to offer even the most hardened of shoppers. A stroll through the busy Koenigstrasse pedestrian zone is a must for any power shopper, while lesser shoppers will still find themselves enticed by their fabulous range of products available, making it very difficult to leave empty handed.

Walking around Stuttgart is a great way to see the sights, and many urban trekkers may like to walk through the Rosensteingarten and up to the Killesberg for a fabulous view. Specific walks have been set up around the city, starting at either the central train station or the Altes Schloss, and are highlighted by yellow sign posts which point out modern and historical areas of interest.

Business, pleasure, shopping or resting, Stuttgart has something for everyone.

The town’s foremost cultural spot is the Layton Heritage Museum. Although the building of the museum began in 1976, it was not opened until 1980 and celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday last year. Since its inception, the museum has made its goal the preservation and exhibition of artefacts that chart the history and development of communities in north Davis County, in which Layton is the largest city.

Established as recently as 1852, Davis County underwent a rapid transformation from its very beginning; with the advent of the Utah Central Railroad in 1870 and the Hill Air Force Base in north Davis County during World War II, the civilian population exploded. In 1940, the population just exceeded 16,000; however by 1950 this figure had doubled, and then doubled again by 1960. In 2000, there were 239,000 residents in the county. Therefore, the importance of documenting the enormous cultural, recreational and economic changes that have been experienced in the last hundred years in the region is paramount to preserving its historical integrity, and this is exactly what the Layton Heritage Museum consistently aims to provide.

At the time of its opening in 1980, the museum possessed only a minute collection of Native American relics, as well as a few remnants of the pioneer age. Its expansion has been on such a scale that, presently, it is home to over 2100 artefacts, 1890 historical documents and newspapers, and 3357 photographs. The majority of its collection dates from the turn of the twentieth century, when Layton and north Davis County were still rural, agricultural areas. The heritage museum is also well situated near the Utah Central Railroad, once again affirming its importance in the history of the region.

The newest feature of the Layton Heritage Museum is its Digital Exhibit Hall. Visitors will find pictures of museum exhibits, as well as scans of photographs and maps on its website. Available collections currently include historical images of Layton, photos of the heritage museum’s permanent exhibition of the Layton Old Town, as well as pictures of its 2006 featured exhibit, The Business of Businesses, which charts the history of businesses in the Layton/Kaysville region. The LeConte Stewart Landscape Art Competition is another exciting feature at the Layton heritage Museum: this annual competition is named after the famed Utah landscape painter LeConte Stewart, and aims to encourage young landscape painters in the region. This clearly shows the Layton Heritage museum’s unwavering commitment to documenting the changing history of Layton and north Davis County, making it a worthy and valuable historical asset, and with a Hilton Garden Inn located just down the road, it’s conveniently located for out of town visitors.