Zion National Park adventure for families with kids - Day #1 itinerary to make the most of your trip!

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

Zion National Park in Southwest Utah is one of the most popular national parks in USA. Zion Canyon averaging 2000 feet deep offers numerous hiking trails with astonishing views. While Narrows and Angels Landing are the most popular trails, The Subway is considered the most challenging.

With this trip, we completed visiting all the Mighty 5 parks in Utah. Yay ! 

The following parks are considered mighty 5 and take us on an exclusive experience of the rugged beauty of Utah.

Arches National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National park and

Capitol Reef National Park

My previous travelogues are linked above. 

Pin it for later!

How to Reach Zion National Park?

The economical option is to fly to Las Vegas and drive 2.5 hrs to Zion. You can rent a car for cheaper rates here. 

Here are some flight options:

Where to Stay?

Springdale, UT is the nearest town with all facilities which can be your base camp to Zion. There is a free shuttle to Zion if you are staying in Springdale.

But, we stayed in Hurricane, which is 30 mins away from Zion and is affordable. 

Here are some hotel / airbnb options around:

Park Entrance:

Entrance fee is $35 per vehicle. 

We have our America the beautiful  Annual Pass which costed around $80. This is a lot of saving so far as we visited Big Bend , Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef National parks already. There are 5 more months in this year and you never know how many we get to visit this year. :-)

During Summers, which is the peak time for visitors, Shuttle is the only option to travel inside the park. Please check this link for shuttle info. You can drive shuttle for free with park pass. There is no reservation required.

Don't forget summer essentials!

Hydration Backpack 

Sunscreen

UV protecting Hat

Healthy Trail mix Snacks

Our Day #1 Itinerary:

We flew from Austin to Las Vegas on Saturday morning, reached by 9am, rented a car , drove to Hurricane having our lunch on the way.

We reached Hurricane by afternoon, checked in at our hotel , refreshed and started with our Zion trip in the evening.

Since this is summer and the day light is till 8.30 Pm or so, it is very helpful to spend a lot of time in the park with less crowd. 

Hiking Trails:

Weeping rock trail:

We entered the National park through Zion Canyon Visitor center , took the shuttle to reach stop #7 Weeping Rock trail stop.

The drive through shuttle is great where we saw the Virgin river on the right side and canyon walls narrowing as we reach the end of the scenic drive. We also could watch the people hiking to Angel's landing.

Weeping rock

Weeping rock trail is 0.4 mile roundtrip short but a steep trail. It takes around 30 mins. This takes us to a rock with dripping springs. The view point from there is great with canyons and greenery.

Canyon Overlook Trail:

We drove through the east side of the park passing through Zion - Mt Carmel tunnel. Zion Mount Carmel highway is a very scenic winding road. 

Canyon overlook trail is 1 mile round trip trail with an elevation of 163 ft. The trail has a lot of drop offs, and it ends at a view point of Pine creek canyon and lower Zion canyon. The initial incline is a little tough, but later, the rocky trail is mostly flat.

Canyon Overlook Trail

This is a very good introduction trail and since we did it in the evening, there are not much crowds. The sweeping views of canyon make this trail as a must for families visiting with kids.

Canyon Overlook Trail

Canyon Overlook Trail

My kids aged 8 and 12 years could do it without any problem, but if you have kids still younger, please watch-out and hold them where there are drop offs. 

Dinner in Springdale:

We had awesome Mexican dinner from Whiptail Grill in Springdale, which is very close to the park entrance. The views surrounding our restaurant are worthy a mention. The food is tasty , but it is a little expensive. 

At Whiptail Grill, Springdale

Thus, we completed our Day #1 at Zion. On Day #2 , we hiked the Riverwalk trail, Court of Patriarchs, had lunch at Zion lodge, and visited the Kolob canyon area. Unfortunately, Emerald pools trail was closed during that time.

More details on Day #2 itinerary in the next post. Meanwhile, don't forget to follow me on social media to get latest updates from my blog:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Subscribe to my blog

Read the other travelogues here:

Zion National Park - Part2

Bryce Canyon National Park

GrandStaircase Escalante National Monument

Until next time,

Queuing for the Queen by Sweta Rana - Book Promo

Book Details:

Title:  Queuing for the Queen

Author: Sweta Rana

Genre: Uplit, General Fiction

Publisher: head of Zeus, Aria Imprint

Publication Date: 6th July, 2023

Blurb:

'Beautifully sensitive, quietly reflective, this absorbing tale about a group of strangers brought together following the death of Queen Elizabeth II is an absolute triumph.' LoveReading debut of the month

One queue. 250,000 people. Twenty-four life-changing hours.

A young boy wearing a cereal box crown, impatiently dragging his mother behind him.

A friendly man in a khaki raincoat, talking about his beloved Leeds United to anyone who will listen.

An elderly woman who has lived her life alongside the Queen, and is just hoping she’ll make it to the end of the queue to say goodbye.

And among them, a British Indian mother and daughter, driven apart by their differences, embarking on a pilgrimage which neither of them yet know will change their lives forever.

Full of secrets and surprises, this uplifting novel celebrates not only the remarkable woman who defined an era and a country, but also the diverse and unique people she served for so long.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queuing-Queen-highly-anticipated-inspired/dp/1035900181/

https://www.amazon.com/Queuing-Queen-highly-anticipated-inspired/dp/1035900181/



Kobo – the ebook is currently only 99p

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/queuing-for-the-queen

Author Bio :

Swéta Rana was born into a Gujarati family in Birmingham, and now lives in south London. She studied Philosophy and Theology at Oxford before doing a Master’s in Publishing at UCL. After working briefly in editorial at Orion, she moved into designing and managing commercial websites.

Swéta has enjoyed writing ever since she was a child, always taking any opportunity she can to write fiction pieces, film reviews, or articles on Indian culture. Queuing for the Queen is her first novel.

In her spare time, Swéta takes Hindi language classes, sings soprano in a chamber choir, and volunteers for a mental health charity.

Social Media Links – https://twitter.com/s_rana_

https://swetarana.com/

Until next time,

The Texas State Capitol, Austin

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

The Texas State Capitol building is in Austin downtown which houses the offices of Texas Legislature and Governor of Texas. 

This 3 story limestone structure costed around $150,000 when completed in 1853. This capitol building is standing 14 feet higher than the US Capitol building in Washington D C. An extensive renovation happened in 1900's which costed around 200 million dollars.

How to reach Austin and where to stay?

A few accommodation options:

Architecture and Detailing:

The architecture and detailing inside the building is impressive. The dome at the center is exquisite and the hand rails and the brass door handles get our attention for sure. 

218 feet above, a star is installed on the dome which measures 8 ft from point to point. 

The Texas State Capitol was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. 

Address: 1400 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78711

Admission is free but please check times at this official website. 

Tours:

The free guided tours happen periodically between 9.30 to 3.30 Pm on weekdays and 12.30 to 3.30 pm on weekends. 

The Capitol building is open for self touring from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 6pm on weekends.

Parking:

The Parking is located at 1201 San Jacinto St. and it is free to park for the first 2 hrs.

How did you like the photo tour? Please do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Pin it for later!

The Views from the window #BlogchatterBlogHop

Mindfulness is the new way of life. Many of us know that being mindful and present at the current moment is very important.

Do you agree with this quote?

This is the new mantra in my life recently. Enjoying little things like watching the colors in the sky, tending to my plants, observing the weather, nature around me etc., give me happiness and satisfaction in life.

The view from our window is wonderful most of the days. 

Image by Joe from Pixabay

Summer Sky

I am saying most of the days because here in Austin, summers are quite harsh with temperatures going above 100 F.  It is usually a clear sky and less clouds on a bright sunny day as such. 

I wonder how plants survive this heat.  Plants in our garden like mint quickly die due to over heat until unless protected indoors by watering twice a day. We experience the dangerous heat conditions from June to August end. Those are the days we don't venture out until the evening when the earth cools down a little around 7.30 PM. 

Rainy Days

I love the rainy days. Thunderstorms, downpour, Strong fresh breeze, Lightenings, Sun peeping behind clouds, and A Colorful rainbow :-)

I wait like a child for a rainbow after every rain. When sky puts up on a show, how can I see somewhere else? Event from the window or driving in a car, I always search for a little sun shine and rainbow.

The colors of rainbow make my day.

Lovely rainbow on a rainy day

Freezing days

It is not common to see snow or freezing temperatures in Austin. But, we experienced freezing temperatures the last winter and the view from window is enchanting.

The plants, grass blades and leaves shined with freezing ice. Even with temperatures in single digits, we couldn't stop ourselves going out and capturing photos. The driveway and footpaths were frozen and slippery. However, it was fun to watch the ice embracing everywhere around.

How beautiful are those views just form our window?

Sunset

I like the golden hour in the evening. The time when the sky changes colors from orange shades to deep reds. Some days, we get lucky with this kind of Sunset view.

So, what do you say? Aren't these little things wonderful?

Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop.

Sasquatch, Baby! by Bethany Browning - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Sasquatch, Baby! 

Author: Bethany Browning

Genre: Dark thriller, fiction, horror literature

Source: A free review copy from the author

Print length: 162 pages

Publisher: Independently published

Blurb:

After her posh Napa Valley friends cut her off for committing an unspeakable betrayal, Tabitha Eggs retreats to the redwood forests of Del Norte County, California to drink herself to death. But when she stumbles over two decomposing corpses near her new home—among a growing list of other frightening, unexplainable experiences—she believes that walking into a raging wildfire is preferable to whatever waits in the woods. Her plans are foiled when she’s kept alive by a curious Sasquatch (who adores salad dressing and is overjoyed by luxury body wash), and they create a bizarre and everlasting union.

My Review:

This is obviously a fiction but based on a mythical character Big Foot. The story starts with a woman who moves to a remote town from a city after losing her friends and interest in living. 

She encounters something in the forest which changes her life , and her future. The plot is thrilling, and unpredictable. I personally hated the protagonist but that's how real life is. People with their flaws.

I like that the author portrays the emotions from the characters well. The ending seems good and satisfying.

The character of protagonist is dark and feels extreme.

This story is different and well written. The narrative is interesting. The book cover is ok. The title is apt.

I would recommend it to the readers who like dark thrillers and want to read something unique. 

My Rating: 4/5

About the Author:

Bethany Browning is a writer who lives and works in a redwood forest. Her debut horror novella, Sasquatch, Baby!, is available in eBook and paperback. Plus, War of the Wills, a film she co-wrote with George Dondero, is watchable right here on Amazon Prime. For more information and to read her short stories and other published work, visit bethanybrowning.com.

Until next time,

Radha Madhav Dham, Austin, TX

Radha Madhav Dham is a Hindu temple, a non profit organization and an Ashram in Austin.

This is one of the largest and oldest Hindu temples in USA. The Dham also provides classes on hinduism. It also supports charities in addition to the spiritual growth of devotees.

Located in rolling hills of South Austin, this place spread around 200 acres is build in 1990. This temple is a representation of a place called Braj in India where Radha rani and Lord Krishna appeared 5000 years ago. There is an ashram and resident accommodations to devotees who want to follow the path of devotion.

This place is well built with great architecture and is serene. People from all faiths are welcome to visit.

Address:

JKP Radha Madhav Dham
400 Barsana Road, Austin, TX, 78737 

Phone: (512) 288-7180

Highlights of the Visit:

Shree Rajeswari Radha Rani Temple: 

The temple of Lord Krishna and Radha rani is the main place where all devotional services take place like aarti and puja. The architecture, paintings inside the temple are beautiful. Maintain silence, leave footwear outside and experience aarti.

Barsana Hill: 

5000 years ago, Radha rani appeared at Barsana hills in India which is a hill with flowering gardens. Radha Madhav dham is constructed similar to that place in India. So, we can see small hill and flowering gardens around the temple.

There are many peacocks too in the campus.

Radha Kund: 

There is a small pool with fountains which is beautifully designed. Visitors can walk around the pool and watch the amazing paintings of Krishna and Radha on the walls.

Overall, it is peaceful place to spend time. Visitors who are interested in devotional services can experience bhajans and kirtans. 

Please check temple hours on official site before you visit. 

Until next time,

Pin it for later!

Ideal way to spend my day off #BlogchatterBlogHop

 I am so looking forward to this long holiday week. This Monday is Memorial day for us, giving us a 3 day off. Cool!  And summer break at schools is a bonus.

No need to wake up early, no need to rush to cook or go to office.

How do I want to spend my day off?

Here is my ideal way to spend my day off:

More Sleep 😴 🛌 :

I love to wakeup late and sleep more on my day off. I might wake up at 8am. 

Beauty parlor or Spa 💅:

I would love to spend my time after breakfast to get a beauty service like facial or pedicure and a relaxing massage in spa. 

Family hiking 🥾 :

I would love to hike to someplace with hubby and kids on the evening. Someplace with mountains / river and forest.

Reading 📖 :

The thought of having an afternoon nap followed by reading some good book having tea / coffee in the evening would be ideal. It's pure bliss really.

Dessert 🍨 🧁 :

I would love to celebrate day off with a dessert in the evening - a simple ice cream or a pastry would be amazing.

Gardening 🌲:

My Day off would be complete with all the above joys, but if there is at least 1 hr of time, I would love to tend to my plants.

Movie 🍿 :

I would love to watch a movie in the evening after dinner to enjoy my day off. A thriller / comedy / romance might be great.

What's your ideal way to spend your day-off? Please do let me know in comments.

Pin it for later!

This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop and link it to www.theblogchatter.com.

Until next time,

Sitagu Buddha Vihara, Austin TX

The Sitagu Buddha Vihara was founded in Austin in 1996 by the venerable Ashin Nyanissara. The main purpose of this temple is to provide a center for the practice of Theravada Buddhist meditation and Dhamma study in USA.

The place sits on 16.1 acres with private cottages and public facilities. This Buddhist monastery very beautifully constructed with a golden pagoda and large Buddha statues inside.

The place around is maintained clean and nearer to nature making it a great place for meditation. This is also a great place for amazing architecture and good for photography.




The address:

9001 Honeycomb Dr., Austin, TX 78737

Visitors are always welcome, but they suggest to send an email before dropping by. Instructions about the location and contact info can be found here.

We visited it twice and I will recommend it to all. It is quiet and peaceful place to visit on a weekend evening. 

As it's a religious place and monks will be meditating, it is recommended to maintain silence and take care of kids running around. 

Public restrooms are available. Parking is limited. 

Until next time,