It’s ridiculous how close desert Utah is to shiny Las Vegas. They’re so close that it seems impossible to not have them routinely packaged together for long weekend getaways. What makes it even more crazy is : these two destinations make up the perfect ying-and-yang for any trip.
You get the wild nightlife and indulgence of Vegas and then only a short drive away you find the totally organic wonderland of Utah. And it’s a super short drive.
Together Southwest Utah and Las Vegas make the ideal vacation, and if you’ve never taken advantage of their kindred partnership – it’s time to take (at least a half-day) and go West. (If nothing else – you’ll have a really unexpected story to share over dinner.)
Making the Drive
- Renting a Car – Many people visiting the Vegas Strip opt for the shuttle to their hotel instead of renting a car. If you want to rent a car for only part of your stay, remember that there are several rental companies with storefronts both on the Strip as well as Downtown Vegas. *With sites spread out for both St. George and Zion, renting a car is our recommended mode of transportation.
- Shuttles – There are multiple shuttles that depart from Las Vegas McCarran Airport (the commercial airport that you most likely took to Vegas) throughout the day with stops at Zion National Park and St. George. If you choose a shuttle, I’d recommend leaving early and heading to Zion. It can be difficult to get around St. George without a car – hired cars can be unreliable in the city.
- Driving Route
- The route to St. George is super simple: Get on I-15 N and go until you see the signs for St. George (about 117 miles).
- To get to Zion, the route is essentially the same : Take I-15 N just past Downtown St. George and exit onto UT-9E. UT-9 leads directly to the Zion National Park gate, but along the way it does take one sharp Right in La Verkin (rhymes with Twerkin’) – about 10-12 miles after leaving I-15. (If you’re driving and suddenly there aren’t any restaurants or shops – you missed the right.) Keep an eye out for the signs directing you towards Zion along the way – they’re easy to follow.
St. George vs. Zion National Park
There are some great options for day trips into Utah, our two recommendations are St. George and Zion National Park. Personally, I would lean heavily towards St. George for a day trip and Zion for an overnight trip, but let me break down the destinations so you can make up your own mind.
St George – St George is a1.5-2 hour drive from Las Vegas. While its name might not sound familiar, it’s the largest city near Zion and is often the main hub for people visiting the National Park. But, St. George is entirely its own destination.
St. George is an outdoor lover’s paradise – it’s home to 4 enormous state parks, some of which were considered for National Park status themselves before Zion gained the designation. For a long time, these amazing State Parks (like Snow Canyon) were relatively unknown. Even now with more people finding out and discovering them – there is still way more personal space and room to roam at any of these than you’ll find in Zion National Park.
In addition to the parks, St George is also surrounded by tons of Bureau of Land Management land (BLM land). This is open land that anyone can explore. BLM Land is where you can get really wild with your hiking – finding backdoors to parks and epic, unshared vistas.
If you’re hitting up St. George, you’ll have time to go hiking in a canyon or across a sand dune, then to get some kayaking or cliff jumping in at Sand Hollow State Park, and still be back in time to catch a Cirque Show.
Zion National Park – To reach Zion NP, you reach St. George and hang a right – the total drive time is just under 3 hours. Once you’re there, a shuttle from the main gate will take you to the trailheads. *During winter, the shuttles don’t operate, and you can drive yourself into the park. Winter is awesome in Zion National Park and actually the best time to hike the famous Narrows Trail.
Zion is an amazing park, and we’ve visited both by stopping through and spending several days hiking and canyoneering. With the drive time + shuttle time to the tail heads, I’d suggest making this an overnight. That way you won’t feel like you need to race through the sights. Having said that, we’ve had friends that have made the drive and then stayed in the park past sunset, driving back later at night. They said they really enjoyed their time as well as not needing to pack and repack in a new hotel for the night.
Day Trip Tips
Both St. George and Zion National Park have exploded in popularity over the past decade. Here are some notes to make your day trip the best experience :
- Make Dinner Reservations – If you plan on hanging out and dining before heading back to Vegas, go ahead and get reservations. Most of the restaurants in St. George and almost all of the dining near Zion fill up around dinner time.
- Bring Water and Sunscreen – This sorta goes without saying, but Utah is a desert without too much shade wherever you go.
- BLM Land Hiking – If you plan to go to the further out hikes, write down the directions before you leave the city. Cell service on the BLM land can be non-existent.
Trip Planning
We love visiting Southeast Utah. Typically we visit 2-3 times a year, and have celebrated bachelor parties, girls getaways, multi-family excursions all in this desert landscape. If you’re wanting to plan an overnight or even a longer trip to the area, here are some of our top suggestions of things you just can’t miss in Great Zion and St. George.
- Planning the Ultimate Greater Zion Trip – Our guide for where to stay, where to eat and all the can’t miss stops along the way.
- Family Travel in St. George – With so many different experiences available in the area, here are our top picks for families.
- Destination Greater Zion – This is our home for all things Zion, St. George and beyond.
