The Best 11 Utah Destinations in 2026

We have explored Utah with our family for over 20 years, and we have been sharing all the amazing things to do as a family for more than 15 years! During that time, we have a few places that we return to again and again. We love these places so much that we’ve compiled this list for you. Here are your top 11 Utah Destinations for 2026. Start checking them off your list.

Arches & Moab

I can’t even count the number of times we have been Moab, Utah, and it is great in all seasons! There is just something unique and beautiful about the red rock and arches in this area, plus there are endless things to try. We keep finding more and more adventures in the Moab area.

You need to plan at least one day, if not two, for exploring Arches National Park. This park has lots of easy hikes for kids, so it’s great for families. Plus, everyone needs to make the trek to Delicate Arch at least once in their life.

Canyonlands National Park is also in this area, so you can enjoy this national park, too. Dead Horse Point State Park is another great stop in the area.

Moab also has a lot of petroglyphs and other rock art worth checking out. If you are into jeeping or 4-wheel driving, this may be the best place in the world! You will even find a few waterfalls in Moab despite the desert vistas.

Here are some links with more details if you think Moab and Arches are a spot for your family to enjoy:

St. George

Another area of Utah where we have spent a lot of time is St. George. Southwest Utah is where Utahns go to play and is a top destination for Spring Break. Luckily, the weather is great year round. Even in the winter, you rarely need a coat!

St. George is also a great jumping off point for Zion National Park. This park is consistently rated as Utah’s best. It is beyond beautiful and has so many things to see. You can easily spend multiple days hiking and exploring this park

We also love Snow Canyon State Park just north of St. George. This park has beautiful rocks, sand, and even a few slot canyons. It’s a great place to spend a day with kids.

There are also some great dinosaur tracks and a world-class dinosaur museum, too. In the summer there are countless splash pads and parks to enjoy.

St. George is a great weekend destination for families with tons to do! Here is more information to help you start planning your trip.

Escalante

Escalante is the part of Utah that we recommend the most. This is truly an adventurous area of the state. There are tons of places to hike and explore.

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is centered here and there are some famous slot canyons to enjoy like Peek-a-Boo and Spooky, as well as Zebra Canyon.

You can also hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls, which is one of the tallest waterfalls in Utah. There are two state parks in the Escalante area: Escalante Petrified Forest State Park and Anasazi State Park. You can see petrified wood, as well as ancient artifacts at these two parks.

Escalante can also be a jumping off point for Bryce Canyon or Capitol Reef. Both of these national parks are short drives. You can also enjoy Scenic Highway 12, which runs through Escalante. Here are some ideas if you want to visit Escalante.

Kanab

We absolutely love Kanab, which is in the center of southern Utah. This part of the state is full of things to do. Every time we visit we find many new things to try. We love Kanab so much, that it was the first place our kids wanted to put on our top 11 Utah destinations.

Kanab is also on the back side of Zion, so you can pair a trip to Zion and Kanab together. An Arizona national park is also just an hour or so away. You can visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon from Kanab. This is at the top of our bucket list for our next Kanab visit.

You are also not too far away from Lake Powell if you want to make the drive to check it out Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes is a fun state park where you can try sand sledding, which our boys love. There are slot canyons, unique rock formations, and so much more near Kanab. It is definitely a place to spend a weekend this year!

Vernal

We have visited Vernal quite a few times, and if your kids enjoy dinosaurs, you definitely need to come to Utah’s Dinosaur Land. Vernal is dinosaur heaven and is home to both Dinosaur National Monument and the Utah Fieldhouse of Natural History Museum.

Not only does Vernal have dinosaurs, but it has some other favorite outdoor spots like Fantasy Canyon, Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, and Moonshine Arch. You can also spend a day exploring Flaming Gorge and the dam that helps create it.

We suggest Vernal if you are looking to get away from crowds. Here are ideas for the Vernal area.

Bear Lake

We visit Bear Lake every summer! This is our family reunion spot with Natalie’s side of the family. Bear Lake is high up in the mountains and the lake is turquoise blue, which gives it the nickname Caribbean of the Rockies. It is a great place to stay cool during Utah’s hot summer.

You will definitely want to spend a few days enjoying the beaches of Bear Lake. They are soft and sandy. They also are super shallow. You can walk out really far and the water will still be at your waist. This makes Bear Lake the perfect spot for young kids.

There is a lot to do around Bear Lake! There are many fun hikes and trails, as well as delicious raspberry shakes that you don’t want to miss. We like Bear Lake in the summer, but it’s great in winter, too. Here are helpful links for planning a trip to Bear Lake.

Capitol Reef & Goblin Valley

Capitol Reef National Park is a fun national park because it has a really unique landscape combined with Utah’s Pioneer history. We love exploring soaring rock features, and then ending our day with a pie from Gifford Homestead.

There are more great hikes than almost any other area of Utah. You can also check out the popular Bentonite Hills near the Mars Desert Research Station.

We usually pair our visit to Capitol Reef with a visit to Goblin Valley. This state park is nature’s playground with hoodoos all over,. Best of all, you can wander right through them. Our boys love to play hide and seek in Goblin Valley.

One of our favorite slot canyons is just next door, too. Little Wild Horse canyon is a great please to squeeze close together as a family.

Goblin Valley is also part of the San Rafael Swell, and you can explore this area for days. It is quite large, but we have found a few favorite places. Here are some ideas for visiting.

Bluff & Blanding

The southeastern corner of Utah, is one of the least appreciated spots in the state. There is so much to do that no one really knows about it. We use Blanding or Bluff as our home base, and then we explore.

You can visit Natural Bridges National Monument, which features some amazing natural bridges formed by water.

We love to visit unique rock formations in both Mexican Hat and Valley of the Gods. Bears Ears National Monument is also in this area of the state.

The Needles side of Canyonlands National Park is accessible near Blanding, so you can explore here for a day.

And if you have had Monument Valley in Arizona on your list, Bluff is one of the closest spots to access it.

We love the history in this area, too. Hovenweep National Monument is like Mesa Verde’s little cousin, but few people make the trip to see it. You can also explore the Pioneer history of Bluff.

Park City

Park City is known best for its world-famous skiing. There are incomparable spots to ski, snowboard, and even sled, but there is a lot more near Park City, too. You can enjoy tons of hikes and Olympic museums.

Park City is also not too far from the Mirror Lake Highway, which is a road that heads through the Uinta Mountains into Evanston, WY. There are hundreds of lakes on this road and it is a beautiful place to spend a day hiking, fishing, or sight-seeing.

You can also spend time in Midway or Heber Valley on the other side of the mountains. Wasatch Mountain State Park is a beautiful place to explore. You can also drive through Guardsman Pass in the Fall. You will not be disappointed.

We always find plenty to do in Park City and it is super family-friendly. Park City is designed for outdoor adventurers and there are lots of walking and biking trails all through town. Here are some ideas to help you visit.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is Utah’s capitol and largest populated area of the state. Despite all of the people, there are still a lot of amazing mountains and outdoor things to do near the city. We have a large list of collected hikes for the area.

The views are amazing! You can see everything.

The downtown area of Salt Lake City is walkable and there are some great museums, as well as the famous Temple Square where you can delve into the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you visit in the Spring, the tulips are in bloom, and in the winter, the lights at Temple Square are famous. Both are quite a sight!

Salt Lake City is very family-friendly and there are lots of great things to do with your kids. If you’re looking for a fun weekend, you can definitely find it in Salt Lake. Don’t miss out on the skiing in the local canyons, too.

Utah County

This is where we live, so it is somewhere we explore all the time! Whether you are coming to visit, or doing a staycation like us, there is a lot to do. Utah Valley definitely deserves a spot on our Top Utah Destinations.

Provo Canyon has some beautiful waterfalls, Sundance skiing in the winter, plus BYU campus has a ton of interesting places to explore. There are also fun activities nearby in American Fork and Lehi, or even south a little in Spanish Fork. Here are some ideas around Provo.

Hopefully, our list of 11 Best Utah Destinations gave you some ideas for where to visit in 2026. Utah is full of great destinations. There are some amazing places like Ogden, Logan, Bryce Canyon that we enjoy visiting, too, that we could have included on the list. Is there somewhere else in Utah that you would have included? Let us know!