The Beehive State is one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the country,
and for good reason. Utah has all kinds of incredible landscapes,
national parks, and also built-up areas for any tourist to enjoy.
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On top of that, the state is smaller than you think (most of the best spots to visit are
in the southern tip) so you can visit almost all of these areas in one trip.
Let’s take a look at the 10 best places to visit in Utah!
10. Zion National Park
Utah is filled to the brim with national parks, but perhaps none of them
are as well-known as the iconic Zion National Park located in the state’s southwest. The Zion
Canyon is the main attraction of this park, and it can give you some of the most spectacular views
in the world. The Zion National Park is super easy to drive in thanks to the 6-mile road that
can give you amazing views of the park. There are countless canyons for you to explore and
hidden spots for you to discover. If you want to get a workout in, there are also many hiking
trails with varying levels of difficulty that are all worth it for the final view.
If you’re a birdwatcher, this park is practically heaven, since it has over 290 different species
of birds. Just visiting this park alone can make your entire Utah trip worth it.
9. Salt Lake City
You simply can’t visit Utah without also visiting the largest city in the state,
Salt Lake City. Not only is SLC incredibly diverse and rich in history, but it also has
a thriving nightlife with a lot of great bars, clubs, and special events. Aside from that,
it happens to be one of the best family-friendly destinations in the entire country, with countless
parks, museums, and recreational activities to offer. It’s a skiers paradise, with 11 ski
resorts located just an hour away from the city. The city is an outdoor paradise in both the summer
and the winter. SLC receives a lot of snow, and its residents refer to it as the “greatest snow
on earth”, and trust me, they’re not wrong. The city has a surprisingly extensive public
transportation network for its size, which makes it super easy to get around without having a car.
8. Monument Valley
Monument Valley is located on the border between Utah and Arizona, and it sort of combines the best
of what both states have to offer. The landscapes here look like they could be from Mars, and it’s
the perfect place to get some amazing shots for Instagram. There’s plenty to sightsee here,
and you might just come across some areas you’ve seen in movies like Forrest Gump and Stagecoach,
so make sure you observe with your eyes wide open. But the most amazing part about this attraction
is the history and significance it has with the Navajo Native American tribe. The Navajo Tribal
Park is located within the valley, and there are a lot of authentic tours you can take on horseback
while you learn more about Navajo culture, cuisine, and way of life. Most of these tours
are operated by native Navajo guides, and it’s a great way to support the community.
7. Park City
One of the things that put Utah on the global map was the 2002 Winter Olympics. They’re often
considered the best winter Olympic games ever, and that’s entirely because of how amazing both
the conditions and the sports infrastructure around Park City are. Park City is probably
the best location on earth for winter sports, with all kinds of different difficulty levels
and sports like skiing, sledding, snowboarding, and more. Park City is also home to the annual
Sundance Film Festival in January and February, so it’s absolutely essential for a film buff to
visit. But not everything in Park City is made for the winter, though. During the summer, there
are some amazing options like whitewater rafting and zip lining for you to try. So regardless of
the time of the year, Park City is one of the best attractions in the entire state.
6. Bryce Canyon National Park
If you want to leave the planet without actually spending millions of dollars and hopping on a
spacecraft, then look no further than Bryce Canyon National Park. Although it’s technically not
a canyon, this park offers some of the most out-of-this-world views you will ever see
in your life. Everywhere you look, you’ll see nothing but these bright orange-red spiky rock
formations called hoodoos. This national park is practically the only place on earth you’ll see
sights like these, so visiting a one-of-a-king region makes a lot of sense when you’re on your
Utah trip. The great thing about Bryce Canyon is that there aren’t nearly as
many tourists as some of the other national parks like Zion, so you already know that
everything there is going to be pristine and untouched. If you go further into the canyon,
there are countless places for you to explore, hike in, and discover.
5. Provo
Provo is not as well-known or large as Salt Lake City or some of the other major
cities in the area, but it truly is one of the coolest cities in the entire state. Fun fact,
Provo is the happiest city in the entire country, but what makes it so special for tourists?
Provo is surrounded by some of the most gorgeous views of the rocky mountains you can get in Utah.
There are over 100 different restaurants in this small city thanks to its cultural diversity. Provo
is also home to a lot of different festivals such as the America’s Freedom Festival held every July,
and the Hispanic-themed Festival Latinoamericano held every labor day to commemorate the city’s
diversity and Latin American culture. Like a lot of other Utah cities,
there is a strong outdoor vibe throughout, so if you were planning on staying confined
in your hotel room for your entire trip, this isn’t the city to visit.
4. Capitol Reef National Park
The Capitol Reef National Park is one of the most underrated national parks in the entire country.
This massive national park is open year-round, and it encompasses an
area that’s over 240,000 acres, so you’ll never run out of things to discover here.
The Waterpocket Fold is a 100-mile long natural phenomenon that has formed a
massive wrinkle into the earth’s crust. The scenery is reminiscent of the Grand Canyon
along with some of the other national parks in Utah like Zion and Bryce Canyon. There’s also a
lot of history in capitol reef, with petroglyph carvings created by ancient Native Americans being
clearly visible on a lot of the rock walls you see in the area. It’s the perfect place to simply
get lost in, take a lot of pictures, and learn some history about how people used to live here.
3. St. George
St. George is the perfect city for you to experience a different side of Utah. It’s
located next to the state line with Arizona, which makes it look like more of an Arizona city than a
Utah city. It’s one of the warmest cities in the entire state, and one of the few that doesn’t get
covered in a blanket of snow every year. The city is considered a gateway to Zion National Park,
but it also has a lot to offer itself. The city has a rich music scene with a lot of
concerts being held every weekend by local artists. Places like the St. George Children's
Museum and the Dixie Center make it perfect for families, and if you’re visiting alone,
there’s also a thriving nightlife in the city that gives it the perfect “fun small town” vibes.
2. Arches National Park
The Arches National Park is one of the most iconic parks in the entire state of Utah.
While its relief is quite similar to some of the other parks around Utah, taking a closer look at
it will show you why it’s truly magical. There are over 2000 naturally formed arches located
all over this national park, which is what gives it its name. Some of these natural rock formations
will absolutely blow you away with the sheer beauty, and you’ll be shocked to know that
these aren’t man-made at all. It’s home to some of the Instagram classics, like the Balanced Rock,
the Courthouse Towers, the Delicate Arch, and the Double Arch. It also has a thriving wildlife,
with unique species like the kangaroo rat, spadefoot toad,
antelope squirrel, peregrine falcon, collared lizard, and so much more.
1. Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument
Now, this is a monument that’s located in one of the national parks we’ve already mentioned,
Bryce Canyon, but it’s so amazing that it deserves its own entry. If you were looking to
get the single-best view in the entire state, then look no further than the Grand Staircase–Escalante
National Monument. It encompasses an area of over 1 million acres, and it’s basically an endless
trail of discoveries, history, and beauty. There are all sorts of natural rock formations, arches,
hiking trails, waterfalls, and canyons located all over this national monument,
and you can say that it has a little bit of everything located within it. If you were
looking for just one scenic attraction to visit in Utah, then the Grand Staircase has it all.
That’s a wrap for the 10 best places to visit in Utah! What’s your secret spot in Utah?
Let us know in the comments below! As always, don’t forget to like this video and subscribe
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