Top Things to do in Utah
Top Hotels in Utah
- 1. Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn & Suites
- 2. Best Western Plus Abbey Inn
- 3. Abbey Inn & Suites
- 4. Best Western Plus Ruby'S Inn
- 5. Hyatt Place Moab
- 6. Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel
- 7. Goulding's Lodge & Campground
- 8. Desert Pearl Inn
- 9. Bowen Motel
- 10. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham at Zion Park/Springdale
The 10 Best Natural History Museums in Utah, United States
Welcome to “The Greatest Snow on Earth” – Utah’s paradise for all outdoor enthusiasts! As host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Park City knows how to entertain winter fun seekers. Snowboarders and skiers head for miles of spectacular slopes with deep fluffy powder and breathtaking mountain views. The Olympic Park provides family-friendly ski programs, rides and shows. Alta, Sundance, Snowbird and Brighton are other popular destinations for cross country and Alpine skiers. Those alluring snowy slopes turn to rolling wildflower fields in the summer. Golfing, fishing, horseback riding and water sports replace chilly outdoor sports adventures. Corral the family, pack a picnic and catch one of the ski lifts for an afternoon of hiking or mountain biking along scenic trails. Head to Salt Lake City, where Temple Square hosts millions of visitors a year. Bryce Canyon and Arches National Park are famous for surreal landscapes from horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters to unusual rock formations and hundreds of natural sandstone arches. Closer to home, wander along the quaint main streets of mountain villages to browse, shop and enjoy lunch at an outdoor café. At the end of the day, head home for an outdoor barbecue and an evening of games. Home rentals blend privacy, space and comfort with the cost-saving advantage of eating some meals at home.
Restaurants in Utah
1. Dinosaur Quarry
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 126 reviews
Part of Dinosaur National Monument, the Quarry contains one of the highest concentrations of fossilized dinosaur bones from the Jurassic period.
Reviewed By sharonbJ5149RV - Dumfries, United States
Trying to book the appointment at the visiters center was frustrating. But the ranger at the desk was very helpful and friendly. Open air shuttle was great at keeping everyone distant and was cleaned after every run up the hill. We had an amazing time. The wall of bones was awesome. We were not going to touch the bone but there was plenty of sanitizer near the bone. It was perfect.
2. Utah Field House of Natural History State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 385 reviews
Exhibits explain the geologic history of the region.
Reviewed By B2917UApatricias - Hartland, United States
Very nice museum with excellent displays of archaeological finds, fossils and bones. There are dinosaur skeletal replicas and an outdoor garden where various types of dinosaur models are displayed. The geologic history of the area is explained in a short film that is available upon entering the museum. The entrance fee is very reasonable with adult, child and senior prices. There is a very nice gift shop available inside the museum as well. Touring this place would take 1-2 hours and the museum is a place that would be enjoyed by young and old alike.
3. Hutchings Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 41 reviews
The Hutchings Museum is a Natural History museum with rocks, minerals, fossils, and live animals, as well as a Peoples and Culture Museum. We provide classes and resources for educators.
Reviewed By CulinaryFamily - Lehi, United States
its Great for kids and has a sand water pit with a spot mural its fun and will entertain kids for hours
4. Box Elder Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
This museum features fossils and minerals. While the focus is on Box Elder County, specimens come from throughout Utah and the world. The museum is open Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm. During summers, the museum closes at noon on Friday. Admission is free.
5. Natural History Museum of Utah
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,513 reviews
As the Utah state museum of natural history, this top attraction provides an introduction to the science in Utah's remarkable landscape! With engaging exhibits and over 5,000 artifacts on display, the Museum features Utah's paleontology discoveries, fascinating gems and minerals found world-wide, preserved artifacts from Utah's prehistoric peoples, and stories told by the five Native nations that lie within the state's boundaries. Journey to the top of a three-story indoor Canyon. Wander through Utah's dinosaurs and animal life. Interact with earthquakes, erosion, and our Digital Globe to discover how the earth's surface and the Great Salt Lake have changed over time. Enjoy breath-taking views from our observatory deck. Hike the Bonneville Shoreline trail. Experience natural history as only Utah can reveal it. Enjoy beverages, lunch or a snack at the Museum Cafe. Shop the Museum Store for unique jewelry and gift items influenced by nature's design. Visitors with young kids will enjoy Our Backyard, an intimate, discovery-based environment that invites our pre-school visitors to experience natural history first hand!
Reviewed By lizw2014 - Foresthill, United States
Excellent experience for all ages! Wonderful interactive exhibits and the kids loved the dinosaur area so much. Highly recommend this museum for anyone interested in learning about Utah and the west.
6. Hole-In-The-Rock Escalante Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
The Escalante Heritage Center is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to preservation of the histories of the Hole in the Rock trek and the settlement of the towns of Escalante and Boulder.
Reviewed By WorldSprinter18 - Sedona, United States
This is a nice stop especially for educating children or simply a nice bathroom pit stop. The famous local western realist artist, Lynn Griffin, has his famous paintings 'End of the Trail' on display in large diorama size. There is an historic museum of sorts which displays a life size Conestoga covered wagon and educates about pioneer heritage. There are large clean rest rooms at the center and a curator on-site to answer your questions. Worth stopping by just to see how determined, strong, and courageous people from this time period were compared to the weak wimps of our modern times...
7. Museum of Ancient Life
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Roam among the dinosaurs, explore a Carboniferous Forest, and dive deep into a Cretaceous Ocean at the Museum of Ancient Life. Come visit one of the world’s largest displays of mounted dinosaurs with 60 complete dinosaur skeletons in our galleries, along with more than 50 hands-on exhibits. This is the destination to enjoy learning about our pre-historic animals, playing with toy dinosaurs in the Erosion Table, and digging for fossils in the quarry dig.
Reviewed By Ov3rLand - Placerville, United States
Wow! You are greeted by a large dinosaur, that had a tough life. I was greeted with warmth and a genuine hello. They gave me a map. Definitely use the map or you can get turned around pretty easily. Wear comfortable shoes; I spent 3 ½ hours and could have stayed longer. So much great information and new findings. There are some fun hands on areas for kids to have fun, but also learn. Would I go back - YES!
8. Museum of the San Rafael Swell
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By 3bear - Nevada, United States
A local blend of unique exhibits of dinosaurs found nearby including eggshells and teeth. The other rooms are of the every day supplies of early man that were found in rock ledges such as the remarkable leather bundles that contain his daily items. Baskets, pottery, rocks, headdress, and a huge collection of projectile points all beautiful displayed. As a museum goer there are items here I have never seen before. Fossils and animal taxidermy of the local area round out this gem of museum. Megan the docent was so helpful even with her sore foot!
9. St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 449 reviews
As of May 15, 2020, the museum is open from 10am-5pm Thursday-Monday and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. We have new COVID-19 procedures such as 10am-12pm being reserved for high-risk individuals and their group. Please wear masks and social distance with our one-way directional signs through the exhibits. We have hand-sanitizing stations and are limiting the number of people in certain areas. Visit https://utahdinosaurs.com/visit-the-museum/ to learn more. The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm preserves thousands of dinosaur tracks right at the site of discovery. Walkthrough a snapshot of an Early Jurassic lake ecosystem and meet the dinosaurs and other animals that left their tracks here. See the world's largest collection of dinosaur swim tracks, and a rare track made by a crouching meat-eating dinosaur, including hand impressions! Enjoy our special exhibit room and our Dino Park.
Reviewed By USA808
My 5 year old daughter is a dinosaur lover, so we stopped in at this small museum while passing through St. George. The admission was affordable ($8 adults, $4 for kids 4+), and we were fascinated by the fact that their fossil displays were actually collected on site. How cool to walk where the dinos did and to learn more about the rich archaeological history of Utah! Be sure to watch the short educational video before beginning. We especially loved the section of the museum that preserves fossils as they were found — with the museum basically built on and around those recent discoveries (randomly found while a doctor was doing some construction on his property). There’s an outdoor play area with a sand pit for digging that my younger kids also loved, though it was so hot that it was hard to spend too much time out there. We finished the museum in about an hour, but are so glad we made the stop. My daughter even used her allowance to buy a stuffed animal dinosaur on the way out. She had a blast and this museum really helped deepen her appreciation for dinosaurs. This place isn’t the best for kids needing lots of hands-on stimulation (unless they primarily play outside), but it IS great for anyone interested in learning and exploring.
10. Panguitch Gem Theater
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 81 reviews
Mexican and Movies, Desserts and Dinosaurs! The Historic Panguitch Gem Theater offers quick, Mexicanelection of delicious house-made desserts. Menu items are -inspired fare in a retro venue. Stop by for dinner and a show, or to sample our savailable for all tastes and preferences, including vegan and gluten-free options. Check out our locally sourced rocks from all across Utah, and our DINOSAUR HEAD EXHIBIT, which includes the Gryposaurus monumentensis (the duck-billed dinosaur), Diabloceratops eatoni, and Lythronax argestes (the great great granddad to the T-Rex).
Reviewed By AdventureX5
A must stop! ...In fact go out of your way to visit this neat place! Easily the BEST ice cream I’ve ever had...and I’ve had a lot of ice cream! The dinosaur museum upstairs was amazing!! My kids loved it! “Ice cream and Dinosaurs! This is my kind of place!” Those are the exact words my daughter told me as we walked around the dino bones. Staff was friendly and kind. I’m so glad we found this hidden gem!
