Our extended summer of 2021 RV road trip was one breathtaking, jaw-dropping experience after another. But as opportunities for outdoor adventure goes: Moah, Utah won our hearts.
With a total of 23 nights spent on the road, our stay at Moab KOA Holiday was our longest stint in one place – 5 nights. It was our last stop before heading back east. The itinerary for Moab included Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and the hope of lots of r&r before beginning the long journey back east. The r&r was more f&a (fun and adventure), but you’ll hear no complaints from us.
I am certain we could have spent another 5 nights and had a completely different set of awesome experiences. And isn’t that the best part of traveling – finding reasons you want to go back. But here is a snap shot of our five days in the Utah desert town that won us over and have our whole family daydreaming of our next trip out.
Arches National Park. We spent a full day at Arches, seeing Double Arch, Delicate Arch, and Balanced Rock. The hikes to each site were incredibly accessible for a family with young kids. We did opt to see Delicate Arch from a lower viewing area below the rock, which made for a lesser view, but a very easy hike.
One of the great things about Moab, is that while the iconic arch sites are in the National Park, you can see arches in the rocks on your drive down the highway!
Canyonlands National Park. We hiked the Grandview Point Trail along the gorgeous scenic rim of Canyonlands National Park. On our way out of the park, we stopped at the Mesa Arch trail for a second hike. Our family only spent one morning in Canyonlands National Park, but the area could easily entertain hikers for multiple days.
Deadhorse Point State Park. Driving back into Moab from Canyonlands, we stopped for a mountain bike ride in Deadhorse State Park. We had a fantastic experience and our youngest son got his first junior ranger badge in the visitors’ center. We had heard that Utah’s State parks rival their 5 National Parks, and based on this stop and Kodachrome Basin State Park in Bryce, Utah, we wholeheartedly agree!
Whitewater Rafting the Colorado River. As we drove down the highway, we could spot the rafting trips down in the river. The river was a bit low during our trip, and the rapids didn’t exceed a category 2 at any point in our adventure, but we enjoyed our half day trip rafting trip. (To be honest, this nervous mom may not have handled rougher waters well!) The guides on our trip were personable and knowledgeable. Rafters were encouraged to jump out and swim at points during the trip. At one point, all of the guides created a big circle with the rafts and the kids on the trip all jumped in the middle and swam in the center!
A Slick Rock UTV Sunset Tour. We booked our tour with Outlaw Adventures in Moab. In one four seater Polaris Razor in a line of somewhere between 8 and 10, we left the adventure shop in downtown Moab late afternoon on our slick rock tour. Advertised as a moderate, family friendly ride, I was expecting a leisurely ride through the desert at sunset. Ha! Now, I was carrying a protractor, but I would swear to you that some of the rocks we climbed in that UTV were danger close, if not AT, a 90 degree angle. It was a total hoot, and offered endless absolutely stunning views. The plan was that at the halfway point, everyone would stop for a short hike to an overlook and pictures. And then for the ride back, the second adult in the UTV could take a turn driving. Umm…no. I did not drive. Because the terrain was terrifying, and I still don’t understand how we remained on four wheels the entire ride. Normally when I chicken out of an experience, I feel some regret over a missed opportunity. Not on this one. Nope. I want to go back to Moab. I would take that sunset tour again in a heartbeat. I’m still making Mike drive!
Moab Giants Park. An open air dinosaur museum, we spent an afternoon at Moab Giants for the boys, but I think the adults enjoyed it just as much! There is a dinosaur trail to walk (or be pulled in an adorable dino egg cart!), a kids archeological site for digging up dino bones under cooling shade canopies, and an awesome playground. Indoors they offer an interactive show with a fantastic surprise ending.
Bar M Trails. We took our bikes for a ride to the Bar M trails while in Moab too. Aside from miles of mountain biking trails, they also offered a pump track. Our boys love BMX, and they spent over an hour enjoying the pump track after a short mountain bike trail ride.
Moab KOA Holiday. Traveling with kids has made us KOA fans – especially of the holiday and resort-level campgrounds. Our kids are great travelers and are great at making their own fun wherever we camp, regardless of the campground amenities. But what’s not to love about having a pool, mini golf, playgrounds, Gaga ball pit, firetruck rides, and planned activities while camping that so many KOAs offer?
The Moab KOA Holiday played a big role in how much we enjoyed our stay in Moab. The swimming area was beautifully maintained and the pool and hot tub were both huge. Maybe I’m sheltered, but it was the biggest hot tub I’ve ever personally seen. We were too busy exploring Moab to take adventure of any planned activities on site, but we did do a lot of swimming and hot tub soaking, and we loved relaxing by the fire while the kids played cornhole and made friends in the common outdoor area.
The Jailhouse Cafe. Okay, okay. This is not adventure. But it is the restaurant where I ate the best meal of my life. Hands down. Now, I’m really not a foodie. I mean, I love to eat. But as I’ve written in other posts, and as anyone who knows me well knows, I’m not a big fan of spending money on eating out. I like to cook, I’m decent at it, and there are many things I would like to spend money on in this life other than restaurant tabs. But Jailhouse Cafe. I had a breakfast burrito. It was the most delicious food item I have ever tasted. One of my boys had a waffle. It was the most delicious waffle I have ever tasted. I still daydream about this place. I will eat there multiple times the next time I am in Moab.
