The city is very green, thanks to being at the base of the Wasatch Mountains and they planned the city to be wide and open, so things don't feel cramped. There are quite a few parks, most notably Liberty Park (80 acres) and Sugarhouse Park (110 acres). It's actually pretty easy to just take off on a hike and get out of the city on foot - You can take the Bonneville Shoreline Trail all the way to Idaho!