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We love to take vacations! Okay, most people do I suppose. However, I love planning vacations almost as equally as taking the actual vacation. When I plan a family vacation, I do a lot of research including reading many blog posts. Therefore, I decided to share some of our vacations on this blog to help others plan their vacations. This post is all about our amazing Utah family vacation.
Utah is an absolutely beautiful state. I first visited it in 2017. I knew right then that I wanted to return and make it a family trip. A big consideration while planning this vacation was to ensure our children were old enough to enjoy all the hiking and appreciate the natural beauty they were going to witness.
After exploring a few vacation options, this trip became a reality in the fall of 2021. At the end of October, our family of 4 (including a 13 and a 15-year-old) left our home for what was going to be an amazing 8-day adventure through Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
OUR “UTAH” FAMILY VACATION ITINERARY
DAY 1
We started our adventure in Phoenix Arizona, Our flight landed around 9:30 am local time. We proceeded to get our rental car and started driving north towards the Grand Canyon South rim. This beautiful drive was supposed to take us about 3 hours and 40 minutes. However, our GPS kept pushing our arrival time to later and later in the day. We decided to stop for an early lunch. Because this isn’t an option in our part of the country, we were thrilled to have the kids experience a burger at IN-N-OUT burger. The line was long (as always) but it was quite tasty, especially after being up for a long time considering the time change.
When we got back on the road, the arrival time at Grand Canyon South Rim was past 3 pm. What we learned is that you must arrive early in the day or be prepared to wait for a long time to get into the park. The National Park website provides great information about the best time to visit depending on the time of year you are planning your trip. They also have a live webcam at the entrance to see the current traffic.
Change of plans
At that point, we were concerned we would have to rush through our visit and we chose to drive straight to Williams Arizona where our hotel was located. We stayed at the La Quinta Hotel. The hotel was clean, quiet, easy to access, affordable (~$150/night), and had breakfast included in the fare. We took a walk to their tiny little downtown which is off Route 66 in order to stretch our legs and get a bit of activity after sitting for so long. There isn’t much to do in Williams other than visit the little shops or grab food and drinks. However, the location is quite convenient if you want to stay off of Interstate 40.
We finished day one with a tasty dinner at the Grand Canyon Brewing and Distillery which was within walking distance from our hotel. The place was really busy but because it’s quite large we only waited 15 or 20 minutes to be seated. Both the service and the food were great. We went to bed early to be well-rested for day 2 of our amazing family vacation.
DAY 2
We got up bright and early and drove to the Grand Canyon South Rim. It was an easy 1-hour drive and there was no traffic to get into the park. Once we arrived, we parked at the visitor center and took the short trail to Mather Point which is one of the most popular places for tourists to take pictures due to its easy access.
From Mather Point, we walked the Rim trail to Yavapai Point and Geology Museum, a short and easy 0.7-mile trail. We continued onto the Trail of Time which is still along the rim. It is a beautiful paved trail that is 1.4 miles long and takes you into Grand Canyon Village. We chose to ride the bus back to our car at the visitor center since this was all the time we had. Note that the bus shuttle is a free service at Grand Canyon South Rim Park.
We had a great time even though we only spent about 2.5 hours in the park. We saw elks and the views are simply breathtaking.
We left Grand Canyon National Park around lunchtime and headed to our “surprise” location. The kids were not aware that we were making a stop in Las Vegas to watch a show. We arrived late afternoon after a gorgeous scenic drive. WOW! It was simply spectacular and even the teenagers thought it was pretty neat to drive over Hoover Dam. We stayed at Caesar’s Palace for about $200/night. We had dinner inside the venue at Trevi, an Italian restaurant with a great view of the Trevi Fountain replica. Our big activity was to attend the Penn and Teller magic show which we are big fans of. It was a hit and such a fun night.
DAY 3 AND 4
We left Las Vegas around 10 in the morning and headed north towards La Verkin Utah. Our official Utah family vacation was getting started. We chose to stay in La Verkin for a few reasons but the main one was that lodges and hotels right outside of Zion National Park were quite expensive and/or mostly booked by the time we made our plans.
We stayed at La Quinta again for about $130/night with breakfast included again. The hotel was not as nice as the one in Williams but was acceptable. I would like to mention that La Quinta (both of them) had a laundry room. For a highly active vacation, it was nice to be able to do a load of laundry while we were there.
La Verkin is about 20 miles from the National Park entrance. It is a small town with only a few restaurants and places to stay.
We drove to the park on the first day after checking in and hiked the Pa’rus trail which is an easy, mostly paved 3.5-mile trail right outside of the visitor center. The parking lot was quite busy arriving late afternoon but we were able to find a parking spot and enjoyed our first short visit inside the park. That night, we ate dinner at Steak Coach Grille in La Verkin. The food was good and we had great service. I highly recommend making a reservation if you choose to eat there since this is one of the only sit-down restaurants in La Verkin.
The Narrows
Day 2 was the big day. We were planning to spend all day inside the park and hike the Narrows. If hiking the Narrows, I highly recommend renting water equipment. We hiked it in late October and the water and air temperature were quite cold. We rented from Zion Outfitter which is located right outside the park. We selected the dry pants package which was $50/person for the day. We booked the package online many days before the trip. At the time of our trip, they had a 24-hour cancellation policy with a full refund. It includes dry pants, socks, water shoes, and a walking stick.
When visiting the park between March to November, you must use the free bus shuttle to travel within the park. This means you are leaving your car at the visitor center or even outside the park. Because we arrived early, around 9 am, we did not have problems parking. The bus trip to the Narrows is beautiful and it is clear why they call it the scenic route. The bus driver also gave great commentaries. We did not know that Zion is home to a family of condors! Unfortunately, we did not see them.
Hiking the Narrows took us about 2.5 hours. We hiked to Wall Street and chose to turn around after that point. The highest water level we experienced was about waist high for me (I’m 5’4″) and was only for a short moment. You do need to check Zion National Park’s website in the morning to monitor the water level and confirm if the trail is open on that day. You do not want to risk being stuck in a flash flood.
Last moments near Zion
We had lunch inside the park and returned to our hotel to rest and do laundry. Before dinner, we went to visit a tiny ghost town near Virgin that was called Grafton. Only 3 buildings are left from what used to be the town but it was interesting to read about the story of Grafton and take a short road trip on country roads.
We ate dinner at Balcony One in Virgin which was so delicious. This was my favorite restaurant during this entire vacation. They are not open every day so I recommend you double-check before your visit.
DAY 5
We got up early again and departed La Verkin towards Bryce Canyon City. This was about a 2 hours car trip and we chose to go straight to Bryce Canyon National Park since we could not check in until 4 pm. If you have not seen Bryce Canyon before, you really should add it to your bucket list. It is breathtaking and was a highlight for all of us during this Utah family vacation. Trust me, pictures do not do it justice.
Bryce Canyon Park is smaller and can easily be visited in one day which is what we did. We first walked up to Inspiration Point which gives you an absolutely stunning view of the entire canyon. We then hiked the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop trail. Both of them combined are just under 3 miles. The hike down is “easy” but keep in mind that you will need to get back up. Bring water and a few snacks. When we finished the hike, we went to grab lunch at the lodge inside the park. The lodge is not open year-long and is the only place to get food in the park. Make sure you check the website before you go.
Our hotel for the night was the Best Western Ruby Inn in Bryce Canyon City. We stayed there for about $130/night with no breakfast included. It is not a modern hotel. It has a rustic feel and is a little worn down but the room was clean. The experience was fun for the kids who had not stayed in a lodge before. Bryce Canyon City is tiny and has virtually no restaurants other than the one located inside the hotel. That’s where we ate for both dinner and breakfast the next morning. They have a buffet or regular menu options. There is also a large general store on site where you can get just about anything.
DAY 6 AND 7
A proper Utah family vacation could not be complete without a trip to Moab and the Arches National Park. We could not wait to get there but had a long, although beautiful 4 1/2 hours drive. One of the highlights of that day was being stuck behind a huge cattle being moved to a different pasture. It was so unique to see those ranchers, including a little (probably) 6-year-old girl, working together to move hundreds of cows. It made the drive longer but was really cool to observe.
We arrived in Moab around lunchtime and grabbed some lunch before checking in to our hotel. We stayed at the beautiful new Element Hotel in Moab for $209/night. This hotel is gorgeous and very comfortable. They have a great outdoor area with a pool and fire pit. Our room included a mini kitchen and a living room with a pull-out bed. The kids were happy to have their own beds for the last 2 nights.
We were going to visit the Hole n’ the Rock which is a cave house in Moab but they were unfortunately closed that day. We hung out around the hotel instead and went to grab dinner at The Spoke downtown Moab. This is a really cute restaurant in the middle of the action with a little bit of everything to eat, I recommend it.
The Arches
On day 7, we woke up, ate breakfast, and drove to the Arches National Park. Even as early as 8:30 am, we had to wait about 30 minutes to get into the park. We decided to go directly to the parking for the delicate Arch. Being the primary “Utah famous landmark” (according to the Utah license plate), we wanted to make sure to have time to complete this hike while it wasn’t too crowded. Parking was a little crazy but we kept driving around until we saw someone leaving.
After we completed this hike, we got back in the car and drove to Devil’s Garden Trail. Seeing the Landscape Arch and reading about its story was quite special. We ate dinner in a small picnic area right outside of this section of the park. It is important to know that there are no restaurants or places to buy food or drink inside Arches National Park. If you plan to be there all day, make sure to pack a lunch and some snacks.
After lunch, we started driving back toward the entrance and made several stops to see many of the other arches. It was a full but amazing day for the last full day of our Utah Family vacation.
We finished our family adventure with a delicious dinner at The Broken Oar restaurant and a little souvenir shopping downtown Moab.
DAY 8
We had a long day of driving from Moab to Salt Lake City to catch our flights back home. The drive was uneventful and so were our flights. Everyone was quite tired but we were filled with memories that would last us a lifetime.
Utah family vacation trip summary
- Parks we visited: Grand Canyon South Rim, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park
- Where we stayed:
- La Quinta Hotel – Williams AZ
- Caesar’s Palace – Las Vegas NV
- La Quinta hotel – La Verkin UT
- Best Western Ruby Inn – Bryce Canyon City UT
- Element Hotel – Moab UT
- Where we ate:
- Grand Canyon Brewing and Distillery – Williams AZ
- Trevi restaurant – Las Vegas NV
- Steak Coach Grill – La Verkin UT
- Balcony One – Virgin UT
- Best Western Ruby Inn restaurant – Bryce Canyon City UT
- The Spoke – Moab UT
- The Broken Oar – Moab UT
A few tips
- If you plan to visit more than 3 national parks during your visit (or in the next 12 months), consider buying the America the Beautiful annual pass to save money.
- Consider booking a hotel where breakfast is included in the room fee. This can save you time and money.
- When driving in Utah, you will go through very long stretches without seeing a gas station. Fill up before you leave.
- If you want to pack light, look for a hotel that offers a laundry room (The La Quinta we stayed at did).
- Use the park’s websites to understand when the busiest times to enter and visit are and plan accordingly.
- Bring plenty of snacks and water with you. Some parks do not have options inside the park.
- Consider making reservations for dinner in the small towns. They have lots of tourists and limited seating.
- If hiking the narrows, I highly recommend renting the water gear.
Must-have items for a hiking trip
- Reusable water bottle (consider a clip to attach it to your backpack or belt loop)
- Lightweight backpack
- Hiking shoes (I’ve always been team Merrell, but Columbia is also a great choice)
- Lightweight rain & wind gear
- Sunglasses (these will be my next purchase, I love them!) and straps (so that you don’t drop them)
Conclusion
Wow, that’s a wrap! This blog post was all about our amazing Utah family vacation (with a splash of Arizona and Nevada). I hope this has inspired you to put Utah on your bucket list if you have yet to visit this beautiful state.
Thanks for reading,
Cat xx
