Come explore Ancestor Square, located in the heart of St. George Utah. This quaint little square is full of shops, restaurants, and galleries, all built around historic buildings. There’s something for everyone here, so come on down and explore!
Restaurants:
George’s Corner Restaurant and Pub: “Big Hand Cafe” was once located on this same corner. It was the most popular spot for tourists to stop by in the 1930s-40s. It was the hub of the town located right next to the only stop light. Now George’s Corner is a popular place to wind down and eat some “Especially Good Food”.
The Pizza Factory: Come enjoy some delicious custom-built pizzas, bread twists, a salad bar, and more. This location has been in Ancestors Square for over 40 years. Tourists say The Pizza Factory is always a highlight of their trip!
The Pasta Factory: Located right next to The Pizza Factory, come in and try the wonderful soups, sandwiches, and pasta! Catering is available if you’re traveling with a group of 20 or more!
Benja Thai and Sushi: Eat out or Dine in Restaurant. Enjoy some diverse cuisine including sushi, Thai noodles, Thai curry, exotic soups, and more!
The Painted Pony: Inspired by the South-West, The Painted Pony has unique flavors and artwork throughout the restaurant. It is the perfect atmosphere for a romantic date night as well.
Check out the other galleries and cute shops around Ancestor Square! Learn more about the history of Ancestor Square here!
Zion National Park is a beautiful place to hike and explore. There are hikes for all levels of difficulty, so everyone can find a hike that is perfect for them. The town of Springdale has great food and gift shops, so you can find everything you need while you’re here.
Angels Landing is one of the most popular hikes in the park. If you are wanting to hike it during you’re stay, make sure to apply for the lottery with plenty of time in advance! There is a free shuttle service that will take you right across from the trailhead. There is a day before the lottery that you might be able to get a last-minute permit if you stay on top of the deadlines! You can access all of the lotteries and information on nps.gov.
For a more family-friendly hike, check out Emerald Pools! Emerald Pools is made up of three different waterfall destinations. The lower falls are easiest to access and are only a 1.2-mile round trip. Going up to the middle falls is 2 miles round trip while the upper falls is a total of 3 miles round trip. This hike has many different duration/difficulty options and is great for little kids! The trailhead is located by the Zion lodge which has restrooms, drinking water, a restaurant, and a small gift shop!
Oscar’s Cafe is one of the top restaurants near Zion National Park located in Springdale. This restaurant offers a variety of food ranging from Mexican to salads, burgers, and sandwiches. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s the perfect place to fill up after a long hike on the beautiful red rocks. It’s wonderful to sit in the outside dining and see the big cliffs surrounding you.
Lastly, Springdale Candy Company is the best place to stop by after dinner while enjoying the shops. Located right on Zion Park Blv, it’s surrounded by all the restaurants for some yummy sweets! They have delicious candy, desserts, and ice cream!
Come enjoy Zion National Park! Hurricane is about 30 minutes away and the perfect place to stay to enjoy Southern Utah. Check out our properties in Hurricane HERE!
If you’re looking for a summer getaway that includes lots of options for outdoor activities, then look no further than St. George, Utah. This desert oasis is home to several lakes, all of which offer something different for visitors. Whether you want to go boating, fishing, swimming, or just enjoy a picnic by the water, there’s a lake in St. George that’s perfect for you.
Here are just a few of the lakes you can find in and around St. George:
Quail Creek State Park: This man-made reservoir is located about 20 miles north of St. George. It’s a popular spot for boating, fishing, and swimming, and there’s also a 3-mile hiking trail that circles the lake.
Sand Hollow State Park: This state park is located about 10 miles southwest of St. George. It’s known for its red sandstone cliffs and turquoise waters, and it’s a popular spot for fishing, camping, and ATV riding. There are also two sand dunes that you can explore.
Gunlock State Park: This state park is located about 20 miles northwest of St. George. It’s a popular spot for boating, fishing, swimming, and picnicking. There’s also a 1-mile hiking trail that leads to a waterfall.
Whether you’re looking for a place to cool off or just want to enjoy some time outdoors, be sure to check out one of the lakes in St. George. There’s something for everyone. You’re sure to find the perfect lake for your next adventure.
Don’t have your own equipment? There are multiple local rental companies around town. Or vacation in a home that has them included!
Lil’ Hacienda is just down the road from Sand Hollow and has kayaks, paddle boards and a trailer available for your use. Check out Lil’ Hacienda here.
See Cactus Rose details here. Cactus Rose has a kayak for guests to use, bring your truck and life jackets!
Castle Ridge has 2 inflatable paddleboards. Book our adventure themed home here!
I am a NOVICE (beginner) at Mountain Biking – truth be told, I still rent my bike each week as I am debating if I like this sport or love it – but I am fascinated with the adventure and culture. It costs me about $75 each time to rent, but these are like $3-4,000 dollar bikes, so I feel I am getting a deal. I will eventually buy my own, but like I said, I am still debating if I like this sport. (leaning yes)
The above image is of the RED BULL RAMPAGE held each year on the 3rd Sat. of October (usually). There are some of the most spectacular videos of this sport captured right here in St George. I know I will never do these things these world class athletes do (unless it’s the last thing I do). I can and do feel the adrenaline surge and my palms perspire as I watch over and over these videos.
As a new Mountain Bike nerd I found a great trail website Trail Forks. This is a site that gives insights to all of our trails in the area. According to them there are 250+ trails within a 30 minute drive of my home. This means St George is a perfect playground for mountain bikers from all over the US and World.
I am glad to see our communities building venues like Snake Hollow in St George. This venue is for locals and visitors alike to build and practice skills and have quality time with friends and family.
“When it’s done properly, taco should be a verb.” – Jonathan Gold
I moved my family to St George in 2008 from Arizona where we had really great dine in Mexican restaurants like Rancho Tia Rosa’s – I think we were spoiled. St George has some pretty good Mexican hangouts like the Green Iguana and their amazing white sauce on a cheese enchilada (sorry, they don’t have a website at this time to link to) or Don Pedro’s parradilla platter experience, but nothing high-end destination like we had in Arizona. What we do have is a handful of great little taco places that are perfect for soccer mom’s on a budget and hungry hikers. Here are my top 3, not in any particular order, and I suggest trying all 3.
1.) Cal’s Smok’n Taco food truck.
Run by Tommy, Cal’s grandson. Tommy gives a great nod to his grandpa as to where he learned how to smoke great meats for these original taco’s. About $4 each, a plate of 3 fills you up and the smell of mesquite doesn’t hurt. My personal favorite is his El Paso taco – slow smoked brisket, tangy jicama lime slaw and Tommy’s hand crafted BBQ sauce. See where he’s at today on Instagram.
2.) Tacos Plaza.
This is a small patio option restaurant with a very simple menu with fresh tacos, burritos, nachos & quesadillas (more). The prices are reasonable and the Mexican soul flavor is very authentic. The word of mouth (literally) is the only form of marketing they need. Our first 3 times here we were disappointed because they sold out! Our 4th trip was well worth the wait – I was pleased with the flavor and freshness. The salsa bar had all the essentials I wanted. Their secret right from them – “And our recipes are our own! Perfected over generations of love and passed down from mother to daughter, everything at Tacos Plaza is original, fresh, and absolutely delicious!”
3.) El Coyote Charo.
El Coyote is the kind of place that, when I walk in I see only myself and one or two other ‘gringo’s’, everyone else is latino, therefore I know this place is real good. Fresh agua frescas & horchata to a salsa bar with fresh pinto beans. Here you can get tacos’ made with all the traditional meats (carne asada, el pastor, chicken) as well as unique baja flavors like shrimp ceviche or menudo. The smell of fresh fire roasted jalapeños and onions fills the air and the melty cheese is a must.
Because I love the Latino flavors – especially the Taco – I hope you found my top 3 as tasty as I have.
Here’s a special bonus for our out of area readers – Because bringing your family to the St george area for an Escape should be as amazing as these tacos! Use the DISCOUNT code “Taco” and save $$$ on these select units or any of our 60+ area vacation homes.
Our themed retreat – Castle Ridge – 4 bedroom with the areas best castle bunk room.
Or you may find an under sea adventure in Submarine is worth “diving into”? See Ridge Haven.
Or a little alien abduction on route 66 themed cabin near Zion National Park. Check out The Bunker at Area 51.