Summertime has always been our favorite season, one that brings back memories of our own childhoods where the days seemed to stretch out before us without end. We would get up early and play outside for hours, drinking from the hose when we were thirsty, and staying out until the street lights came on. As adults today, our summers are far more structured, but the promise of summer vacations to new places gives us hope that adulthood isn’t that bad after all! And when your summer journey brings you to the desert landscape of beautiful Moab and a stay in one of our Empty Spaces vacation escapes, your inner child will laugh with glee when you discover all the fun that can be had. This guide to the top summer activities in Moab will ensure that you don’t miss out on a single moment of the fun and excitement!
Play in the Footsteps of the Dinosaurs
Traveling with children can be a bit tricky, as the younger generation isn’t exactly fond of museums and scenic sites and the older generation doesn’t feel the need to play the entire time, but the two generations can come together in agreement when a trip to the Dinosaur Tracks Trail is involved. The landscape where dinosaurs once roamed many millions of years ago is dotted with dinosaur tracks and authentic-looking recreations of the creatures with unpronounceable names. The museum, Moab Giants, is located at 112 UT-313, and promises an adventure the entire family will love!
Enjoy a Sip of Elegance
Not all getaways are created equal, and sometimes we just need a vacation sans children, allowing us to do exactly what we want to do. If that means sipping wine at noon on a hot summer’s day, Moab’s Castle Creek Winery is the perfect place to do so! Open every day except Sundays and national holidays from noon until 6 PM, the winery is located on a ranch that is still working today. Located at Milepost 14 off UT-128, every sip will surprise with the silky sweetness you may not expect from a desert winery.
Get Out of the Heat
Summertime in Moab is a tad sweltering, to put it mildly, so be sure to hydrate and get out of the heat as much as possible during your explorations. It’s a great time to visit the Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage! For those who are big fans of older Westerns, you may find yourself recognizing much of the landscape surrounding you from many of the movies you have watched over the years, as Utah was a popular location for filming, which this unique museum explains in detail. Walk (or swagger) in the footsteps of John Wayne, swoon over movie stills of the exquisite Maureen O’Hara, and follow the lives of cowboys real and fictional at the museum found at 14 UT-128.
Mill Creek Hiking & Swimming Holes
Just outside of Moab, Mill Creek and North Fork of Mill Creek offer a unique opportunity for fun in the water. A number of natural swimming holes are reachable along these streams, and there’s even an accessible series of pools and an artificial waterfall near the parking lot. For those with the appetite for adventure, the signed trail up North Fork Mill Creek leads to more secluded pools and a natural waterfall. You can easily spend a day or more exploring the area and discover all of its natural wonders making these fantastic summer activities in Moab.
A Gift for You
Shopping is always a popular vacation activity and downtown Moab offers a nice selection of stores and shops for a shopping spree that will help get you out of the heat, featuring shops like The Find filled with all the things you never knew you needed until you saw them, outdoor outfitters that will help you find the gear for your Moab adventures, and charming souvenir stores in which you can find the perfect gift for your dog sitter back home! Most can be found on Main Street, allowing you to walk in and out to your heart’s content; the only thing you’ll miss is a pack mule to hold all your purchases!
Explore the Parks
In our humble opinions, Moab is the center of all that is beautiful, and the parks that can be found in the area offer breathtaking examples of this irrefutable truth. From Dead Horse Point State Park to Canyonlands National Park, the red clay earth and cliffs of beauty offer sights you won’t be able to stop yourself from immortalizing with your cell phone or digital camera. Wonder at Corona Arch, walk in the paths of ancient seas that have long ago dried up, and discover the daredevil in you when you raft along the Colorado River. World Wide River Expeditions is one of our favorite groups to adventure with, but there are others that are equally good!
Stay Home and Play
The most difficult part of your Utah vacation may be forcing yourself to leave the boundaries of your Empty Spaces property—so don’t! Take at least one day to sleep in late, sip coffee on the patio, and play in the outdoor pool or hot tub. Read in the air-conditioned coolness until your eyes begin to close and it becomes time to take an afternoon nap. Play video games with your kids, showing them their gaming skills were inherited from you, and revel in the luxurious comfort found in every nook and cranny of our homes. Summer has never been this fantastic, but only if you reserve your Empty Spaces abode in Moab, Utah today!
