Itinerary: Las Vegas / Utah Nat'l Parks - Zion & Bryce w/ kids in July
 

Well, after receiving much help and advice and scouring these boards, I have put together a plan for accomodations and am hoping for feedback. Now that I have the hotels worked out, I will try to find activities (hikes, biking, etc) safe and doable for our family of four with a almost 4 year old and 7 year old.

Fly mid-July from Boston to Las Vegas

Stay 2 nights at the Venetian (booked it as a mystery resort for a good rate... thought it was going to be Palazzo - was a little bummed it was Venetian because of rectangular pool, but after calling them, they said we have access to both pools - Hurrah!)

Drive to Escalante, Utah - probably 5 hour drive. - Stay 2 nights at Slot Canyons Inn in their cabin. Explore what looks to be an area of just gorgeous scenary and use this as our base for Bryce.

Drive to Springdale, Utah and stay 2 nights at the Desert Pearl Inn. Use this as our base for Zion National Park

Drive to St. George, Utah and stay 3 nights at the Inn at Entrada (3 nights here vs. the other places based on low rate... the other places were pushing our budget too much to add a night). Will explore this area, use the great pool, take some nice hikes and family drives. etc.

Drive back to Vegas and stay one night before heading home - haven't picked hotel yet -- am trying to get one on priceline. Can stay at the new M resort for $54 per night but it doesn't seem very child friendly... maybe for one night that is okay.

It seems as though you're skipping over Bryce. Maybe add one night at Bryce to break up the drive from Vegas instead of 3 nights in St George.? That way you could spend most of a day exploring Bryce and enjoying a sunset and/or sunrise there. Escalante is just a short drive from Bryce. I've never stayed in St. George and wonder what is of interest to see there as compared to deeper in canyon country.

Perhaps someone can elaborate on the appeal of St. George.

Hi Peterboy,
It is a good suggestion, however, the accomodations in Bryce are the most expensive of the places we chose to stay (based on the fact that despite our attraction to nature we also like to stay in nice places with good food options). Also, because we are with little kids, we are limited in terms of the amount of hiking, etc. that we will be able to do.

As for St. George, it seems that the appeal isn't as strong as Bryce or Zion, but because the kids are little and the pool there is great, they will be very happy. The place we are staying is where they filmed High School Musical 2 so my 7 year old DD is over the moon.

This is a trip of compromises, to give my husband and I some time to enjoy the great American West and the kids a swimming pool which all they ever really need to be happy on vacation.

Hopefully someone can elaborate on St. George... like I said it was the cheapest of our accomodations and I figured it would be better to stay there an extra night, then in Vegas (originally I had planned two nights at the end in Vegas and figured we'd have our fill after one).

Yes, pool time will be good for the kids...it will be hot in Escalante. That will be quite the contrast going from the Venetian to Escalante. If you need to cool down in Escalante, head north up Scenic Byway 12 to Calf Creek Falls and do that hike into the misty coolness at the falls. A flat and sandy hike that will be hot until the very cool end. Here's a shot of the from along the trail:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/34819896

and the base of the falls where the cooling mist is
(a great place for the kids to wade and play in the sand:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/34819898

If you don't want to dothe hike then just go wading in the Escalante which flows under Rt 12 near the falls...there's a pullout for the river access before Calf Creek as you head north.

Maybe from there go north a little bit to experience the Hogsback section of Highway 12 and then take a left onto the Hell's Backbone road up over the cooler Boulder Mountain back to Escalante...a very scenic loop and there are streams to wade in and explore there among the pines and spruce.

A typical scene from the Boulder Mountain section of Hell's Backbone Road:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/88441590

The change in climates and scenery are a good reminder that, In the west, elevation is everything.


Also a neat place to visit close top Escalante is the Devil's Garden which is down the Hole-in-the-Rock Road. It is probably a 1/2 hour to 45 minute drive from Escalante. Get up early for that as it will get hot there as the day progresses. The kids should love scrambling around the crazy hoo doos there. No trails...you just wander about the small garden of hoodoos...well worth the short drive. All of these drives can be done in a passenger car...no 4WD needed.

Devil's Garden:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/85698062

A local family enjoying the hoodoos:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/85698068

You'll have a great time!!!

I forgot to mention that you should have pizza at the Cafe at Escalante Outfitters. The pizza is very good but the real attraction are the dozens of hummingbirds that flock to the feeders around the deck...quite a show that the kids should enjoy while dining. Also an internet cafe there if you need a 'Fodor's Fix'.

peterboy,
THANK YOU for your generosity in sharing this info and the pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words and combined with your encouragement... I am just more excited than ever for this trip.

these pictures literally took my breathe away.
again, thank you

Calf Creek Falls is a 5 mile round trip so I don't know if your children are up for that. Scenic Hwy 12 is a must and another great drive is the Burr Trail just outside of Boulder, UT. In Escalante is the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. The hike up the hill might be a little steep, but they have some big boulders of petrifed wood at the lower level. There is also a lake to go swimming in here.

The Queens Garden hike in Bryce is a good hike and my 3 1/2 year old did that one without problem.

In Zion the two mile Riverside Walk is a very easy hike and a very scenic one. Weeping Rock is another one your kids will enjoy. You can go down to the Virgin River and play in the river.

Just a few miles outside of St. George is Snow Canyon State Park. There are sand dunes to go play on and other neat hikes in a scenic location.

35 miles north of St. George on I-15 is the Kolob Section of Zion National Park and would be worth a day trip.

Utahtea