Things to SEE! Places to GO!

Day Trips Around The Desert Southwest

When you just need to get away for the day visit one of these hot spots. Now that the weather is beginning to cool you might want to try the Valley of Fire State Park only 55 miles NE of Las Vegas. Use the index box to the right to find other FUN  Day Trips - Just click on the name.

VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK

Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest & largest state park, dedicated in 1935. The valley derives its name from the red sandstone formations and the stark beauty of the Mojave Desert. Ancient trees and early man are represented throughout the park by areas of petrified wood and 3,000 year old Indian petroglyph. Popular activities include camping, hiking, picnicking and photography. The park offers a full-scale visitor center with extensive interpretive displays. Several group use areas are also available. Open all year.

How To Get There: 55 miles NE of Las Vegas via Interstate 15 & exit on 75 • 702-397-2088

Activies: Camping, hiking, picnicking

Hours of Operation: The visitor center provides exhibits on the geology, ecology, prehistory, and history of the park and the nearby region. Open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fees: $10 entrance fee with $2 discount for NV residents. $20 camping fee + $10 if you want a utility hookup with $2 discount for NV residents. Annual entrance permit is $75.

Contact & Website Info: Call 702-397-2088; visit the Valley of Fire website for photos and details here 

RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA 

Red Rock is one of the nations top five rock climbing destinations and features 19 trails covering 58 miles. Visit the Visitor Center where you will find exhibits on the cultural, natural, and geologic history of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and enjoy the 13-mile scenic drive with a variety of viewpoint parking lots. Red Rock is one of Southern Nevada’s most prized possessions. There is a minimal entrance fee. Visitor’s center is open 8am to 4:30pm (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.) The video on this page is the first one Fun&Fit ever made, but it will give you a view of the 13-mile scenic drive.

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How To Get There: 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip on Charleston Boulevard/State Route 159
Activies: 13-mile scenic drive, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, picnic areas, nature observing and visitor center with exhibit rooms and a book store.
Hours of Operation: The scenic drive hours are: Nov. 1 thru Feb. 28/29 6AM to 5PM; March 1 thru March 31 7AM to 7PM; April 1 thru September 30 6AM to 8PM; October 1 thru October 31 6AM to 7PM. The visitor center is open 8AM to 4:30PM
Fees: Scenic Drive car pass $7; Scenic Drive day pass for motorcyles, bicycles or pedestrian $3; Yearly pass for Red Rock is $30. Other special pricing available for seniors etc...
Contact & Website Info: Visit  the Bureau of Land Management website for Red Rock here ... Visit the Friends of Red Rock Canyon website here

BONNIE SPRINGS OLD NEVADA

Watch this video to get some idea of what you will find and see at Bonnie Springs Old Nevada. The video was shot in 2009. Excuse the quality, but at least you will have an idea what is there. Fun&Fit LIFE has visited several times and highly recommends it as a good place to take the kids. The Melodrama and Hanging show are very professional and entertaining. HAVE FUN!

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Located at 16935 Bonnie Springs Road, Blue Diamond, NV., 89004 • 702-875-4191. To get there travel west for 25-miles on Charleston Blvd (6-miles past the Red Rock Visitor Center). Along with the western town, saloon, and shops, there is also a free petting zoo, the famous Bonnie Springs Ranch Restaurant, a Western Melodrama and Hanging show, and horseback riding for the whole family. Open 365 days a year. Summer hours are 10:30am to 6pm. Winter hours are Wed thru Fri 11AM to 5PM and Saturday and Sunday 10:30AM to 5PM. They may close early on Wed, Th, or Fri so call to confirm at 702-875-4191. Admission to Old Nevada is $20 per car (up to 6 people) everyday of the week. Now offering shuttle buses from Las Vegas. Visit the Bonnie Springs Nevada website here for more information.

Summit Chateau Lodge and Yurts at Brian Head, Utah

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When you check into the Summit Chateau Lodge, be prepared to have an experience of a lifetime! One that will be filled with adventure, relaxation and reconnecting. Adventure awaits you during the day with many activities regardless of the season. Prepare delicious meals in your fully equipped, commercial kitchen. Gather your family and friends in the Great Room to share meals, enjoy movies or sink into the comfortable couches and reconnect. After dinner, unwind with a game of pool, ping pong, air hockey, foose ball, or try your luck at the poker table. After a day at play, relax in the sauna or outside under the stars in the jacuzzi. Enjoy the morning sunrises and the fresh, mountain air outside on the deck where there is ample seating to lounge or savor meals together. As night falls, you will be amazed as the stars light up the sky. Time spent around the campfire, telling stories and making s'mores are sure to be another highlight of your stay. So come play hard, relax, and reconnect at the Summit Chateau Lodge.

Start your journey from I-15, exit #75 through Parowan to Scenic Byway SR-143 where you’ll climb past the colorful Vermillion Cliffs through a maple and scrub oak forest. You will then travel on the Scenic Backway of Dry Lakes Road through 3 miles of aspens and pines. The Summit Chateau Lodge will serve as a replenishing home base for So. Utah’s rich scenery and ample outdoor activities. Utah is home to over 50 national monuments and state/national parks with many of them right in your backyard like Yankee Meadows, Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Escalante National Staircase. There are hiking trails to accommodate all skill levels and unsurpassed, breathtaking scenery to revel in. Popular nearby places to fish include Panguitch Lake and Navajo Lake. Right from the property, there are over 160 miles of trails for horseback riding, mountain biking, ATV riding, and in the winter, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, and cross country skiing. Make the Summit Chateau Lodge the destination for your group’s next event...it is more than a place to visit. It will become a tradition to reconnect and relax with your family and friends and have an adventure of a lifetime!

MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS in Southern Utah

(Visit Southern Nevada museums & attractions by clicking here)

A selection of top museums and attractions in and around Southern Utah.

Although we make every effort to keep this information up-to-date, it is suggested you use the contact information to verify dates, times and prices before you visit. Use the article index to the right to view each selection by itself or select "All Pages" to see all museums and attractions in a single list format.

DINOSAUR DISCOVERY SITE AT JOHNSON FARM
The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm houses exceptionally well-preserved dinosaur tracks, fossil fish, fossil plants, rare dinosaur remains, invertebrates traces and important sedimentary structures. This site is described by many paleontologists as "one of the ten best dinosaur track sites in the world" and is one of the most important discoveries in Early Jurassic paleontological history. It gives a 'snapshot' of an ancient ecosystem, and a wonderful opportunity to reconstruct, study and understand it.

FRONTIER HOMESTEAD STATE PARK MUSEUM

ROSENBRUCH WILDLIFE MUSEUM

The Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum brings the wonders of the planets greatest animals in their natural habitat to you. Experience over 300 species over a quarter mile indoor mountain and enjoy movies, shopping and more. You will be walking through the mountains and plains of the world with stops at the world insect collection, the interactive children's room, and the art gallery along the way. Experience first hand wildlife in a natural habitat setting that will prove educational. Your experience is further enhanced with your personal audio presentation that accompanies you to describe the displays. Fun for adults and children alike.

ST. GEORGE ART MUSEUM

The museum houses a permanent collection of fine art, consisting of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, prints, drawings, and photographs. In all, the collection numbers more than 340 items. Among the works are items by well-known southwest artists like Maynard Dixon. The museum continues to acquire fine works by artists from Utah and the Southwest. The museum also hosts exciting special exhibits, which change four times per year. The exhibits range from historical to contemporary shows, primarily focusing on the western experience. Some recent shows highlighted Utah artists like Arlene Braithwaite, Anne Munoz, Wallace Lee, Gaell Lindstrom and Roland Lee; others are themed events like "Art for the Parks," depicting the splendor of America's National Parks and "The Willie and Martin Handcart Expedition Remembered " by some of Utah and the West's finest artists. The 3rd Thursday of each month join ART CONVERSATIONS at 7PM.