Utah offers incredible adventures for families looking beyond the typical tourist destinations. While places like Zion and Arches get all the attention, the Beehive State hides countless gems perfect for creating magical memories with your children. From dinosaur tracks frozen in time to underground caves and quirky roadside attractions, these hidden treasures provide authentic experiences your kids will never forget.
1. Explore the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site
Walking where dinosaurs once roamed feels like stepping into a time machine. Real dinosaur tracks preserved in ancient sandstone tell stories from 200 million years ago, and kids can place their hands right next to these prehistoric footprints.
The interactive exhibits bring ancient creatures to life through hands-on activities and educational displays. Children love the fossil preparation lab where they can watch scientists work on real discoveries.
Best of all, this hidden gem rarely gets crowded, giving your family plenty of space to explore and imagine life in prehistoric Utah.
2. Ride the Alpine Coaster in Park City
Zooming down a mountainside on rails combines the thrill of a roller coaster with breathtaking mountain scenery. This unique attraction lets you control your own speed while winding through pine forests and meadows.
The ride up the mountain is just as exciting as the trip down, offering panoramic views of the Wasatch Range. Kids love the independence of controlling their own cart while parents appreciate the safety features built into every sled.
Summer or winter, this adventure provides year-round excitement that beats any theme park experience you’ll find elsewhere.
3. Visit the Treehouse Museum in Ogden
Climbing inside a massive storybook treehouse sparks imagination like nothing else can. This whimsical museum transforms learning into pure adventure through interactive exhibits that encourage role-playing and creative exploration.
Kids can dress up as their favorite characters, explore different themed rooms, and participate in hands-on activities that bring beloved stories to life. The museum regularly rotates exhibits, ensuring return visits offer fresh discoveries.
Local families consider this their best-kept secret, a place where children can spend hours without ever getting bored or asking to leave early.
4. Discover the Museum of Natural Curiosity
More than 400 interactive experiences await curious minds at this massive complex located at Thanksgiving Point. Every corner reveals something fascinating, from bubble-making stations to earthquake simulators that teach while they entertain.
Children can dig for fossils, create art masterpieces, and explore science concepts through play-based learning. The museum’s design encourages families to spend entire days discovering new activities around every corner.
What sets this place apart is how it seamlessly blends education with pure fun, making learning feel like the best kind of play imaginable.
5. Float in the Great Salt Lake
Beyond visiting crowded Antelope Island, quiet beaches along the Great Salt Lake offer unforgettable floating experiences. The lake’s incredible salinity makes swimming impossible – you’ll bob like a cork no matter how hard you try to sink!
Kids giggle with delight as they discover they can float effortlessly while reading a book or simply relaxing. The unique sensation creates memories that last a lifetime and stories they’ll share for years.
Pack plenty of fresh water for rinsing off afterward, and prepare for an otherworldly experience that feels more like visiting another planet than swimming in Utah.
6. Ride the Heber Valley Railroad
All aboard for a journey through time on vintage trains that chug through some of Utah’s most beautiful countryside. Themed rides throughout the year transform ordinary train trips into magical adventures, from holiday specials to Wild West experiences.
The historic locomotives wind through scenic mountain valleys and farmland, offering views you can’t see from any road. Kids love the authentic train whistle and the rhythmic clickety-clack of wheels on rails.
Special events like the Polar Express during winter create unforgettable family traditions that bring beloved stories to life through immersive experiences.
7. Dig for Fossils in Delta
At the U-Dig Fossils quarry, every child becomes a paleontologist for the day. Real trilobite fossils hide in the rocks, waiting for small hands to discover treasures that are millions of years old.
The thrill of finding your first fossil creates an instant connection to ancient history that no textbook can match. Kids can keep everything they find, building personal collections of genuine prehistoric artifacts.
Tools are provided, and the friendly staff helps identify discoveries while sharing fascinating facts about life in Utah’s ancient seas when these creatures thrived.
8. Explore Snow Canyon State Park
Red rock formations create a natural playground where kids can safely climb, explore, and discover hidden wonders. Lava tubes formed by ancient volcanic activity provide cool, mysterious tunnels perfect for adventurous exploration.
Kid-friendly hiking trails wind through stunning desert landscapes without requiring extreme fitness levels. The contrast between red sandstone cliffs and black lava rock creates dramatic scenery that feels like another world.
Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, from desert tortoises to colorful lizards that fascinate children while teaching them about desert ecosystems and adaptation strategies.
9. Play at the Natural History Museum of Utah
Dinosaurs come alive through interactive exhibits that let kids touch real fossils and operate paleontology tools. The museum’s modern design creates immersive environments where learning feels like playing in the world’s coolest playground.
Indigenous culture exhibits teach respect for Utah’s original inhabitants through hands-on activities and authentic artifacts. Geology displays help children understand how Utah’s incredible landscapes formed over millions of years.
The museum’s location on the University of Utah campus offers stunning views of Salt Lake City, adding scenic beauty to educational adventure.
10. Visit the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden
Life-sized dinosaur sculptures transport visitors back to prehistoric times when these magnificent creatures ruled the earth. Kids can walk among realistic replicas while learning about different species and their unique characteristics.
The fossil preparation lab offers behind-the-scenes looks at real paleontology work in progress. Children watch scientists carefully extract fossils from rock, bringing the discovery process to life before their eyes.
Interactive exhibits encourage hands-on learning through games and activities that make complex scientific concepts accessible and entertaining for young minds.
11. Splash at Sand Hollow Reservoir
Warm water surrounded by stunning red rock beauty creates Utah’s most family-friendly beach destination. Sandy beaches feel more like ocean coastlines than typical mountain lakes, offering comfortable spots for building sandcastles and relaxing.
Paddleboard rentals provide gentle water adventures perfect for beginners, while the shallow areas near shore keep young swimmers safe and happy. The contrast between blue water and red cliffs creates postcard-perfect scenery.
This hidden gem rarely appears in guidebooks, keeping crowds manageable while offering amenities like restrooms, picnic areas, and easy parking for families.
12. Tour the Hill Aerospace Museum
Historic aircraft and missiles create an outdoor wonderland for aspiring pilots and aviation enthusiasts. Kids can climb into cockpits, explore cargo planes, and experience flight simulators that make flying dreams feel within reach.
The museum’s collection spans decades of aviation history, from early military aircraft to modern jets. Interactive displays explain how planes fly and why different aircraft serve specific purposes.
Best of all, admission is completely free, making this incredible experience accessible to every family while providing hours of educational entertainment and inspiration.
13. Walk Through the Spiral Jetty
This giant earthwork sculpture on the Great Salt Lake’s shore combines art appreciation with wide-open play space. The massive spiral made of rocks and earth creates a unique destination where creativity meets natural beauty.
Kids love running along the spiral’s curves while parents appreciate this famous piece of land art. The remote location provides opportunities for quiet family time away from crowds and distractions.
Water levels determine visibility, making each visit a unique experience. Sometimes the jetty sits high and dry, other times it’s partially submerged, creating different perspectives on this iconic artwork.
14. Explore Goblin Valley State Park
Thousands of mushroom-shaped rock formations create the ultimate natural playground where imagination runs wild. Kids can run freely among the strange “goblins,” playing hide-and-seek in a landscape that feels like another planet entirely.
The unique hoodoos formed over millions of years through erosion, creating a geological wonderland perfect for exploration and photography. Every formation has its own personality, sparking creative storytelling and adventure games.
Unlike many Utah destinations, Goblin Valley encourages climbing and touching the rocks, making it perfect for active children who need to burn energy while exploring.
15. Check Out the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City
Free interactive exhibits make space exploration accessible to curious minds of all ages. The immersive dome theater shows transport audiences on incredible journeys through the cosmos, from distant galaxies to our own solar system.
Hands-on displays let kids experience weightlessness, learn about planets, and understand concepts like gravity and orbital mechanics through play. The planetarium’s downtown location makes it easy to combine with other Salt Lake City adventures.
Regular programming includes both educational shows and entertaining presentations that make complex astronomical concepts understandable and exciting for young space enthusiasts.
16. Visit the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Sharks swimming overhead in tunnel exhibits create unforgettable underwater adventures without getting wet. The aquarium’s diverse collection includes everything from playful penguins to exotic tropical fish that captivate children’s attention for hours.
Hands-on touch pools let kids safely interact with marine life, including stingrays and sea stars. These tactile experiences create lasting connections between children and ocean creatures they might never otherwise encounter.
Educational programs throughout the day provide fascinating facts about marine conservation and animal behavior, turning entertainment into meaningful learning experiences about protecting our planet’s waters.
17. Hike to Donut Falls
Nature carved its own masterpiece when water created a waterfall pouring through a hole in the rock. This short, family-friendly hike rewards visitors with one of Utah’s most unique geological formations that kids absolutely love.
The trail follows a gentle creek through beautiful forest scenery, making the journey as enjoyable as the destination. Kids can splash in shallow pools while parents enjoy the peaceful mountain setting.
The “donut” hole creates a natural window that frames the waterfall perfectly for photos, while the cave-like setting behind the falls provides cool relief on hot summer days.
18. Marvel at the Fremont Indian State Park
Ancient petroglyphs and pictographs tell stories from Utah’s indigenous past, connecting modern families with cultures that thrived here centuries ago. Kids become detectives as they search for rock art hidden throughout the park’s trails.
The visitor center’s museum exhibits help families understand the daily lives of Fremont people through authentic artifacts and interactive displays. Children learn about hunting, farming, and survival techniques used by ancient inhabitants.
Guided tours reveal hidden meanings behind rock art symbols while teaching respect for Native American heritage and the importance of preserving these irreplaceable cultural treasures.
19. Ride Horses in Bryce Canyon Country
Guided horseback tours offer a completely different perspective on Utah’s famous red rock formations. Kids feel like real cowboys as they explore the same trails used by ranchers and Native Americans for generations.
Gentle horses suitable for beginners make this adventure accessible to most children, while experienced guides share fascinating stories about the area’s geology and history. The slow pace allows time to truly appreciate the incredible scenery.
Seeing towering hoodoos from horseback creates a sense of scale that hiking simply can’t match, making this a truly memorable way to experience Utah’s iconic landscapes.
20. Explore the Golden Spike National Historical Park
Standing where the first transcontinental railroad was completed connects families with one of America’s greatest achievements. Working steam locomotives demonstrate the power and engineering marvels that connected East and West coasts for the first time.
Interactive exhibits explain how the railroad changed American history while hands-on activities help kids understand the incredible challenges workers faced. The remote location provides a sense of the isolation these pioneers experienced.
Special events throughout the year recreate the famous golden spike ceremony, bringing history to life through reenactments and educational programs that make the past feel immediate and real.
