The gorgeous natural landscape will bring you here and the abundance of outdoor activities will keep you coming back. In the winter, Utah boasts some of the best skiing in the country with 14 world-class resorts, including Park City, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics. In the summer, hiking, biking and water activities rule the day. And let’s not forget that Utah is home to the famed Might 5 National Parks, each featuring jaw-dropping scenery you can’t find anywhere else.
As you may guess from the name, Arches features thousands of natural stone arches that jut out of the ground and reach heights of 60 ft tall. Not far outside Moab, this is a great park to pair with Canyonlands.
For a truly unique sight, take in the views at an elevation of 8,000 ft at Bryce Canyon National Park where stone pillars rise up all around you. Numerous hiking trails take you around the park and offer a good variety depending on how adventurous you want to be, ranging from easy one mile hikes to longer more treacherous hikes around eight miles.
Park City is the biggest resort in the U.S., the result of linking Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons. It’s a uniting of the two worlds: the silver mining town and the modern-day resort complex. There are 7,300 acres to ski and even a moderate skier can make it from end to end and back in a day (you can always take the bus if it becomes too much). There’s also the feather-light snow, known as the greatest snow on earth.
Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, offers culture and fun from the super salty (hence the name) natural lake to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hogle Zoo, home to more than 800 animals. There’s also plenty to do outdoors even in this city with Red Butte Garden and Liberty Park being fun places for kids to explore.
A stark contrast of greenery surrounding soaring red rock cliffs greets you at Zion National Park. Hike past waterfalls or take in the scenery from a bike, river raft or rock climbing up the steep cliff faces.
To truly take in all the beauty Utah has to offer, a car is a must. Many of the best national parks are spread out across the state, but make for a fun and unforgettable road trip. Salt Lake City does offer a Ski Bus that runs to four of the main ski resorts and there are winter car services that offer transportation to and from the resorts when conditions are icy and you may not want to drive yourself.
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