Our family has only been to Utah once, but it was so memorable! We're looking forward to going back one day. Here are our favorite sites:
This is one of those classic, oddball roadside stops that you almost can't believe is real! It's a 5,000-square-foot home carved right into a cliff. You can take a short guided tour and see how a couple actually lived here, with a fireplace, full kitchen, and even a bathtub blasted out of stone.
Great Salt Lake is not your typical lake! It has a surreal beauty. You'll find lots of flies at the water due to it's high salt content. We were there in the middle of summer, and the shore was the hottest thing I've ever walked across!
At the heart of downtown Salt Lake, Temple Square is an important part of Utah's identity, whether you're there for the history or the views.
This is one of the few places where you can actually see real dinosaur fossils still embedded in the rock. These aren't replicas! They are the real thing. The Quarry Exhibit Hall is the highlight, with a wall of bones you can examine up close. The surrounding area is also filled with ancient petroglyphs and quiet hikes with dramatic desert views.
This was one of our favorite things! And you don’t have to travel far from the city to see ancient Native American rock art. Head to places like Parowan Gap, Nine Mile Canyon, or even closer, the petroglyphs near City Creek and Little Cottonwood Canyon. Some of the images date back thousands of years, and they are just there, out in the open for you to enjoy.
There’s a reason Arches is on so many bucket lists. The sheer number and variety of natural stone arches is breathtaking. Delicate Arch gets all the attention, but spots like Double Arch and the Windows Section are just as impressive. Try visiting early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds and catch the best light. It's pretty hot here in the summer so be prepared!
If you grew up on High School Musical, walking the halls of East High is like stepping onto the set. During the summer that we visited, the school was open to visitors, and we were able to explore the gym, cafeteria, classrooms, halls and auditorium where scenes from the movies were filmed. It's pretty cool to do the iconic "We're All In This Together" dance in the actual space where it was filmed!
We haven't visited these yet, but they are on our list.