As I drove around Utah researching my travel guidebook, I was blown away by the diversity of landscapes! One day, I was skiing at Brian Head Resort, and I could look out over the red rock hoodoos of Cedar Breaks National Monument. That’s when it struck me that Southern Utah is the perfect Spring Break destination. Spring break in Utah can include a little bit of everything, from hiking in the desert to skiing on the slopes. This Utah Spring Break itinerary is based on round-trip flights out of Las Vegas, but Salt Lake City is also a great airline hub to check.
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If beachy spring break destinations don’t sound like your cup of tea, think about planning a family vacation to Utah. This Utah itinerary has you moving each night to experience new places, but you could also easily adapt this to stay in St. George or Cedar City. While you might prefer a full ski trip for your Utah Spring Break, this itinerary is perfect for families who want to sample all Utah activities and enjoy some scenic drives along the way.
If partying is part of your spring break plans, you may want to stock up in Nevada because you can’t buy anything besides beer at Utah grocery stores. Likewise, recreational marijuana is not legal in Utah.
Utah Spring Break Day 1: Las Vegas to St. George
On the first day of your spring break trip, fly to Las Vegas and pick up a rental car. From the Las Vegas airport, it’s about a two-hour drive to St. George. St. George is a great hub for exploring some of the parks of Southern Utah. I also love the town of Springdale, but St. George has more to offer in terms of dining and hotels. Plus, it’s the last decent-sized city for the week, so it’s a great place to stock up on anything you forgot to pack.
If you get in early enough, there are plenty of fun things to do in St. George, like hiking at Snow Canyon State Park and Red Cliffs Desert Preserve. There are also a couple of fun spots for paddleboarding in Southern Utah.
Utah Spring Break Day 2: Zion National Park
Zion was the first Utah National Park that I visited, and I fell in love instantly. It’s gotten a lot more crowded since my first trip in 2008, but it’s still worth seeing. It’s just 45 minutes from St. George, so plan an early start. Your visit to Zion should start months before you arrive, in order to get the most out of your visit. If you want to hike Angel’s Landing, you now need a permit, which I think is a great thing. This is an amazing hike but has gotten so crowded that it’s become dangerous. I’m all for limiting numbers to make this safer. It’s such a fun hike, with sheer drop-offs on both sides and chains to hold on to…not for the faint of heart!
Another fantastic but super popular hike is the Virgin River Narrows. Colder weather will work in your favor if you want to hike the Narrows. Because you’re hiking through a slot canyon in water that is sometimes knee-deep, this is a great hot weather hike. But you can rent cold water gear at Zion Adventure Company and practically have the canyon to yourself! Just don’t try it without proper gear or you’ll be turning back pretty quickly; you’ll miss the best parts and be stuck with crowds.
- East Zion Outback UTV Tour with Licensed Guide
- Price: $489.00
- The Narrows: Zion National Park Private Guided Hike
- Price: $364.00
- East Zion: Zion Cliffs Sunset Jeep Tour
- Price: $94.16
Utah Spring Break Day 3: Kanab
This will be a long day in the car but with a lot of fun stops. From Springdale, start with a quick side trip to Grafton ghost town. There are two parts to Grafton; the few remaining buildings are well-preserved and have some good interpretive signs to check out. The Grafton Cemetery is also a cool stop with some interesting old gravestones.
From Grafton, drive through the Zion tunnel and head to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park for an ATV tour. This Utah State Park is like a mini Great Sand Dunes National Park, but the sand is all pink! It's really pretty and there are a few viewpoints and overlooks, plus access points if you want to get out on the dunes to hike or sled down them.
Book Coral Pink Sand Dunes Sandboarding & UTV Adventure
The next stop is Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab. I have followed them on social media for years, so I was so excited to finally plan a visit to this animal rescue in Southern Utah. Best Friends became "famous" in part from the documentary-style TV program, Dog Town. They have tons of rescued animals and you can help support the cause by scheduling a visit to their facility near Kanab. There's also a gift shop with lots of cool stuff, a cafe, and even overnight lodging. You can choose tours of birds, bunnies, dogs, cats, and more! I'm allergic to cats and didn't trust myself not to bring a dog home, so I chose the Bunny House for my visit.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the home-between-homes for about 1,600 rescued dogs and cats, horses, birds, rabbits, potbellied pigs, farm animals, and assorted wildife.
It was so much fun to learn about the animals and the sanctuary. You can even "borrow" a bunny and have a sleepover at the onsite hotel! In addition to cool animal experiences, just taking a drive around the property is pretty cool; I loved watching these horses play as a thunderstorm roared in the background.
Utah Spring Break Day 4: Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is probably the most unique park I've been to. The red rock hoodoos are so cool, they don't even seem real. For those trying to cram a lot into one week in Utah, it's an easy park to see in one day. You can visit on a long day trip from St. George, I have done it, but I recommend staying in Bryce Canyon so you can check out the dark night skies and tour some of the park areas before the day trip crowds arrive.
Start your trip to Bryce Canyon National Park by riding the park shuttle all the way out to the farthest point you can go. The park operates a hop-on hop-off style bus, so you can easily take in all the viewpoints at your leisure. If you're looking for a reasonable hike in Bryce Canyon, start the Navajo Loop trail from Sunset Point and connect to the Queen's Garden Trail at Sunrise Point, where you can catch the shuttle back to the park entrance. You can also book a Backcountry Shuttle for a dropoff if you are looking for a longer hike at Bryce Canyon.
- Bryce Canyon Full Day Small Group Tour
- Price: $427.00
- Bryce Canyon Photography Tours
- Price: $289.00
- Bryce Canyon E-bike Tour
- Price: $105.00
If you have extra time for an even shorter hike, drive out past the park to the Mossy Cave Trail. The trail is only 1/2-mile each way and almost totally flat. I went at the end of the day, which was perfect as it wasn't crowded. The Mossy Cave is cool, but the side trail to the waterfall is even cooler.
Utah Spring Break Day 5: Brian Head Ski Resort
Utah’s southernmost ski resort is located near the red rock hoodoos of Cedar Break National Monument, and just one hour from Bryce Canyon National Park. Don’t let the latitude fool you; Brian Head has a higher base elevation than any other Utah ski resort, meaning they have great snow and are often open later into April than many of the other Utah resorts. There is plenty of terrain for all types of skiers, as well as several snow tubing lanes accessed by a magic carpet. Two base areas offer skier services and dining, with a free shuttle bus running between the two. The village of Brian Head has additional lodging and dining options, while nearby towns of Beaver and Cedar City are each about 45 minutes away.
Obviously, hard-core skiers are going to head to Deer Valley or Little Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake County for spring break, but Brian Head is perfect for beginner skiers as there's plenty of easier terrain and the cost of lift tickets won't break the bank! Brian Head has a small little village with some lodging options, or head into Cedar City, where there's a pretty good range of hotels.
Utah Spring Break Day 6: Cedar City
Cedar City was one of my favorite surprises during my first year as a Utah resident. I had previously been to Salt Lake City, Park City, Moab, and St. George, but I had never been to Cedar City. From the interstate, it looks like a bunch of chain hotels and fast food joints. If it weren't for the billboards, you'd never guess this is home to a Tony-award-winning Shakespeare Festival. Cedar City is also home to Southern Utah University, which has a fantastic campus art stroll. There are lots of great things to do in Cedar City and it's a great place to wind down your Utah spring break trip.
Utah Spring Break Day 7: Las Vegas and Home!
After a week on the road touring Utah, it's time to head back to Vegas for your flight home. If you happen to have a later flight, there are a few cool things to see along the 2 1/2 hour drive from Cedar City to Las Vegas. If you plan in advance, I highly recommend hiking to Kanarra Falls. This slot canyon hike is still super cool and also fairly easy. You could also swing through Valley of Fire State Park once you cross back into Nevada. (I got halfway to Valley of Fire when my gas light came on, so I am saving this for another trip!)
Other Cool Places to Visit in Utah
Try as I might, I can never write a guide to the best places to visit in Utah for only seven days. I spent a year traveling the state writing a travel book and I still have a list of places to visit in Utah. Depending on your interests, one of these Utah itineraries may be better suited for you:
- Utah National Parks Road Trip
- Utah's National Monuments - less crowded alternatives to National Parks
- Things to do in Moab Utah (includes Arches National Park)
- What to See in Vernal, Utah aka Dinosaurland
- Where to Find Indian Ruins in Utah
- Best Park City Utah Winter Activities
- Capitol Reef National Park (add nearby Goblin Valley State Park)
- Add Arizona with this 7-Day Southwest Road Trip Itinerary
Like the landscape, Utah weather can run the gamut in March. The desert areas will have warm days and cold nights, while the ski towns will be warm-ish for winter weather, but you can also expect some big snowstorms in March!
What would you add to this Spring Break Utah itinerary?