I’ve crowned 2020 the year of road trips (and avoiding air travel). Visiting Utah has been on my list of to-visit spots for years after hearing about the beautiful landscapes. The below itinerary is gives you a sample of all the things to see in Southern Utah. Keep reading for our road trip from California to Utah itinerary.
Things you need to known before you leave on your road trip (FAQs)
I had quite a few questions on Instagram and Tiktok that I think will be helpful for your planning!
How long do you need? Our trip took 9 days, departing from San Diego and ending at the Arches National Park (the farthest point of the itinerary). Our trip was a bit aggressive, so looking back 10-12 days would be more ideal.
Are things open due to the pandemic? We visited early July and I would recommend contacting/ researching all locations before visiting. Many places had updated hours and limited service. However, most spots were still operating!
Any tips for traveling during the pandemic? A full blog post is coming on this soon, however, a few quick tips:
- Contact hotels in advance to ask about their COVID safety precautions. Not everyone has the same precautions and you want to make sure you’re safe!
- Bring lots of cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, and masks. This is important for disinfecting your hotel room, shoes (after visiting public bathrooms), etc.
Stop 1: Seven Magic Mountains
Our first stop from San Diego (our starting point) was the Seven Magic Mountains art installation, located outside of Las Vegas. Designed by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, the installation is about 35 ft high. You’ll only need about 20 – 30 minutes at this stop.
- Location: ~10 miles outside of Las Vegas
- Admission: Free
Tips for visiting Seven Magic Mountains:
- Try to get there early to avoid the crowds! (The earlier the better).
- Don’t be afraid to play with angles for your photos. Walk around, get low, get high, try different things.
- Keep your outfit neutral to not conflict with the colors!
Stop 2: Las Vegas, Nevada
Does the party capitol of the world really need an introduction? Las Vegas realistically requires two days if you want to see the sites and dine at their Michelin-star restaurants. Our goal was to focus on Utah, so this was a quick lunch stop.
Planning to spend a few days? Check out our article for how to spend 3 days in Las Vegas.
Stop 3: Valley of Fire State Park
The Valley of Fire is known as the largest and oldest Nevada state park. Created 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Era, Valley of Fire is named after the red sandstone formations. Visitors like to check out the 40,000 acres of red Aztec sandstone, and most importantly the petroglyphs that are over 2,000 years old.
The Logistics you need to know before you visit:
- Location: 1 hour from downtown Las Vegas, 5 hours from Los Angeles
- Amenities: There are a number of different campsites with tables, and BBQs. Camping is on a first come, first serve basis.
- Entrance fee: $10 per vehicle
- Visitor Center Hours: Daily 9 AM – 4:30 PM. ( park closes at sunset)
Read the full article below on things to do in the Valley of Fire here.
Stop 4: Mystic Hot Springs
I originally stumbled across Mystic Hot Springs on Instagram while searching for unique activities to do on our Southern Utah road trip. I was especially drawn to the vintage vibes and ability to social distance. Visiting really does feel like stepping into an older and different world. If you’ve visited Salvation Mountain in California and loved it, this is along those lines.
- Location: About 4 hours from Las Vegas, and 2.5 hours from Zion.
- Soaking Pass: $25 for a 2 hour pass
For more information on our experience at the Mystic Hot Springs, read the article here.
Stop 5: Arches National Park
Arches National Park, located in Moab deserves 2 days at least. Named after the over 2,000 arches in the park, this 73,000+ acre natural wonder is a must-visit on a trip through Utah.
With the soaring temperatures in the summer, the viable times to be in the park if you’re hiking are early morning and late afternoon. We spent a total of day in Arches and will definitely need to come back.
- Admission: $30 per vehicle (included in the National Parks Pass)
How to spend one day in Arches:
- Start with a drive through the park up to Devil’s Garden. It’s so scenic & a great way to get a feel for the park!
- Hike to Delicate Arch (opt to do this early in the morning or late in the day)
- Stop to check out the Three Gossips rock formation & the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint.
- Hike to the Windows District & Double Arch.
- Stop by Balanced Rock for a quick photo op!
Stop 6: Escalante
We decided to stay at the Escalante Yurts in between Arches and Bryce Canyon as a co-worker highly recommended it. We absolutely loved our experience in the elevated and unique yurt. Our only regret is not having spent more time in Escalante. The area is a hidden gem that easily deserves 2-3 days of your time.
A few must-see’s in the area (based on other travelers’ recommendations:
- Willis Creek
- Devil’s Garden
- Golden Cathedral
Don’t miss dining at the Escalante Outfitters down the road. Their food was our favorite meal of the entire trip!
Stop 7: Bryce Canyon
Located in Southern Utah, Bryce Canyon is most well-known for its bright colored red hoodoos. Hoodoos are according to National Geographic are “a spire of rock that has an easily eroded column and a more resistant cap.” Seeing these in person, it’s hard to believe that they were created by nature! It looks like an artist took a chisel and carefully carved each rock.
- Entrance Fee: $35 per vehicle (included in the national parks pass)
- Location: ~1.5 hours from Zion National Park & ~1.5 hours from the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
We combined our trip to the Bryce Canyon with a trip to the coral pink sand dunes on our way to Zion National Park. If you have time however, you can easily spend a day here.
For more information on things to do in Bryce Canyon, read the article here.
Stop 8: Coral Sands Sand Dunes
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes are named after its unique hued sand. Located near the town of Kanab, the state park is somewhere you can spend a few minutes to a few hours in.
- Location: 12500 Sand Dune Rd, Kanab, UT 84741
- Admission: $10 per vehicle
A few notes on visiting the sand dunes:
- Plan to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon as the sand is scorching in the middle of the day.
- You can rent ATVs or sand sleds if you arrive early enough (they get booked pretty quickly). Learn more here.
- If you don’t have a lot of time, walk around a bit to enjoy the colors before heading to your next stop!
Stop 9: Zion National Park
By the time we reached Zion National Park on our whirlwind California to Utah road trip, we were tired. Not to mention that due to the pandemic things were operating a little differently in Zion. (We’ll get to that in a bit) That left us researching things to do in the area. That’s where horseback riding in Zion comes in. It’s unique and a great way to visit the park!
A note on Zion during the pandemic: We visited Zion over the fourth of July weekend, shortly after they re-opened. Shuttles required buying passes the day before, and the scenic drive was only open to bikers, walkers, and the shuttles. This highly impacted our itinerary. For the latest news on Zion visit their website.
A few other tips on Zion:
- For breakfast or lunch, Deep Creek Coffee Co. is a must. They had great coffee and healthy meal options.
- Stay at the Majestic View Lodge and ask for a room with a view of the mountains. It’s a short drive from downtown, but quiet enough to be relaxing.
To learn more about what we did in the park, learn here.
