As a lover of history, I enjoy visiting old homes and learning about the early inhabitants of them…read more Real people lived here with real lives and that fascinates me. I love to look at the beams of wood in the ceiling and imagine someone decades ago that would have been looking at those same beams of wood. The LDS church owns and staffs the museum and dictates the script that is shared with visitors. Their narrative claims that Jacob Hamblin was called on an "'Indian Mission' and had great relationships with the Native American people." Strange, then, that the Mormon Pioneers still felt the need to set up homes in forts with 12 foot walls surrounding them. I think there's likely more to the story and includes the fact that the Mormon pioneers took over land from indigenous tribes by force. However, this review is about the home/museum and that in itself is interesting. Just take the story with a grain of salt and perhaps do further research do get the full perspective-not just one side.

We thoroughly enjoyed touring the home of Jacob Hamblin and learning the history of the family and…read morethe property, as well as the area.

Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs is a designated wilderness area within the Vermillion Cliffs…read moreNational Monument, which straddles the border between Utah and Arizona and is approximately 40 miles East of Kanab, UT. This wilderness area wraps around the northern side of the monument and encompasses the Paria River canyon and other smaller, connected canyons. It is also the site of the famous landmark known as "The Wave," though that area (called 'Coyote Buttes North') is only accessible via permit; and such a permit can only obtained via a lottery system. But if, like us, you don't win that lottery, this beautiful area still has plenty to offer, namely: stunning slot canyon hiking. PCVC wilderness area is accessible via three trail-heads on two different roads off Hwy 89. We chose the Wire Pass trail-head off House Rock Road, which involved just over 20 miles of driving on a winding, sandy (and sometimes rutted) dirt road off the highway. (Note: this road is not passable after heavy rain). Our destination was the Paria River canyon itself, which can be reached from the the trail-head by passing through Wire Pass. Long story short, our hike was beautiful. Wire Pass itself narrowed from a wide 'wash' to a narrow slot canyon about 50 ft high, and we could feel the temperature drop about 10 degrees as we entered the latter. There was at least one semi-treacherous spot where a steep, blind climb-down over a large rock was required (I was glad to have long legs). The canyon opened up a bit at the confluence with Paria River canyon, before transforming again into a wider but much deeper slot canyon downstream. But due to the dangers of flooding in this narrow space, we ended up turning back before our planned turnaround point, since we sighted (and heard) some big thunderheads about 20 miles or so upstream. (We agreed not to die of stupidity). But we still had a great day. Other things you should know before visiting Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliff Wilderness: -- A permit is needed for backpacking overnight in Paria Canyon -- Don't think you can just sneak over to 'The Wave' without a permit. It is patrolled daily; and fines range from $1k to $10k. They've even been known to impound vehicles -- If hiking a long distance in Paria canyon, you will get wet; wading through some deep pools may be required (so bring water shoes and hiking poles) -- All poop must be packed out (You heard me) -- Local monsoon season is June - Sept; best avoided for flash flooding

This place is so cute and locally sponsored! It's perfect for a day of exploring when it's cold…read moreoutside. There is so much to do and the toddlers absolutely love exploring here. I highly recommend this museum!

We had so much fun exploring the children's museum on our last trip!…read more It's definitely a perfect escape from the heat while visiting. It can get pretty busy so be prepared for that! It's such a cool immersive experience for kids of all ages!

How tall do you think this mammajamma is? Wrong...it's taller than that. Go see. It's a quick…read moredetour from I-15 and is a nice place to stretch your legs. It's on private property so be cool. When I was there they also had some self-serve stray bales for sale. You can tell the owner puts some love into their property. Nice work, owner. Thanks for the roadside attraction. Plenty of space to pull over/off the road, even if you were pulling a trailer, etc. They have a spot you can toss your old plates so they can add them someday. Some questions: How do they get up there?! Is there a Maryland plate? (The good folks at the MDOT are kooky about recovering their old plates!)

Mood - Weird Stuff Part 2…read more As I was in the area def wanted to check out more things to arouse my curiosity. This pole came on my radar. The rain started to pour down and it became a bit of an adventure. Upon arriving you cant miss it. This pole is clearly seen from the intersection. It is on private grounds. The pole stands 81 feet tall and is adorned with license plates from all 50 states. Kimball Gardner is the proud owner of this roadside attraction as it sits in his yard. He welcomes you to drop off any plates you would like to have added to his continual work in progress. This work of art started in a smaller state of mind and after gaining much attention the pole had to be increased in size to allow for all of the plates that have been donated to his cause. Would def recommend as it is something to see. Even if just once. Pricing is free. However be mindful as it sits on private property. Location is E Washington Dam Rd - St George UT, ample parking on the street.

Think of this as Grand Canyon lite, or what the Grand Canyon must have looked like in its infancy…read more This is a vast expanse of rolling meadows and buttes so it is not a day hike. Go there in a jeep from Mesquite NV and have fun on the dirt roads. Bring food and water because it will be a several hour drive - an hour each way to and from the park and however long you want to stay there. We have not yet camped there, I am sure it would be a fantastic experience though and will post updates on our next trip there. I posted a couple photos, beware joy riders with shotguns (they only shoot signs, not people, I hope!)

Absolutely fascinating place, wonderful staff and so much information! A must see if you're in the…read moreSt. George Area.

Fun place. Our tour was free. Hal was great guide, and it was fun to learn a bit of history.read more

Wow. I can't believe that this place is free…read more Parking is sparce, especially when they have the holiday lights at night. But there is overflow parking down by pioneer park. We wandered through for about 45 minutes, mostly because I was taking so many pictures. There are several different areas, types of plants, etc. I didn't get to see it during the day, but from what I saw at night there is a nice mixture. The holiday lights are well done, and thoroughly scattered throughout the entire garden. There are several different styles. Great photo opps. Check out my photos.

Review of the Christmas lights…read more Really enjoyed this place. And it's free! St. George, you're doing it right. It's a family affair here. Chilly and all, we bundle up, pack the car and head to Red Hills Desert Garden for the Christmas light. It's transformed into a beautifully lit park for the holidays where we can walk around and enjoy the lights with the family. There's an area where you can go a floor below and see a small aquarium/ fish tank area. The kids enjoyed it here. Christmas lights really get us in the spirits and this place really does. Parking at night can be challenging and the drive to go park is quite dark. I suggest you bring a good flashlight to help the family walk from the parking to the garden.

The team here was great and the pilot Kevin did awesome for his second flight (lol). thank you all…read moreand see you next year.

This was such an incredible experience for my family. Thank you Kevin! Your kindness and dedication…read moreis truly appreciated!

Great spot to visit to check out the area and surrounding shops…read more There is free parking all over nearby too. The restrooms were open and clean. The town square has a myriad of things including some picnic tables, art work, sculptures, and music playing through some speakers in the nearby tower. While sitting there enjoying a picnic lunch a roadrunner decided to show up and it was funny to see some little kids chasing it. The bird was probably stressed but the little kids thinking they had a chance to get close it it was making me laugh. All we needed was a coyote (meep meep). There is a carousel, a splash pad, and lots of art sculptures. The area is lit up right now in Dec, with Christmas lights, and they are done pretty well. There are plenty of shops and restaurants nearby within 1/4 - 1/2 mile, easy to walk around. Check out my photos.

They have a free splash pad. The tabernacle and Brigham Young's home is in this area and are free…read moreto visit. Lots of fun activities are usually going on. Definitely would recommend. Parking can be a little difficult so get there early