St. George, Utah is easily one of the prettiest parts of the country. A mere 2-hour drive from Las Vegas, its picturesque landscapes and mostly pleasant climate make it a great destination. Here are 3 unique things to do in St. George, Utah.
Unique Things to do In St. George Utah
St. George, Utah is located in the southeastern part of the state which features distinctive rock formations and is also home to the world-famous Zion National Park among many other interesting and unique things to do.
The city itself is the largest Utah city outside of the greater Salt Lake City area. With moderate winters and hot summers, the area is popular with outdoor enthusiasts including hikers, mountain bikers, campers, boaters, golfers, and just about every other recreational activity.
Delta, American and United all fly into the St. George Airport and the town is only a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas making it easy to get to and from this southwestern destination.
When planning a trip to St. George, there’s a lot to choose from. Here are some of the more unique things to do in St. George, UT.
Zion National Park
Most of Utah is pictured as either Salt Lake City/Park City with ski slopes and lift passes, or the dry desert of Arches National Park where wind erosion makes legendary sculptures. Zion National Park, however, is a green and fertile side to the state that many rarely consider.
Known for canyons and slim passages, at the base of those canyons are the rivers that carved them out of the earth’s crust. Fish swim through the streams, trees grow in the valleys, Zion gives a view of Utah that’s rich, dramatic, historic, and breathtaking.
On the northern edge of Zion National Park is Cedar City, home to the Southern Utah Museum of Art as well as the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum. These offer a glimpse into Utah’s history that touches on the indigenous people of the state, and the “Go West” migration of Americans.
Snow Canyon State Park is also at the northwest edge of St. George and worthy of a visit.
One of the more unique things to do in Zion is hike (more like wade) the Narrows – an exhilarating hike, swim, wade through slippery rock, shallow water and narrow canyons. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.
Many travelers benefit from stopping at the Greater Zion Visitor Center to better tailor their trip to their needs based on what’s available during the season.
St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site
For the burgeoning paleontologist in your family, the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site might be the closest thing on earth to heaven – and one of the more unique things to do in the greater St George area. For those that are interested in seeing recreations and visions of what dinosaurs may have looked like when they roamed the earth, plenty of life-size models are available for inspection.
But the real action happens outside.
In Dino Park, visitors can see dinosaur tracks preserved in the ground. They can view what a dig site looks like, what paleontologists find and why this section of Utah is so fruitful for discovering fossils.
Back inside the museum, visitors can see how the site’s work crews prepare, treat, and study the fossilized bones they encounter. They will understand what lessons and stories the fossils communicate about what earth was like at the time they roamed free.
The St. George Children’s Museum might be a convenient choice for those closer into town, but kids will encounter rare, if not once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the Discovery Site.
Read More: What to do on a Family Vacation in Salt Lake City
Pioneer Park
Fewer sites are more iconic in the western United States than the smooth red rocks and slot canyons of Pioneer Park. Just a mile north of Downtown St. George, this southern Utah treasure is perfect for outdoor activities.
Rock climbers come to scale the red cliffs, while others take up the many hiking trails that line the park. Red Hills Desert Garden shows what vegetation the arid desert has to offer.
To the east of Pioneer Park, Sand Hollow State Park and its beautiful lake gives visitors access to water skiing, fishing, and boating all summer long.
For those that appreciate the natural world, Pioneer Park and the surrounding areas offer just about everything one could ask for and then some. Picture perfect, and frankly, Instagram-worthy landscapes await visitors of all ages.
Final Thoughts
There are literally so many exciting and unique activities to do in the St. George area you could keep coming back year and after year and never get bored. A travel agent can help with such plans as well. Here are a few other ideas to help you plan a St George trip:
- St. George Golf – the golfing is legendary in St. George which is home to some of the most beautiful and challenging public courses in the Southwest including the Championship Course at Sand Hollow Resorts.
- Petroglyph Park – see ancient rock carvings and step back in time on this easy hike – perfect for the family.
- Rent an ATV or Mountain Bike – the trails are epic and there’s loads of fun to be had with this super popular activity for this region
Be sure to check out all the great destinations in our “Unique Things to Do” Series and take a step out of the ordinary on your next trip.
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3 comments
Snow Canyon is not northwest of Zion National Park. It’s just minutes northwest of St. George.
Adjusted. Thank you.
St. George, Washington County, is in the southWEST, not the southeast of the state of Utah.