Best Utah Day Trips for a Weekend Getaway

Heber Valley Railroad Utah

The Heber Valley Railroad offers a scenic 16-mile journey from Heber City, Utah, to the stunning Deer Creek Reservoir. The roundtrip takes approximately three hours, with a turnaround point at Decker Bay. Passengers can expect to be entertained by friendly cowboys who occasionally board the train. It’s worth noting that the Heber Valley Railroad is the only tourist train in Utah, located at 450 S 6th W in Heber City, Utah.

Homestead Crater Heber Valley

Homestead Crater is a natural hot spring in the center of a natural dome. The dome was created by sediment bubbling out of the hot spring. At one time, the only way to soak in the spring was to rappel down through the roof’s hole. Today there is a tunnel for easy access. Visitors can take a crater tour, soak, swim, scuba dive, or snorkel in the 90-degree water. Homestead Resort Midway, UT. Website.

Meadow Natural Pots Hot Springs

Meadow Hot Springs features three natural pools ranging from eighty to 100 degrees year-round. The largest pool is the most popular, and on weekends you can find up to twenty people enjoying a dip. The hot springs are private property, but the owners allow public access. The springs are located in Central Utah near Meadow in a remote area. Another nearby attraction worth a look at is the Meadow Lava Tubes.

Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island is located in the great salt lake, about 40 miles from downtown Salt Lake City. You have more chance of encountering a bison than an antelope while visiting the Island. About 600 free-roaming buffalos on the Island get counted yearly at the Annual Bison Roundup. Activities at the park include camping, hiking, sightseeing, and mountain biking—more information.

Golden Spike National Historic Site

This remote historic site is about an hour and a half from Salt Lake City. Promontory Summit is where the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad met during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. About 3/4 of a mile of railroad track and replicas of the original steam locomotives were used to reenact the Last Spike Ceremony. Also on site is a visitor center with exhibits and information. Corinne, UT. Website.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

While most of Monument Valley is in Utah, the visitor center is in Arizona. If you have ever watched a classic Western movie, the chance is it was filmed in the valley. Visitors must pay a fee to drive through a 17-mile dirt road. Some areas of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park can only be visited with a tribal guide. The View Hotel is located inside the park and features breathtaking views of the valley. Plan on spending at least one night to give you enough time to explore the area.

Zion National Park Day Trip

Zion is within day-trip distance of Las Vegas, although most visitors stay a day or two. Zion is the most popular park in the state and uses a shuttle system to help with traffic and parking problems. There is limited parking at the visitor center; however, there is a free shuttle from the nearest town, Springdale. Hiking is the most popular activity here, with easy, moderate, and strenuous trails. Three of the most popular trail are the Narrows (mild), Angel’s Landing (strenuous), and Canyon Overlook Trail (moderate). Springdale has loads of places to eat and a good selection of hotels. Website.

Old Iron Town Ghost Town Utah

Located twenty miles west of Cedar City, Old Iron Town was founded in 1868. The town barely lasted ten years before it became a ghost town. Today there are a few crumbling buildings and one of the original beehive charcoal kilns. Before visiting Old Iron Town, stop by the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum in Cedar City. Here you can pick up a self-guided tour map and learn about the ghost town’s history. A covered picnic area and restrooms are on-site at the town’s ruins.

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef Park is one of the Mighty Five Utah National Parks. Capitol Reef is slightly less visited than the other parks but just as spectacular. There is even a pioneer orchard near the visitor center where you can pick fruit during the harvest season. Popular activities include hiking, sightseeing, and camping. If you only have one day in the park, a Scenic Drive from the visitor center features 11 points of interest along the route. Capital Reef Website.

Sand Hollow State Park

Located 15 miles east of St. George, Utah, Sand Hollow State Park boasts a 1300-acre lake adjacent to BLM Utah Sand Mountain OHV. With 15,000 acres of dunes and desert trails, the park is perfect for swimming, boating, jet skiing, and camping. The Beach at Sand Hollow (BASH) offers hourly or daily rentals of watercraft, ATVs, and UTVs. Additionally, there are numerous campgrounds nearby. The park’s address is 3351 S Sand Hollow Rd, Hurricane, Utah.

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site

The Dinosaur Discovery Site in St George is a small museum built over the actual discovery site of hundreds of dinosaur footprints. The museum also displays fossils, dinosaurs’ bones, and replicas of Jurassic animals. For kids, there is a playroom where they can dig for fossils in the sand. There is also a short movie and a gift shop to watch at the museum. Nearby Rosenbruch World Wildlife Museum features 300 dioramas with animals worldwide. On a day trip, you will have plenty of time to see both attractions.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is situated in southeastern Utah near Moab, Utah. The Island in the Sky district is where most visitors end up. Mesa Arch and the Grand View Overlook are the two most popular attractions in this area. You can reach Shafer Canyon Overlook, Mesa Arch, Orange Cliffs Overlook, and Grand View Overlook via the Grand View Point Road from the visitor center. The Needles district visitor center is in a remote park area and is only open from spring to fall. Website.

Jet Boat Tours Moab Utah

Moab, Utah, is located a few miles south of Arches National Park and makes a great base while exploring the region. One must-do activity while visiting Moab is to take a ride of a lifetime down the Colorado River on a Jet Boat. You will get wet, but it’s all part of the fun.

For a more relaxed experience, there are also scenic jet boat tours. 4×4 tours and razor tours can also be available. The town of Moab has a selection of restaurants, souvenir shops, and motels. Canyonlands NP is 30 miles southeast. Moab Jett Website.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park features hundreds of natural sandstone arches and is adjacent to the Colorado River. First-timers should head to the visitors 5 miles north of Moab. Rangers are on duty to answer your questions, and you can pick up a park map. The scenic 18-mile drive takes you past many of the park’s attractions—Delicate Arch, Devils Garden, Broken Arch, and Sand Dune Arch, along with several viewpoints. Arches NP is the busiest NP in Utah, expecting loads of visitors and scarce parking during the summer season.

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