Family Adventures in Utah
Utah’s Mighty 5® national parks and 44 state parks bring geology, science and history to life. Utah has identified five ways families can find adventure and inspire young minds throughout the year:
- Learn to be a paleontologist at Dinosaur National Monument
Utah’s Dinosaur National Monument harbors one of the most complete geological records and a treasure trove of fossils found anywhere in North America, and its Junior Paleontologist program walks children through the giant footprints of the past - Learn to be an astronomer on Antelope Island
Utah is home to the highest concentration of certified International Dark Sky Parks in the world. Salt Lake City’s Clark Planetarium engages budding astronomers before they head out into one of Utah’s 10 dark sky parks, such as nearby Antelope Island which offers ‘star parties’ hosted by park rangers and volunteer astronomers - Learn to be a geologist in Goblin Valley
Utah’s national and state parks showcase some of the coolest rock formations on the planet, including hoodoos, monoliths, slots, dunes and cones. Kids can scramble around the magical goblin-like rocks found in the spell-binding Goblin Valley State Park, or surf the shifting coloured sands of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park – all while learning how these landscapes were sculpted over thousands of years - Learn to be a Park Ranger through Utah’s Junior Ranger program
Utah’s Junior Ranger program familiarizes children with the duties and responsibilities of a park ranger while engaging the whole family in the unique features, stories and conservation efforts of each state park. Upon completing the program booklet and activities, junior rangers will be awarded with a badge for that park - Learn to conquer fear in Park City’s Olympic Park
Utah Olympic Park still buzzes with adrenaline 16 years on from hosting the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games. Teenagers can relive the rush of the Comet Bobsled Ride or tube and zipline the Nordic jump, while youngsters explore the free Discovery Zone. Kids will learn about past sporting heroes and the science of snow in the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Centre
Move Over East Coast! Fall Colour Comes to Utah
Utah is known for its incredible red rock landscapes, but until the end of October it also boasts some of the best fall foliage visitors will find in the United States. Utah is home to 11 scenic byways offering leaf-peeping opportunities whose cascade of colour come from canyon maple, quaking aspen, scrub oak, Douglas hawthorn, serviceberries, evergreens and more. For example, in Northern Utah, travelling the Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway allows visitors to sample the harvest season through this rich agricultural area rising to a vista overlooking limestone cliffs ablaze with aspens and maples and the turquoise waters of Bear Lake – nicknamed “the Caribbean of the Rockies.” In Southern Utah, the Patchwork Parkway National Scenic Byway (known as Southern Utah’s Fall Colour Loop), connects three scenic byways and features Cedar Breaks National Monument; a large, natural amphitheater which creates a supreme red rock backdrop for fall foliage. For more itinerary ideas, click here.
The Most Charming Small Town in Utah
Reader’s Digest has named The Most Charming Small Town in Every State and Kanab was chosen as The Most Charming Small Town in Utah. Selected for the fact it is the fastest growing tourism destination in the state, Kanab is perfectly situated between three national parks (Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon), two state parks (Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Kodachrome Basin) and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, making it the perfect base for exploring Southern Utah. With a population of approximately 4,500, Kanab’s many four-legged residents make their home at Best Friends – the largest animal sanctuary in the United States, which is open to visitor tours and volunteers. Sego Restaurant, owned by Executive Chef Shon Foster formerly of nearby Amangiri – an Aman luxury resort, leads Kanab’s small-town culinary scene. With an authentic Old West flavour, Kanab is commonly referred to as “Little Hollywood” as more than 100 movies and TV shows have been filmed in the region. For more information on Kanab, visit www.visitsouthernutah.com.
Hyatt Heads to Moab
Moab, Utah has a brand new Hyatt hotel opening on September 1, 2018. The Hyatt Place Moab brings an additional 126 rooms to Southern Utah. As Moab is nestled between two of Utah’s Mighty 5® national parks – Arches and Canyonlands – as well as Dead Horse State Park, the hotel will provide incredible access to the renowned red rock landscape. The hotel has a 24-hour gallery kitchen and menu available to both guests and the public. A coffee to cocktails bar serves as a Starbucks during the day and from 2pm to 12am converts to a full-service bar. The hotel can also provide pack lunches for guests heading out to hike or bike Moab. For these active guests, the hotel features a bike storage room and a bike repair shop – Moab is considered the biking mecca of Utah after all. The Hyatt Place Moab also offers a 1,069 sq. ft. meeting room with seating up to 72 people and boardroom for 10. For more information, visit www.hyattplacemoab.com.
Issued by the Utah Office of Tourism Australia / New Zealand Press Office.
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Issued by the Utah Office of Tourism Canadian Press Office.
For more information and/or high-resolution images please contact: Heather McGillivray at Canuckiwi on +1 250 888 5687 or email heather@canuckiwi.com.
