Zion - Best Lodging and Food to Crave
Lodging for Zion National Park:
1) Zion Canyon Lodge
For our visit to Zion National Park we stayed in the town of Springdale, UT, which is right outside of the park. This is a lively little town with many restaurants and a few shops clustered together. Not to mention, any direction you look there are stunning mountain backdrops.
Our lodging accommodation in Springdale was the Zion Canyon Lodge. While I would call this more of a hotel than a lodge, it was exactly what we needed and we really enjoyed it. Everything was clean and the staff were helpful. We went during COVID so there was no breakfast option, but that actually worked out well because we found a breakfast spot we fell in love with. (Discussed below).
The room we stayed in opened directly to the outside, which we did not mind, but keep that in mind if that’s something that you have a preference on. I am uncertain whether there are any interior rooms.
Although we rented a car for this trip, we enjoyed walking to some of the nearby restaurants and shops directly from the hotel because there were nice sidewalks and the temperature, even in the evening was unbeatable. (We went in August for reference).
Restaurants at Zion National Park:
1) Deep Creek Coffee
We ate at a couple different spots while in Zion, all of which were located in Springdale, UT, where we stayed. Our favorite spot was Deep Creek Coffee. They opened pretty early so we would eat breakfast here before hiking. Check their website when you go in case they’ve changed their hours, but they were open by 6am when we went.
I really appreciated how the breakfast options were healthy and fresh! It became something we looked forward to each morning. As far as what I ordered, I enjoyed both the bagel options and the acai bowl. I would have tried the coffee, but I didn’t want to dehydrate for the long hiking day ahead, so I can’t speak to the coffee! But please comment if you’ve tried it and let us know what you thought.
This spot gets crowded, so try and go early if you can.
2) Oscar’s Cafe
Oscar’s Cafe is a classic Tex-Mex spot with a cozy indoor/outdoor vibe. I wish I had more pictures of our food here, but unfortunately they got lost in the sauce. The servings were large, which was perfect because we were starving.
Somehow we got convinced into a dessert even though the dinners were incredible alone. We opted to share the Volcano Brownie Sundae and it was colossal and delicious.
3) Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon
We also ate a charming outdoor dinner at Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon. What really made this place the foam on top was the grassy outdoor area with colorful hanging lights. And of course, like the entire town, we had spectacular mountain views while we ate.
We also enjoyed fun ~alcoholic~ drinks here. I forget exactly which ones we got, but they were colorful and yummy, so be sure to ask about the drink specials they have when you go!
A Quick Aside About Zion Hikes
Make sure to check the Zion National Park Service page before you book your trip so that you can get a good idea of what will be open. *Unfortunately I am not posting about our hikes in Zion because many of the hikes we wanted to do ended up being closed because of COVID or maintenance. Feelings expressed in picture form below.*
Lastly, I will say that the Watchman Trail was surprisingly fun! We didn’t expect much because you hear a lot about other hikes at Zion, but this could be a less common hike to add to your list!
For more National Park travel ideas visit my National Park page. Happy travels!