7 Things to do in Vernal, Utah in a Weekend // The Weekender
Looking for a fun and short weekend trip? Check out Vernal, Utah! Here are recommendations on where to stay, what to eat, and things to do in Vernal, Utah over a weekend.
Welcome to my first in a long-line of weekender blog posts! These posts feature all the things from cutie little towns to big cities and everything in between, but focusing on things that you can do in a weekend.
Today we are chatting about Vernal, Utah. Ever heard of it? It’s a little town about 3 hours outside of Salt Lake City. This town is mostly known for its outdoor activities and dinosaurs. You heard me! This area has a lot of dinosaur fossils that have been dug up. Seeing as Josh loves the outdoors and Ollie is currently obsessed with dinosaurs, this was the perfect spot for our first weekender trip! Here are recommendations on where to stay, what to eat, and things to do in Vernal, Utah on a weekend trip.
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Where to Stay in Vernal, Utah
We loved the Springhill Suites Hotel so much. The breakfast was delicious, the service was great, and the rooms were nice and big! We always worry a little when traveling with a toddler who goes to bed around 7:30 pm. We’ve found that it works best to find hotel rooms with a separate seating area for us to put him and his pack-and-play into. This one had it! He went to bed and we were able to watch a show on the iPad.
While we’re talking toddlers and their pack and plays, if you’ve been here a while, you may have heard me rave about this Joovy pack and play, but I can’t get enough of it! There is so much room for Oliver to roll around in when he’s sleeping and not wake up. The mattress it comes with is soft too, which is nice because I haven’t been able to find any other mattresses that fit that pack-and-play.
Back to the hotel. My only complaint was that the pool was too cold. We put our feet in and decided otherwise. I’m not sure if that was just when we were there or if that’s the temperature they keep it at so if that’s important to you, I would recommend calling. Aside from that, we loved this hotel.
Where to Eat in Vernal, Utah
Steak! This was such a fun place with a really cool atmosphere. The food was really good too! The portion sizes are pretty big, so if you don’t eat a ton, like me, you may want to share.
You can’t go wrong with pizza. And this place.
7 Things to Do in Vernal, Utah
Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum
This museum is so fun to go to. There are several exhibits that you get to walk through that teach you all about the dinosaurs. There are also several displays that make you feel like you’ve walked into Jurassic Park!
Dinosaur National Monument & Quarry
If you’re wanting a more immersive experience, you can go to the Dinosaur National Monument & Quarry! They have a legitimate wall of fossils that they have preserved to allow you to see what the fossils look like on the mountainside.
I’ve had it explained to me so many times, but I’m still in awe at the rock formations in this canyon! It’s really amazing and super cool to walk through.
This is one of the cutest little candy shops around. It’s got such a fun atmosphere as well. You won’t be disappointed!
We can’t travel with a toddler and not go to a park. This one is legit! It’s got fun structures for kids to climb on and an open area for them to run around.
Fishing and Boating at Pelican Lake
When we went, we were legitimately the only ones there. We had the lake to ourselves! You can’t swim in this lake, but you can go fishing, kayaking, and canoeing here.
This is the place to go if you want to go swimming! No large watercraft is allowed in the lake at this park, so kayaking, paddleboarding, and canoeing are the way to get around. There is also a hike that you can go on that takes you to some dinosaur tracks that are really old. Like 200 million years old??
Well, how does it sound? Vernal is not a destination that immediately comes to mind when planning a weekend trip, but it is so fun! There are plenty of things to do in Vernal, Utah that won’t disappoint.
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