kloozie

I will be traveling to Salt Lake City in August to meet up with two cousins. We plan to visit Cedar City for the Shakespeare Festival and see a play. We have already seen Bryce Canyon. We are ladies in our 60's and not athletic. What advice can you give me regarding fun and interesting things to do? We will only be in Utah for one week.

tomfuller

Try to get to Moab to see Arches and the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands. You may have seen a recent commercial about the 5 National Parks in Utah. They are all great IMO.

dwooddon

One of the closest attractions would be Cedar Breaks Nat'l Monument. Less than an hour from Cedar City, sort of a poor man's Bryce Canyon, and best of all from your comments, you can walk easily from your car to the viewing rim.

utahtea

Since you will be already in southern Utah in Cedar City and you've already been to Bryce, then I'd go to Zion National Park. From Cedar City you can easily stop at the Kolob Section just off of I-15 before heading to the Zion main entrance near Springdale, Utah. Either try to get lodging in the park or in Springdale.

If you have to drive back to Salt Lake City and don't mind going out of your way a little to see the scenic areas of Utah then I'd recommend driving east on Hwy 9 out though the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel, north on hwy 89, then take hwy 12 past Bryce and keep traveling on beautiful scenic Hwy 12 up to Torrey. Hopefully you would have a night to spend in Torrey. Beautiful drive and just 11 miles east of Torrey is Capitol Reef National Park. A little out of your way but the scenery going this way is so much better than I-15.

Utahtea

InSandy

Make the drive down to St George and tour all the historic homes there. Check out Tusayan and add a play there to your program. Snow Canyon is a wonderful little park there are a couple short trails. Drive out to Pine Valley, or to the Parowan Gap Petroglyphs. Definitely see Zion.

bucketlister2012

I agree with Tom Fuller. Arches in Moab is a great place to visit. Do you ladies have your lifetime pass to all the National Parks? When you reach the age of 60, you pay 10.00 and you can enter all National Parks free of charge. The other places he mentioned are great too. I would add Dead Horse State Park to the list. That's where Thelma and Louise supposedly made their final leap. If you go to Moab, there is a free museum within the Red Cliffs Lodge that's worth an hour of your time also. http://www.redcliffslodge.com/museum/

RVvagabond

Have consider tour Salt Lake City and nearby Park City ski resort ? Yes, even in summer

Cedar City also has historic value especially the Rock Church. Cedar City is where Brigham Young tried to establish iron mining and processing. Visit their museum to understand this valient history

Vaga:

PS. Parawon petroglyphs are about 20 miles north of Cedar City on a paved road. No hiking required. Best are on the east side.

kloozie

Thank you all for your responses. Our plans have changed somewhat. On August 12 from the SLC airport we are driving to St. Georges and will be seeing a performance at Tuacahn that evening. We plan to drive over to see Zion National Park Thursday morning August 13th. We want to park the car and take a shuttle bus to see the park. Is there a good place in town to leave the car within walking distance to the park? That afternoon we plan to drive to Moab. On Friday August 14 we are thinking about taking the river cruise that is offered at the Adventure Center since none of us want to do anything extreme. What can you tell me about it? Is it necessary to book reservations now? We are staying two nights in Moab. What other things can we do or see while there? We will be driving back to SLC Saturday August 15.

utahtea

Here are the list of Springdale shuttle bus stops so park near one of these places: http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisi...king%20Map.pdf

Between Zion and Moab, I would take Hwy 89 to Hwy 12 up to Torrey, then Hwy 24, right by Capitol Reef National Park and then up to I-70. This will take a little longer but the journey will be worth it. You might consider driving the scenic drive in Capitol Reef.

I've never done the river cruise in Moab. The drive in and out of Arches is really beautiful even if you don't want to do any walking. Driving down Hwy 128 to Fisher Towers is an scenic drive. Canyonlands, Island in the Sky District has some wonderful overlooks.

Utahtea