St George and Greater Washington County are the ideal destination for experiencing the awe inspiring landscape of the Utah desert. Home to Zion, Snow Canyon State Park, Sand Hollow State Park, a lifetime of hikes, and hundreds of unforgettable views, vistas, & sites, there is not only something there for everyone – there is a piece of everyone that can be found there.
St George has quickly become one of our favorite destinations in the world, and one we recommend it to all our friends. You should go to your calendar right now and plan out your trip.
With so many trips on the books, you can follow our ongoing St George and Greater Zion adventures through ::
- Zion with an Infant – Augustine’s first trip to Zion at 5 Months Old
- St. George Instameet – All our friends, one place.
- Toddlers Take Over St. George – Where Augustine began hiking on her own for the first time.
Other Guides for Zion :: In addition to this overall guide, we’ve put together key guides based on the season ::
- Guide to Greater Zion & St. George in the Fall
- A Winter Trip to Zion
- A Parents Guide to Greater Zion
- A Dessert Bachelor Party in Zion
- Best Photo Spots in Greater Zion and Washington County
Here’s our guide to immersing yourself/your family/your soul in St George.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
When to Visit
Without a doubt, high season is the summer, which is why we suggest traveling in the fall or winter. There isn’t really an off-season in Greater Washington County any more, but – in these less traveled seasons – the weather is best for hiking, it’s easier to get passes/permits when needed, and the summer lines forming on highly trafficked routes disappear.
Getting To
St George is accessible either by air or car, though for most people air is our recommended route.
The St George Airport is located about 20 minuets from the city proper and an hour from Zion. This is a small airport with few amenities (ie. no restaurants). Though very convenient to the attractions, it can be an extra leg for people traveling from more distant locations.
Though there are direct flights from our city, we often prefer to fly into Las Vegas and drive the 1-1.5 hours to St George. For reference, the Las Vegas Airport (LAS) is McCarran International Airport.
Getting Around
You will need a car to experience St George and the Greater Zion Area. The sights are spread out (usually about an hour away from each other) and most visitors also try and add in a trip to one of the other nearby national parks (such as Bryce Canyon).
When renting your car, think about the type of adventure your trip will include, some trails heads are found down dirt roads and are best reached using 4WD vehicles. We highly recommend renting a vehicle with 4WD if you plan on exploring outside of the main parks.
How Expensive Is It
Experiencing St George and Greater Zion is a very affordable trip. Since much of the entertainment is outdoors, the daily expense is kept to a minimum and lodging and food are often very reasonable.
Special Notes
Many of the parks require day passes. Make sure to have $5 and $10 bills available for unmanned few areas or look into getting a park pass.
STAY
Families and Groups
Condos – Coral Spring Resort
This is our top pick for accommodations – having stayed there half a dozen times. The layout of these condos is massive with more than enough room for large parties. Each unit also includes a wide balcony or patio complete with a full sized grill.
The location is in the middle of everything, which also means it’s not close to any one thing in particular. Each trip is a drive away, but every trip is equally far away. We prefer this to the lodging that is near one attraction but 1-1.5 hours away from everything else.
Glamping
There are few accommodations in the world more visually stunning than Utah Under Canvas. As the dirt road pushes through the valley to reveal a hillside dappled with canvas glamping tents, you’ll want to stop and take pictures forever. The accommodations themselves continue to deliver on the rugged beauty that makes for amazing photos.
This ‘hotel’ is located right at the edge of a lesser traveled entrance to Zion which means that hiking from your tent leads directly into the national park (though not the most well known hikes).
Keep in mind that staying here is upscale, but is still camping. The tents have no air conditioning in the summer and on cold nights – campers stoke their own stove to stay warm. (In the end, everything smells like a campfire.) For me, I think this is a great ‘addition’ to any trip to Zion but would prefer longer trips also include more modern accommodations.
The Diamond of Accommodations
A room at Zion National Park Lodge is the most sought after space in Zion. The hotel is actually set deep in the park, which means early morning hikes and late night hiking is ideal. It really is a magical location and best for trips that are completely about experiencing Zion.
Resort Life
From all our trips to St. George, staying here has held onto it’s number one spot as most luxurious. Waking up to ducks swimming in the pond outside out cozy home was something so different than every other hotel we have stayed in while visiting.
This hotel is nearby Snow Canyon State Park, which makes is a great location for exploring the Western side of Washington County and a bit of a drive to visit Zion National Park.
**In addition to the more spa type of amenities, there are even onsite petroglyphs.
EAT
Breakfast & Lunch :: Near Zion
This casual dining spot has won us over year after year. Yes, it’s location can’t be beat if you’re around Zion, but we have gone out of our way many times just to be able to eat out on the patio here. The food is delicious.
Breakfast & Lunch :: Classic that Delivers
The River Rock Roasting Company
River Rock Roasting Company is a staple of the ‘headed to Zion’ food scene. In the morning the coffee is delicious and the cinnamon buns are huge, and in the afternoon, the entire menu is comfortably delicious. Keep in mind that it can get a bit slammed, especially in the morning.
Also, make sure to take in the view from the back deck.
Lunch & Early Dinner :: St. George’s Best View
Perched above St George at the far West end of downtown, there is no better view of the city than from these window-side tables. The food here is modern-upscale, giving the ambiance of relaxed-upscale dining. While the food here is good, the view is what always brings us back.
Breakfast :: Coffee + Crepes + Cool
We discovered this modern coffee shop on our way to Snow Canyon years ago. It’s one of those few places where the killer design meshes with the vibe while relying on it’s excellent coffee and crepes to bring people back again and again. This is a great place to stop in for a quick breakfast – though this is not as speedy as fast food, you’ll really enjoy soaking in the ambiance or even swinging in the hanging chairs.
Surprise :: Mexican
After dining at every Mexican restaurant in Greater Washington County, Cafe Sabor has come out on top. More than just ‘the best in the area’, this is a great restaurant that makes up some of the best guacamole I’ve ever eaten. Everything we tried on the menu was fantastic.
DO
There is literally too much to do in Greater Zion than can be listed in any single guide. Below are some of our favorite highlights. Check out these specific guides for more curated travel.
- The Best Hike You’ve Definately Never Heard Of
- High Speed ATVs in the Utah Desert
- 10 Best Photo Spots in Greater Zion
Snow Canyon State Park
I’m listing this first because so many people traveling to Southwest Utah focus only on the National Parks, which is funny because Snow Canyon was almost a National Park itself. When I think of Snow Canyon, my first thought is always about the crazy variety of landscapes – sand dunes, canyon hikes, prettified dunes, scrub grass. Open for day hiking and camping, Snow Canyon offers both easy to access sites as well as longer day hikes. Our favorite stops are the petrified dunes, the overlook (just outside the park), and the sand dunes.
Our most recent new discovery is the Red Mountain Trail, which we took at sunset. This trail crosses to an overlook at the North end of the park where you can see the entire canyon stretch out before you – much like some of the best views in Zion. This trail is lightly traveled and makes for a great half-day hike.
The Narrows
Everyone suggests the Narrows hike in Zion because it is totally amazing. I will always remember my hike here. However, high season can make this more of a traffic jam than an exploration of nature – for this one definately target the lesser traveled months, especially winter when it’s hiked the least.
Sand Hollow State Park
Literally a lake in the desert, where the burnt-orange sand runs all the way into the water. A day can be spent here kayaking, cliff jumping, and lounging by the water. One of our personally favorite spots is in the sand alcoves by the waterfall.
Tuacahn
The summer sees the opening of this outdoor amphitheater where the stage is built right into the rock face. Mostly large spectacular musicals, get your tickets in advance and if you’re traveling with kids – consider the grass seating.
Brigham Young Summer House
A tour though here is a peek back into the past of St George. Highlighting the colonial spirit and hard work atmosphere the house is juxtaposed against the desire to bring a refined life to this desert outpost. I found many of the talking points especially interesting, including the trend to have specialized artist paint all the wood to look like marble and other high end domestic accents.
**I talk a bit more about exploring the history of St. George in Heroes of the Desert Past, which also points out other great historical stops to make around Greater Zion.
Tour of Grafton and Rockville
Joining in a tour of this area with the Zion Adventure Company includes a history of Rockville and pass by of the more notable ‘rock-built’ houses, the ghost town of Grafton, and a drive up to an epic vista. One of the most interesting sites to me is the long abandoned graveyard for the ghost town – dating back over 150 years.
