Recently, we went on our first big family road trip. Traveling the beautiful state of Utah ended up being one of the most enjoyable vacations I’ve ever taken. We were a little nervous about road tripping with three small kids. We had a list of things we wanted to see, but we weren’t sure what a 6, 5, and 1.5 year old could handle…especially in the middle of a hot July. (For my tips and suggestions for surviving the desert heat scroll to the bottom of this blog post). We ended up exploring and stumbling upon some of the most interesting things we’ve ever seen. Here is our itinerary for our Utah Family Road Trip.
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The Places we Visited in Utah
We had 3 major stops on our family road trip. The trip would start in Moab, Utah where we would spend 3 days. Then we would travel on to Bryce Canyon, Utah and spend one night there. We would finish the trip with 3 days in St. George, Utah. There was a long list of things we wanted to do and see in each place. Here is what we recommend if you find yourself in any of these areas. If you are planning any type of road trip, make sure to check out my blog post on Top 10 Hacks for Family Road Trips
Moab, Utah
When we finally arrived in Utah, our first stop was in Moab. Moab is FULL of things to do. Really, we could have spent weeks there and done something different every day. Here is how we spent our time.
As we drove into Moab, late in the afternoon, there was a large sand hill before you reach town, just across from the Arches National Park Entrance. Its pretty steep but you can get out and try to climb it. We let the girls out of the car to explore it a little bit. We have friends that said some kids bring big saucers and ride down the sand hill for fun.
Day 1 In Moab
Corona Arch Trail and Dinosaur Tracks
We woke up early and headed to a hidden gem…Corona Arch Trail. It was a trail Rex learned about at the last minute that we decided to try. The trail was easy enough for the kids but also challenging enough to be fun. It felt like we were walking on another planet. At the beginning you go across a railroad track coming out of a canyon and you continue through the wildest landscape. The girls got a kick out of all the rock stacks (Cairns) along the trail that lead us in the right direction. There was one area that had a village of rock stacks… it was pretty cool and the girls begged to get a picture. From there you continue along slick rock and climb up a small ladder and suddenly you see the giant Corona arch. We hiked over to the arch and took a picture underneath. It was such a cool spot. We hung out there for a while and then made our way back. Its was an awesome hike.
Funny Side Note: The Couple that offered to take out family pic at the trailhead noticed my Colorado hat. They asked where we were from and it turned out that we live in the same city, in the exact same neighborhood! Isn’t that cool!
After the hike, we then went searching for dinosaur tracks. Rex found a dirt road (Mill Canyon Rd) right off the highway that was literally in the middle of nowhere. After following the dirt road for a mile or two we found a spot to park and walked out to a spot that was roped off. The area was called the Mill Canyon Track Site, it was set up well with plenty of signage that described which dinosaur left which print. The girls were fascinated by these tracks and you could see the realization set in that dinosaurs really did exist. A really fun place to check out.
Day 2 in Moab
Arches Nation Park
This was the most suggested place that we go visit from my followers on Instagram and boy were they right. Arches National Park is a must see! The views are breathtaking. We got out and took tons of pictures and did a lot of quick hikes. Balance Rock, Window Arches, Double Arches, Turret Arch and Landscape Arch were some great hikes we did. We did not do the hike to Delicate Arch as we read it was a little more challenging for the kiddos but we did go to the view point and take some pictures of it from afar. Definitely something we will have to go do when the kids get older. We spent the entire day at Arches National Park. I agree with my Instagram Friends…it is a must see.
Day 3 in Moab
Canyon Lands, Dead Horse Point and a Scenic Route to Bryce Canyon
This was our travel day to Bryce Canyon but we took the morning to explore before we hit the road. We went to Canyon Lands (another popular suggestion) and Dead Horse Point. Canyon Lands had great viewpoints inlcuding the famous Mesa Arch and Grand View Overlook. Beautiful Vistas as far as the eyes can see. Its a great spot to snag some pretty family photos. Do not pass by Dead Horse Point without stopping, it is one of the most impressive views we saw on the entire trip.
Then we hit the road. On our way to Bryce Canyon we took the scenic route (Utah Hwy 24) and drove through Capitol Reef National Park. We stopped to make a late picnic lunch here. Then from that point we drove South on Scenic Byway 12 through 5 completely different landscapes…it was incredible. The route was jaw dropping. We ended up driving along the hogback road to Escalante which was a 2 lane highway with cliffs on either side and it was insane, rugged and stunningly beautiful.
Day In Bryce Canyon
This was another travel day. But before we headed to St. George we went to Bryce Canyon Nation Park. Again, totally stunning vistas of red rock and another great spot to take pictures. We hiked around here for a while, mainly around the rim before we hit the road to our next destination. There were some cute cabins that you can stay in at Bryce Canyon National Park that we will probably look into when we visit again.
St. George Utah
By the time we got to St. George we knew it would be a more relaxed vacation. A lot of pool days and some shopping and a little bit of adventure. We knew we were close to Zion Nation Park and if we had had 1 more day I think we would have gone to check it out but we didn’t. That is ok, it gives us something to look forward to on the next trip.
Day 1 In St. George
Golf and Pool Time
I had never heard of St. George but Rex said it is the new golf mecca, so on our first day there he played a round of golf. He said it was a beautiful golf course. The kids and I took the day to relax by the pool and rest our feet from all the hiking we had been doing. It was a much needed day of relaxation for us.
Day 2 in St. George
Main Street in Downtown St. George
On our second day we walked around their Main Street and Town Square. There were so many cute shops and an adorable carousel that the kids had fun on…well 1 of my 3 enjoyed it, the other 2 looked like they were terrified the entire time. We then stumbled upon the coolest splash pad I had ever seen. The kids splashed and played in these manmade rivers of water. We hung out here for a while because it was so HOT and the kids couldn’t get enough. Highly recommend St. Georges Town Square, it was so nice, well kept and totally catered to kids.
Day 3 in St. George
Red Hills Desert Garden and The Best Cookies Ever
On our last full day in St. George we explored the Red Hills Desert Garden. This was a cute place and another great spot for kids. You can leisurely walk the paths and check out different types of Cacti and other desert flora. They even have some dinosaur tracks to check out too. A lot of beautiful plants and wildlife. The kids also got to see their first road runner.
After that we had to check out Crumbl Cookies…O M G. These were some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. They were giant and soft and so so good. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. We stuck with the classics…chocolate chip, the sugar cookie and the peanut butter chocolate chip. But don’t be fooled by that selection, they have some pretty fancy flavors too. I would have snagged pictures of the cookies, but they were gone before I got the chance. haha.
Places to Eat on your Utah Family Road Trip
Moab
The Spoke on Center was out favorite place we ate, they had really good burgers. Moab Brewery is really good too. We also went to Antica Forma for pizza one night. That was alright, my gluten free pizza crust wasn’t cooked through at all so I wasn’t the biggest fan of that restaurant, but the kids liked it so I figured I would share. For ice cream we highly recommend Moab Coffee Roasters. We liked it so much we went twice!
Bryce Canyon
There wasn’t a lot of options where we were staying, and beware, they all seem to close down at 7 (even the Subway). We snagged some grub and the only place that was open and it wasn’t the best food…so I’m not even going to share the name.
St. George
We found some pretty decent Mexican food options, this was our most common dinner choice. Cafe Sabor was really good and has REALLY good chips and salsa. La Cocina Mexican Street Food had some excellent tacos!
Safety Tips
We had an awesome trip full of adventures and fun. If you find yourself traveling to Utah, I hope you find this Utah Family Tour Guide helpful in planning your trip. If you happen to be visiting Southern Utah in July, please be careful and aware of the heat. Every day it would hit 102 – 109 degrees. At one point it read 118 degrees. It definitely will sneak up on you if you aren’t careful, and overheating in the middle of nowhere can be scary.
When going on hikes make sure to prepare with lots of water and sports drinks. Pack double what you think you will need and even more in a cooler back at the car. Here are a few products I highly recommend if you will be in Utah in the middle of the Summer.
Baby/Toddler Hiking Carrier – If you are adventuring with a toddler or little one, this is an absolute must. This one is so nice because its adjustable and comes with a sun shade. The terrain in Utah is very rugged, so when we were on hikes it was nice to throw Duncan in the backpack and go. Even some of the National Parks (Bryce Canyon and Canyon Lands) can be a little scary with a little one running around on the loose. One wrong step and it would be a very bad situation. I am thankful we brought our hiking carrier to contain Duncan when we didn’t want him running around on his own. He loved it too!
Hydration Backpack – Everyone should have one. We didn’t have these for the girts, but promptly purchased them when we got back from the trip. Tip: Fill the bladder with ice cubes to keep the water cool.
Collapsible Cooler/Picnic Bag – Keep a cooler in the back of the car for when you return from a hike. We kept snacks and a lot of extra sports drinks and water bottles in it. This was great for when we were on travel days and wanted to make a picnic on the side of the road for a break for the drive. Highly recommend.
Hiking Backpack – A Must for carrying…you guessed it… water bottles, snacks and first aid supplies. I can’t stress enough the amount of water you need to bring.
First Aid Kit – Someone is bound to fall and scrape a knee. I’m pretty sure everyone took a digger at some point on our trip. Be prepared with a first aid kit.
If you love this post make sure to check out my blog post on Top 10 Travel Hacks for your Family Road Trip and Cousin Camp
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more tips, DIY projects and fun activities for kids. Check out my saved “Road Trip” and “Utah” highlights to watch videos of our trip.
