Visiting Utah’s National Parks – Dolly Travels

Visiting Utah's National Parks - Dolly Travels

Visiting Utah’s National Parks

Days are flying by as we’re visiting Utah’s National Parks, and each day is packed with visions of beauty, rugged country, incredible rock formations. I am running out of adjectives to describe this marvelous southern Utah country.

On Sunday, we visited Bryce Canyon, which has been my favorite National Park so far, due to the colorful, magnificent rock structures. As you can see, by the dark clouds above the canyon, soon it began to rain. It rained hard for about 15 minutes, let up enough that we could take a walk on a short trail, then when it started to rain again, we drove to a different point.

We left the park not long after I took this picture, due to the rain. If I ever get a chance, i will visit this park again. The next day, we headed toward Capitol Reef National Park. Along the way, we traveled through an area with another slot canyon, not as long as the one we visited a few days previously, but impressive, nonetheless.

Full Story at Dolly Travels

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Utah’s Zion National Park Gay Friendly Stays – 2TravelDads

Zion National Park Gay Friendly Stays - 2TravelDads

There’s no doubt that you’ll find lots of choices for where to stay at Zion National Park, but how do you choose which one to book? Should you look for availability at a National Park lodge or book glamping outside the park? We’ll help with all of that, including where to eat at Zion.

Zion National Park Gay Friendly Stays from 2TravelDads

Depending on your travel style, you may approach visiting a National Park differently than other families. We range from camping to to hotels nearby to National Park Lodges. And our dining matches this: picnicking, easy lunches, local cuisine and fine dining.

Everybody’s budget is different when they travel. Even when we’re traveling for work on somebody else’s dime, we are careful to make budget-friendly choices and to keep with the means that we’ve always operated in. Also, we love to travel using points so that often will color the decision about where we stay. Luckily, our ideas for Zion National Park gay friendly stays include the gambit of lodging styles, including national brand options.

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Utah Gay Travel Resources

Epic Utah National Parks Road Trip – 2TravelDads

Utah National Parks Road Trip - 2TravelDads

Utah National Parks Road Trip: Epic & Unforgettable Sights

You’ll see lots of vultures in Utah, circling like they have a plan. Well, here’s a plan for you. Utah is a fascinating area with both desolate landscapes and… barbeque? This Utah National Parks road trip plan will take you through some of the most popular parks in the USA as well as through territory that you might otherwise try to drive through quickly and completely miss. And be sure to eat local as you explore, because the state has some great barbeque and local cuisines.

After this road trip through Utah, if somebody asks you why you like the Southwest, you’ll have an easy, un-arguable answer: it’s astoundingly beautiful and super dramatic. This road trip is a loop, so you’ll be able to hit all five National Parks, you’ll see how each is extremely different, and you’ll be tired by the end.

Since so much of this road trip is EXTREMELY remote, be sure that you are well stocked with back up water (you can never have too much) and lots of snacks. Sometimes it’s more than an hour between services, and they may not always be open. Be well prepared for any situation. Also, for some of the more remotes areas, take time to download the offline maps through your preferred navigation program. You’ll be glad that you did.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Utah Gay Travel Resources

Ten Great Utah Road Trips – 2TravelDads

Ten Great Utah Road Trips - 2TravelDads

Eastern Utah is famous for Moab and Arches National Park, but there is so much more! From hot springs to petroglyphs, we’ve got a great list of unique sights and hikes to add to your road trip. You’ll love the combo of amazing geology and ancient history. Stops like these make road trips in this amazing state special adventures to remember.

Some of these recommendations have notoriety or are a part of a more famous site, but they are also wonderful for avoiding crowds or getting a little off the beaten path. Add a few of them (or all of them) to your Utah road trip plan for an awesome experience.

Where to Stay on for Your Utah Road Trips

I’m sure as you’re planning your Utah road trips you’re looking at all sorts of places to stay along your route. Because the state is so spread out, we recommend picking three or four towns and staying 2 nights in each. This will both give you enough time to explore the area AND not be completely worn out from constantly driving. Below you’ll find some maps for pricing out hotels as well as info about places we’ve stayed on our road trips and really liked.

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Take a Utah National Parks Road Trip – 2TravelDads

Take a Utah National Parks Road Trip - 2TravelDads

Taking a Utah National Parks Road Trip

We’ve been looking forward to this journey for a LONG TIME. Like, I can’t even tell you how long. We are finally exploring more of the Southwest with the kids: Las Vegas and the Utah National Parks. Being from the Pacific Northwest, we’re used to cold, wet climates with lush rainforests and snow capped mountains. And saltwater on all sides of us. Our road trip from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park is going to be such a contrast to our daily life.

We’ve partnered with Best Western Hotels & Resorts to come up with an awesome spring break travel plan that includes fun, nature and family-friendly hotels in the Southwest. Our Utah National Parks Road Trip is all about exploring the unique nature of Utah while getting plenty of time relaxing together and recharging, you know, like you’re supposed to do on vacation. Yes, our itinerary will keep us busy, but we know how to strike a good balance of fun and calm. A road trip from Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park will be just that: balanced and beautiful.

I know, you think “road trip” and all that comes to mind for packing are car snacks and highways bingo. There’s more to it than that though! For us packing for a road trip, whether we’re flying to our destination and renting a car or if we’re starting from home, includes sun protection, our reusables, and more.

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The Grand Canyon and Southern Utah – Dolly Travels

The Grand Canyon and Southern Utah - Dolly Travels

It has been so long since I have really traveled, I am quite excited about this trip. I flew to Boise, met my grandson, Patrick, and his girlfriend, Kiri at their home. On Wednesday, we started our long road trip, primarily to see the National Parks in Utah.

We arrived in the lovely town of Kanab, Utah in the evening. We stayed in little cabins.

Kanab’s primary industry is tourism. But it is an old town, with several historic brick buildings, pretty parks and lots of trees. The air is so clear. I fell in love with the town and really liked the people we met.

The next morning, we drove over the border into Arizona, then drove to the North Rim of Grand Canyon. I was delighted to finally get to visit the landmark. It has been on my bucket list for years.

By Dolly – Full Story at the Dolly Travels

Utah Gay Travel Resources

Utah State Parks – 2TravelDads

Utah State Parks - 2TravelDads

Utah’s National Parks get all the attention, but there are some remarkable Utah state parks and national monuments that give the National Parks a run for their money. We have some great southern Utah state parks and protected areas that are breathtaking and totally worth your time on a Utah road trip.

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Hiking With Kids at Zion National Park – 2TravelDads

Hiking With Kids at Zion National Park - 2TravelDads

Zion National Park is known for its epic hikes and canyoning routes, but it’s also full of fun hiking trails that are great with kids too! By now you’ve seen that we really love Zion; we found that the scenery paired with the activities make for a perfect family vacation destination. And that’s what we’re talking about here: best kid friendly hiking in Zion National Park.

If you are looking for epic views or easy strolls, there are plenty of kid friendly hiking options in Zion. You truly don’t have to over-exert yourself (or your kids) to experience and appreciate the best of what Zion has to offer. These are our top picks for families and safety tips for some kid friendly hiking in Zion National Park.

HIKING SAFETY IN ZION

We always start here because it’s easy to get right into the hike info. Here’s what you need to know to be prepared for hiking in Zion National Park:

  • Know the details of your hike – distance, elevation gain, estimated time
  • Bring more water than you think you’ll need – we do 1.5 refillable bottles per person
  • Bring enough snacks to equate to a meal
  • Don’t rush kids on rocky trails

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

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Bryce Canyon National Park in the Off Season – 2TravelDads

Bryce Canyon National Park in the Off Season - 2TravelDads

Bryce Canyon National Park is exceptional when it comes to unique geology and sights. It’s a place for hiking and appreciating nature’s fascinating processes and diversity. It also gets tons of snow in the winter and spring, so visiting Bryce Canyon in the off season is tricky but totally doable and beautiful. We paired it with a trip to Zion National Park and loved the combo and its varied experiences.

This is our guide for sights, hiking and accommodations at Bryce Canyon National Park, good for any time if year, but especially the off season. That’s actually the best time to go! Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park in the off season ensures smaller crowds and lower costs, so it’s a great budget friendly option.

The most popular time for visiting Bryce Canyon is for sure the summer, and why not? It’s gorgeous and sunny; thunderstorms show up out of nowhere; hiking trails are sure to be open; it’s great! Here’s a huge tip though: visitors taper off in early fall and the weather is still awesome. In winter and early spring you’re guaranteed minimal crowds and perfectly snow-capped hoodoos. Spring brings the snow melt and prairie dogs. You’ll love it, no doubt.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2traveldads

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Complete Family Guide to Zion National Park – 2TravelDads

Zion National Park - 2TravelDads

Yes, you can totally get a good sense of Zion National Park in just one day, but believe me when I say that you’ll leave wanting more. Between the unique, red and yellow and white canyon walls to the waterfalls that appear out of nowhere, it’s remarkable. This is our complete family guide to Zion National Park, basically giving a high level overview and drilling down into our more detailed posts. We’ve written a ton about Zion because it’s awesome and we love it, so get all the goods.

The first time I planned a trip to Zion National Park as an adult I didn’t even know where to begin. I had visited as a kid and remembered everything we did… including hikes that I’d never take my four year old on. I ended up spending hours Googling hiking guides, travel blogs about Zion with kids, the National Park website itself and couldn’t find all of the information I needed in one place, so I decided then and there that following our trip I would make something super easy that was exactly what I needed. And that’s what this is: your one stop shop resource for all things family-friendly at Zion National Park.

When to visit Zion National Park

If you’re in Southern Utah, you should visit Zion National Park, no matter the time of year, but just know that it won’t all be accessible. The absolute best time to visit Zion is early to mid Spring or early Fall. Being such a popular National Park, Zion is very busy and trails can be exceptionally crowded in the summer. Whatever season you choose to visit, you always need to be prepared. The weather can change in a heartbeat, although the summer months are pretty consistent with hot days and random cloud bursts.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Utah Gay Travel Resources