Provo, UT

Minnetonka Cave is in very southern Idaho, about half an hour from Bear Lake, which puts it at just a little over three hours from Provo (and still less than a gas tank away). We went there on our trip to Bear Lake, and in fact we ended up spending an entire day on it. It doesn’t usually take up that much time (the tour itself is only and hour and a half), but we hit a few bumps in our plan that I will tell you about so you don’t make the same mistake.

The Hill Air Force Base is just a little over an hour away from Provo, right outside of Layton, and the Hill Aerospace Museum is a fantastic place to go for day out. Mike and I went with his family, and although I wasn’t super excited about it to begin with, I discovered that it’s actually a really fun place to see. The museum is open from 9 am to 4:30 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free, but the museum accepts donations if you feel inclined to contribute.

The Brigham Young University Museum of Art in Provo is one of the principal fine art museums between Denver and San Francisco, and one of the top university museums in the U.S. Located on the BYU campus, the museum has a permanent collection of more than 16,000 pieces with an emphasis on American and religious art. (Although the entire collection isn’t on display at any given time, you can make an appointment for the print study room to see artworks not currently on view).

Provo’s Rock Canyon offers hundreds of rock climbing routes. Red Slab may be the most popular beginner area.

One of Provo’s greatest resources goes largely unappreciated: your lawn. Lie down! Roll! Enjoy! Remember how it feels to enjoy life like a child, if just for a moment.

Spring has lasted a little longer this year than usual, but I still can’t help thinking about those hot, lazy summer days just around the corner. So what do you do if you’re basically landlocked and don’t own a boat? For a die-hard beach-goer like me, it was a challenge to find a few family-friendly lakeside spots to swim, sunbathe, and relax. Deer Creek State Park and Reservoir was one of the prettiest lakes I

Little Sahara State Park (a.k.a. Jericho Sand Dunes) is only an hour from Provo, Utah, and makes a fantastic staycation destination.

One of the greatest things about Bridal Veil Falls is that it can be enjoyed on so many different levels. I “discovered” the falls when I used to run five miles up the river trail from the mouth of Provo Canyon to Bridal Veil several times per week. Nothing felt better than to take my shoes off and wade in the shallow pools at the base of the falls.

I love to visit Gardner Village! It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon with your entire family, and also a wonderful girl’s day out. There are almost two dozen charming little shops, a restaurant and a bakery, and a petting zoo where you can send your husband off with the kids while you indulge in a relaxing treatment at the day spa…or just shop your heart out!

Dinosaur Park is an exciting opportunity to wander into the prehistoric past and imagine what the earth (and Utah) was like when dinosaurs roamed freely. It’s not quite Jurassic Park (and considering how that turned out that’s a good thing!) but you can see and hear more than 100 dinosaurs.