Utah

About Utah

Utah is the single most concentrated stretch of natural beauty in the United States. Five national parks — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands — sit within a half-day's drive of each other, with state parks and protected areas filling the gaps. The southwest corner of the state, anchored by St. George and Springdale, is the gateway: Zion is 45 minutes from St. George, Bryce is about 90 minutes further on, and the resort communities around Ivins put you at the foot of red rock cliffs and lava fields.

Where Utah differs from the rest of the Southwest is the variety. You can hike a 1,500-foot slot canyon in the morning, soak in a desert spa in the afternoon, and end the day on a championship golf course with red cliffs at your back. The hotel scene has caught up: in addition to the legacy lodges near the park gates, a new wave of design-forward desert resorts has opened around St. George, Ivins, and Hurricane.

Our Travel Editor's Utah note: member rates show their widest spread on the newer resort properties, where the public booking sites haven't fully calibrated demand yet. Book Sunday through Thursday whenever you can — weekend rates jump hard, especially during the spring and fall shoulder seasons when the parks are most pleasant.

— Our Travel Editor