Many Utah families plan to leave behind their homes and busy summer schedules, but why not stay in Utah? Staycations are easier on your wallet, and Utah has so many incredible places to experience. Kim Christenson from Utah Valley 360 and Talk Wordy to Me went in search of Utah's most family-friendly resorts and destinations.
What she found:
1. Conestoga Ranch at Bear Lake: Glamping. MUCH easier than camping with kids. This place has heated tents, comfortable beds, real toilets, showers, and a gourmet restaurant. Disclaimer: You may never want to rough it again. There are covered wagons with a king bed and two sets of bunk beds, or luxury tents with bathrooms and showers and a personal campfire. They offer free bike rentals, yoga, free hot chocolate, a games tent, and a playground.
2. Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab: You walk out your back door to a postcard-perfect view of Moab's Colorado river and 2,000-foot red cliffs. The lodge is just outside of town--close enough to experience everything Moab has to offer, but far enough to feel like you have your own peaceful sanctuary. Plus, it's three minutes from one of our favorite family hikes: Morning Glory Bridge. Corona Arch is our other favorite family hike. Arches is a must-see too and has plenty of kid-friendly hikes. Moab has a fun musical park for kids and a brand new park with lots of space for picnicking, a bike trail, and a bridge.
3. Zermatt, Midway: This place is only a 30-minute drive for us, but when you get to the resort, you feel like you're in a swiss village. My kids loved the indoor/outdoor pool and waterfall, and the on-site carousel, gelato and goats. Plus, it's near The Crater and one of our favorite places to enjoy nature in Utah: Cascade Springs.
4. Sundance, Provo: I prefer the mountains in the summertime. It's warm and gorgeous. I took the lift ride with my kids and it looked like we were in Austria. There are a couple of delicious kid-friendly places to eat: The Foundry Grill and the deli. Their sandwiches and smoothies are amazing! You can stay in a hotel room or a private mountain home. Lots of hiking, biking, the nation's highest zipline, and outdoor plays.
5. Marriott's Mountainside: We go there every year. It's the ideal hotel for families. The villas have a full kitchen, two bedrooms with king beds and a pull-out couch in-between. It's famous for its pools. A big swimming pool plus four hot tubs, a couple of which are kept at kid-friendly temperatures. Our kid's love the movie theatre and activity center. They do activities and crafts for kids and families throughout the day every day. It's also right next to the Park City Mountain Resort, which has the alpine slides, alpine coaster, a bungee trampoline, zip line, ropes course, and mini golf. Main Street is fun with kids. We love Java Cow for ice cream!
For more from Kim, go here.
