If you are looking to take a vacation in summer or winter that the whole family will enjoy, explore the great historical, scenic state of Utah! While some may not think of Utah as the most happening state, there are breathtaking attractions which draw countless tourists from around the world every year.
Many families neglect to consider Utah as a destination state when planning their summer family vacations. This is usually due to one of two reasons.
Either the family has a misconception about Utah as a state which is all about religion and not at all about fun, or else the family just doesn't know anything about the state and therefore overlooks it when thinking about travel.
But families who don't at least think about a trip to Utah are missing out on some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the country, and therefore are missing out on a memorable summer vacation. Utah has it all-from some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, to hiking and mountain biking, to shopping, to historical sites and museums, to small towns to big cities.
If you are interested in state parks, a tour of Utah's state parks would take your family the entire summer to complete. Utah is a state with a lot of land and some unique geography, so there are plenty of places to go for outdoor adventures and terrific picture-taking opportunities.
Since you can't visit all of the state parks in one shot, you probably want to know about the major ones that shouldn't be missed. It is a hard list to narrow down.
But some of the top picks for families are Utah Lake State Park (home to Utah's largest freshwater lake), Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (the beach without an ocean), Antelope Island (for viewing the buffalo), and Wasatch Mountain (for the camping). This will give you scenic views and landscapes that you will not forget.
If you are a big city kind of family, Utah has one that will satisfy your site seeing and shopping needs. If one particular part of the state is going to be your destination, it should be Salt Lake City.
This city is definitely urban but has a hometown feel to it because of the friendliness of the community. There are numerous local parks in the city that afford you the chance to enjoy the naturally terrific weather that Utah has to offer.
But there are also plenty of indoor activities for your family as well including Clark Planetarium, The Dinosaur Park, FastKart Indoor Speedway race center, Heber Valley Historic Railroad, Lagoon Amusement Park, and the Living Planet Aquarium. Don't forget to see historic Temple Square, which is one of the most beautiful, peaceful places on earth.
If you love history and the old west, don't worry there is plenty of that to go around. Most people associate Utah with the history of Mormon culture, but there's another kind of history to be found in this state as well and that's the history of The Old West.
For a unique family summer vacation, consider a weekend or multi-day stay at a ranch. You can learn horseback riding with your kids, enjoy big family barbecue dinners and get an education in the history of this younger part of our great country.
There are also numerous pioneer forts, museums, and landmarks along the I-15 highway which will teach you about the foundations of our country, and our heritage as Americans. If history is a little dull to you and you want to get a little adventure in, don't miss out of some of the best skiing in the world.
Utah boasts numerous ski and snowboarding resorts which are absolutely breathtaking in beauty and quality. You could spend an entire week tucked away in a mountain lodge in Park City, sampling the different five star resorts.
If it is scenery you love, even more impressive than the state parks of Utah are the National Parks which are located there. Canyonlands National Park is the largest of these, offering the chance to see everything from the history of the area's Native Americans to the beauty of the Colorado River.
In the southern part of Utah, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon vie for your family's attention with their unique geographical formations and outstanding landscape. And Capital Reef National Park also makes the list of must-see-someday for its sandstone formations.
Finally, Utah offers a gateway to the Grand Canyon. As you can see there are countless possibilities for a family vacation, or a quick escape for the long weekend-check out Utah today and you may find a new favorite vacation spot for life!