Watchman Villas

Where to begin when planning a trip to Zion? Not everyone is an expert, intuitive vacation planner. Some of us need a little help and guidance to get started. This article provides basic information that should lay the foundation for any trip to Zion National Park. We’re not going to tell you where to eat, what hikes we think are the best, or what Zion hotels you should stay at. That will be up to you to decide. The info here will be more fundamental than that. Let’s start with how to get here. Getting to Zion Las Vegas has the closest airport to Zion. If you’re flying here, McCarran International Airport is the airport to fly in to. From there, it’s between a 2.5-3 hour drive to Zion. Take I-15 north and get off the Hurricane, UT exit (Exit 16) and don’t turn off that road for about a dozen miles at which point you’ll turn right onto Hwy 9. 20 more miles and you're there. (These directions are the same for those coming from anywhere north of Hurricane, UT. Take I-15, get of...

Most people who enjoy traveling even a little bit are familiar with The Mighty 5, the nickname given to Utah’s five national parks. For those who may not have visited some of these places, we want to give you a brief overview of each one. Though Zion is the most popular of the five, the other four are simply incredible in their own right and play an enormous role in the rise of Utah’s tourism star. Utah’s Mighty Five are as follows: Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Bryce National Park, and Zion National Park. Capitol Reef National Park Of all the national parks in the state of Utah, this is the one that sees the least amount of annual visitors which truly is a shame because it is incredible. It is perhaps best known for the rugged white domes and cliffs as well as the many ridges, buttes, monoliths, and canyons that exude many different colors and are quite a sight to see. One popular location inside the park is the Burr Trail Scenic B...

Two weeks ago my wife surprised me with a birthday present I didn’t expect: a two-night stay (without the kids) in Springdale, UT at Watchman Villas, the town’s newest and nicest vacation rental. Though I’ve experienced many a Zion lodge in my days, I had heard a lot about this one and driven past multiple times but never stayed the night. I was very much looking forward to the experience. I’m going to tell you all about it, but before I do that, I’ll skip to the end for just a moment and let you know that the place is incredible. Everything about it exceeded my expectations. First of all, the location. It’s perfect. My wife and I basically walked everywhere. A few minutes of walking in one direction put us at the front door of the Switchback Grille and Jack’s Sports Bar. We ate two different meals there including dinner on Super Bowl Sunday. A few minutes of walking in the other direction takes you to Springdale’s grocery store, Sol Foods Supermarket, which was extremely conveni...