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Most of you might have heard about the 'Grand Circle' trip covering 6 national parks in Utah. We have customized that trip to 3 days and planned it in such a way that my 4-year-old as well can enjoy without being tired. This post is all about planning a Utah vacation with kids and about our mini grand circle tour.
Choosing the places and Travel Dates :
The best time to plan a vacation to Utah is the spring/ Fall. Summer is very harsh in Utah with temperatures reaching till 100 Fahrenheit. So, choose the time which is good for family travel without facing harsh weather.
Next step is to choose the places. We started our journey from colorado springs and stopped at Grand Junction, CO, Bluff, UT and Pagosa Springs, Co for the night halts.
Arches National park is a must visit and so, this is the first one in our list. Independence monument is located on the way from Grand Junction to Arches, which you can cover before Arches.
Canyonlands national park is 1 hr away from Arches so it can be covered on the same day. We stayed at Bluff, UT on that day night.
We chose to visit Monument Valley National park after Canyonlands, but if you have time, you should consider visiting Bryce Canyon national park and Zion national park. 'Four corners monument' is on the way to 'Mesa Verde national park'. So, it is easy to cover this place and stand at a place where four states meet.
The next day we planned to cover Treasure falls in Creede as it is on the way to Colorado Springs. Crestone Mahalakshmi temple at the foothills of beautiful mountains is a temple, Universal ashram and a spiritual community.
After you are done with deciding the places to visit, decide on the number of days you need to cover those places. I have read multiple blogs with itineraries and watched many videos to see which places and hikes are kid friendly. We decided to cover these places in 3 nights and 4 days.
Accommodations :
We usually book the accommodations through Expedia.com. A few things that I take care of when I book accommodation are :
The best time to plan a vacation to Utah is the spring/ Fall. Summer is very harsh in Utah with temperatures reaching till 100 Fahrenheit. So, choose the time which is good for family travel without facing harsh weather.
Next step is to choose the places. We started our journey from colorado springs and stopped at Grand Junction, CO, Bluff, UT and Pagosa Springs, Co for the night halts.
Arches National park is a must visit and so, this is the first one in our list. Independence monument is located on the way from Grand Junction to Arches, which you can cover before Arches.
Canyonlands national park is 1 hr away from Arches so it can be covered on the same day. We stayed at Bluff, UT on that day night.
We chose to visit Monument Valley National park after Canyonlands, but if you have time, you should consider visiting Bryce Canyon national park and Zion national park. 'Four corners monument' is on the way to 'Mesa Verde national park'. So, it is easy to cover this place and stand at a place where four states meet.
The next day we planned to cover Treasure falls in Creede as it is on the way to Colorado Springs. Crestone Mahalakshmi temple at the foothills of beautiful mountains is a temple, Universal ashram and a spiritual community.
After you are done with deciding the places to visit, decide on the number of days you need to cover those places. I have read multiple blogs with itineraries and watched many videos to see which places and hikes are kid friendly. We decided to cover these places in 3 nights and 4 days.
Accommodations :
We usually book the accommodations through Expedia.com. A few things that I take care of when I book accommodation are :
- Complimentary breakfast
- Clean rooms
- less distance from tourist places
- Ratings and reviews
- Cost
Travel Tips :
Traveling with kids on long road trips is not very easy. We have to keep so many things in our mind while planning a trip.
- There is a lot of driving on this trip, so kids might easily get bored. So, we carried some UNO cards, a lot of snacks to munch on, drawing sheets with crayons, a journal book for kids to write about travel etc.,
- I have also downloaded the Junior ranger guides of the national parks that we are visiting and took printouts so that kids can read them during travel.
- We visited all the visitor centers before entering the national park. A few parks have explorer packs for children with binoculars, useful information and, activity sheets. There is a junior ranger checklist that the visitor centers provide to kids. By completing all those tasks, they can receive a Junior Ranger badge, How fun it is to them?
- We took a lot of breaks while traveling and stopped by all scenic spots. Sitting for a long time in a car is too tough for kids.
- We carried a lot of snacks and fruits, especially oranges and bananas to keep us hydrated in the dry, hot weather. we bought fruit and snack trays.
- We carried a lot of mini water bottles so that it's easy for children to drink and also juices to avoid dehydration.
- My kids carried their favorite soft toys and blankets to make them comfortable in the car :-)
- I have prepared a checklist so that it's easy to follow every time we travel. The list includes moisturizer, toothbrushes, important medicines, first aid kit, sunscreen, hats, light jackets, comb etc.,
- We chose the hotels which have an indoor pool and hot tub. After a lot of hiking, it will be great to rest in the hot tub in the evenings.
- Make sure to take proper hiking shoes which don't strain the feet.
A detailed travelogue of each day is shared in my next posts.
So, please stay tuned.
Day 1 - Arches and Canyonlands National Park
Day 2 - Monument Valley Park and Four Corners Monument
Day 1 - Arches and Canyonlands National Park
Day 2 - Monument Valley Park and Four Corners Monument
Here are my social media handles to follow me there so that you don't miss my Utah travel itinerary:
Until next time,
Linking this post to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne at EverydayGyaan.
