8 Day Itinerary: Las Vegas and Utah National Parks
I spent eight days in July exploring Las Vegas and two Utah National Parks with my teenage daughters. It was a fabulous adventure, and it inspired me to visit more National Parks in the future.
Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon made it onto our itinerary this time, but there are still three more National Parks in Utah that I hope to explore one day.
Leading up to our trip I spent countless hours designing the perfect eight-day itinerary for my crew. That may sound like torture for some people, but I love travel planning!
There are so many options and ways to see the National Parks. A one-size itinerary doesn’t fit everyone. While the itinerary we followed on our trip may not work perfectly for you, I hope it gives you some ideas or at least a starting point for your own epic adventure out west.
Day One: Fly to Las Vegas
When exploring Utah National Parks you can either fly into Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. We chose the latter and took an early evening, non-stop flight on Spirit Airlines from Indianapolis to Las Vegas.
With the time change, we landed before 7 pm local time, which left plenty of time to explore Sin City that first night. We took an Uber from the airport and quickly checked into Tuscany Suites & Casino. This resort is not on the strip, so it is a bit quieter and laid back. But you do have to walk about 15 minutes to get to all the action on the strip or take an Uber.
We spent a few hours just wandering the strip as we took in the sights and sounds of this one-of-a-kind city, complete with the kind of people-watching you can only get in Vegas. Along the way, we visited the flamingos at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino and strolled down the Linq Promenade.
We opted for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at the Flamingo for dinner. This tropical-themed restaurant was an ideal spot for teenagers. We all enjoyed the food and atmosphere after a long day of travel, and then it was time for a good night’s sleep.
Day Two: Full Day in Vegas
Day two and our first full day of vacation fun, was spent exploring many of the elaborate resorts along the Vegas strip. Since I had teenagers in tow, gambling was not on the agenda, but there is so much more to see and do in Vegas besides craps tables and slot machines.
After grabbing breakfast at the coffee shop in our resort, we made our way to the strip and wandered through the opulent botanical displays in the Bellagio. Then we window shopped at Caesars Forum Shops and arrived just in time for the free Fall of Atlantis show. There we fueled up on over-priced but oh so delicious gelato and a giant pretzel.
We peeked into the Mirage and gave our feet a rest as we took the tram over to Treasure Island. My girls are huge Marvel fans so we looked around in the gift shop, but opted not to splurge on tickets to the Avenger’s Station.
After a short stint in the Fashion Show Mall, we crossed the street and took in the opulent Gardens at the Wynn Hotel. Next, we made our way into the impressive Palazzo Resort, which connects to my favorite spot in Las Vegas, the Venetian. It may not be Italy, but I’ll take it!
I could have spent hours just sitting alongside the fake indoor Grand Canal, however with temperatures outside well over 100 degrees it was time for a beverage and a quick bite in the Venetian food court.
While quenching our thirst and filling our bellies, we decided we wanted to see a show that evening. After purchasing discounted tickets at a Tix4Tonight kiosk, we made our way back to our hotel. We snuck in a quick nap and a dip in the pool at Tuscany Suites & Casino before freshening up and taking an Uber to the Tropicana.
We had a blast at the Legendary Divas show featuring Lady Gaga, Adele, Cher, and Celine Dion impersonators along with famous Drag Queen Frank Marino playing Joan Rivers. The singing, dancing, and costumes were a feast for the eyes and ears!
Then after meandering through MGM Grand, Hershey’s Chocolate World, and New York-New York Hotel & Casino, we were famished. We enjoyed a late dinner at an outdoor table at Tom’s Urban. The food was SO good, but the portions were enormous and I felt guilty not devouring every single bite. But I did manage some restraint!
It was a very full day in Vegas, logging tons of steps…and we hadn’t even made it to the National Parks yet! It was time to rest and recharge as the vacation adventures were just getting started.
Day Three: Head to Zion
I took a short Uber ride to pick up our rental car and then went through the Mcdonald’s drive-thru to grab breakfast. Sometimes you just need familiar food, especially when traveling with teens! We loaded up our suitcases, checked out of the hotel, and hit the road.
We were on our way to Zion National Park in Utah, but we veered off the main highway less than an hour into our trip to visit Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. It was well over 100 degrees so hiking was not advised.
We checked out the small visitor’s center and picked up an ice cream treat before driving the entire main drag, Mouse’s Tank Road, to the north end of the park and back. Along the way, we stopped at numerous lookout points and snapped tons of amazing photos. With all the bright red Aztec sandstone, it was clear we were no longer in the Midwest. We even spotted a bighorn sheep not too far from our car!
Back on the road, we traversed through some massive mountains and made a stop at Walmart to grab groceries to take on our upcoming hikes. By early evening we were in Springdale, the charming town at the entrance to Zion National Park. After checking in to the Holiday Inn Express Springdale I scoped out the shops and restaurants surrounding our hotel.
We later enjoyed a wonderful Italian dinner at Dulivia Ristorante, dining outside amidst the majestic mountains, and then lounged by the hotel’s pool before turning in.
Day Four: Explore Zion National Park
This was our day to explore Zion so we got an early start in an attempt to avoid the crowds (which turned out not to be nearly as big as many of the youtube videos I watched had me believing they would be). After fueling up on the free breakfast at our hotel, we hopped on the Springfield shuttle, which took us to the entrance of Zion National Park.
We quickly purchased an America the Beautiful Park Pass for $80, good for one year and access to all the national parks! After a quick pass through the Zion Canyon Visitor’s Center we boarded the Zion Canyon Shuttle. We rode the shuttle as we made our way along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the last stop (#9), gazing out the windows in awe the entire way.
With cameras in hand, we took our time hiking the Riverside Walk trail. We kept stopping to take pictures of the breathtaking mountains that surrounded us and the flowing steam along the trail. At the end of the trail, we watched other hikers with the proper gear begin their trek through the water to complete The Narrows hike.
We instead reversed our steps and then hopped back on the shuttle to head to stops #6 and then #5. After a quick peek into the Zion Lodge and the gift shop we settled into rocking chairs to enjoy the lunch we had been carrying in our backpacks.
Next, we hiked the Lower Emerald Pool trail, out and back, and worked up quite a sweat. Tired and hot, with cameras full of fabulous photos, we decided to make our way back to the visitor’s center. We purchased some souvenirs, including a national park passport for each of us. We put the Zion National Park stamps in our passports and hopped back on the Springdale Shuttle to our hotel.
After soaking in the pool for a bit, I took the Springdale Shuttle to scout out a place for dinner and do a little shopping. Later we had a causal and tasty dinner at Meme’s Cafe. followed by ice cream at Zion Park Gifts & Sweet Treats. It was a full and fun day!
Day Five: Travel to Bryce
After another free breakfast at the hotel and picking up some provisions at the Sol Foods Supermarket just up the street, it was time to pack up and head to our next destination.
Driving along the Zion-Mt Carmel Scenic Highway was both terrifying and exhilarating as we traversed the many switchbacks and peered over the edge as we crept higher and higher into the mountains. This one-of-a-kind road then took us through the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel that spans more than a mile…right through a massive mountain! Then it was on to Bryce Canyon.
Before heading to our next accommodations, we spent some time in Bryce Canyon City, which isn’t really a city but more of a fun touristy area just outside the park’s entrance. We grabbed a quick lunch at the Canyon Diner and then checked out the old-timey shops in Old Bryce Town and indulged in ice cream cones.
Just another 10 miles or so down the road was the tiny town of Tropic and our lodging for the next two nights. We stayed at Bryce County Cabins in our very own one-room cozy cabin. I did a bit of investigating and checked out the handful of restaurants and shops in Tropic before doing a solo hike at Mossy Cave Trail and Waterfall, which was just a few miles back up Highway 12. This gave me a tiny glimpse of what was to come the next day at Bryce Canyon!
For dinner, we all enjoyed a wonderful meal along with a decadent dessert at Showdowns Restaurant, complete with a side of live country music. Then it was time to head back to the cabin to rest up for our second national park.
Day Six: Visit Bryce Canyon
After a light breakfast in our cabin, I packed my backpack with sandwiches and we made the 10-minute drive to Bryce Canyon. This time we opted to drive through the park ourselves, but the Bryce Canyon Shuttle is also an excellent way to get around and see the park. We made a brief stop in the Visitor’s Center and got our national park passports stamped.
While in the park we stopped at three lookout points: Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, and Sunset Point. Each one offered breathtaking views of the Hoodoos (really cool tall, skinny rock formations) and a unique angle of the canyon in shades of orange below.
We ate our packed lunches in the air-conditioned rental car. It is really hot in Utah in July!
At Sunset Point we hiked the Navajo Loop Trail…and I survived! Zig zagging along the switchbacks was a piece of cake going down into the canyon, but the return trip back UP was no easy feat. Of course, the high altitude and extreme heat did not help, but I also probably didn’t drink enough water beforehand. I was feeling rather out of shape, but I survived and have some great stories to tell!
As we left the park we got another well-earned scoop of ice cream in Old Bryce Town before an afternoon nap in the cabin. We were all feeling a bit tired so opted for dinner in our cabin that night and enjoyed takeout from the Route 12 Grill inside the Stage Stop gas station in Tropic.
With a second wind, one of my daughters joined me to hike Mossy Cave Trail again and check out the waterfall before calling it a day.
Day Seven: Return to Vegas
It was time to check out and make the trek back to Las Vegas. We grabbed lunch at a fast food joint on the way, and I soaked up all the mountainous scenery as we made the four-hour drive back to the densely packed, bright lights of Sin City.
After returning the rental car we took an Uber to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and checked in for just one night. This time we were staying right in the center of all the action on the Vegas strip. We strolled through the Miracle Mile Shops and then wandered around the Paris Hotel & Casino and got a milkshake at Bobby’s Burgers By Bobby Flay.
After a brief pass through the Coca-Cola Store and M&M’s World, we relaxed and enjoyed our final dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. We enjoyed the yummy food as well as the classic music videos reminiscent of my adolescence playing on the TV in our booth.
Day Eight: Fly Back to Indianapolis
Sadly, all good vacations must come to an end, and it was time to head for home. We hopped in another Uber and made the short drive to the Vegas airport for our 10 am flight.
After fueling up at the airport Starbucks and grabbing snacks to eat on the plane we boarded our non-stop Spirit Airlines flight and arrived back in Indianapolis before 5 pm local time. That three-hour time change makes a big difference!
Another epic vacation was in the books and countless photos, social media posts, and souvenirs all served as reminders of the amazing memories we made!
Have you visited any National Parks in Utah? What additions or changes would you make to this itinerary? My desire to explore our National Parks only grew after this trip, so keep following Traveling Tanya’s adventures to see where I go next!
Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya
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