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Tamara Gane
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It’s the perfect base for outdoor adventures.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-lead-image-STGEORGEUT0526-f10a3003174242a7b09fa634dc228f4b.jpg "Aerial view of downtown St George, Utah.Credit: Nicholas J. Klein/Adobe Stock")
Aerial view of downtown St George, Utah.
Credit: Nicholas J. Klein/Adobe Stock
If you drive roughly two hours northeast from Las Vegas, you’ll reach St. George, Utah. The landscape here doesn’t look like anywhere else in the U.S. Sure, you’ll see the burnt-orange sandstone bluffs normally associated with southern Utah, but there are also black lava fields and palm trees, usually found in a destination like Hawaii. There are few places as bright or colorful, but this is only part of St. George’s appeal.
St. George owes its striking good looks to the particulars of its location. The city is in the Greater Zion region, which sits in a geological zone at the intersection of the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin ecosystems. You can quickly bounce from a dusty desert dotted with Joshua trees to fiery cliffs and cobalt lava beds formed by prehistoric volcanoes. In between, there are stretches of wide valleys filled with junipers, pinyon pines, and jackrabbits peeking out from the sagebrush.
And the palm trees? Those were planted by humans. A local contractor is credited with being among the first to bring them to St. George. Today, they are part of the landscape—and stand proudly in front of private homes, golf courses, resorts, and even the St. George Utah Temple.
A Mad Moose tour exploring the Utah landscape.
Credit: Tamara Gane/Travel + Leisure
The diverse terrain brings warm, dry weather and plenty of recreational activities. There are 14 golf courses within a 20-mile radius, from reasonably priced municipal courses like Southgate to championship courses like the Tom Weiskopf-designed Black Desert, which, in 2024, hosted southern Utah’s first PGA Tour since 1963.
Ancient sand dunes, steep topography, and rugged terrain are big draws for adrenaline seekers who rent UTVs and book tours through outfitters like Mad Moose to explore untamed places you can’t reach by road. Visitors can also rent boats and Jet Skis for the 600-acre sparkling turquoise reservoir at Quail Creek State Park.
The Tuacahn Center for the Arts produces concerts, plays, and Broadway musicals. The outdoor productions are performed in an amphitheater tucked beneath 1,500-foot-tall, flame-colored cliffs, providing a backdrop as memorable as the performances.
The otherworldly petrified dunes, lava flows, and cliffs of Snow Canyon State Park are a mere 10 miles from town. The setting here rivals anything you’d see at a national park, but with fewer crowds. It’s especially rewarding at night—DarkSky International officially designated Snow Canyon State Park as an Urban Night Sky Place. The stars burn brightly here, shielded from light pollution and city glare, and the rock formations are eerily beautiful in silhouette.
Adding to its appeal, Zion National Park is 33 miles away, and Bryce Canyon National Park is 141 miles away. Both are easy day trips, close enough for a sunrise hike or an afternoon drive through red rock canyons.
Dining room inside Basalt.
Credit: Black Desert Resort
The unofficial drink of Utah is the dirty soda, a fizzy concoction made with soda, cream, and flavored syrups, such as coconut or raspberry, served with a pinch of lime. The beverage is a hit with the state’s large Latter-day Saints church members, whose faith prohibits alcohol and hot drinks like coffee or tea.
Although you can find dirty sodas all over town, Swig drive-thrus are the most popular (it isn’t unusual to see lines wrapping around the corner). There are nearly 50 Swig locations in Utah, including six in and around St. George, where the chain was founded.
Cookies are the only thing Utahns love as much as their dirty sodas. In St. George, locals are particularly fond of the pink-frosted sugar cookies at Dutchman’s Market, a gift shop, gas station, and bakery located 10 to 15 minutes outside of town in Santa Clara.
If you’re hankering for an alcoholic beverage, head to Spiritual Speakeasy, a dimly lit, Prohibition-style cocktail bar with funky decor and inventive recipes that incorporate elements like smoke and foam.
For a meal with a view, Cliffside Restaurant serves lunch and dinner overlooking the St. George valley. Lunch highlights include crispy chicken wraps and seared salmon salad. Dinner features classics like steak, seafood, and pasta, alongside comfort fare such as burgers and fried chicken.
Basalt’s floor-to-ceiling windows overlook dramatic red cliffs and the Black Desert Golf Course. It’s an elevated atmosphere with superb service and dishes like sustainably sourced diver scallops and prized beef cuts like Wagyu zabuton.
Aerial view of Black Rock Desert Resort.
Credit: Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort is Utah’s largest resort, with more amenities than any other property in the region. Set on over 200 acres of preserved land with stunning views of red rock bluffs and shining black lava beds, the resort offers nearly 800 rooms, a championship golf course, a 15,000-square-foot spa, an infinity pool, and seven bars and restaurants.
Rooms are bathed in neutral colors, with rich rust and jewel-toned accents evoking the natural surroundings. Thoughtful amenities include bottled water, hydration packets, and plush beds with a selection of Malouf pillows for a luxurious night’s sleep, while floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies or patios showcase the scenery.
The Advenire, a boutique option in downtown St. George, offers standout amenities like a chef-driven restaurant, a bakery, a rooftop terrace with fire pits and a whirlpool soaking tub, and a bike valet and wash station.
The 60 guest rooms are chic with hardwood floors, vintage-inspired wallpaper, and embroidered accent pillows. Select room styles also have upgraded features such as sitting areas, private balconies, or clawfoot tubs.
St. George is worth a visit year-round, but the timing of your trip will impact your experience. Winters have an average daytime high of 56 degrees Fahrenheit—ideal for outdoor recreation and visiting the region’s parks without the crowds.
Summer temperatures average 99 degrees and spike to 102 degrees in July. The heat brings lower hotel rates in the area. It’s a great time for budget-conscious visitors, especially if outdoor activities are scheduled for the morning before the sun gets too hot.
Come spring, temperatures rarely climb above 92 degrees, while they typically top out in the low 90s in the fall. The mild weather draws visitors, and lodging prices tend to rise accordingly.
Aerial view of a large roundabout in St. George, Utah.
Credit: Andrew/Adobe Stock
St. George is 120 miles from Las Vegas, and you’ll usually find the cheapest flights flying in and out of Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). From there, options include renting a car or booking a ride through operators like the St. George Shuttle.
It’s most convenient to fly directly to St. George Regional Airport (SGU), which offers nonstop flights to several major cities on Delta, United, and American.
You can also fly into Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), but it’s over 300 miles from St. George. Shuttle services include the Salt Lake Express.
Aerial view of downtown St George, Utah.
Credit: Nicholas J. Klein/Adobe Stock
If you drive roughly two hours northeast from Las Vegas, you’ll reach St. George, Utah. The landscape here doesn’t look like anywhere else in the U.S. Sure, you’ll see the burnt-orange sandstone bluffs normally associated with southern Utah, but there are also black lava fields and palm trees, usually found in a destination like Hawaii. There are few places as bright or colorful, but this is only part of St. George’s appeal.
What Makes St. George Special
St. George owes its striking good looks to the particulars of its location. The city is in the Greater Zion region, which sits in a geological zone at the intersection of the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin ecosystems. You can quickly bounce from a dusty desert dotted with Joshua trees to fiery cliffs and cobalt lava beds formed by prehistoric volcanoes. In between, there are stretches of wide valleys filled with junipers, pinyon pines, and jackrabbits peeking out from the sagebrush.
And the palm trees? Those were planted by humans. A local contractor is credited with being among the first to bring them to St. George. Today, they are part of the landscape—and stand proudly in front of private homes, golf courses, resorts, and even the St. George Utah Temple.
Best Things to Do
A Mad Moose tour exploring the Utah landscape.
Credit: Tamara Gane/Travel + Leisure
Hit the greens.
The diverse terrain brings warm, dry weather and plenty of recreational activities. There are 14 golf courses within a 20-mile radius, from reasonably priced municipal courses like Southgate to championship courses like the Tom Weiskopf-designed Black Desert, which, in 2024, hosted southern Utah’s first PGA Tour since 1963.
Experience off-road adventure.
Ancient sand dunes, steep topography, and rugged terrain are big draws for adrenaline seekers who rent UTVs and book tours through outfitters like Mad Moose to explore untamed places you can’t reach by road. Visitors can also rent boats and Jet Skis for the 600-acre sparkling turquoise reservoir at Quail Creek State Park.
Catch a show with a breathtaking backdrop.
The Tuacahn Center for the Arts produces concerts, plays, and Broadway musicals. The outdoor productions are performed in an amphitheater tucked beneath 1,500-foot-tall, flame-colored cliffs, providing a backdrop as memorable as the performances.
See the stars.
The otherworldly petrified dunes, lava flows, and cliffs of Snow Canyon State Park are a mere 10 miles from town. The setting here rivals anything you’d see at a national park, but with fewer crowds. It’s especially rewarding at night—DarkSky International officially designated Snow Canyon State Park as an Urban Night Sky Place. The stars burn brightly here, shielded from light pollution and city glare, and the rock formations are eerily beautiful in silhouette.
Explore some national parks.
Adding to its appeal, Zion National Park is 33 miles away, and Bryce Canyon National Park is 141 miles away. Both are easy day trips, close enough for a sunrise hike or an afternoon drive through red rock canyons.
Where to Eat and Drink
Dining room inside Basalt.
Credit: Black Desert Resort
Swig
The unofficial drink of Utah is the dirty soda, a fizzy concoction made with soda, cream, and flavored syrups, such as coconut or raspberry, served with a pinch of lime. The beverage is a hit with the state’s large Latter-day Saints church members, whose faith prohibits alcohol and hot drinks like coffee or tea.
Although you can find dirty sodas all over town, Swig drive-thrus are the most popular (it isn’t unusual to see lines wrapping around the corner). There are nearly 50 Swig locations in Utah, including six in and around St. George, where the chain was founded.
Dutchman’s Market
Cookies are the only thing Utahns love as much as their dirty sodas. In St. George, locals are particularly fond of the pink-frosted sugar cookies at Dutchman’s Market, a gift shop, gas station, and bakery located 10 to 15 minutes outside of town in Santa Clara.
Spiritual Speakeasy
If you’re hankering for an alcoholic beverage, head to Spiritual Speakeasy, a dimly lit, Prohibition-style cocktail bar with funky decor and inventive recipes that incorporate elements like smoke and foam.
Cliffside Restaurant
For a meal with a view, Cliffside Restaurant serves lunch and dinner overlooking the St. George valley. Lunch highlights include crispy chicken wraps and seared salmon salad. Dinner features classics like steak, seafood, and pasta, alongside comfort fare such as burgers and fried chicken.
Basalt
Basalt’s floor-to-ceiling windows overlook dramatic red cliffs and the Black Desert Golf Course. It’s an elevated atmosphere with superb service and dishes like sustainably sourced diver scallops and prized beef cuts like Wagyu zabuton.
Where to Stay
Aerial view of Black Rock Desert Resort.
Credit: Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort is Utah’s largest resort, with more amenities than any other property in the region. Set on over 200 acres of preserved land with stunning views of red rock bluffs and shining black lava beds, the resort offers nearly 800 rooms, a championship golf course, a 15,000-square-foot spa, an infinity pool, and seven bars and restaurants.
Rooms are bathed in neutral colors, with rich rust and jewel-toned accents evoking the natural surroundings. Thoughtful amenities include bottled water, hydration packets, and plush beds with a selection of Malouf pillows for a luxurious night’s sleep, while floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies or patios showcase the scenery.
The Advenire
The Advenire, a boutique option in downtown St. George, offers standout amenities like a chef-driven restaurant, a bakery, a rooftop terrace with fire pits and a whirlpool soaking tub, and a bike valet and wash station.
The 60 guest rooms are chic with hardwood floors, vintage-inspired wallpaper, and embroidered accent pillows. Select room styles also have upgraded features such as sitting areas, private balconies, or clawfoot tubs.
Best Time to Visit
St. George is worth a visit year-round, but the timing of your trip will impact your experience. Winters have an average daytime high of 56 degrees Fahrenheit—ideal for outdoor recreation and visiting the region’s parks without the crowds.
Summer temperatures average 99 degrees and spike to 102 degrees in July. The heat brings lower hotel rates in the area. It’s a great time for budget-conscious visitors, especially if outdoor activities are scheduled for the morning before the sun gets too hot.
Come spring, temperatures rarely climb above 92 degrees, while they typically top out in the low 90s in the fall. The mild weather draws visitors, and lodging prices tend to rise accordingly.
Getting There
Aerial view of a large roundabout in St. George, Utah.
Credit: Andrew/Adobe Stock
St. George is 120 miles from Las Vegas, and you’ll usually find the cheapest flights flying in and out of Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). From there, options include renting a car or booking a ride through operators like the St. George Shuttle.
It’s most convenient to fly directly to St. George Regional Airport (SGU), which offers nonstop flights to several major cities on Delta, United, and American.
You can also fly into Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), but it’s over 300 miles from St. George. Shuttle services include the Salt Lake Express.