5 Best Weekend Getaways in Utah (2024)
From skiing in the winters to indulging in tons of outdoor adventures, there are many things to enjoy when you are in Utah. Weekend getaways in Utah mean taking in the otherworldly landscapes, spending more time in the great outdoors, and embracing your sense of adventure. There are many great destinations in this great Mountain West state that has made it a favorite playground for people from all across the country and a wonderful place to disconnect from the daily stresses of life.
5 Best Weekend Getaways in Utah
Here are some of the best weekend getaways in Utah.
1. Kanab
The beautiful small city of Kanab is located in the heart of Southern Utah’s red rock country, and it is one of the best places to get away to for the weekend. You will be very close to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and there are many other epic outdoor places like Buckskin Gulch and The Wave. Spend the weekend learning about the rich local history at the Hovenweep National Monument and visit the many film sites here of some of the famous Western movies that have been filmed here. Some of the other top outdoor attractions in and around Kanab include the Paria River Canyon and the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. This place is an excellent choice for animal lovers who will love to visit the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab.
2. Salt Lake City
The capital city of Utah, Salt Lake City, is a central hub for adventures like skiing, arts and culture, and many other family-friendly entertainments to fill the weekend. This is a perpetually busy city with lots going on. But at the same time, the city is not too crowded that you will get stressed while trying to navigate. Spend an enjoyable weekend in Salt Lake City touring the Temple Square, catching a Broadway show at the Eccles Theater, or enjoying a football game of the Utah Utes. This is the weekend getaway to spend learning about local Mormon history, catching up on your own genealogy, and enjoying the nature of all the four seasons in one place itself. The nearby Wasatch Mountains are also the perfect place for some weekend recreation as you indulge in boating, hiking, and fishing.
3. Exploring the Mars-like Landscape at the Zion National Park
The Zion National Park in Utah is one of the most popular and most visited national parks in the US. It is a great weekend getaway. The Zion National park is known for having the most breathtaking landscapes in the entire Southwest of the country. With majestic mountains and massive cliffs that line the valley, this park is often known as the vertical park. In springtime, there are waterfalls that pour off these ledges and feed right into the Virgin River that flows through the canyon.
There are two scenic roads that take you through the park and its main attractions. However, it is best to explore the Zion National Park on foot to be able to see more of this unique terrain. There is a free shuttle service that runs from spring until fall and transports visitors along the stunning Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. You can hop on and off at any of the stops along the way. While the shuttle service stops in the winter months, but the road remains open to private vehicles. If you are coming in an RV, you have to pay a fee and obtain a permit beforehand to use the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, especially to pass through a narrow tunnel here.
There is an extensive network of hiking trails at Zion that will take you through the many canyons and along the ridges located above. You get a really great view of the scenery when you take a hike below the giant rock walls or decide to venture up the Virgin River through The narrows. Many fearless hikers can experience the grandest views from the lookouts located above 1000 feet from the canyon floor.
4. Spend the Weekend Skiing and Snowboarding in Park City
The best and biggest place to ski and snowboard in the US is Park City in Utah. Park City boasts of an incredible three world-class mountain resorts. This makes for a wonderful weekend getaway. Located east of Salt Lake City, Park City sees millions of visitors every year who flock to its sparkling snow-covered slopes.
The majestic mountains here have an amazingly high number of runs for guests to snowboard or ski down. Park City Mountain itself has over 330 delightful trails. There are also many excellent facilities and extensive amenities at the Deer Valley and Canyons resorts, with a variety of other winter sports to try out as well. The fact that Park City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics should give you a good idea of just how amazing this place is.
5. Enjoy the Weekend at the Bryce Canyon National Park
Spending a weekend at the Bryce Canyon National Park will a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will remember forever. When you first lay eyes on the Bryce Canyon National Park, you will feel like you have been transported to some fantasy world with towering stone spires and many balanced rock formations that are called hoodoos. These hoodoos cover the landscape in shades of gold, orange, pink, and cream. From the lookouts located high above the canyon rim, you get to peek out over this stunning collection of hoodoos into a surreal landscape. This photogenic site is so popular with photographers that you will always find someone or the other setting up camp to photograph various locations at the park at both day and nighttime.
If you want to get the most stunning views, then head to the Sunrise and Sunset Points, located along the Rim Trail. You won’t be disappointed to see the majestic views from here. If you want to get a different perspective on these fabulous sights, consider taking a walk along one of the hiking trails that snake through the canyon and explore around the bases of these gigantic spires and oddly-shaped rock formations. The park is located at an elevation of 8,000 to 90000 feet, and it is home to many ancient bristlecone pines. This is one of the lesser common sights you will get to see in Utah.
