St. George With Kids: Where to Take Them
Everything is close, much of it is outdoors, and a lot is free. Where to take the kids in St. George, from Thunder Junction to the dinosaur tracks.
St. George is a genuinely easy place to travel with kids. Everything is close, a lot of it is outdoors, and much of it is cheap or free. Here is where the parents I know actually go.
Thunder Junction
This is the big one. Thunder Junction is a huge, dinosaur-themed, all-abilities park at Tonaquint with a splash pad, a climbing wall, ziplines, and a little train that loops the grounds for a dollar a ride. It is built so kids of every ability can play, and it will burn off a whole morning. Free to get in; pack swimsuits for the splash pad in summer.
Dinosaur Discovery Site
Right in town, this museum sits over an actual bed of Early Jurassic dinosaur tracks. Kids can walk the trackways, make a fossil to take home, and it is all indoors and air-conditioned, which is a lifesaver on a hot afternoon. Admission runs around ten dollars.
Water, when it is hot
Fire Lake Park out at the Ivins reservoir is a mellow spot to swim, kayak, or let the kids try fishing. In town, the St. George Recreation Center has an indoor pool with slides. And honestly, most summer afternoons the best move with kids is whatever pool is closest.
Easy outdoors
For a short, fun hike, the Petrified Dunes at Snow Canyon and the Red Hills Desert Garden downtown both work great for little legs. Neither takes long, and both feel like a real adventure at that age.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free thing to do with kids in St. George?
Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park, a large dinosaur-themed playground with a splash pad and climbing wall, is free to enter. The train ride is one dollar per person.
What can kids do indoors when it is hot?
The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site is an air-conditioned museum built over real dinosaur tracks, and the St. George Recreation Center has an indoor pool.