Utah Travel Guide

Things to do in Utah:

Park City: the best day trip in any season! We love window shopping on main street and trying new restaurants. El Chubasco is a great lunch spot for tacos, and we always stop at Java Cow Coffee & Ice Cream to get the Sammy Dee’s flavor in a waffle cone. We’ve also liked the The Eating Establishment and Versante Hearth + Bar for dinner. Midway and Heber are also close to Park City and are fun spots to add to your weekend itinerary.

Tibble Fork Reservoir: a beautiful recreation area to canoe or kayak! We also like driving up past Tibble Fork to Silver Lake Reservoir (be forewarned the road up isn’t very well maintained). Bring a picnic, take a walk around the reservoir, or hike Silver Lake Trail from the Silver Lake Reservoir parking lot.

Albion Basin: in July, the hillside blooms with wildflowers. During the day, parking is limited, so be prepared to hike up (or if the chair lift is running, that’s my favorite way to get up to the top). To avoid crowds completely, opt for a sunrise hike to Cecret Lake.

Antelope Island State Park: another fun day trip. There are beautiful spots all over the island to explore, and it’s pretty much a guarantee you’ll see Buffalo. Bring a picnic to eat on the “beach” and don’t forget a camera if you’re into photography. It would also be a great place to road bike (we’ve never done this before, but we see bikers every time we’re there). Whatever you do, make sure to bring bug spray!

Christmas Meadows Campground: the prettiest spot I’ve ever camped at in Utah (pictured above). Book early in the year to get a spot (I think we booked in February to get a weekend spot in August), and dress warm—the high elevation makes for cold nights!

St. George: visit Zion National Park, Snow Canyon State Park, or Pioneer Park.

The King’s English Bookshop: One of my favorite things to do when I’m in a new place is visit a local bookstore and pick up a new picture book to add to my collection—it feels so fun to have books from my travels rather than buying them all off of Amazon. This bookstore is darling and it’s in a fun neighborhood of SLC.

Bloomingsales, Jolley’s Gift & Floral, and Salt & Honey Market: all good places to find unique Christmas ornaments and decor during the holiday season.

Utah National Parks:

Bryce Canyon National Park: Hike Queen’s Garden/Navajo Combination Loop and check out Inspiration Point. There’s also a paved bike trail through the park that we didn’t know about until we got there—we wished we would have brought our road bikes!

Arches & Canyonlands: I always group these two together because they’re within a half hour of each other, so don’t miss one if you plan on going to the other. Here’s the perfect 36 hour trip from Utah County: Drive to Canyonlands first (3 hours from Utah County) and stay for sunset (I like to drive the loop and stop at the lookouts, be sure to end at Green River Overlook for a killer sunset view), then grab some dinner in Moab. Wake up and hike Delicate Arch in Arches first thing in the morning (get there before 8am—the parking lot fills up FAST and it’ll be cooler temps), hit up any other hikes you want to do in Arches, then drive home.

Capitol Reef: This is the least crowded national park I’ve ever been to, and I’ve never had to pay a fee to get in. I’d recommend hiking Hickman Bridge Trail, and stopping by the orchards near the entrance during summer months for fruit pies and ice cream. On dry summer days you can also drive the backroads to Cathedral Valley (if you have a car that can make it over the unmaintained dirt/sand road).

Zion National Park: I’ve been to Zion a couple of times, and it’s [unfortunately] best when you just commit to the intense hikes. There are a lot of National Parks that deliver amazing views from the comfort of your car, but this isn’t one of them. For the best views, add Angel’s Landing to your list unless you’re 100% afraid of heights (I’m afraid of heights and I was okay, the chains are less scary than you think and you kind of have to keep moving since it’s a pretty crowded trail: there isn’t a lot of time for hesitation). If you can’t stomach Angel’s Landing, Observation Point offers a similar view without the chains. My biggest piece of advice for Zion is to take the weather warnings seriously. Angel’s Landing accidents happen in wet weather, and I still haven’t hiked the full length of the Narrows because I got caught in a spring hail storm that almost turned into a flash flood (although don’t let that scare you, finishing the Narrows is on my bucket list). As a side note, it’s actually “Zion” and not “Zion’s,” which a lot of Utah locals mix-up, and you emphasize the I instead of the O in Zion for any out-of-staters.

What to eat in Utah:

Guru’s Cafe: I love the house salad, and the sweet potato fries are arguably the best I’ve ever had.

Communal: This is one of the nicer sit-down restaurants in Provo. They have a great weekend brunch and a seasonal dinner menu.

180 Tacos: My favorite fusion tacos in Utah! Just a short drive from the The Shops At Riverwoods.

Brasas Mexican Grill: If you’re looking for a more traditional taco, this place is our favorite in Utah County.

Snoasis: The best shave ice in Utah (open May-August). I’ve been going every summer for over ten years and no other place in Utah compares. They have the best range of sizes so you can order the exact amount you want, and their pricing is so reasonable compared to other shacks that have popped up in Utah County in more recent years. Be sure to “make it a glacier” (cream on top + ice-cream on bottom). I always order the sunrise flavor combo or butterbeer + raspberry.

Cravings- Alisha’s Cupcakes: Of Cupcake Wars fame. I’m not even a cake person (I usually prefer brownies or cookies), but their “Better than What” cupcake is one of my favorite treats.

The Chocolate: I’m obsessed with the salted caramel brownie and my husband loves their homemade Oreos. They have locations in Orem and West Jordan.

Cubby’s: We love this Utah chain! We usually get their salads, and split a half-and-half order of fries (not listed on the menu, but ask for it and they’ll know exactly what you’re requesting—it’s an order of half rosemary, half sweet potato fries). And don’t miss their chipotle fry sauce! We also like to split one of their chocolate homemade Oreos for dessert.

R&R BBQ: I was never really into barbeque before R&R, but I live for it now. We get the kids meals and I actually feel like they’re pretty close to some of the adult size portions on the menu but you pay a lot less.

Café Zupas: Yummy soup, salad and sandwiches. I was surprised by how much I missed this chain when we moved out of Utah.

Pizza Nono: Our favorite pizza in Utah! Order ahead of time online for the best experience. We split one pizza between two people and save room for dessert at Dolcetti Gelato across the street.

Dolcetti Gelato: Cross the street for dessert after Pizza Nono! They rotate through flavors seasonally, but some of our favorites are the Biscotti, Honeycomb, and their plain vanilla pairs with anything! You can get up to two flavors in any size cup.

Bombay House: The best Indian Food in Utah. There are locations in Salt Lake, West Jordan, and Provo. The portions are big enough to split one order between two people: our order is pretty basic, but so good! We get the Chicken Tikka Masala (medium spice level, the dish comes with rice) and an order of garlic nan.

Oahu Travel Guide

Things to do in Oahu:

Paddle Board in Haleiwa: Tropical Rush in Haleiwa rents out paddle boards in two hour increments. We went up and down the river and into the bay and saw a sea turtle and manta ray!

Open Water Shark Diving: Shark diving without a cage sounds way scarier than it is. Deep water terrifies me and I was totally fine. There are ropes to hold onto along the boat and the environment is very controlled with a diver on each side of the boat to make sure you stay in close range. Definitely a highlight of the trip.

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden: Try go on clear day so you can see the mountain range! We drove through and stopped occasionally to walk the road, but we learned afterwards that you can show up before it opens and walk through. If we were to go again, I would opt for an early morning walk to have more of the grounds to ourselves.

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay: The best snorkeling we did on Oahu! Reserve a time in advance on their website (when we booked, time slots posted at 7am Hawaii time 48 hours before, and spots filled up fast). It cost $12/person and $3 cash for parking. The beach was also a good one to sit and relax or play in the sand, so you could easily do a half day here. 

Lanikai Pillbox Hike: This hike had beautiful views and was relatively easy—it’s less than 2 miles roundtrip. Finding parking was the trickiest part, since it’s not close to any public lots. We ended up finding street parking in a nearby neighborhood. After the hike we walked down to Lanikai Beach to cool off.

Crouching Lion Hike: This hike is closed to the public, but we saw a ton of people on the trail so it seemed like more of a “do at your own risk” sort of situation. It’s less than a mile round trip but really steep (there are ropes along some parts of the trail to help you climb up). I felt like the hike was most difficult coming back down: I ended up sitting down and scooting along on some parts when I felt like there was a risk of falling. Despite the challenge, this was one of my favorite activities of the trip. The view at the top was incredible!

Laniakea Beach: The prettiest beach we went to! There were also full sized sea turtles hanging out on shore every time we went—the spot is so common for turtles that they have volunteers there throughout the day to help protect them from tourists who get too curious. There’s a small bay area where we snorkeled and saw a sea turtle swimming in the water—a volunteer there told us 30 adult turtles live in the bay. For easy, accessible (and free!) snorkeling, this spot was my favorite on the island.

Waimea Bay: Great beach for swimming! There is also safe cliff jumping when the water is calm and the tide is high!

Lanikai Beach: This was one of the more beautiful beaches we went to—the water was a clear, electric blue. We did the Lanikai Pillbox Hike, then went down to the beach and hopped in the water to cool off.

What to eat in Oahu:

Kono’s Northshore: Pulled pork everything—I got the sliders, everyone else got the burritos. We all loved it enough to go back a second time. There are a couple locations throughout the island and it’s a good spot for breakfast or lunch.

Paalaa Kai Bakery: A hole-in-the-wall place close to Haleiwa with lots of baked goods and treats to choose from.

Dole Whips at Tutu’s Sweet Shop: I liked the vanilla-pineapple twist option. There are a couple places to get Dole Whips on the island (including the Dole Plantation), but I really liked this spot on the Northshore.

Duke’s Waikiki: More of a pricey option but we go towards the end of a trip whenever we’re in Hawaii for one slightly more upscale dinner. Make sure to get the Hula Pie for dessert (it’s big enough to split between four people). 

Leonard’s Bakery: There are a couple of locations throughout the island—we stopped at one of their food trucks close to the airport. They make malasadas, which are Portuguese doughnuts without a hole coated in sugar. I liked the cinnamon covered malasadas the best!

Breakers Restaurant and Bar: A good breakfast option in Haleiwa if you’re there for a morning shark dive or before paddle boarding. I got the Hawaiian French Toast and added strawberries on top.

Oahu travel tips:

Double check on restaurant hours. I’m not sure if it was COVID-related or always this way, but a lot of restaurants on the North Shore had atypical hours. Most of the places we ate at either closed before dinner time, were closed completely on a random weekday, or their hours were wrong on Google, their website, or both. I’d recommend taking note of hours when looking up restaurants, and calling before you head over to make sure they are actually open.

Maui Travel Guide

TO DO:

Molokini and Turtle Arches Snorkeling Tour: my favorite activity of the trip! While you can snorkel without booking a tour, this tour gives you access to places that would be difficult (or impossible) to get to on your own. We booked a half day excursion through the Pacific Whale Foundation and got continental breakfast, drinks, and lunch on board. They take you out to two different sites for an hour each (the turtle spot was my favorite! We saw four sea turtles up close). We brought underwater disposable film cameras with us, which made it even more fun.

Haleakala National Park (Summit District): There are two sections of the national park and both are time commitments (each is about 2 hours from the tourist side of the island in either direction). The summit district is famous for the volcano view at sunrise, but it’s hit or miss with weather if you visit in the winter. You have to schedule your sunrise reservation for the summit parking lot seven days in advance, and a park ranger told us there’s a 50% chance of visibility during winter months. The day we went it was rainy with zero visibility, so we ended up going back for sunset another day when we could check up on the weather throughout the day and view the online webcam of the summit to check to see if it was worth our time. Reservations aren’t required for sunset, so if you’re visiting in the winter, I’d recommend just going for sunset. In the summer, the weather/visibility tends to be much better (according to the park ranger we talked to).

Haleakala National Park (Kipahulu District): This side of the park is accessible from the far side of the island close to Hana. We hiked the Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls, which takes you through an incredible bamboo forest to a 400 foot waterfall. I thought both areas of the park were worth visiting if you have the time, but if I had to choose just one, I’d choose Kipahulu District.

Nakalele Blowhole: a beautiful spot on the island. It’s a quick drive from Lahaina and an easy hike down to the blowhole and cliffside views. I’d recommend bringing a camera for some beautiful landscape shots, but don’t expect to get a good portrait here—it was incredibly windy.

Surfing Lessons through the Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy: This was my husband’s favorite activity of the trip. He took a private lesson, but if you book as a group or as a couple they’ll lower the rate. They guarantee you’ll get up and surf or your money back, and they provide booties to keep your feet protected and a ultra wide surfboard so you feel steady on the waves.

Whale Watching: If you visit in the winter (December-March), Maui is one of the best spots in the world for whale watching. We saw quite a few whales when we were there in late December/early January, but I’d love to go back in February sometime because we were told that’s when you can see the most whales.

Road to Hana: Hana is nothing to write home about but there are some beautiful stops along the road to get there. We liked seeing waterfalls, stopping at the black sand beach, and hiking through the national park. Driving the road is an all day event (2.5 hours there and back, so five hours of driving total, plus time to hike and see the beach) and not for those who get car sick or are nervous drivers (the road is winding throughout and narrow at parts).

Paia: a cute beach town before the road to Hana. We grabbed lunch here and walked the shops.

Front Street Lahaina: the “main street” of the island. It’s a good place to get a souvenir, shave ice, or eat dinner.

IPU Island Crafts at Lahaina Cannery: a local shop with a ton of handmade goods. We found plenty of Christmas ornament options there (IPU is close to Front Street, so you can stop there before or after a Front Street visit).

TO EAT:

Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice: Hands down the best shave ice I’ve ever had, including shave ice on other Hawaiian islands. We went every day, sometimes twice a day! There are a couple locations on Maui. My favorite flavor was guava but you can get up to three flavors in each serving. Add ice cream to the bottom, and a snow cap + Li Hing powder to the top.

Pi Artisan Pizzeria: Our favorite dinner spot of the trip. We loved the garlic knots, Chicken Parmesan, and thin crust pizza.

Star Noodle: A good stop if you like Ramen! Reservations were hard to come by so we got it to go and ate on the beach.

Gazebo Maui: Great breakfast spot! Get there 10-15 min before opening or get it to go so you don’t have to wait in line. The view was beautiful and the food was good. 

Paia Flatbread Company: Good lunch spot in Paia. They use local/organic ingredients and the place had a cool vibe. We went twice. 

Huli Huli Chicken Hana: This is literally a sketchy tent on the beach in Hana but the food was good, especially if you want authentic Hawaiian BBQ. Bring cash and download Google Maps to Hana ahead of time to make sure you can find it. 

POG juice: our favorite thing to drink in Hawaii. You can order it at most restaurants or get it by the half gallon at local grocery stores.

TIPS:

Save money on food. Most of the meals we ate were overpriced and average at best (see the restaurants we actually liked above). I’d recommend getting some breakfast options at Costco or Walmart after you land (both stores are close to the airport) and consider buying some lunch things for picnics on the beach. 

Beware of high rental car rates. We booked a rental car in advance but found the prices were much cheaper once we were searching from Maui. Book a rental online before you go just in case (make sure a cancellation policy is in place) then search once you land to see if a better deal is available. We saved over $200 by doing this. 

Bring a beach bag. I brought a reusable one from Baggu and it was a game changer to keep everything dry on excursions and [mostly] free from sand on the beach.

Download Google Maps to Hana ahead of time. It’s obvious where to go (there’s only one road) but you might want to search for restaurants or gauge time back to where you’re staying, and reception is spotty along the drive.

Rome & Florence Travel Guide

Things to do in Florence and Rome:

Florence Duomo: Tickets for the Duomo cover the cathedral and all the surrounding buildings. Be sure to reserve a time to climb to the top of the cathedral in advance, because getting a Duomo ticket doesn’t guarantee a trip to the top. We actually missed out on the top of the dome because we didn’t reserve a time beforehand, although the view from the top of the Bell Tower was really good and the line for that was much shorter!

Uffizi Gallery: Florence is home to some incredible Italian art. This was our favorite museum of the trip!

Accademia Gallery: Don’t miss out on Michelangelo’s “David” and other sculptures while in Florence.

Piazzale Michelangelo: This square above the city offers an incredible view of Florence! It’s about a 30 minute walk from the city center (the photo above of the Duomo was taken there).

Climb St. Peter’s Dome: The best thing we did in Rome! The view from the top of the dome was seriously incredible. You can see all of Rome and into the Vatican gardens. We also spent time inside the Basilica after climbing the dome—I actually liked the cathedral more than the other Vatican buildings! The cathedral itself is free to go inside (unlike the Sistine Chapel and Vatican museums), but you can pay eight euros to climb to the top (ten if you want to take the elevator half way—you have to climb the second part no matter what). We went first thing in the morning to beat the long lines (the church opens at 7am, the Dome at 8am, so we went around 7:30am to get through security). Enter security to the RIGHT as you walk up St. Peter’s Square, then walk up to the church and take the first open door on the right. Follow the signs to the Dome. The counter to pay is at the back and they only take cash.

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums: We booked a tour guide and it was nice to have someone point out the important things to us.

Colosseum, Roman Forum, & Palatine Hill: Book your tickets online in advance. A ticket to the Colosseum should cover entrance to all three locations. We didn’t book a tour guide for the Colosseum but it probably would have been cooler if we did. Instead, we listened to a Rick Steves podcast that acted like an audio guide. To be honest, we weren’t that impressed with the inside of the Colosseum, but when in Rome... ;)

Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, & Spanish Steps: We walked from one to the other in the same afternoon. They’re spread about 15 minutes from each other and you can break them up with gelato, lunch, or shopping. Bring a coin to throw into the Trevi Fountain and make a wish!

View St. Peter’s by Night: One of our favorite things was seeing St. Peter’s from the bridges at night. Two bridges down from the Vatican (close to the Pope’s Bunker) is a great spot to take a photo.

What to eat in Florence and Rome:

Gustapizza: Our favorite pizza in Florence. A friend recommended this to me as a lunch option and it was delicious! We got our pizza to go and ate it on some steps in a square just around the corner.

Trattoria 13 Gobbi: My husband and I still talk about this meal. The rigatoni and chocolate cake were unreal!

Geletaria la Carraia: Hands down the best gelato of the trip (and we ate A LOT of gelato). Both a friend and our Airbnb host recommended it and it did not disappoint! This place is just across the river, has a ton of flavors, and runs about 2-2.5 euros for a single scoop (you can get two flavors in a “single” scoop).

La Cattedrale bar Gelateria: Best gelato close to the Duomo (it sits on one of the corners of the square). This place had our favorite caramel gelato of the trip!

Le Carre Francais: We were more impressed with the food in Florence, but we were OBSESSED with this French bakery in Rome. We went three different times to get their chocolate filled croissants!

Italy travel tips:

Book everything online in advance. Even though Florence is a smaller city, it’s pretty touristy and you might miss out on seeing things if you don’t plan ahead.

Have extra euros on hand—a lot of places in Florence and Rome charge a euro to use the restroom.

Avoid any of the places that have gelato piled high. You’ll notice them especially at touristy places around the Duomo in Florence. If it can be piled up out of the containers, that’s not the right temperature for gelato to be at.

Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide

I took my first trip to the Tetons in 2015 and it was love at first sight. I owe most of my Jackson knowledge to my friend Jess, who was my tour guide that first trip and several times since. I make a point to visit Grand Teton National Park at least once a year—it’s my favorite National Park!

Things to do in Grand Teton National Park:

Jackson Hole: Take a photo with the iconic arches on Jackson square, walk through art galleries, window shop (my favorite shop is MADE), buy a t-shirt, grab a milkshake, eat dinner, or check out the farmer’s market.

Jenny Lake: During the summer, you can take a boat ride or rent a canoe. Scenic boat tours are offered three times a day, or you can take a boat shuttle to the other side of the lake to hike to Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point and/or the south side of the lake. The parking lot fills up QUICK during the summer, so be sure to get there early or save this spot for the evening. During the fall when boat services are closed, you can still hike around the lake.

Rent Canoes or Kayaks at Colter Bay: Get there early if you can since they get busier throughout the day. You can rent in two hour increments and paddle out onto Jackson Lake.

Mormon Row & Schwabacher Landing: Mormon Row is a historic row of houses settled by pioneers and is home to the most photographed barn in the world. Schwabacher Landing is a quick drive down the road from Mormon Row and is a beautiful spot to watch sunrise or sunset (the mountains reflect into the water of the river—it’s a great spot if you’re into landscape photography). We’ve seen wildlife around these spots close to sunrise and sunset as well.

Lakeshore Trail Hike: A two mile figure eight loop that leaves from Colter Bay. It’s a pretty walk through the woods with spots where you can step out onto the lake shore.

Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop Hike: This is a 3.4 mile loop that takes you on a walk through the woods to Phelps Lake.

Oxbow Bend: A great spot for watching and photographing sunrise. It’s on the north side of the park, so if you’re camping at Signal Mountain or Colter Bay, it’s a short drive away.

Jackson Lake Lodge: If you walk through the lodge and out onto the back grounds, there is an incredible view of the Tetons: you can see the whole range spread out in one long line.

Road Bike: There’s a paved trail (Grand Teton National Park Pathway) that runs from Jackson to Jenny Lake. It’s a beautiful ride with a great view of the Tetons. You can bike the whole 20 mile stretch or start from one of the parking lots inside the park. There are places to rent bikes in and around Jackson, or you can bring your own.

National Elk Refuge: If you’re in Jackson in the wintertime, you can drive the Refuge Road and see Bighorn Sheep up close—they’ll come up and lick the salt from the sides of cars.

Yellowstone: The parks border each other, so it’s easy to group Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park into the same trip.

What to eat near Grand Teton National Park:

Nora’s Fish Creek Inn: My all-time favorite breakfast joint—it’s in Wilson, just outside of Jackson Hole, and has THE BEST atmosphere. The food is good but the no-frills vibe, mismatched mugs, and cabin-like interior are what really won me over. Go early to beat the crowds.

Persephone Bakery: Their chocolate-filled croissants are amazing! They have a couple locations, if the Jackson Hole spot is busy, order online or head over to their Wilson location.

Pinky G’s Pizzeria: Pizza by the slice. We usually get some slices to go and eat them on a park bench in Jackson Town Square.

Liberty Burger: Gourmet burgers (and sandwiches if that’s more your thing).

Hand Fire Pizza: Really good pizza and in a fun location! It’s located in a renovated theater building.

Camping in Grand Teton National Park:

Signal Mountain Campground: My favorite camping spot in the park! It’s on the north side of the park and sits on Jackson Lake, which makes for beautiful sunrise views. It’s also a short drive away from Oxbow Bend, which is another great spot to watch/photograph sunrises in the park. Showers and laundry services are available on site for a small fee, as well as a small grocery store and burger joint.

Colter Bay Campground: This is another pretty spot on the far north end of the park, which makes it a good spot if you want to spend time in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. It’s also close to Jackson Lake Lodge, Oxbow Bend, and Colter Bay Marina. This is one of the larger campsites we’ve camped at in the Tetons, so you might have more luck finding a spot here than at Signal Mountain. Showers and laundry are also available at Colter Bay, and there’s a restaurant, cafeteria, and small grocery store on site.

Gros Venture Campground: This site is great because it’s close to the park entrance and really close to Jackson Hole, which is perfect if you want to spend time in town or do meals in Jackson. It’s also the largest campsite in the park, so we’ve had luck finding spots here when other sites are booked up. It’s not as pretty as other camping spots, but it also has plumbing and wins out location-wise if you’re interested in spending more time in Jackson.

Camping tips for Grand Teton National Park:

Because it’s high elevation, camping is cold year-round in the Tetons. We’ve learned to buy a bag of hot hands before we go and put a couple in our sleeping bags at night. We also bring extra blankets to pile on top of our sleeping bags, and jackets or coats to wear nights and mornings when the temperature drops.

Most campgrounds used to be first come, first serve, but were updated to a reservation system in 2021. Book a site early on in the year if possible (you can even reserve for multiple weekends if you’re unsure of your schedule—their cancellation policy is pretty forgiving if you change your mind later).

Updated 2023