Summer activities at Utah Olympic Park

If you're staying in Park City, Utah in summer, definitely take time away from historic downtown and your resort pool to play for the day at Utah Olympic Park. Fun in winter, the park is even more action-packed during the summer months. Here's what you can expect in terms of summer activities at Utah Olympic Park. See Olympians training: The park was built for the 2002 Olympic Games, and remains a … [Read more...]

Where to stay at Canyons Resort: Hyatt Escala review

Canyons Resort in Park City has several top-tier lodging options for families to choose from (we'll be reviewing several this week!), but our new favorite just might be the Hyatt Escala Lodge. Why is this property where to stay at Canyons? The Escala's proximity to the slopes is just as good if not better than neighboring Summit Lodge, and there is more room for families to spread out in this … [Read more...]

Summer at Park City Mountain Resort: Mountain Biking trails

The Canyons Resort in Park City has the only gravity-based mountain biking in Utah. Expert riders will be well challenged on the miles of black diamond-level single track trails and terrain features in the Canyons Bike Park. But that doesn't mean there isn't something for everybody. Whether visitors crave the adrenaline rush of lift-served bike park fun or the cardio boost of hilly mountain biking … [Read more...]

What to do in Park City in the summer with kids

Park City, Utah is truly a year-round resort town. It's one of our Best Ski Town picks, but that doesn't mean families shouldn't visit during summer months: on our visit in June 2013, Main Street was bustling, and parking was challenging to find. Restaurants and bars were hopping, and some shops were open late. Summer in Park City offers much more than just town life, however. Read on to learn … [Read more...]

Top 10 family hiking trails in Utah

It's difficult to select only ten great family hiking trails in Utah, but the trails in Utah's national parks are especially good places for families to explore the natural wonders of the world together. These are my family's favorite trails from each of Utah's national parks. I use two criteria for determining whether a hike is family-friendly. First, the hike must be easy enough for a … [Read more...]

Bear Lake State Park Rendezvous Beach

Clear, turquoise-blue water. White sand beaches. Scuba diving, fishing, and wind surfing. Would you guess you're in Utah? I wouldn't! In fact, until I saw Bear Lake's Rendezvous Beach for myself, I assumed the state park was exaggerating with its claim to be the 'Caribbean of the Rockies'. But it's no lie: right on the Utah-Idaho border near the touristy town of Garden City, weekend visitors (and … [Read more...]

Best Ski Towns: Park City, Utah

It's the ideal ski town: beautiful scenery, dozens of kid-friendly resorts, and a downtown bursting with great restaurants and shops surrounded by not one, not two, but three major ski resorts, with half a dozen more nearby. It's Park City, Utah, and I challenge you to go once and not want to come back for many more family ski vacations. Where to ski: You really can't go wrong whichever resort … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 19): Hiking in Zion Canyon

We devoted Day 19 to morning hikes in Zion National Park and the afternoon to floating along the Virgin River behind our room at the Cliffrose Lodge. We began our day at the visitor's center, where we consulted the shuttle route (also found in the park newsletter) and planned our hike to the Emerald Pools on the Zion Lodge shuttle stop. The Emerald Pools is a great hike for kids because you … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 18): Zion National Park’s The Narrows

On Day 18, we woke up in Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens with a full day of exploring in Zion National Park ahead of us. Our primary destination was Zion's 'Narrows', a hike up the Virgin River deep into the canyon. (Zion has many great hikes for families.) We walked the few yards from Cliffrose to the park entrance and visitor's center, where we paid our $25 park entrance fee (good for seven days) … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 17): Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

After driving from Park City to Zion National Park, day 17 found us at Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens in Springdale, Utah, gateway to the park. Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens is located in the heart of Springdale, mere yards from the national park entrance. While all of Springdale enjoys an unexpected lushness of greenery and flowering plants (due to water from the Virgin River which flows through … [Read more...]