10 of the Most Welcoming Towns in Utah
Utah is called the Beehive State because of the hard work and perseverance of Utahns. It is certainly not because they sting. Utah towns are where travelers taste the honey of a vibrant collection of cultures in one of Earth’s prettiest landscapes. The effect of the land’s beauty is evident in Utah museums where artists dare to attempt to capture it. Find peace, adventure, inspiration, and friendship in the state's most welcoming towns.
Park City
There’s simply no denying the cultural vibrancy of a town that hosts the biggest Independent Film Festival in the world, the Sundance Film Festival. Park City has been a small mountain town favorite among travelers for decades. Bequeathed with a bounty of residential and commercial artifacts from pioneering silver-rush days, Park City offers a unique Park City Prowl Scavenger Hunt. Book the Hunt as soon as you arrive to enjoy a fun-filled way of exploring the lay of the land.
Many head to Park City for the legendary Wasatch Mountain range ski slopes. The town is still reaping the benefits of world-class facility upgrades to accommodate the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Mobile tickets can be purchased for a Slovak Kolaches and Babka baking class offered by Slovakian treat extraordinaire Lenka Dhoju inside the famous chef’s Park City home.
Mapleton
Mapleton began as an agricultural outcropping of Springville. Over a century later, the town has maintained its farmer ethic of value for dollars. The nearby restaurant Mi Lindo Guadalajara keeps its prices low despite its tacos’ popularity, thus proving the wisdom of the town’s principle. "Small town, big heart," Mapleton’s website declares. Mapleton’s big heart is on full display whenever the town has an excuse to put on a fireworks display.
The annual Pioneer Days Festival brings tens of thousands from around the state to admire Mapleton’s skies. Ask a friendly stranger for their favorite attraction in Mapleton’s Historic Old Towne Square. The district includes the Mapleton Heritage Museum, built in 1892, as well as several tiny residential architectural gems that tend to fall through the cracks of most municipalities’ restoration efforts. Do not leave Mapleton without snagging a copy of their 500-piece jigsaw puzzle depicting a Pioneer Days celebration. Boxes are $25 and are available at the Mapleton City Building during business hours.
Kanab
Kanab has always benefitted from tourist traffic thanks to its handy proximity to the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument, Lake Powell National Recreational Area, Zion Bryce, and Grand Canyon National Parks. Kanab’s Rocking V Café values intimacy. The restaurant and art gallery do not have WiFi; "chill, exhale...look around" is the motto. The 2nd level contains what staff refer to as the "Rafters Gallery," an evolving multimedia gallery curated with care. Book a guided tour of the Kanab Heritage House Museum for a first-person peek into the region’s history. Kanab credits its etymological heritage to a word from the Paiute language that means "place of the willows."
Smithfield
Utahns love communal physical activities, and the town of Smithfield is no different. When the snow piles too high, Smithfielders turn to Cache Valley Fun Park. The indoor entertainment heaven has an arcade, roller skating, and axe throwing. The town’s welcoming nature is inherent in the superb service and delicious care taken at Smithfield Stonefire Pizzeria. Save room to share a Nutella dessert pizza with new friends. The Smithfield Canyon trail is challenging but worth every extra mile for the sights. Skate along to the George S. Eccles Ice Center, where Smithfield’s Hot Chocolate Club meets every Monday and Wednesday.
Vernal
Feel the excitement lineup before a show as the neon hues of the Vernal Theatre Live’s light-up sign cut through the Main Street nightscape. The restored 1947 cinema hosts live theater and provides classes for the next generation of surrounding area stars. The Uinta Basin past is filled with famous figures such as Butch Cassidy. Dive deep into the land’s history at the Uinta County Heritage Museum. The Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal is the perfect place to share the miracle of Utah’s natural formation with the company of the world’s friendliest strangers. The State Park site features an impressive Stegosaurus skeleton. Feel renewed at the end of a long day of fun with the help of Chillax Recovery spa.
Brigham City
Historic downtown Brigham City has it all. Find something no one else has at the Peachtree Craft Mall, featuring over 55 vendors. Idle Isle Candies has served fresh, hand-dipped chocolates for over 100 years. When one has shopped their fill, the area is minutes away from the Bear River Bird Refuge Visitor Center. Bear River Bird Refuge has a 12-mile car path, allowing visitors to spot a rare species from the comfort of a car seat. The Brigham City Museum of Art and History (known locally as the BCMG) invites visitors to consider every work of art as an artifact and vice versa.
Alpine
Alpine is a destination for sculpture aficionados thanks to Main Street Art. The gallery has been a go-to for not only collectors but also area sculptors looking to cast their sketches into a permanent state for over 30 years. The Alpine Art Gallery has its share of bronze treasures and a collection of paintings. Enjoy the surrounding area’s soulful thespians at the Alpine Community Theater, where a seat-filling musical is always in the works. Pick apples and take home the freshest peaches on Earth at Cherry Hill Farms. Feel free to ask the friendly staff for U-pick recommendations.
Parowan
A steady beat of culture has pulsed in Parowan for thousands of years. The petroglyphs of the Parowan Gap site attest to that. Enjoy spicy appetizers at Sook Jai Thai Cuisine before catching a show at the Parowan Community Theater. Live theater in Parowan traces its roots back to campfire performances in the pioneering days of the 1850s. Dig into a big breakfast at the Parowan Cafe and remember to take as many cinnamon rolls to-go as they will allow. Parowan once went by the mouthful-moniker "The City of the Little Salt Lake" but was changed back to its original form in 1851.
Heber City
All aboard the Heber Valley Railroad, an antique railway that rolls with seasonal themes. The attraction takes over 100,000 tourists a year on the scenic 90-minute round trip. Sit in a train car-style booth at Dairy Keen. The 1946-established restaurant has won Best in State awards for its shakes, soups, and specialty menus, as well as Best Fast-Food Restaurant. Learn about the history of women in aviation at the Commemorative Airforce Museum. The museum is volunteer-run and displays a restored North American Aviation T-6 Texan and a 1941 Boeing PT17 Stearman. Take advantage of the old-fashioned soda fountain and homemade candies when catching a flick at the Avon Theater. Let the inner artist explore with paint nights at the Inspiration Haven Art Studio. The taproom at the Heber Valley Brewing Company is open every day of the week.
Moab
Moab sees plenty of tourists with the nearby natural attractions of the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Moab also hosts a very popular annual Jeep Safari. Stop into the Moab Museum for a well-curated collection of photography exhibitions and local artifacts demonstrating the rich tapestry of the area’s culture. Check out Gallery Moab and get lost in the work of that month’s visiting artist. The Tom Till Gallery is a prime destination if traveling the Utah landscape leads to a desire for a stunning photograph to mount at home. Get comfortable beneath a lovely cottonwood tree for a free music show at Moab’s Backyard Theater.
Everyone can help Utah stay beautiful and welcoming to visitors by following a few simple rules. Be sure to clean up trash and dispose of recyclables in public areas. Report possible acts of vandalism and sightings of invasive species to park rangers. Support Native American-owned businesses whenever possible. The Ute, Navajo, Shoshone, and Paiute people all inhabited Utah before the arrival of Europeans. Every generation has the chance to help correct the wrongs of the past.
