If you’re going stir-crazy in the house and ready to pack your bags for a getaway, consider a road trip to Utah. Utah is becoming more of a popular destination for travel influencers and outdoors enthusiasts. I live in Colorado, so Utah was the perfect pandemic getaway.
Not only is the drive to Utah beautiful, but there is much to see all over the state.
The Enchanted Tiny Home
Ever Considered living in a tiny home? Or wondered what it would be like to stay in one? My girlfriend and I took an 11-hour road trip to southern Utah to experience a weekend alone in a romantic, tiny home. When Rita and I first met, she quickly told me about her obsession with Tiny Home living and expressed that she wanted to build one herself.
Just like the rest of the country, we’ve been going stir-crazy in the house ever since the coronavirus lockdown that disrupted the fabric of normalcy in America. So I surprised my girlfriend with a tiny house that looked absolutely enchanted.
Utah offered many unique tiny home options on Airbnb, but you could also rent an RV and consider finding a camping site. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to stay in the Mother’s Eve tiny home hosted by Zion Tiny Oasis. Our house had a hot tub, a fire pit, a full kitchen, and amazing views of Zion National Park.
Pandemic Friendly Trip to Utah
We were excited to set out on our road trip in the desert but forest fires in Colorado would lead to our drive going from 9 hours to 11 hours. We had to leave out a day earlier than expected to get a full day of exploring. When we arrived at our tiny home we were absolutely blown away, every nook and cranny of the house was filled with intentional touches.
I never found the appeal to living in a tiny house — sounds claustrophobic and tight. If you’re lucky you’ll find one like the mother’s eve tiny home. I felt like I was staying in a luxury house — just much smaller.
Since COVID hit us in March of 2020, we’ve been extra diligent in choosing accommodations for our trips. We’ll only fly if the airline is practicing proper protocols and ensure all of our Airbnb are adhering to new cleaning procedures. This place was so sparkling clean and beautiful, we never felt unsafe or as if we put ourselves or others at risk. The great thing about a tiny house is not needing to social distance from an entire hotel’s staff and other guests. While there are other tiny homes on this lot, they’re far enough away that you won’t ever make contact.
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is Utah’s first National park. Zion offers stunning scenic views, hiking trails, and other outdoor activities. The park has an annual pass fee of $80 to enter, however, with this pass you can enter any national park in the United States
In southern Utah, there are lots of outdoor activities hidden in this gem of a state. Zion is one of the best places to visit in Utah for hiking or a romantic scenic sunset. Zion was our backyard the entire weekend and we made sure to hike the unbeatable Narrows trail.
This National park is about 2 hours away from Nevada, so if you’re interested in seeing the Grand Canyon or playing the slots in Las Vegas, you can keep driving and be there in no time!
The Narrows
One of the most popular canyons in Utah is the narrows. It is the narrowest part of the Zion canyon. This gorge is a great hike to take in the heat of Utah because of the river. The walls of the canyon are a thousand feet high, so watch for flash flood warnings. It was very easy to social distance, despite this being a very popular hike in this destination.
I would recommend bringing water shoes as the rocks in the river can be slippery. The slippery rocks make this hike a bit challenging. My girlfriend slipped and lost her phone due to improper footwear. I wish I could have spent the entire day hiking at the narrows. It was my absolute favorite activity on our trip.
ATVing in the Sand Dunes
Have you ever heard of Pink Sand Dunes? The Coral Pink Sand Dunes in southern Utah is a breathtaking state park. Here you can go ATVing through the dunes and canyons at an elevation of 6,000 feet. These dunes are estimated at 10,000 to 15,000 years old.
Unfortunately for us, we were unable to secure a spot on a tour at the pink sand dunes. Instead, we drove UTVs through a nearby sand dune park with more traditional white sand. We were greeted by wild cows, explored the slot canyons, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. Seeking a thrill on a stateside getaway? Rent an ATV on your trip to Utah and head out to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
Peek-a-boo slot canyon
This two-mile hike through the Peek-A-Boo slot canyons was one of my favorite parts of Utah.
The slot canyons were forged by rushing water through the rock. The eroded rocks form narrow but deep canyons that are beautiful. It can be very dangerous to hike in slot canyons due to flash floods. A slight change in weather can mean a treacherous death if caught in the rapidly moving rising water in the canyons. Zebra Canyon, The Narrows, and Peek-a-boo are popular slot canyons in Utah. Locate the nearest canyon and enjoy this experience. It was a quick stop on our UTV tour.
Meadows Hot Spring
The natural geothermal pools found in Utah are some of the most unique. If you’re interested in soaking in hot springs like no other, visit the Meadows. There are three different soaking holes, all varying in shape, depth, and even temperature. You can see little fishes swimming alongside you as you soak. There are even docks where you can dive into the hot springs.
I would compare these hot spring pools more to a cenote like the ones found in Mexico. You can even see cows roaming and the beautiful scenery of mountains. The water was warm and a bit scary. The holes are more than 20 feet deep and there has even been a fatality in 2019.
If you’re adventurous and want to experience a new way to vacation – go to Utah. The trip was absolutely romantic. This is a great vacation that I would recommend to solo travelers, baecationers as well as group trips. I had a blast in southern Utah, but the rest of the state is just as spectacular.
I look forward to my next trip to Utah as there is much more to see.
