Looking for a sunny destination with numerous activities for kids? St. George, Utah just might be the answer. Located a quick ninety minute drive from Las Vegas, St. George lies within striking distance of four state parks and Zion National Park. Since the city is located in the Mojave Desert, it doesn’t have the cold weather found in other parts of the state. St. George, Utah weather hovers between 50 and 60 degrees in the winter, and the area enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year! If you’re looking for fun things to do in St George with kids, look no further. We’ll have you booking a trip to Southern Utah in no time!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!
Things to Do in St George for Families
1. Explore the fun parks of St. George
Zion National Park is the perfect spot for kids with many family friendly hiking and biking trails. There’s also a scenic drive along the Virgin River and many opportunities to spot local wildlife. It’s a quick 45 minute drive from St. George and as one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S., it’s one of the best things to do in St George.
Snow Canyon State Park is just outside St. George and is well known for its volcanic cinder cones, sandstone cliffs, and petrified sand dunes. Kids would love exploring the 38 miles of hiking trails within the park and rolling down the dunes. Hiking is one of the best things to do as a family in Utah.
Sand Hollow State Park is 20,000 acres of pure recreation. Sandy Hollow Reservoir meets the red sand dunes and provides for some amazing ATV adventures. Older kids won’t want to miss this!
Photo: Joe Newman, St. George Tourism
Quail Creek State Park is a fisherman’s paradise. The reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, bullhead catfish, crappie, and largemouth bass so bring a pole and head out fishing any time of year.
Gunlock State Park is a 240 acre park with boating, fishing, and swimming year round thanks to mild weather. Pack a picnic and head out for the day to explore its red rock cliffs and waterfalls.
2. Explore the museums
St. George has many kid friendly museums. The Dinosaur Discovery Site is a must see for dinosaur lovers. The museum features dinosaur footprints and swimming tracks, hands-on activities, and fossils. Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum has over 300 animals on display, showcasing species from every continent. The St. George Children’s Museum has twelve rooms of interactive displays encouraging children to use their imagination and explore.
3. Ghost town near St George
Just outside the entrance to Zion National Park, lies the abandoned town of Grafton. Many will recognize it from several movie scenes that were shot here, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The town was originally settled in 1859 by five Mormon families, but three years later, the Virgin River flooded and wiped out the town. The settlers came together and built a new town upstream, but eventually Grafton was abandoned as people left to find safety from Indian attacks by moving to larger towns. Definitely worth touring with kids.
Other nearby ghost towns to explore include Old Iron Town and Silver Reef. Both were once thriving towns, but abandoned long ago.
4. Fun St George family activities
The St. George area offers many opportunities for adventurous families. Take a Jeep tour with one of the local companies and head off road. Experience one of Utah’s longest zip lines at the “Green Valley Gap”, where you climb up a couple hundred feet, strap in, and soar across the sky. For something a bit more relaxing, take a hot air balloon ride and see all of the parks from above. There’s nothing else like it!
5. Learn about St George history
Brigham Young, the second president of the LDS Church maintained a winter home in St. George and today it is available for local tours. This is a fun way to learn about the man and why he chose St. George as his winter home.
The Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum features historical artifacts, photos, and stories of the pioneer families who settled in Utah. Kids might enjoy taking a tour with a docent to learn more about the history of the town.
Photo: Dave Becker
St. George Tourism
Hotels in St George Utah
There are several good places to stay in St. George. Check out The Advenire Autograph Collection boutique hotel or try glamping at Zion National Park with Under Canvas Zion.
Looking for other Utah posts? Don’t miss: Things to Do in Cedar City Utah with Kids and Capitol Reef National Park with kids.
