One week in Moab with kids

We went to Moab for the boys fall break this year. It is one of Michael’s favorite places ever and though to be totally honest I was not at all excited to travel there to go “re-visit memories and places and take photos” he has done with past relationships I was excited to go and create memories with the boys and it being the five of us. The boys and I had been there before also but not at all to the length of trip and activities we did this trip.

Moab in my opinion is stunning. The people and service on the other hand is not my favorite. I think it’s hit or miss in these smaller towns. You would think though being a small town relying mostly on tourism, the people would be super gracious and kind because they want you to come back. Not the vibe here but we did meet some awesome people on the trail!

We stayed the entire week and did a mix of two hotels and camping. Which was perfect to mix it up. We drove from Denver and spent the first night in Grand Junction. We woke up early that next morning and headed to Moab.

The Stay

The first couple of nights in Moab we stayed at the Radcliffe Moab. It is a luxury boutique hotel located right on the Main Street.

The room we stayed in was a double queen. The Radcliffe sits in a really great location. The room was modern and updated. The shower was beautiful and spacious. For being in Moab for an entire week we traveled with a lot of gear and the gear storage was super useful!

I love that the Radcliffe Moab is a partner with Purple mattress. Our dog Manga was super happy in his bed!

It really doesn’t matter what time of year, the boys love the pool and being in Moab was no exception. Locals said we traveled at one of the busiest times of the year because the weather was perfect. It sat right at the mid 70s the entire week. Going in the dead summer is brutal I’ve heard and also going too late could bring some uncomfortable cold temps! However we really didn’t see a whole lot of people on the trails or at the “iconic” touristy spots which was super awesome for us! Our fall break fell in the middle of October. The Radcliffe has a beautiful pool and lounge area. It was the perfect way to unwind after a long day on the trails!

The hotel restaurant Il Posto Rosso had our favorite meal. We all had pasta and one of the most divine deserts ever!

The Trails

We had big plans to initially do all of these trails but ended up keeping a slower pace and enjoying our relaxing week!

A highlight was doing a trail called Poison Spider. It was a 5.9 mile trail that took all day. We got breakfast and started around 1pm and got done just in time to star gaze for a bit and back to town about 8:30pm that evening. We met the cutest newlywed couple on the trail and ended up spending the day with them. That is one of my favorite things about doing trails is the people you meet along the way! We packed food and drinks and had a little picnic along the way. So much fun!

The Waterfalls in Moab

We all love Jeeping but the boys also really love to hike! We found a cute waterfall called Faux Falls which was perfect for Manga and hiked to another waterfall called Mill Creek. Both super close within a 20 minute drive of each other and not busy at all!

The Parks

I bought an annual national park pass when we went through Gunnison earlier this year and forgot it. I had to buy the day pass for $30 which was a bummer but worth it for the iconic Delicate Arches photo. The hike to the Delicate Arch is 3 miles roundtrip. Bladen led the way and when we arrived we were super excited to find it not busy at all!! If you want to stargaze you can get into Arches for free after 5pm. We went back one night to watch the stars in Arches and I highly recommend. There was only one other couple we saw the entire time!

We went to Dead Horse State park to watch the sunset which was so beautiful! The views go on forever and it is truly an incredible sight!

The Tips

1. Reminder you cannot take your dog into national parks so plan ahead in advance on leaving your pup at the hotel.
2. Don’t forget your park pass like me or you’ll have to buy an over priced day pass.
3. The City Market is right on main street and easy to grab sandwich making materials and save some money on food.
4. Pack for warm and cold weather. Layers!
5. Research the trails if you have a dog, some trails are not dog friendly!
6. The Starbucks in City Market is SLOW. Mobile order and pick up. You will thank me later!
7. If you get stuck on the trails, you can call the trail mater at Moab Motorsports.

The Views

Our last night before we headed to do the Rim Rocker trail and camp on the way back to Denver we did a scenic trail.

We had a magical week in Moab. There was so much we still didn’t do and I’m excited to go back next year! Let me know if you go and if you have any questions I as always am an open book!

XOXO,

Erin