Why you should stop in St. George on your next road trip

The kids are out of school, summer break is in full swing, and most families are starting to think about their upcoming vacations. Our family is no different.  Every year we take a trip to visit family in Northern Utah and most recently we have changed our route, and gone through St. George.  This route has more freeway, and no little towns to pass through.  It also has less wildlife crossing the freeway/highway, so if you are doing any of the drive when it starts to get dark, this is an easier route.  St. George is a beautiful city, full of red rocks and lots of things to do.  Whether you’re just looking to pass through or stay for a few days, here is a list of things to do.

Hiking

• Red Cliffs Nature Trail – This hike is good for families, its an easy hike that leads to a little waterfall.  While its usually best to hike this during spring and fall, it can be done in the summer as long as its earlier in the day.  Families can cool off in the spring, crawl around in the waterfall, and there is even a natural slide that you can slide on.
• Pioneer Park- One of the staples of St. George is the rock with the word “DIXIE” written on it.  On our most recent trip we decided to venture up and see if we could hike the rock.  What we found was Pioneer Park.  A short hike up to the top of Dixie rock and also a bbq with picnic tables.  From this spot you get a great view of the city its definitely worth the stop.

Places to eat:

• Pizza Factory – Known as St. George’s favorite Pizza restaurant, the Pizza Factory is great for that family feel, and delicious pizza. They are also known for their breadtwists, which are the similar bread sticks, and they are longer than any bread stick I have ever seen.  They also offer salads, sandwiches, wings and calzones.
• Larsen’s Frostop – Larsen’s is an old fashioned drive-in, and the food is typical of an old fashioned drive-in.  On the menu you will find hamburgers, french fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken tenders and corn dogs to name a few.  They are also known for their milkshakes, it’s a perfect stop for families.
• The Bear Paw – If you’re looking for a nice breakfast spot then the Bear Paw is your stop.  The menu has a wide variety of food in a cute little cafe feel.  Be sure to try one of their stuffed french toast and the home fries! You can’t go wrong with your choice of food here.
• Judd’s – Judd’s is an old fashioned ice cream shop which also offers lots of old fashioned candy and sodas. Its a kids dream.  There is seating outside, for you to enjoy your treats.

Things to do:

• Thunder Junction Park – If you’re looking to have your kids burn off some energy this is the perfect place. It is  an all abilities park that includes a splash pad and train ride (for an extra fee).  This park is so fun your kids will never want to leave.  Us adults even had a blast watching the kids swing and spin, they even have drums and a xylophone for the kids to explore their love of music. Definitely make time to stop here.
• St. George Children’s Museum – The children’s museum is full of fun and interactive exhibits that kids will love.
• Tuacahn Ampitheatre – Tuacahn is more for older kids and adults, but it is one of the coolest theaters.  It is set up against the red rocks, during the evening.  Some of the past plays have included, Mamma Mia, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tarzan and this year the line up is Matilda, Cinderella and The Prince of Egypt.  It is definitely worth the money to experience a play underneath the red rocks.  

So next time you’re on your way out of town and are looking for a place to stop, or looking for a new place to take a trip, I highly recommend stopping in St. George and seeing all that it has to offer.

This article was originally posted on East Valley Moms Blog, you can find it here.

Ditching the kids for Disney

Disneyland.
The Happiest Place on Earth. 

But do you sometimes question how it could be the happiest place on earth when its often met with whining, fit throwing, and complaining?  I mean yes, seeing Disneyland through your child’s eyes is amazing. It’s fun to watch them meet the characters and sing along on It’s a small world. But have you ever experienced Disney without the kids. Let me tell you, it is heavenly.

The normal 6 hour drive, from the Phoenix area, actually takes six hours.  There aren’t lots of unnecessary stops, unless of course you want too. The car ride is also much more enjoyable, you won’t hear “Are we there yet?'”, “How much longer?”, or fighting coming from the car.  

Once you get to the park, everything seems less stressful without kids. You can decide which rides you want to go on and when. You don’t have to base it off whether your kids are tall enough, brave enough, or even in the mood.  There’s no fear of losing your child as you fight the crowds going from one place to the next, or fear of them wandering.  It’s much easier to keep track of adults, and even if you loose each other, a call or text will help to reunite quickly.

Waiting in line is also much more pleasant.  Instead of spending your time wrangling bored and tired children, time can be spend socializing with those around you, or just taking in the fun scenery. Have you ever waited in line with your child for what seems like an eternity, just for them to back out when you get to the front of the line? Hopefully you won’t have any situations like this arise.

Next on the list is the length of time you can spend at the park. I don’t know about you but because Disneyland is so expensive I always want to make sure I get my moneys worth.  One way to do this is to maximize my time spent in the parks and on rides.  If your bringing little kids this is doable, but usually hard. We always enjoy staying for the fireworks show and later, because often times the park is beginning to slow down and people are filtering out.  Not to mention lots of the rides and roller coasters are more fun at night.

So the next time you consider booking a vacation to Disneyland consider leaving the kids at home. Whether its a couples trip or girls trip, its definitely worth trying without the kids. It is definitely just as magical, if not more.

This blog was originally published for East Valley Moms Blog, you can see the post here.