"It seems imperative that we take our children to the forgotten corners of Utah so they know not just how big the world is, but how incredibly old and wise."
– Ashley Mae Hoiland, Local Writer and Artist
Outdoor Activities with Kids
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Camping
The camping is nearly boundless in Utah — find free camping, campgrounds near national parks, or browse by state region to start planning your trip.
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Hiking
From quick jaunts to stunning formations to rugged, multi-day backpacking, there are thousands of miles of great hiking trails throughout Utah.
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Mountain Biking
Explore Utah mountain biking on the state’s most popular trails including Slickrock, Gooseberry Mesa, Thunder Mountain and Good Water Rim.
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Nature and Wildlife
Utah is a land of contrast and variety in landscapes, in color, in precipitation, and of abundant natural, undeveloped space necessary for a healthy ecosystem full of wildlife.
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Rafting
Plan your adventure through the whitewater rivers in Utah where you can raft, kayak and boat. Find river information and trip ideas.
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Skiing
Skiing in Utah? Choose from 15 resorts — 10 within an hour of the airport. Discover lively ski towns, best times to visit and tips for booking lessons and rentals.
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Snow Tubing & Sledding
The classic, winter tradition of finding the perfect hill from which to launch a tube or sled is alive and well in Utah. Whether you’re looking for commercial parks with structured lanes or a local hill and your own thermos of hot cocoa, we’ve got it all.
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Snowboarding
To put it simply, the riding in Utah is epic. Thirteen snowboarding resorts are scattered along the state's mountain ranges that are perfectly positioned for dumps of fluffy powder all winter long, most of which see an average of 500 inches of snow each year. Best of all, there are eight world-class, snowboard-friendly resorts within an hour’s drive of Salt Lake City, so you can easily ride new terrain every day of a week-long vacation.
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Stargazing
Utah offers many stellar stargazing opportunities in its state parks, national parks and national monuments. Find a certified dark sky viewing location in Utah.
Why Your Kids Need a Utah Trip
Discover where adventure and learning converge across iconic rivers and ancient canyons.
If you're heading outdoors, consider hiring a guide. Guides get you somewhere safely, and they often take you and your family to places only accessible with a permit and the right gear.
Utah resorts offer plenty of deals to get kids of all ages up on skis or snowboards.
Utah offers some other-worldly destinations for family exploration, just make sure you're prepared to keep these lands Forever Mighty.
Kid-Friendly Places to Visit
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Discovery Gateway Children's Museum of Utah
The Discovery Gateway Children's Museum is conveniently located in the entertainment district of downtown Salt Lake City. This destination is a great option for families looking to entertain their kids between shopping and dining at The Gateway. The museum is designed with interactive exhibits covering topics such as sports science, paleontology, engineering, biology and natural science, story-telling, economics and sensory enrichment.
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Leonardo Museum
Located in downtown Salt Lake City, the Leonardo is a science and art museum where visitors can explore the ways that science, technology, art and creativity connect.
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Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Add the most popular Utah aquarium, Draper’s Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, to your Utah family vacation itinerary. Ready to explore, discover and learn?
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Natural History Museum of Utah
The Past Worlds exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City features an outstanding display of paleontology. It covers eons of Utah's history and includes a frequently updated display of the latest dinosaur finds — such as Utah's state fossil, the Allosaurus, and a dozen other dinosaurs found in the state.
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Planetariums and Astronomy
In Utah, astronomy is more than science – it’s an awe-inspiring experience. Dive into the science of outer space at Salt Lake City's Clark Planetarium, just in time for some stargazing at one of Utah's internationally certified dark sky parks.
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St. George for Kids
St. George has just the things that kids will love — good eats, short kid-length hikes and fun places for kids only.
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Temple Square
Planning a visit Salt Lake City? Add Temple Square to your itinerary to learn about LDS history, heritage, art and culture of one of the oldest Utah attractions. Explore Salt Lake.
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Thanksgiving Point
Thanksgiving Point houses the North American Museum of Ancient Life, one of the largest dinosaur museums of its kind, featuring one of the most valuable Jurassic dinosaur collections in the world, including a 150-million-year-old dinosaur egg. There’s also the Johnny Miller-designed Thanksgiving Point Golf Club and two gorgeous garden displays with activities for every season. The Museum of Natural Curiosity features more than 400 interactive experiences, adding even more options for education and discovery to your Thanksgiving Point visit.
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Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum
Explore Utah's incredible geological history at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. See dinosaurs, interactive exhibits and more!
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Utah Olympic Park
The Olympic spirit is alive and well at Utah’s Olympic Park. Relive the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and experience the thrill firsthand on the bobsled track, zipline and museums.
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Zoos and Aviaries
Animal lovers should plan extra time in Salt Lake City to explore the beautiful exhibits at Utah's Hogle Zoo and the Tracy Aviary.
Indoor Activities
See indoor activities in Utah to keep the family entertained during the hottest, coldest or rainiest days of the year.
Places to Go
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Cities & Towns
Cities located in Northern Utah offer access to ski areas, mountain adventures, urban lifestyle and excellent amenities. Heading a few hundred miles south opens up a completely different landscape, where you can disconnect in outdoor basecamps surrounded by redrock scenery and unforgettable vistas (and some skiing, too).
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Dark Sky Parks
Head to one of Utah’s many Certified International Dark Sky Parks for the best celestial views on earth. You can find a dark sky experience that fits every itinerary.
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Parks & Outdoors
Utah's national parks feature some of the most astonishing landscapes in the world. But other lands in Utah promise just as much allure, including state parks, and national monuments and recreations areas. It's safe to call these our hidden gems.
Read the Stories
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A Sensory-friendly and Adaptive Survival Guide to Traveling in Urban Utah
Helpful suggestions for families of disabled and neurodiverse kiddos to help maximize enjoyment.
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6 Steps to a Family MTB Trip on Canyonlands' White Rim
Want to take the family mountain biking on the White Rim Trail? Tackle 100 miles of biking and three days of backcountry camping in Canyonlands with the kids.
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12 Family-Friendly Activities Near SLC
From roller coasters to ski slopes, discover 12 fun family activities in and around Salt Lake City.
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A Family Bike Tour of Salt Lake’s East Canyon
East Canyon has always been a path for travelers, from the Donner Party to Brigham Young to the Pony Express. In this modern-day tale of travel, a family of three takes on East Canyon by bicycle for a weekend camping trip. They discover historical markers, swimming spots, and lots of ice cream.
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Backpacking: Start 'Em Early
Follow a father and his seven-year-old daughter on her first-ever backpacking trip at the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.
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A Family Drive Through Utah’s Quiet Places
A vacation where reservoirs and rocks, sagebrush and fossils provide wisdom along the way.
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Top 10 Family-Friendly Hikes in Utah National Parks
With so many destinations, and so many trails, it can be difficult to decide where to begin in Utah's Mighty 5® national parks. Here are 10 family-friendly hikes, two per national park, you cannot miss.
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At Lagoon, a Utah-grown Amusement Park where the Fun Never Ends
As the Farmington park marks the 100th-anniversary of its wooden roller coaster, Lagoon continues to attract crowds with its nostalgic rides and novel thrills.
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Endless Utah Ski Options for Families: Four Itineraries to Get You Started
Here are some pointers for planning your Utah family ski vacation, including where to make homebase and why.
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Together They Climb
Utah’s most unlikely adventure family shows America that you don’t have to fit into the outdoors stereotypes to find your place on the trail.
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Family and Budget Guide to the One and Only Ski City: Salt Lake
With 11 family-friendly resorts nearby, Salt Lake City skiing, dining and entertainment options make Utah one of the best ski destinations in the western U.S.
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Journey Through Utah's History at This Is The Place Heritage Park
This Is The Place Heritage Park has a major place in Utah’s history — quite literally.
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Field Notes: Backpacking With Children
Author Tim Sullivan shares his tips and tricks on backpacking with his young children.
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Hiking Southern Utah with Younger Children: Tips for Family Friendly Adventure
Find safety tips, side activities and kid-friendly hikes in Utah with our special guide to hiking Southern Utah with children. Read now!
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Taking Your Family Adventure Cycling
Want to know how to go bike touring with kids? Check out our guide to family adventure cycling in Utah and plan your trip today!
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Two Trips, Two Worlds, Two Years Apart: Returning to Raft in Dinosaur National Monument
Nushin and her family of four returned to Utah's Dinosaurland for the "best four days ever!" of guided rafting on the Green River. Explore their journey today!
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Time Traveling at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
Many have dreamed of exploring jungles and forests only to discover a land filled with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes? The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is the place to bring that dream to life, with 100-plus exhibits and realistic, full-sized dinosaur replicas, capturing the imagination of young and old alike.
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Best Utah Ski Resorts for Families
Utah boasts some of the best ski resorts for families. Get a first-hand parent perspective on skiing with kids at Alta, Snowbird, Snowbasin and Powder Mountain.
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Utah’s Scenery Offers A Backdrop for Inclusive Family Camping
While Utah is known for its amazing outdoors, it also has resources that ensure that families and individuals of all abilities can access these places.
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Utah's Kid Ski Culture
Utah is happy to help you support your future skier or rider, and make things fun for parents, too. Read our guide to teaching kids to ski and plan a trip.
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Wheeling It: An RV Primer for Utah Family Trips
With 28-feet of vehicle space, one traveling family discovers the RV community.
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Where to Take Your Family to Eat in Moab
You’ll work up a solid appetite biking, exploring and hiking in Moab. Here are a few of the best family-friendly restaurants in Moab.
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Sandstone Spires & Swimming Holes
Walk the paths of dinosaurs and descend through 200 million years of geologic history in this six-day road trip from Vernal to Kodachrome Basin. It’s a kid-friendly desert drive in search of dino tracks, slot canyons and swimming,
Highlights
- Dinosaur Tracks in Vernal
- Crystal Geyser in Green River
- Hoodoos & Slots of Goblin Valley
- The Red Cliffs of Capitol Reef
- The White Cliffs of Grand Staircase
- Sandstone Spires in Kodachrome Basin
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Ski City Downhill + Downtown
Big city amenities support 10 different resorts within an hour of SLC International, which means the best in downhill meets the best in downtown.
Highlights
- Craft coffee, dining and spirits
- Alta Ski Area or Snowbird Ski Resort
- Solitude Mountain Resort or Brighton Ski Resort
- Performing arts, après-ski and live music
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A Family Road Trip From Las Vegas to Zion National Park
A three-day weekend is a perfect start in exploring the Wild West of Zion National Park and Southern Utah. This family-friendly road trip pairs a big helping of adventure with new discoveries in Southern Utah’s frontier for a weekend you and the kids won’t soon forget.
Highlights
- Zion National Park
- Kanarraville Falls
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Snow Canyon
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Southern Dinos and Goblins
From fossils and petroglyphs to slot canyons and goblins, you’ll have four days of “oohs” and “ahhs” for the whole adventuring family.
Highlights
- Moab Adventures
- Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Goblin Valley State Park
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Yellowstone Loop
Everyone must go to Yellowstone once in his or her lifetime, and using Northern Utah as your gateway makes it that much greater.
Highlights
- Antelope Island State Park
- Bear Lake State Park
- Grand Teton and Yellowstone
- Park City
