We have lived in Utah for 3 years now and I LOOOVEE the summers here.   Parades and redoes in every little town, fireworks, splash pads, fresh fruit for sale on every corner.  It’s all very American.

Here is a list of things we enjoy with our small children during the beautiful Utah Summers-

 

1. Children’s Parks and Museums- Throughout the state

We just discovered Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden.  For us it was a bit of a drive, but it was totally worth it.  There is an indoor museum and a park in the back- full of trails and life like dinosaurs.  Some of the dinos even make noise and move.  It was awesome.  Find more information by clicking HERE

Utah is full of amazing parks and museums just for kids.  We also love Discovery Children’s Museum in Salt Lake,  the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy, Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, and the Bean Museum in Provo at BYU.  We have spent hours and hours at each of these.

One of the reasons I wanted to go at first was just so I could get a bunch of awesome pictures like this-

My husband said I was a nerd…hahaha!   I even got grandpa to play along.

We would totally go again.  Pack snacks and good walking shoes!

 

2.  Raspberry Picking in Payson, UT.

We do this every summer.  It is a blast for all ages.  It’s just relaxing to be on this beautiful farm picking raspberries with the whole family.  You bring your own buckets and cash.  At the end you weigh your pick’ins, put your cash in a bin, and drive home to enjoy.   You’ll probably have to throw in a few extra dollars for the raspberries little people pick and eat along the way.

*Long sleeves are the best.  Bring water, sun screen, and a bucket for everyone.

 

3. Camping- ANYWHERE

Holy Cow- Utah has some amazing places to camp.  For the little people and first timers pick a spot close to home, just in-case.    Take things for kids like hot dogs to roast, stuff to make s’mores, take glow sticks, swim suites and squirt guns, bubbles, and a flash light for each kid.  Night exploring can be the most fun thing for kids.  Make it fun and simple.  Choose a camp ground that has bathrooms when taking little people.  Their first few times should be fun, so they will want to go again and again.  Camping is the best way to make family memories.   You can reserve almost any camp ground in Utah online.

We went to Deer Creek Reservoir for our first time.

 

4.  City Festivals- EVERYWHERE

Each city in Utah has it’s own festival or week long festival ending in a parade and fireworks.  You could really party almost every weekend in the summer in a different city in Utah. Each is fun and offers different unique activities.

Just to mention a few:

Part City Art Festival

Strawberry Days- Pleasant Grove– longest running festival in Utah

Swiss Days- Midway– Best craft fair in Utah

Lehi Rodeo Roundup

Springville Children’s Art Festival -Part of Art City Days

Provo Ballon Festival– Part of Provo’s Freedom Festival

Stadium of Fire – Part of the Freedom Festival- Carrie Underwood is coming this year!  Fireworks are amazing all over Utah if you can’t make it to the stadium though.  Utah does 4th of July right!!

Timpanogos Storytelling Festival

There are so many more.  Feel free to add your favorite to the comments below!!  I would love to know which ones your family loves.

 

5. Splash Pads- EVERYWHERE

There are splash pads ALL OVER Utah, which is good, because there are A LOT of small children in Utah.  We make a lot of babies here hahaha…  But seriously, the splash pads are great here.  You could make a summer bucket list just for the splash pads.  Our favorite one is in Highland.  It is a man-made shallow river with fountains coming out of the rocks. We bring a lunch and a pop-up tent and hang out all day.  My kids are 6, 4, and 1.  It is perfect for us.  My kids love when I bring plastic cups they can play in the water with.

 

6. Community Pools- EVERYWHERE

Our favorites are Pleasant Grove, Lehi, and Lindon.  I have heard great things about Provo’s new pool, we just haven’t tried it yet.  Almost every city has their own pool and they are nice!  Moving to Utah I was surprised by how nice the public pools are here.

 

7.  Fresh Peach Shakes from Taco Amigo- Lindon and Pleasant Grove.

This is possibly my personal most favorite thing about Utah.  I know what your thinking, a peach shake from a place called Taco Amigo?!  Yes, you haven’t truly lived until you have had one.  I wait all year for these shakes….I can taste it now…  Just trust me, you will be happy happy happy.  They come in August.

 

8.  Lani’s Snow Cones–  In Lindon, Spanish Fork, Orem, and West Jordan.

They are just the best snow cones around!  And that’s all I have to say about that….

That is my list!!  I am excited to explore Utah more as my family grows.  I know there is so much more that we haven’t tried yet or that I’m forgetting to share.   Leave me a comment if I missed your favorite Utah family activity!!  I would love to know what I am missing!