Local Travel Tip » Utah

Experiencing a Winter Thrill

TravelPro — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:03:03 +0000

During chillier months, many prefer to visit tropical locales where they can lay by the beach and soak up some rays. While this can be a wonderful escape from the everyday mundane, there are other things that one can do to really take advantage of the “Winter Wonderland” that is only available for several months out of the year.

Park City, Utah, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics, is the place to go if you really want to experience a thrill. Not only is there plenty of skiing and snowboarding available to enthusiasts, but there are options to take part in extreme sports, as well. The Utah Olympic Park is the place to go if you want to feel like a real Olympic athlete.

During the summer, the place comes alive with tourists wanting to hitch a ride on the Alpine Coaster or Alpine Slide; however, the winter brings a new crop of individuals seeking diverse fun. Anyone who feels ready to tackle the Nordic Jumps or Bobsled Track can do so for a fee.

There are plenty of fun activities to take part in for those who want to relax by the fire or play in the snow; make Park City your next vacation destination!

Heber Creeper

Getaway Guru — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:28:49 +0000

When I first arrived here in Utah, one of the first things I heard about as a “must see/do” was the Heber Creeper. The Heber Creeper is an old fashioned train ride around the Heber Valley/Provo Canyon area. It features two 1907 Baldwin steam locomotives and three vintage diesel electric locomotives. Over 95,000 passengers ride this attraction per year. Passengers are allowed to move between cars on most rides. Some cars are open to the air, while others are not.

I had a chance to go on the Provo Canyon Limited, which is a scenic three hour train ride. Provo Canyon is quite beautiful at certain times of the year. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the older train and being able to relax and enjoy the nature going by. I was able to go with my Aunt and her family, including two of my cousins who were between ages 2 and 5. While a little unsure about the whistle at first, they loved the train! It was so much fun to be able to spend time with them.

For those of you who more action oriented the Heber Creeper does offer several holiday related events through out the year however. Right now, they are offering the family friendly Haunted Canyon Ride. On this ride passengers are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes, but dress warmly.

Also upcoming are the December related events including the Bells’ n’ Whistles, The Polar Express, and the Tube n’ Train. In Bells’ n’ Whistles passengers ride the train for awhile and then take a horse-pulled sleigh ride up to a ranch where warm treats are enjoyed. The Polar Express is a special treat for any child, including Santa, elves, story reading, and warm treats. Tube n’ Train is popular among the young adults, where the Heber Creeper is taken to a location where snow tubing complete with tow services are provided. More information can be found at: http://www.hebervalleyrr.org/excursions/pcl.php

Cold Weather Family Activities

Getaway Guru — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:55:32 +0000

The trees turn vibrant colors and begin to fall to the ground. The wind picks up and the sky becomes overcast. Many families face a dilemma when the cold weather picks up. Outdoor activities are no longer an option for families with small children, at least without snow. So what kinds of family activities are still available in the Utah valley? Here are a few ideas for cold weather, local vacations:

Utah Museum of Fine Arts: Located in Salt Lake City this museum offers a variety of exhibitions. Their most current exhibit on display is Splendid Heritage:Perspectives on American Indian Art.

Thanksgiving Point: Offers a variety of gardens including a Children’s Discovery Garden, Farm Country(petting zoo), the Museum of Ancient Life(Dinosaur Museum), and the Emporium and many restaurants. They work hard to maintain a family-friendly environment that inspires learning and curiosity.

Discovery Gateway (Children’s Museum): This Salt Lake City museum is design for kids. It has four floors of interactive, hand’s on experiences for kids. One section has a mini-town where children can go grocery shopping or be a construction worker. A couple of my cousins (ages 3-8) had a chance to go recently and came back just babbling about it. There are some interesting things for adults as well, but the main focus here is on the children.

Boondocks: Located in Draper and Kaysville Utah Boondocks offers a variety of over 12 different activities for families to participate in. This park won the parents pick of best indoor play space for 2009.

Peaks Ice Arena: The site of 2002 Winter Olympics, the Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, UT might be an attraction for families with older children. I love going ice skating here.

These attractions are available year round, but are best when saved for the cold month’s when other outdoor activities are not the first choice. Good luck with planning your cold weather family outings!

Arches and Zion’s National Parks

Getaway Guru — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:44:52 +0000

The most celebrated time of a long drive is when the parents finally say, “Time to get out of the car!” After a long drive, why drive some more when there are beautiful hikes and horse riding opportunities at some of the most beautiful places in the world? Arches and Zion’s National Parks located in Utah, offer just this opportunity.

With over 2,000 arches, Arches National Park is the largest collection natural stone arches in the world. The same awe that is felt as people marvel at the man-made Colosseum, is felt with these natural wonders. The wind swept red stone is majestic in any landscape photograph.

The 73,000 acre national park in Moab, Utah, has four main sections that attract tourism: The Windows Section, Fiery Furnace, Devils Garden, and Delicate Arch. Delicate Arch is the park’s most famous feature and is used as a symbol for the state of Utah quite often. There are several different hiking trails to accommodate visitors, but be sure to bring enough water! This site is an arid, red desert and very hot.

Delicate Arch

Another must see is Utah’s first and most popular national park, Zion’s. Located by Springdale, Utah, there are endless hiking possibilities through Zion’s breath taking red canyons. The park is open year round for visitors, and it is a completely different experience during different seasons of the year, although this epic scenery is just as beautiful in the summer, with the sun emphasizing the red, as in the winter with snow.

Zion's National Park

Mystic Hot Springs located in Monroe, Utah

Getaway Guru — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:59:46 +0000

Along with the hot springs theme, are Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, Utah. After the last of the Grateful Dead shows Mike Ginsburg was heading home and stumbled upon these hot springs and purchased the land. He has sense created a very hippie friendly kind of resort place. The springs have created some beautiful red rock formations and Mike has placed several old bath tubs around the springs that you can also soak in. The place is a lot fun you can even rent a teepee or an old hippie bus to sleep in. They occasionally have bands come through, so call ahead and find out when the next show is going to be. When Ive gone there’s always plenty of nice laid-back people to meet and have interesting conversations with. Because they are able to maintain warm water temperature year round there are even some pools full of tropical fish. Mike is also is a glass artist and makes some really cool jewelry, ask him to do a demo, its really amazing to see the process of shaping the glass. If you are going to stay over night there is plenty of camping space, I would recommend bringing your own food because Monroe is very small town. Probably one of, if not the best place I have found so far in the Utah area.