3 Days in Moab, Utah Itinerary: What to See, Do, and Eat
With the youngest Camping Kiddo on the Corona Arch Trail in Moab, Utah
You can pack plenty of fun into just 3 days in Moab, Utah!
Plan the perfect long weekend so your family can adventure, hiking, explore, boat, and more in this incredible location.
We adore Moab, Utah, and it is one place that we talk about returning to again and again.
With camping suggestions, adventure options for kids of all ages, and advice for nearby national parks, this Moab, Utah, itinerary has everything you need!
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Moab, Utah: Planning Your Trip
While Moab has a laid back feel like no other place we’ve visited, it remains a popular vacation destination, which means you need to plan ahead.
Before we get to the itineraries, here are the essential questions visitors have before they visit Moab for the first time.
Where is Moab, Utah?
Approaching Moab on Highway 191 with the La Sal Mountains in the background
Moab is a medium sized town on the southern side of Utah, about halfway down the state’s border with Colorado.
From Salt Lake City, Moab is just under 4 hours by car.
Grand Junction, Colorado, just over the Utah-Colorado border, is about 1 hour and 45 minute from Moab.
Denver, Colorado is about 4.5 hours by car.
The town is fairly remote, but that’s part of the charm.
While there are a few smaller grocery stores in town, you’ll want to make sure that you do your major shopping in a bigger city before you arrive.
What is the closest major airport to Moab?
Salt Lake City (SLC) and Denver (DIA) are the biggest airports in this region, so you’ll need to fly into one of those and drive into Moab.
Grand Junction does have a regional airport (GJT), but flights are limited and typical are more expensive.
Still, that might be your best bet if you’re trying to maximize your time in Moab over driving from one of the major airports.
Will I need a rental car in Moab?
You will definitely need a rental car in Moab!
Even if you took an airport shuttle or private shuttle from one of the airports, you’ll still need your own vehicle to get around Moab.
The areas you’ll want to explore are quite a distance from one another, and there’s no public transportation into the national parks or suggested trails below.
If possible, get a Jeep rental (or other high clearance vehicle) while you’re in Moab.
Even if your family doesn’t plan on doing anything crazy, a Jeep is great for traversing the less-than-perfect dirt roads you’ll find throughout the area.
Where should I stay when visiting Moab?
We love the adorable Sun Outdoors Canyonlands Gateway.
Located just a few miles north of downtown Moab, this property offers RV spots, little casitas, and traditional cabins.
That mixture of accommodation options means that we can stay in our Winnebago Micro Minnie 1800BH travel trailer while other family members without an RV can stay onsite, too.
One of the best parts of Sun Outdoors Canyonlands Getaway is the cool Wild West church and wagons on the property!
The Camping Kiddos’ banker in front of the Wild West Bank casita
If you’re looking to do some glamping, the casitas are so much fun.
Each is named after a location in a stereotypical Wild West town (bank, saloon, and brothel, for example), and contains a set of bunk beds, a queen sized bed, and dining table.
The A/C unit will keep your family cool, while the charcoal grill is great for hot dogs and burgers.
You’ll also have access to a communal bathhouse next door and the large firepit for cooking.
>> Book the cabins at Sun Outdoors Canyonlands Gateway here. <<
Plus, when you’re ready to head to your next location—whether that’s south to the La Sal Mountains or north towards Salt Lake City, you can easily access Highway 191, the only road into and out of Moab.
When is the best time to visit Moab?
While Moab is beautiful year round, we love the early spring the most.
The crowds aren’t crazy in April and early May at Arches National Park, but the weather during the day is warm and clear.
NOTE: You will need a reservation at Arches if you’re visiting between April 1 and October 31.
At night, there’s enough of a chill that you’ll want to roast s’mores by the fire.
Are there family activities in Moab, Utah?
Yes, you’ll find a wide variety of family activities in Moab from paddleboarding to dinosaur-themed spots.
We’ve done several Moab hikes with kids from the time the youngest was only 6 months old.
You’ll find that there are trails for every experience level in the areas surrounding Moab.
Overall, you’ll find that the entire Moab community is welcoming to families, and everyone is happy to share their favorite kid-friendly places to explore.
See more of the beautiful US with visits to the best national parks on the West Coast.
1 Day in Moab Itinerary
Our older kiddo and me on the trail near Windows Arch
Plan to get an early start on your only day in Moab as there’s so much to see and not much time to do it all.
If your family is only stopping in Moab briefly as part of a longer road trip, you must see Arches National Park.
It’s THAT amazing!
I’ve compiled my best suggestions on how to tackle just 1 day in Arches National Park here.
While there’s more to do in Moab than you could accomplish in a month, Arches is such a geological wonder—and such an iconic part of the American Southwest—that you need to concentrate your short time there.
Luckily, Arches National Park offers several short, accessible hikes that get you into the heart of the park quickly, all of which I cover in my day-long itinerary linked above.
To maximize your time in the park, plan to go early in the morning and stay late.
Doing so will allow you to see the incredible formations of Arches National Park in a variety of lights and from several different areas of the property.
North and South Windows in Arches National Park
If you follow my 1 day in Arches National Park plan, you will get to see the town of Moab briefly as the itinerary calls for a quick lunch break in a local restaurant.
Moab is 5 miles from the Arches National Park entrance station, so it’s easy to run into town on your busy day of hiking and exploring.
Do plan to stay late in Arches!
It is a Dark Sky certified area, which means you’ll be able to see a vast array of vivid stars.
Yes, it will be a long day for your family, but you’ll come away with a great taste of what Moab has to offer.
If you want more suggestions on what to do in the park, check out my complete guide to visiting Arches National Park with kids.
Dive more deeply into what you’re seeing and doing in the park with the Arches National Park tour on the GuideAlong App.
This app is our go-to when visiting national parks as the guide plays automatically based on your GPS location and doesn’t require a cell signal once the tour is downloaded to your phone.
You’ll get information on the park’s history, geology, wildlife, and more.
Since we can start and stop the tour as much as we’d like, it’s great for traveling with kids.
It’s like having a tour guide in your car with you—but at an extremely reasonable price.
If you’re doing both Moab national parks, there is a great bundle on both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks tours. You’ll save about 30% by purchasing the bundle.
2 Days in Moab Itinerary
Adding a second day means you’ll have time to explore the town and surrounding area a bit more.
There’s SO much to do here that you’ll have to make some tough choices, but there really aren’t any wrong choices when choosing what to see in Moab in two days!
Grab breakfast from Red Rock Bakery and Cafe on Main Street—don’t forget to grab a few cookies for later in the day.
Then, get ready to spend the morning immersed in all things prehistoric!
If your kids are anything like mine, they love dinosaurs.
Moab has several dinosaur-related activities for your budding paleontologist, and we’re going to concentrate our attention there during the morning of Day 2.
Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite
Interpretive sign on the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite
First, head north of downtown on highway 191 and turn left onto Mill Canyon Road.
Keep on this dirt road until you reach a small parking area with a sign for the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite.
Follow the short dirt trail to the canyon wall, where you’ll find fossils embedded in the rocks!
Interpretive signs tell visitors about each fossil section on the trail.
There’s also a raised boardwalk area where you’ll be able to see fossilized dinosaur footprints.
After spending an hour or so at Mill Canyon, we’re off to our next dino-mite adventure!
Moab Giants
Head south on highway 191 towards Moab until you see the sign for Moab Giants.
This incredible museum has indoor and outdoor areas where your family can learn about the fearsome and fascinating creatures who called Moab home millions of years ago.
Plan ahead and grab your tickets to Moab Giants here.
Walk through the dinosaur garden outside, participate in a kid-friendly dino dig, watch a 3D movie about prehistoric life, and let your kids play on the playground.
Plan to spend at least 2 hours at Moab Giants as there’s so much to do.
If you can break your family away from the fun at Moab Giants, there’s one more dinosaur activity left.
Head south on highway 191 past the entrance station to Arches National Park, and turn right onto Potash Road.
Potash Road Petroglyphs and Dinosaur Footprints
Just a few of the Potash Road petroglyphs
Continue along Potash Road for 7 miles, then turn to your right when you see a brown sign saying “Petroglyphs” with an arrow.
Park alongside the road, and then walk on the dirt trail—you’ll see the first petroglyphs less than 1000 feet from the road.
As you walk further along the path, you’ll also see distinct dinosaur footprints in the stone!
For more details on how to find the best dinosaur footprints on Potash Road, this site has GPS coordinates.
Corona Arch Trail
The Camping Kiddos and mama on the Corona Arch Trail
If you can squeeze in one more hike after your dinosaur adventures, Corona Arch Trail is further down Potash Road. The parking area for the trailhead is well marked.
As you hike higher into the cliffs above Potash Road, you’ll be treated to beautiful views of the landscape.
If you’d like to complete the full trail, know that you’ll have to scale a ladder to get to the final arch overview.
The remaining bit of the trail won’t be hard for older kids, but I’d advise turning around at the base of the ladder for families with little ones.
(I know from experience how hard it can be to scale a ladder while babywearing!)
The trail is beautiful at every step, so you won’t feel like you’re missing much if you turn around at the ladder.
Read my complete guide to the Corona and Bowtie Arch trail here.
If you have any more time for another hike in Moab, I’ve got a bunch of suggestions for you in this guide to the best hikes in Moab outside of Arches National Park.
Dead Horse Point State Park
During the afternoon, head over to Dead Horse Point State Park. The park might have a bizarre name, but it has incredible views of the surrounding areas.
The rim trails, running in a horseshoe shape around the park, are all paved and flat, so you can bring a stroller for whichever portion your family would like to compete.
There’s also a short (1/8 mile) paved nature trail that’s accessible from the visitors center, which has interpretive signs along it.
With any time you have left that afternoon and evening, walk along Moab’s main street to do some souvenir shopping.
3 Days in Moab, Utah, Itinerary
During your final day of your long weekend in Moab, head over to your second national park of the trip, Canyonlands National Park.
Canyonlands is far too big to tackle in just one day, but you’ll be able to get to know 1 of the park’s 3 regions, Islands in the Sky. (The other two are the Needles, which is more remote, but still accessible from Moab, and the Maze, which is only for the most rugged of adventurers!)
Canyonlands is also 1 of Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks, which offer up some of the best hiking, camping, and vistas in the United States. Add a Utah Might 5 road trip with kids to your family’s must-do list!
Hiking in Islands in the Sky
The Islands in the Sky section of the park is just over half an hour from downtown Moab, making it a great way to spend half a day of your family vacation.
Keep in mind that, compared to nearby Arches National Park, Canyonlands has nearly no amenities, is far less crowded, and feels more remote.
Bring plenty of water for your family, gas up before you leave town, and use plenty of sunscreen.
I recommend driving the Island in the Sky Road, which winds a few miles into the park, and stopping at several overlooks along the way.
At the end of the Island in the Sky Road, you’ll find a parking lot and the trailhead for the Grand View Trail.
This easy, kid-friendly trail is less than 2 miles round trip, but it leads to a beautiful overlook.
Shafer Trail leading further into Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park 4x4 Tour
If you have older kids who want to see more of the park than a simple hike could provide, taking a 4x4 half-day tour is a great way to adventure in Canyonlands National Park.
You’ll get to cover more ground, go off road, see a mine, arch formations, and more—plus, your kids will think they’re the coolest in their rugged off-road tour vehicles.
Otherwise, plan to do one or two hikes and a couple of the overlooks. For hiking, we recommend Mesa Arch Trail and Whale Rock Trail, both of which are easy and under 1 mile, but offer up excellent views.
The Green River Overlook and the Grand View Point Overlook are highlights if you’ve got limited time.
Whether you opt for hiking or off-roading, you’re working up an appetite after you’re done with Canyonland.
>> For more comparison on Moab’s 2 national parks, check out our head-to-head guide on Arches vs. Canyonlands here. <<
Grab a quick bite to eat at Zax Restaurant and Watering Hole in downtown Moab (ask for a seat on the covered patio upstairs!).
The Kiddos enjoying the outdoor patio at Zax in downtown Moab
Family Friendly Colorado River Boat Tour
Then, jump on the 1 PM family friendly boat tour of the Colorado River, where you’ll learn about the geology, history, and inhabitants of this mighty river.
Because the guides choose areas of the Colorado that are calm, even little kids can go on this tour—unlike others focusing on whitewater areas.
Get your tickets to the family friendly Colorado River tour here.
Spend your last evening in Moab back at the campground, roasting s’mores over the campfire and admiring the beautiful night sky.
Don’t stop there! Moab, Utah, is just one of the many incredible places on our Denver to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary.
Take a dip in hot springs, explore a gold mine, follow in the footsteps of Forrest Gump, and more as you travel through the best of Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.
Or, explore 7 national parks across 2 states on our ultimate Utah to Arizona road trip itinerary!
