ROAD TRIP: TOP TIPS FOR ZION NATIONAL PARK
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE PLANNING A TRIP TO ZION NATIONAL PARK
HOW TO GET TO ZION NATIONAL PARK
Zion National Park is located in southwest Utah. IF YOU’RE UP FOR A ROAD TRIP, THERE ARE A TON OF BEAUTIFUL ROUTES YOU CAN TAKE.
IF DRIVING FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, YOU’RE LOOKING AT ABOUT AN 8 HOUR DRIVE. UNLESS YOU WANT TO MAKE THE DRIVE STRAIGHT THROUGH, I RECOMMEND PLANNING A FEW PIT STOPS OR AT LEAST AN OVERNIGHT STAY ALONG THE WAY.
I FOUND A REALLY COOL SITE THAT SHOWS YOU ALL OF THE ROUTES YOU CAN TAKE TO GET TO A DESTINATION CALLED ROME 2 RIO. IT’S COOL BECAUSE YOU CAN MAP OUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS INCLUDING TRAINS, BUSSES, FLIGHTS & SHUTTLES.
A FEW IDEAS FOR PLACES TO STOP AND RECHARGE IF YOU’RE COMING FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
- BIG BEAR – AIRBNB HAS THE BEST CABIN OPTIONS IN BIG BEAR. IF YOU’RE ROAD TRIPPING DURING THE WEEK, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FIND THE BEST DEALS. A LOT OF TIMES AIRBNB’S WILL HAVE A MINIMUM STAY THOUGH, WHICH CAN BE ANNOYING. NOON LODGE AND BIG BEAR FRONTIER ARE GREAT OPTIONS TOO.
- JOSHUA TREE – One of the TOP ROAD TRIP LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA, WHY NOT MAKE A STOP ALONG THE WAY? I RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT GLAMPING HUB FOR ALL OF THE COOL YURT AND AIRSTREAM RENTALS!
- LAKE MEAD – if you feel like taking a day off and hitting the lake, lake mead has a ton of awesome options. you can even rent a boat for the day! temple bar resort offers cute little cabin rentals that are perfect for a pit stop.
- LAS VEGAS – THERE ARE TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF HOTELS IN VEGAS. IF YOU’RE COMFORTABLE STAYING IN HOTELS RIGHT NOW, THE RATES ARE INSANELY CHEAP. if you opt for a hotel, i recommend looking into suite options so that you have access to your own kitchen. hometogo also has a ton of awesome apartment rental options.
- DEATH VALLEY – THERE ARE SOME AWESOME AIRBNB OPTIONS IN DEATH VALLEY. YOU CAN GET $65 OFF YOUR BOOKING BY CLICKING HERE!
- BARSTOW – THERE’S A REALLY COOL KOA IN YERMO THAT HAS TENT CAMPING, RV SPOTS & EVEN GLAMPING CABINS! I’M A HUGE FAN OF STAYING AT KOA’S ON ROAD TRIPS BECAUSE YOU STILL GET TO HAVE YOUR OWN SPACE (MEANING YOU’RE NOT IN A HOTEL) BUT HAVE ACCESS TO AMENITIES.
IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DRIVE, YOU CAN ALSO FLY (DOUBLE CHECK THE CURRENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS BEFORE BOOKING). IF YOU’RE FLYING FROM CALIFORNIA, I RECOMMEND FLYING INTO ST. GEORGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. it’s a quick 33 mile drive to the park.
YOU CAN ALSO FLY INTO McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, which is 170 miles from the park.
Salt Lake City International Airport is the next closest, and it’s 311 miles from the park.
either way, if you fly you’ll want to rent a car or book a shuttle.
WHERE TO STAY IN ZION
we stayed at the most beautiful hotel, the cliffrose springdale. it’s a curio collection hotel by hilton. curio hotels are known for being upscale independent hotels. meaning the hotels are supported by Hilton, but retain their own individual branding, character & personality.
The Cliffrose Lodge & Gardens are nestled into one of the most amazing locations in zion. the property literally borders Zion National Park along the Virgin River.
Resort amenities include:
- a heated outdoor pool
- waterfall hot tub
- riverside hot tubs
- riverside beach
- event space
- 5 acres of grounds
- all rooms, suites & villas feature luxury amenities & balconies (or patios)
The Cliffrose is great for anyone – couples, families, friends or even solo trips. Just like Zion National Park, the hotel is open all year round.
the staff were amazing and so helpful. I love that there are a ton of free amenities as well. like parking, coffee & tea, high-speed wifi, shuttle services to the park and best of all… they don’t charge resort fees!
as i mentioned, there are free shuttles you can take advantage of in the park. and The Cliffrose is only 200 yards from the Zion National Park Visitor Center! This makes it the perfect location -you can park your car for for your entire stay and walk or shuttle around!
one thing i really appreciate about the cliffrose – and hilton hotels in general – cleanliness. the hotel is extremely clean and recently renovated.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN ZION
full disclosure, we traveled to zion when there was primarily outdoor dining available and many restaurants were closed. so once we found 2 spots we liked, we stuck with them.
the hotel has a great restaurant called anthera. we ordered room service from the restaurant a few times and absolutely loved the food.
the zion brewery pub & bar was hands down my favorite restaurant of the trip. they have amazing burgers and fries. you can even get beer to go!
if you’re looking for coffee or a light breakfast or snack, perks at zion is amazing.
if you’re looking for other restaurants, there’s a full list here
if you stay at the cliffrose (or another resort) and book a suite, you’ll also have a kitchen. this definitely helps with eating in.
normally they’re more expensive, but if you think about how much money you would spend going out to eat vs. if you buy your own groceries, it can definitely save you money.
i recommend stopping at a larger grocery store along the way in. but there’s also a small market you can pick some stuff up at to stock up.
WHAT TO PACK
what you pack will vary slightly depending on the time of year you’re traveling, how long you’re staying, the types of hikes & activities you’re planning etc.
but in general, here is a list of things i recommend bringing:
- a reusable water bottle & a reusable yeti or coffee cup. there are water filling stations throughout the park and town that you can use. i also like having an extra cup for making my coffee or even a cocktail in the room. they’re also great for taking down to the pool or hot tub!
- snacks! whether you’re hanging out in your hotel room or on a long hike, snacks are a necessity. pro tip: you can order snacks on amazon and have them sent straight to the hotel. i recommend sending snacks, drinks or whatever you need to the hotel a week ahead of time (so they get there by the date of your stay). you can add “Attn: arriving guest name” and even give the hotel a heads up that you have a package being delivered.
- A good pair of hiking shoes or boots.
- i like bringing a pair of water shoes as well in case we end up swimming in a river.
- A lightweight backpack – i like ones that fold up easily.
- Sunscreen
- sunglasses
- good quality socks
- athletic clothing that can be layered (i wore my workout clothes because it was warm out. if it’s cooler, don’t forget to bring a jacket). here’s a list of my favorite amazon fitness finds.
- a swimsuit
- bug spray
- chapstick
- a hat
ZION HIKING TIPS & RECOMMENDATIONS
before your trip, be sure to check the National Park Service website to see which trails are open during your visit.
The Riverside Walk is a great easy trail for families, or if you aren’t a huge fan of hiking!
Weeping Rock is another great, fairly low key hike. it’s a short steep trail, but definitely worth the view.
there are two parts to the Emerald Pools trail. the Lower Emerald Pool is good hike for all levels. the Middle and Upper Emerald Pools are more advanced.
The Narrows is definitely one of the most popular hikes in zion. We didn’t hike through the Narrows, but if you take the riverside walk you can see them! the hike is advanced and involves wading through the Virgin River. Your feet will definitely get wet! The best way to get to the Narrows is to start at the Temple of Sinawava on the Riverside Walk.
The Canyon Overlook trail has of the most amazing views and is great for photos. It’s a 1-mile round trip hike and great for all levels.
Angels Landing. is the most well known trail in zion. it’s definitely more advanced and i wouldn’t recommend doing it with kids. The Observation Point is 8 miles long with 2,300 feet of climbing – but the reward is some of the best views in the park!
Other things you might want to check out:
- Checkerboard Mesa
- Slot Canyons
- The West and East Rim Trails
- The Subway (permit required)
- you can also link hikes together!? You’ll need to snag a wilderness permit and reserve campsites though.
NOT A HIKER? OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES IN ZION
if you’re not much of a hiker, you can still see zion by taking the Zion Canyon scenic drive.
The drive take about 1.5 hours, it’s about 9 miles east of St. George – so if you fly into st. george i recommend taking this route in.
if you’re coming From the east, the scenic drive ends at Highway 89, at Mount. Carmel Junction.
you can also rent a bike! – cycling is permitted on all park roadways and on the Pa’rus Trail. There are a ton of rental locations where you can get a bike or e-bike (if you’re feeling lazy or like exploring more).
most of the rental shops also rent hiking boots & equipment in case you don’t want to buy anything.
book a horsebacking riding trip with canyon trail rides. such a fun way to explore the virgin river!
stargazing is a must, regardless of what you do!
national parks are some of the best places in the country to see the night sky. Zion even HAS night-friendly lighting at buildings inside the park, including Zion Lodge and Zion Canyon Visitor Center. I DOWNLOADED THE NIGHT SKY APP WHICH MADE IT EVEN MORE FUN FINDING STARS & CONSTELLATIONS.
Zion Canyon Yoga OFFERS AWESOME OUTDOOR YOGA CLASSES. YOU CAN EVEN pair hiking and yoga with a 2.5-hour class with Zion Guru – HIKING along the Watchman or Pa’rus Trails followed by restorative yoga
IF YOU’RE FEELING ADVENTUROUS, BOOK A FLIGHT WITH Zion Helicopters. SIGHTSEE FOR 60 minutes – ENJOY panoramic views of Zion’s FROM ABOVE!
NEXT TIME WE VISIT I WANT TO BOOK AN OFF-ROAD JEEP OR ATV TOUR. Zion Country Off-Road Tours show riders terrain they PROBABLY WOULDN’T be able to experience from a hike across the park. The four-hour tours take YOU far from the Hikers AND most popular trails..
OTHER STUFF I BROUGHT WITH US
i like to use packing cubes to organize all of my stuff. i normally use my calpak luggage and a backpack that has space for my laptop and camera equipment. here are some random things that i almost always bring with us when we travel.
- cold brew / coffee pods – most hotels and vacation rentals have a keurig machine. i like these pods because you can also use them to make cold brew if you prefer it. or in case you don’t have a keurig machine to use!
- i also bring tea and bone broth/soup mix with me wherever i go. i found these cool single serving bone broth pods that also work with a keurig. I like having hot tea of broth at night or a quick soup for an easy snack.
- snacks, drinks & water for the room. as i mentioned before, i like to have an amazon delivery sent to wherever we’re staying. if not, we’ll stop at a local grocery store. i stock up on water, la croix or other drink mixers, wine/alcohol, snacks, etc. that way i don’t have to spend $5 on a late night bottle of water or $15 on an impulse mini bar purchase.
- liquid iv is a game changer when traveling – it helps keep you hydrated and replenishes electrolytes. i love having one after a flight, after a hike or any outdoor activities. they’re especially great if you’ve spent some time in the sun!
- a travel diffuser – there’s literally nothing worse than a stinky room or rental.
- a travel size noise machine – i can’t sleep without it!
- slippers – sounds crazy i know. but it makes me feel so much more relaxed and comfortable!
- travel power strip & plug for electronics – i hate when there isn’t an outlet near the bed or in a convenient spot for charging my stuff. this comes in super handy!
- portable phone charger with built in plugs (so you don’t have to carry around a bunch of stuff to stay charged up).
- individual makeup remover wipes – i keep these in my purse and bag all the time, they’re great for taking makeup and sunscreen off. they also get deodorant stains off of clothes!!
- portable sterilizing wand – i know it sounds a little extra, but i love having this bad boy to disinfect on the go!
- portable sd card reader
- iphone tripod & Remote
- moment iphone case & lenses
you can also check out my blog post with road trip essentials for more tips!
A FEW TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY
one of my biggest money saving hacks as i mentioned above is having stuff sent via amazon to your hotel room. we save so much money not paying resort prices for minibar water, snacks & drinks.
if you’re plan on flying, don’t forget to put your broswer in private mode. you can also change the country of origin when searching for flights, it actually changes based on currency.
most of the time, you can actually get the best hotel rate if you call the hotel and ask for the best price, the most appropriate room options and for a free upgrade.
i like using HotelTonight for last-minute deals. a lot of the time, hotels are actually less expensive than an airbnb. for solo or couple travelers – it normally doesn’t make sense to a huge house.
when booking rental cars, i always opt for cheapest rental car and a pickup time as early as possible because a lot of the time you’ll get the a upgrade. early in the morning, most customers haven’t returned their car yet, so the agency will often give you one of the upgrade at the same price.
when booking hotels, keep an eye on the resort fees. resort fees vary but can be a total surprise when you check out. check to see what the resort fees are at spots you’re comparing. not only to save money but also know what you’re paying for!
if you’re trying to save extra money – consider staying outside of the park. rates are obviously higher for hotels and vacation rentals in the park.
double check your current health and car insurance. a lot of the time, they’ll cover everything that comes with travel insurance. that way you’re not paying for something you already have.
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