After checking in at the Bryce View Lodge (more on that below), we still had plenty of daylight left, so we took the scenic drive & stopped at various points to "ooooh" and "ahhhh" the otherworldly landscape. Given that Utah is a great place to explore outdoors, the winter months may restrict your opportunities to explore nature spots. A short walk from the shuttle along the Weeping Rock Trailhead is an alcove under a sandstone bowl, formed by water erosion, with water seeping from the rock forming hanging gardens and anything from a slow trickle of water to a rushing waterfall, depending on the season and level of recent rainfall. Kids Are A Trip 2023. Plus the staff were so kind and welcoming, we regretted not eating in. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-117399669', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Kanab to Zion to St George - Thursday). In St. George be sure to stop at Kayenta Art Village and have lunch at Xetava Gardens. After breakfast (the less said about breakfast in the cavernous Ebenezers space, the better - it was the undrinkable coffee that really hurt), we went back to tbe park - SunRISE Point this time - to hike the Queens Garden trail. I-15 is the most scenic section of interstate you'll encounter. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. The Flight exhibit is a popular attraction where you can try your hand at flying in a flight simulator and jump aboard a plane. Located in Moab, Utah, Arches National Park is 244 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park and is the perfect addition for a longer Utah national parks itinerary of 5 days or more. Those who have plenty of time and don't love a tour bus. Since birds will be a recurring theme in this report, Ill just add: Gambels Quail! Road Trip From San Francisco To Las Vegas, Road Trip From Los Angeles To Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, Start your trip in comfort and style with a stay at the Advenire, Autograph Collection, The Grand America Hotel adds vintage 5-star luxury to your road trip, Bumbleberry Inn is the perfect hotel choice while you're in Zion National Park. Running across the park in a southeastern direction above the valley, cooler air can be enjoyed in the higher elevations as the road winds along the side of the cliffs and through a very narrow tunnel through the stone. Giant shadows. There's a huge amount to see on your trip, so you're in for a real adventure. Reply to: Southern Utah road trip report - Las Vegas to Bryce, Kanab. We loved the Lemonade Mint Supreme and their burgers were delicious. Even if they dont, youll need to wait for other passengers to load and unload. The Zion Mount Carmel Highway is the second major route through the park. From there to Bryce, through drop-dead gorgeous scenery. Most make multiple stops along the Strip, so you can be picked up right where youre staying. The 1,400-mile road trip from Las Vegas around Utah takes 24 hours to drive all-in, passing Valley of Fire State Park, Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, Salt Lake City, Moab and Dixie National Forest, plus Utah's 'Mighty Five' National Parks. At some point I realized that buying beer on a Sunday night in St George might not be easy, or even possible. Visiting this Utah state park is one of the best things to do on a Utah road trip. This is the firs. If you're starting and ending your trip in Las Vegas that takes you up to 24 hours of driving, covering 1,400 miles, which works out as nearly 5 hours of driving per day. From Kamas, you'll make the 250-mile drive south to Moab. The other route you could do is old hwy 91 from near Beaver Dam to St George .Its pretty scenic as you cross over the mountain range into UT. This is a fun way to learn about the man and why he chose St. George as his winter home. To get a decent breakfast, we backtracked a bit to Panguitch, where we had eggs with accompaniments at the Desert Grill diner: two thumbs up, & hearty enough to fuel us through the day. Complimentary Service is available from 6am until 6pm. It's one of the most scenic drives in PA. We peered up at their cliffside roost, where 1 or 2 were supposedly tucked in, but saw only streaks of guano. Driving distance: 52 miles. The 750-mile road trip from Las Vegas to Denver takes 11 hours to drive. Youll have the freedom to stop in all of the funky little spots between Las Vegas and the entrance to Zion in the town of Springdale, Utah. Halfway through the drive, your dedicated driver and guide will pick up your fresh deli lunch on the way from Las Vegas to Zion. Your name: I have lived in Utah and specifically Southern Utah my entire life so I have explored just about every road, highway, interstate of dirt road. Another great choice in Springdale is MeMes with the best Cubano sandwich Ive ever eaten! (For instance, you wont want to miss all the hand-dipped chocolates and homemade ice cream at the Springdale Candy Company about a mile from the entrance. There are no shuttles along this route, but there are many overlooks, including some along the popular Canyon Overlook Trail, an easy one-mile round-trip hike through towering pine trees. There is, however, precious little public transportation between Vegas and all the gorgeous national park areas that lie just across the border in Utah. The owner of this website does not consent to the content on this website being used or downloaded by any third parties for the purposes of developing, training or operating artificial intelligence or other machine learning systems (Artificial Intelligence Purposes), except as authorized by the owner in writing (including written electronic communication). There, we rented a Jeep Patriot for our 9 day Southern Utah Trip. The extremely delicate, spiderweb pattern of the Landscape Arch stands 290 feet tall and is the largest natural arch anywhere in the world. Start your trip in comfort and style with a stay at the Advenire, Autograph Collection, where the rooms combine both vintage grandeur and contemporary design. Looking forward to when the construction is finished. After checking in at the Bryce View Lodge (more on that below), we still had plenty of daylight left, so we took the scenic drive & stopped at various points to ooooh and ahhhh the otherworldly landscape. The best place to capture the beauty of the setting sun reflecting off the hoodoos and slot canyons is at Paria View. Still, with car rental rates hovering around $35 per day, you can pile a few people into the car and easily beat the prices of any bus tour or shuttle service serving Las Vegas. There are plenty of fascinating stops along the way. Follow Highway 91 all the way to Ivins, Utah, and on to St. George. Opportunities for heart pounding adventure and quiet reflection in nature will present themselves at every turn during this Utah national parks itinerary from Las Vegas. Zion National Park is located 160 miles (2.5-hour-drive) from Las Vegas. Everything went smoothly until it came time to pick up the rental car from Dollar. From St George and Las Vegas will be continuing north on I-15 through Cedar City. The people around me were driving so fast and there was no way to stop and take a picture but it is beautiful and breathtaking. One of the best-known hoodoos, Thors Hammer, can also be found here among the red, yellow, and orange hued rock walls. Some are more of a short cut, but you will need to take into consideration the time of year and weather. We skipped the museum/tour, which Id been to before and know to be excellent. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Amor Transport929.352.6673www.amoretransport.com. It wasnt the greatest view, but it was a condor! In September we will drive from Las Vegas to Springdale, Utah for 2 nights to visit Zion NP. So, what to do with the rest of the day? If you are absolutely anti-tour bus, this is one option for you. A short section of the Interstate is a bridge that goes above the Virgin River. Pink Cliffs are the backdrop for famous sites like Boat Mesa and The Sinking Ship, two well-known rock formations within the park. Absent such consent, users of this website, including any third parties accessing the website through automated systems, are prohibited from using any of the content on the website for Artificial Intelligence Purposes. From there, we made a spur-of-the-moment decision to head for Vermillion Cliffs in AZ to see if we could spot condors. All trails will offer fantastic views of brightly colored mesas and buttes, dotted with clumps of green trees. After a lunch stop in Boulder City, we set a course for Valley of Fire via the Lake Mead national recreation area. The drive from Las Vegas to St If you have some more time, or wish to expand this into a 2-day tour and visit the state parks just north of town, to enjoy some gorgeous Utah views. Open slot on Angels Landing permit for Sat Apr 29? Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon Day 1. Dinner at Rubys, where they were out of all their interesting-sounding beers and the food was mediocre at best. How to Travel From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by Car, Plane, and Helicopter, How to Travel from Las Vegas to Arches National Park, How to Travel From Las Vegas to Mesa Verde National Park by Car and Bus, How to Travel From Denver to Las Vegas by Bus, Car, and Plane, How to Travel from Denver to 5 National Parks by Car and Plane, The 12 Best US Hiking Trails with Waterfalls, How to Travel From San Francisco to Las Vegas by Bus, Car, and Plane, Valley of Fire State Park: The Complete Guide, How to Travel from Los Angeles to Denver by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, How to Travel From Las Vegas to Death Valley by Bus, Car, and Helicoper. And you will want to go. Utah. No tickets for tomorrow, will I get it at the entrance?? The first is a relatively brief interstate drive which takes you across the Nevada desert before arriving in Utah at St George, near Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. Check out The Advenire Autograph Collection boutique hotel or try glamping near Zion National Park at Zion Wildflower Resort where you can try staying overnight in a covered wagon. If youre at Bryce, eat here! The experience is unlike anything youve done before and its one of the best things to do in St George Utah! At the east entrance/exit of Zion National Park, is the Checkerboard Mesa, a white colored plateau with a distinctive checkerboard pattern surrounded by cliffs covered in white and amber striations and swirls. Got back on the shuttle (again, no wait - we were lucking out) and when we pulled up at Big Bend, saw rangers with scopes, and heard the shuttle driver say the magic word CONDORS, we were out of there like a shot. How do I hire a guide for a day of simple hikes in SLC? You can fly into St. George Airport (SGU), which is 30 minutes from Red Mountain Resort, or Las Vegas McCarran International Airport and enjoy a scenic two-hour drive. Ive been to the area 4-5 times, but it was her first visit. Please do not attempt to walk or use a wheelchair on this trailit is a driving scenic route ONLY! This route will cost you the park daily $25.00 entrance fee so please be prepared for that, but if you have time you can see great amounts of Zion National Park along the way to highway 89. Nearby, the Family History Library is the largest collection of records in the world, profiling over three billion people, so if you've ever wanted to track down your ancestors or long-lost relatives, this is the place to do so. The St. George Childrens Museum has twelve rooms of interactive displays encouraging children to use their imagination and explore. George is so beautiful. Along the way these travelers pass within 15 miles of a park that offers arches, petroglyphs, red rocks, petrified wood, spectacular geologic formations and beautiful desert scenery. Explore the state parks near St George, Where to eat in St George and Greater Zion, Advenire Autograph Collection boutique hotel, Things to Do in Cedar City Utah with Kids, Top 7 Things Not to Miss in Tokyo with Kids, 18 Best Lake Vacations in the US for Families, 12 Must See Places on a California Road Trip with Kids, 15 Amazing Adventures to Have in Yucatn with Kids, 15 Best Things to Do in Belfast Northern Ireland. When you pass Cedar City you will take the Parawon Utah exit and travel on Highway 14 until you reach highway 89. Spend some time getting to know Utah's state capital, then leave the city heading east on I-80 towards Summit County. Other nearby ghost towns to explore include Old Iron Town and Silver Reef. Car on a scenic road in Zion National Park Another way to get from Las Vegas to Zion is to jump in a car and drive. Head north out of Las Vegas, taking Interstate 15 (I-15) north to St George. This serene forest meadow is the ideal way to end a day during your Utah national parks itinerary. Travel Safe. I think this is BLM land. Day 5 (Bryce to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? For something a bit more relaxing, take a hot air balloon ride and see all of the parks from above. The Grand America Hotel adds vintage 5-star luxury to your road trip and is a favorite Salt Lake City hotel for its regal design. 6650 North Durango Drive, Montecito Crossing, Las Vegas; 8520 Del Webb Boulevard, . Likewise, the Sundance Film Festival is a large independent film festival in Park City, usually held in January. After check-in, we headed to Hendersons brewery district, where several craft breweries are clustered together in a sort of industrial park/incubator. Seeing the view from the car is one thing, but I had the opportunity to see it from a bus window as well, so I could also see into the canyon from that height. If you are a parent looking for unique travel inspiration, youve come to the right place. The Fiery Furnace section of the park is full of twisting caverns, slot canyons, and gorges full of interesting rock formations like stone passageways and slender sandstone arches. However, it's worth considering that driving in the winter months might be challenging and smaller roads may close. A final honorable mention to include on the best Utah national parks itinerary from Las Vegas is a quick stop at Goblin Valley State Park. A 10-day trip means you'd only be driving for 2 or 3 hours per day to see the top attractions, making the drive much more laid back. The Mighty 5 national parks in Utah are Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Zion National Park. Next to Inspiration Point, and 200 feet higher, is Bryce Point. The weather in St. George hovers between 50 and 60 degrees in the winter, and the area enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year! Our plan was to hike the Taylor Creek Trail, which was fortunate, since road closures for ongoing sinkhole repair meant it was our only option. This 130 complete journey. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-117399795', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St. George. We have tips for all stages of trip planning, from how to prevent jet lag before flying to how to find the best spots when you arrive at your destination. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-117391709', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Zion, Bryce - Monday). The interstate here runs through the spectacular Virgin River Gorge, before taking you from Arizona into Utah a few miles later. Try this 38.9-km point-to-point trail near St. George, Utah. Going on Los Angeles to Salt Lake City drive can be one of the most adventurous road trips in the Western USA. September is when temperatures start to drop. If your driving from Las Vegas to St George Utah this is a beautiful view of the Virginia river Gorge. in our room at the St George Inn & Suites. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Artist : RiverwornMusic : Cafe BossaReleased : 2011Artist : LopeMusic : Cruising With YouReleased : 2013Artist : LopeMusic : In the SummerReleased : 2013Inte. She's been writing for the site since 2020. (both north and south bound). The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. The river is full & fast - hard to imagine hiking the Narrows anytime soon! After nearly 22 hours on the road since leaving Las Vegas, spend the last night of your road trip in the stunning Zion National Park. It seemed to be a problem of both staffing and inventory. Specifically the gorge area.. stunning views. Founded in 1935, the Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest state park. Which are best national parks to see in Utah? From Zion, you will travel approximately 86 miles to Bryce Canyon National Park. There are a few trails to walk here, several go to the river. If you decide to arrive between May and September, consider visiting early in the morning. (Less expensive than the strip, and putting us closer to our next-day destinations.) 1130 Brickyard Road . Or rent a UTV with Southern Utah Adventure Center in nearby Hurricane and head off to the dunes of Sand Hollow. Very beautiful drive. Keyword. Flights from Los Angeles to St. George: United Express through Skywest. It's a quick 45 minute drive from St. George and as one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S., it's one of the best things to do near St George. Bad Beat offered tasty (and unusual - blood orange ale, anyone?) Theyll include breakfast, lunch and snacks, and a driver will take you to all the highlights for about $269 per person (depending on the tour). We recommend using the entry point of Red Cliffs National Conservation Area because it's the nearest landmark on the Utah border if you're travelling from Las Vegas. This video shows today's drive from Utah to Nevada. Once you hit St. George traveling north from Las Vegas you will need to take highway 9 going east just north of St George. Looking for a sunny destination with numerous activities for kids? The reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, bullhead catfish, crappie, and largemouth bass so bring a pole and head out fishing any time of year. On day two driving from Las Vegas to Zion National Park, towns become increasingly smaller. But that was just a previewthe scenery as we drove on to the Visitors Center wowed us. While there are a number of good restaurants in Kanab, and I remember eating well there on a past trip, many places were closed that evening. Destination Poconos. Whichever way you look at it, you will be mostly driving from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon on the first day. Back in town, we did a grocery run for picnic provisions for the next day and then had mediocre takeout back at our lodging (the charming Red Canyon Cabins). Then, at Koosharem, turn onto UT-62 for a while, before carrying on south through Antimony and Widtsoe. Bryce Point is the best spot within the park during sunrise, as the rays of light reflect off the hoodoos, lighting the valley ablaze in warm colors. Hoodoos are columns or pinnacles of weathered rock, generally formed within sedimentary and volcanic rock formations. Start the trip by getting on I-15 heading north out of Las Vegas. Wildlife is abundant in this area, allowing photographers the chance to catch a grazing elk or deer, or a soaring falcon in their camera lens against the backdrop of the setting sun. If you're here earlier in the day, you can also hire a pedal or a boat tour at the Great Salt Lake Marina. The closest national park to Las Vegas, Zion National Park is the first stop on your Utah national parks itinerary from Las Vegas. The biggest blow for me: no pie. It's about 160 miles, and the drive usually takes between two and three hours. Also nearby, Hamblin Home is a historic stone house with 1860s-style furnishings, and you can learn about Jacob Hamblin and his dedication to native American Indians in the region. If you dont mind a tour bus, there are many Zion National Park day trip options from the Las Vegas Strip. After an OK lunch we continued on Scenic Byway 12. ), If you can spring for the fare, helicoptering to Zion is the most scenic route! These unique structures aid in creating a landscape that looks like something out of a science fiction movie. There is no marked trail in the Fiery Furnace, so caution is advised when exploring without a guide. Yoga classes are available, and the rooftop sun terrace is relaxing in the sunshine. You can visit Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, check out Monument Valley, and explore White River National Forest, Vale and Aspen in the Rockies. You will be booking a trip to Southern Utah in no time! Most of the drive is along Interstate 15, which has some beautiful sights and attractions along the way. Located only 168 miles from Las Vegas, Zion National Park is most well-known for the expansive Zion Canyon, a gorge . Las Vegas McCarran Airport (LAS) is the next closest airport during this time. The Most Scenic Driving Route to Bryce Canyon: The Zion National Park route would be the most scenic route to Bryce Canyon from Las Vegas. Missionaries show you around the Brigham Young Winter Home, where the religious leader and politician spent winters between 1870 and 1877. What Is There to Do in Zion National Park? Rooms have extra-large beds for a good night's sleep - perfect to prepare you for a day of outdoor exploration. St. George Shuttle800.933.8320www.stgshuttle.com. Courses and equipment rentals for canyoneering are available just about year-round, and horseback riding tours along the Virgin River can be booked from March through October. All Rights Reserved. Thank you for your support! The people in Vegas have made it really easy to get there, too. Many will recognize it from several movie scenes that were shot here, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. more. To create the best Utah national parks 5-day itinerary from Las Vegas, choose one or two must-do items in each of the five national parks and a few items in between like Goblin State Park for a well-rounded experience. Dont miss: Things to Do in Cedar City Utah with Kids and Capitol Reef National Park with kids. Drivers; those who want freedom on the cheap, Those who like a little luxury and don't want to drive. Definitely worth touring with kids. Kids might enjoy taking a tour with a docent to learn more about the history of the town. This road trip is a must-do for lovers of the great outdoors or anyone who's looking for an action-packed driving adventure. Southern Utah road trip report - Las Vegas to Bryce, Kanab. Designed in the Googie architecture style that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s, it's a cool throwback to early Vegas. Pass through St. George (perhaps making a pit stop for lunch), before nipping southeast into .