7 Best Towns in Utah to Visit in 2024
Utah, home to the Rockies, is rich in human and natural history. From red-rock landscapes, turquoise lakes, and sandstone deserts to the snow-covered peaks and champagne-powder ski slopes, it is an adventurer's paradise, not to mention the Mighty Five national parks. Garden City beguiles at the foot of Bear Lake State Park at the end of the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway in northern Utah for a raspberry-scented summer vacation by the dramatic 109-square-mile Bear Lake. Another town seeing red is Kanab, the state's little star in over 100 movies and shows in the heart of the Grand Circle, just a few miles away from the rippling arcs of rust-colored sand at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
These seven crème de la crème towns love visitors, seeing returning faces time and time again, with new attractions and historic sights, ideal for a visit in 2024.
Bluff
This small town, appropriately named Bluff, nestles between the gorgeous sandstone cliffs and the sparkling San Juan River. Rich in human and natural history, there is something for each group and traveler's taste, like hiking and rock climbing in the surrounding landscape of stunning red rock formations. Moreover, in the center of the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway, Bluff is a great stopping point to discover the town and explore nearby the quintessential Monument Valley, Bears Ears National Monument, and other attractions in southeastern Utah, like the Valley of the Gods and Hovenweep National Monument.
As an ancestral home to the Puebloans, their impressive legacy is an array of rock art, former dwellings, and other clues as to what life was like in a harsh desertscape. There's even more than meets the eye to discern the Nomadic Paiute, Ute, and Navajo tribes' own archeological marks and a ring in modern-day local culture. The town, as it is today, grew from the historic Bluff City founded by Mormon pioneers and farmers during the 1880s “Hole in the Rock” expedition. Offering unique lodges, inns, and guesthouses, as well as several campgrounds and RV parks for all levels of comfort, Bluff's local bistros and cafes are charmingly unfussy with delicious food and a cozy atmosphere.
Cedar City
Just a small college town in the state, Cedar City is an idyllic combo of artsy and natural adventures, next to the Dixie National Forest and the Kolob Canyons within Zion National Park. Home to an attractive downtown, visitors can prowl through quaint shops, art galleries, and antiques for eye candy and gifts. Grab a coffee at one of the outdoor cafes to soak up the local charm, and hit the lovely paved weaving trail to Cedar Canyon, or let the little ones roam the playground, designed by kids to learn through play while digging dinosaur bones or flying kites.
Cedar City, the "Festival City, USA," is lively year-round, from free music festivals to parades, or the state-famous Neil Simon Festival with three of his 38 plays from mid-July to mid-August. June through October, the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival hosts three iconic performances after a free-to-enter Green Show and puppet shows, musicians, and singers. Don't miss a taste of the "urban-esque" cuisine through the Historic Downtown, offering a burgeoning foodie scene from the up-and-coming ambitious restaurateurs, including Tex-Mex, wood-fired pizzas, BBQ, and seafood.
Enterprise
Hebron, settled by the pioneers in the 1800s, was just a few miles west of present-day Enterprise. Having spent years building a large dam to store water for irrigation due to the dry summer season, the labor paid off, and farming prospered, helping the town extend further east through the broad valley. Rightfully named, the new townsite attracted most residents and continues to rule the scene in rural farming. Enterprise, in the southwest part of the state, is famous for hayrides, farm visits, and corn dishes, as well as boating and fishing in the nearby lakes.
The atmosphere and friendly locals foster a sense of belonging, while the nearby mountains create a cozy feel inside and invite you outside to enjoy natural adventures, including AV and hiking trails. Nearby, Zion National Park is accessible via a scenic drive through the mountains. Downtown, the old-fashioned charm soothes the soul over local cuisine, historic architecture, and rich pioneer history to discover. At the end of August, the annual “Corn Fest” celebrates small-town life with a bounty of local produce from the farms to taste and buy.
Garden City
Home to the shores of Bear Lake State Park, Garden City, at the end of the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway, is one of the state's best getaway towns. Located in northern Utah, it offers unique nature and landscapes for a refreshing escape this summer. Start planning a vacation with the family in tow or a self-focused escape to bond with nature while sipping a raspberry smoothie. With its frontier spirit, a love for raspberries, and dramatic vistas along the 109 square miles of Bear Lake for boating, fishing, and hiking the perimeter, Garden City is an unreplicable destination in the state.
Often touted as the Caribbean of the Rockies due to the lake's intense jewel tones, it is hard to pull your gaze away from the magic waters under the bluest of the skies reflecting in the lake's limestone deposits. Needless to say, a mecca for shoreside recreation and all kinds of water sports like jet skiing and wakeboarding, the mountains serve as a dramatic backdrop. Visitors can also look forward to a variety of summertime events, like the Raspberry Days Festival, with the best fruit in the West, this August.
Kanab
Not just another town founded by Mormon pioneers, this charming Utah gem from the 1870s sits in the heart of the Grand Circle, between St. George and Lake Powell, in the south of the state. Welcome to the heart of Red Rock Country, a diverse desert oasis to explore southern Utah’s red rock landscape. Near the rippling arcs of rust-colored sand at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Kanab is also an idyllic base to get away into Bryce Canyon and even Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Bursting with Old West heritage and tremendous natural wonders around, no wonder Hollywood loves Kanab, a little star in over 100 movies and shows.
From a Wild West-inspired horseback ride at a local ranch to an ATV tour of the arid landscape, impressive vistas follow under the bluest of the skies. Meet friendly stray dogs, tails wagging, at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary for a melt-your-heart family pursuit. West Center Street, with its free-admission Frontier Movie Town & Museum, features old movie sets and fake storefronts. Moqui Cave beguiles with eccentric art, geological rarities, and pre-Columbian artifacts from Mexico, while the active can hike the iconic Wave along the sloping Coyote Buttes at the state border with Arizona, so get your permit now online.
Midway
Amidst a diverse landscape at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, Midway is one of the state's best for hiking and mountain biking. The nearby Provo River is a blue-ribbon fly-fishing location with trophy trout, while the Soldier Hollow area is a picturesque spot for the rest of the family's recreational activities. Midway is a beloved filming location for Hallmark movies, where it is easy to feel right off the screen against the backdrop while enjoying nature or browsing its cultural treasures. This pristine alpine town is home to the 40-foot-deep natural geothermal pool, the Homestead Caldera, as well as the Dutch Hollow Trailhead, a popular hike just 10 minutes out of downtown.
Boasting unique Swiss influence, Midway abounds in the charm of another country, from the traditional architecture of Swiss-inspired buildings and festivals celebrating their Swiss roots to authentic cooking and Swiss delicacies, including chocolates and melt-in-your-mouth pastries. The scenic allure of Provo River welcomes both seasoned anglers and beginners, visitors and locals, for a serene experience of casting, while Swiss Days, an annual festival, is perhaps when the town is most lively with events, music, and cuisine. Settled by Swiss immigrants in the 18th century in the breathtaking Heber Valley and Timpanogos Mountains, the stunning location continues to captivate year-round, like in the winter while snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and tubing down the slopes.
Monticello
Pronounced “cello" like the musical instrument, the small town named after Thomas Jefferson's plantation in Charlottesville, Virginia, is all about the great outdoors. Located near the crowd-pleasing Four Corners Area, the crossroads of four states, Monticello offers easy access from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Exuding welcoming vibes from each corner, Monticello receives applause from the sporty types for its most famous Monticello-to-Canyonlands Triathlon in March. Don't miss the interesting Frontier Museum with unique historical artifacts, like the oddly-shaped Church Rock that once stored salt licks and cattle food from the 1940s.
The rugged outdoorsmen and families enjoy vast offerings, including 4x4 off-roading, ATV riding, biking, and camping. From swimming and rock climbing in the summer to wintertime cross-country skiing and snowboarding, hit the San Juan County Fair & Rodeo in August. The town’s public swimming pool complex features a climbing wall and an eight-foot waterslide for a rainy day, while Hideout Golf Club offers a challenging 18-hole course designed by Forrest Richardson in 2001 that draws golfing fanatics from all over. On the way to Canyonlands National Park, tourists can see the millenia-old petroglyph panel Newspaper Rock, which is also displayed in the museum.
Utah, the Beehive State, the term coined by Mormon settlers, is home to the capital of Salt Lake City, the adventurous, festival-ridden town of Park City, and plentiful, unique towns in between. Perfect for a local getaway from the city or for first-timers in the state of Utah, the small towns are your open door to national parks, glistening lakes, and red-stone formations. Midway is a little slice of Switzerland in Utah, while Monticello is a gateway to the Canyonlands National Park.
