St. George, Utah

President’s Day is a holiday on February 20. Since my husband and I both have jobs that are closed on this day, we had a long three-day weekend.

It’s the perfect time to escape the cold and snow of Salt Lake City. St. George is nestled on the southern border of Utah. It’s about two hours northeast of Las Vegas. The best part is that it is a desert climate that has palm trees, which are a very welcome sight in February.

I found a great little bed and breakfast called The Seven Wives Inn. Apparently, the home used to harbor polygamist Mormons after polygamy was banned in the U.S. It was a very cute inn with old-fashioned decorations and gourmet breakfast. We stayed in “Mary’s” room. She was one of the seven wives. The house also used to be a place where Mormon leaders used to stay.

The Inn was a block away from downtown Main Street. It has a very charming, historical feel. There are some great restaurant’s to eat at, and I wish we would have had more time. We ate at the Bear Paw Café. Also, there is an old fashioned ice cream shop that serves ice cream and homemade breadsticks, fresh from the oven. Across from the shop was a beautiful park with a carousel that gives rides for $1.

There are a bunch of great places to visit:

We saw Red Hills Desert Garden and Pioneer Park. It has a great view overlooking the city and all sorts of mini slot canyons to hike through. The red rock is breathtaking and the formations in the rocks make you feel time in a different perspective.

A short drive away from St. George is an artist community called Kayenta. There were artists booths to check out and a circular desert rock garden called the Desert Rose Labyrinth. I think the labyrinth was patterned after one in France.

On the way back we stopped at the Tonaquint Nature Center and walked the path. It would have been quiet, but for the hundred or so noisy ducks, geese, and swans in the pond. There was another beautiful garden to see here, and a fun activity center for kids.

We brought our swimming suits and took a splash at Sand Hollow Aquatic Center. It’s cheap and fun, although I think kids would have appreciated it more. It was like a small water park.

There was also a state park called Sand Hollow State Park and it has an absolutely gorgeous lake. It is crystal clear and a beautiful blue-green color. I want to go back to it in the summer.

We ended our trip with a visit to Laser Mania Family Fun Center. I found a buy one get one coupon online. We played backlight mini golf and it was so much fun. There were probably 20 mini golf holes and each had a theme (Alice in Wonderland, Beetles, Superhero’s etc.) They also had 4D movies, although they were a little on the scary side (which I don’t like). My husband and I played all the old arcade games.

Overall, I like St. George and would recommend anyone to go, especially during the winter.