In July of 2015 we set out on a grand vacation through the southwest. We traveled for 21 days and over 6,000 miles, visiting 5 states and 9 National Parks. We explored new places and met up with old friends. Overall, it was an amazing journey and everyone learned so much. I highly recommend the Foder’s guide to National Parks of the West, we used it when planning our trip and it was a great resource. You can see all my posts about the trip by clicking here.
Day 3 – Bryce Canyon National Park
On Day 3 we woke up at our hotel near Bryce Canyon. We stayed at the Best Western Bryce Grand Hotel and I can say that it was surprisingly nice and the room was larger than I expected. It also has a free breakfast and pool, which were very nice when you’re traveling with kids. There are surprisingly few amenities near Bryce Canyon so I was glad I had stocked up on some snacks and other food before leaving St. George, Utah.
Since I knew we’d be here for a few days we took it easy on our first day in the park. We started at the visitor center where the kids picked up Junior Ranger books. Then we headed further into the park where we walked along the rim, from Sunset to Sunrise point. We attended a ranger program about the geology of the area and learned that Bryce isn’t actually a canyon, it’s technically an amphitheater. My kids are STILL talking about the fact that it’s named incorrectly.
Once the kids had their books filled out we headed back to the visitor center so they could get sworn in and receive their 2nd Junior Ranger badge of the trip.
Since we decided to take it easy with hiking on this day, we spent the afternoon swimming at the hotel and exploring some of the shops outside the park. Cole was in love with the rock shop we found and there was even a place for ice cream. Overall, it was a nice relaxing day.
