Ultimate Zion Guide
Where to Stay
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham at Zion Park/Springdale - This is where we stayed during our Zion trip. There are so many hotels in Zion, but our priority was proximity to food, our shuttle to the entrance of the park and a great view of the mountains… plus obviously needs to be affordable. La Quinta was a great option for us because it was steps from our shuttle pick up and walking distance to the center of town. It also has perks such as a pool and great view of the mountain if you get a room with a deck!
Zion Wildflower Resort - a very “Instagam worthy” glamping experience!
Restaurants
Zion Canyon Brew Pub - One of my favorite spots! This brew pup has a great view of the mountains outside and the food is actually great. I got the kale caesar and it was perfect.
Deep Creek Coffee Co - Highly suggest for morning coffee and breakfast, but be prepared to wait in a line. No joke, we waiting for almost 30 minutes… so don’t go last minute before the hike!
MeMe’s Cafe - We tried this spot for dinner the first night we got to Zion. It was pretty ordinary, nothing special. I got a veggie sandwich.
excursions
The Narrows - We hiked The Narrows and it was a blast, definitely worth it! There are two ways you can get a shuttle to the start of The Narrows, the first is to take the public shuttle that is only $1. You can get the public shuttle here. There are only a limited number of public shuttles available per day and it can be hard to get them for the right time. Option two is to take a private shuttle through one of the shuttle companies. These are more expensive (around $30-$60 per person), but are a great option if you cannot get a public shuttle. We took a private shuttle with Zion Guru and had a great experience. You do need to book these in advance as well, so make sure to call ahead of time to book the shuttle time you want. I suggest a shuttle before 7am - there will be less crowds, it will be less hot and you will see the sunrise!
Rentals: We rented our shoes and poles directly through Zion Guru. I HIGHLY suggest getting the shoes and pole. It is only $25 but so so worth it. The hike can have water all the way up to your stomach and these shoes are meant to be in water, so you don’t get blisters or slip (plus you don’t have to deal with lugging wet shoes around after, you just turn them back in wet).
What to bring: lots of water!!! The only fill up station for water is at the base of the hike and you will get thirsty. I brought 2 big bottles of water and finished them both. I also brought GoMacro bars because they are light weight and great to curb your hunger on the trail. I would bring some kind of food with you because you will most likely get hungry. It is also really nice to stop and take a bite on the trail. Sunscreen is a MUST. You will get fried if you don’t wear or bring sunscreen. I brought Coola’s sport sunscreen so it wouldn’t rub off in the water. Waterproof backpack is a great thing to have with you since you will most likely be fully in the water at certain points of the trail.
What to wear: A swimsuit and running shorts! I wore Tagged Swim’s Nusa top because it doubles as a great sports bra. A swimsuit is key because you will want something that will dry quickly and not rub or weigh you down.
Observation Point - We did Observation Point on our last day being in Zion on our way to Horseshoe Bend. This is a much easier hike and very quick. It can be hard to find parking, so just be patient. I suggest either going early in the morning for sunrise or for sunset. You do not need to make a reservation to get to Observation Point and can just drive through directly to the base of the hike.
What to bring: a camera! This is one of the best views of the entire valley.
What to wear: Since this is a much easier hike, it isn’t as necessary to wear a full hiking outfit, but since it is so hot it is nice to still wear a bathing suit top! I wore the Moorea top in Sky Ribbed and wore it like a sport bra!
Sunset ATV Tour - We unfortunately did not have time to do this tour, but it was on my list so I figured I would share!
