ZION NATIONAL PARK

One of five national parks located in southern Utah, Zion National Park preserves 229 square miles of stunning red rock cliffs. Shaped by the Virgin River and its tributaries, the canyons are continuously being carved by running river water, especially during flash floods. Visitors can drive the Zion-Mt. Carmel Scenic Highway, wind through the canyon along a paved trail on the Riverside Walk, venture one of the most talked about adventures at Zion - hike the Narrows, access the beautiful Emerald Pools, or do a variety of other attractions at Zion National Park!

HISTORIC TEMPLE SQUARE

Built in 1893 and still in use today by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Salt Lake Temple sits on a block of land that is referred to as Temple Square. Free tours are given of Temple Square daily. Other activities to do on the square or nearby include viewing the Christus statue at the North Visitor Center, watching the famous Choir on Temple Square perform, visiting the free Church History Museum, eating at any of the acclaimed restaurants: The Roof, The Lion House or Nauvoo Cafe, and many more ideas. 

PARK CITY

Park City is home to the largest ski area in the United States.  Additionally, the city is the main location of the country's largest independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival, home of the United States Ski Team, and provides a great attraction from the 2002 Olympics that is accessible to anyone, Utah Olympic Park. Park City is a winter playground for hundreds of thousands, but also provides various summer activities including fishing, hiking, golfing, biking, and attractions such as the alpine coaster and slide. 

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK - MOAB

Located near the city of Moab in southern Utah, Arches National Park is home to Utah's famous rock arches. Some of the incredible arches are only accessible by hiking. However, there are many arches that can be seen along the 18-mile scenic route.  Many outdoor adventures are available at the park including camping, biking, climbing, backpacking, horseback riding and stargazing. Be prepared as the summer weather here can be incredibly hot.

DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT

Dinosaurs once roamed here! Enough said, right?! Kids of all ages will enjoy viewing over 1,500 dinosaur fossils that are exposed on the cliff face inside the Quarry Exhibit Hall. Trails in the park and area lead to dinosaur footprints, fossils and petroglyphs. Private or commercial rafting trips along the Green and Yampa rivers are a popular activity while visiting the monument. Whether your passion is science, adventure, history or scenery, Dinosaur is a great place for families to visit.

BEAR LAKE VALLEY

Known as the home of Utah's best beaches (yep, that's right!), Bear Lake is located on the northern border with half in Utah and half in Idaho. Often called the “Caribbean of the Rockies” for its intense turquoise blue water, Bear Lake Valley is an adventurer's paradise! Not only are there an incredible amount of activities to do in, on and around Bear Lake, you will not want to miss the Bear Lake raspberries! My personal favorite was a raspberry shake from LaBeau's Drive-in. The blue water and the beach made for happy (and exhausted) kids! The rentals and campsites fill up fast for the summer, so plan ahead!

BRYCE CANYON

Multiple natural amphitheaters filled with irregularly shaped rocks called hoodoos is what makes up the miraculous Bryce Canyon. The most famous location to visit is Bryce Amphitheater. In the summer months, there is a shuttle that takes visitors to the four main viewpoints. At most of these viewpoints are trailheads to explore the canyons. Our favorite hike was a 1.4 mile loop, Navajo Loop Trail that leads to hoodoo formations such as Wall Street, Twin Bridges, and Thor’s Hammer.

LAKE POWELL

Along the southern border of Utah is the gorgeous Lake Powell. The lake and surrounding area has an incredibly wide range of family activities that vary from being extremely thrill-seeking to amazingly relaxing. Rent a houseboat, take a boat tour, ride in a tube behind a boat, go on a romantic dinner cruise, hike, swim, or fish. A must-add agenda item is the largest natural stone bridge in the world, Rainbow Bridge National Monument.

THANKSGIVING POINT

A family could spend a whole week just enjoying the attractions and scenery at Thanksgiving Point, which include a farm, garden, and museum complex that focuses on natural family learning. The campus is located south of Salt Lake City and is home to the Museum of Natural Curiosity (a phenomenal children's museum), Farm Country (meet your favorite farm animals), Ashton Gardens (relaxing manicured gardens and waterfalls), Museum of Ancient Life (one the best hands on dinosaur museums we've been to), and the Butterfly Biosphere.

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH AREA MUSEUMS

Near the University of Utah, resides some of Salt Lake City's best attractions!  The area is home to the world’s largest display of horned dinosaur skulls at Natural History Museum of Utah, explore themed gardens at the large Red Butte Garden, the 42-acre Utah's Hogle Zoo, go back in time at This is The Place Heritage Park, and the region's primary resource for culture and visual arts Utah Museum of Fine Arts. All of these and many more attractions can be seen at a discounted price with the Salt Lake Connect Pass.