Moab, Utah is a special destination for my family. My husband and I got married at Dead Horse Point State Park overlooking the Colorado River in 2020. Since our first visit, we have decided to go back to Moab every year for our anniversary. This article is about family friendly activities in Moab, especially if you have toddlers.
When you picture Moab for vacation, most people will think of extreme adventure activities like Jeeping, biking, river rafting, climbing, and rappelling. While those are all exciting activities for an adventure trip, the picture looks slightly different when you have toddlers in tow.
On our first visit to Moab for our wedding, we went with family. Since my mom was more than willing to babysit our then 1-year-old, my husband and I experienced the adventurous side of Moab. We went on a river rafting excursion on the Colorado River. My husband and his brothers also spent an entire day taking UTV’s on the Sand Flats and the famous Hell’s Revenge trail.
On our most recent anniversary trip, we took our two-year-old daughter sans a babysitter. So, partaking in any type of extreme sports activity on this trip was out of the question because we wanted to spend our time as a family. Luckily, we found new activities and greatly enjoyed the trip.
So, here are some great family friendly activities in Moab.
Moab Giants
Moab Giants is a dinosaur park that your kids and toddlers will be sure to love. My toddler has been learning about dinosaurs at daycare, so she was so excited about the outdoor Dinosaur Trail, which has more than 100 life-size dinosaur replicas.
This dinosaur park was a great learning experience for the entire family. Since my toddler is pretty young, we opted for the Dino Pass, which offers unlimited access to all of the outdoor exhibits, dig-it-out sites, and the dino playground. This was perfect for a 2-year-old.
At the end of our visit, we popped into the on-site cafe for some ice cream and visited the gift shop for dinosaur toys. Moab Giants is one of the best family friendly activities in Moab.
Hole N’ The Rock Petting Zoo
You’ll find this famous landmark 12 miles south of Moab right off of US Highway 191. Hole N’ The Rock offers fantastic views, a general store, a trading post, souvenirs, and a petting zoo.
The petting zoo offers kids and toddlers an opportunity to see some rather unique animals up close. Resident animals include a camel, a donkey, alpacas, deer, and even a zebra. It can be a fun and exciting experience for your toddler, especially if they’re interested in animals.
Family friendly hikes
There are plenty of shorter, family-friendly hikes in Moab, especially at Arches National Park. Since our daughter still fits in her hiking carrier, we are able to hike trails in the four to five-mile range.
On this last trip, we thoroughly enjoyed the Grandstaff Canyon Trail, which is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Moab. It’s great for families, especially young hikers. A majority of the trail is shaded with very little elevation gain. There are points where you have to cross the canyon stream, which can be an adventure for the little ones.
At the end of the trail, you’ll enjoy wonderful views of a Bridge Arch. It was also pretty cool to see people rappelling in the canyon.
On our visit to Arches this year, we opted to explore the Windows Section, including Double Arch. The Windows Trail is approximately 1 mile, which is a perfect length for budding hikers. My toddler thoroughly enjoyed taking the short stroll to Double Arch, which is a great area for little climbers.
Moab Food Truck Park
We discovered this wonderful food truck park for lunch one day. Located in the heart of downtown Moab, it’s the perfect family dining spot, with a variety of food truck options, a shaded seating area, and a jovial atmosphere.
If you have a picky eater, this is the perfect place to go. My toddler opted to share in our meals and she was especially interested in the shaved ice truck. We ordered a giant, family-sized shaved ice cup and it was glorious.
I have never been to a food truck park, so I thought this was absolutely amazing and one of the best family friendly activities in Moab.
Rotary Park
If your little ones are itching to play outdoors, check out Rotary Park on Millcreek Drive. This park is a three-acre sanctuary that offers a playground, plenty of shade, picnic tables, and a basketball court. It also features a unique hummingbird garden and a treehouse gazebo.
If your toddler is anything like mine, he or she will love a playground filled with fun, musical instruments. While your toddler creates wonderful sounds, enjoy a nice refuge from the heat in the many shaded areas the park has to offer.
Hotel pool
It wouldn’t really be a proper Moab vacation if the kids didn’t spend some time in the pool, especially if you’re visiting in the summer. So, order some pizza and enjoy some time poolside.
Kids of all ages will enjoy this activity. My toddler has been obsessed with pools and swimming since she was one, so this is a great family activity for all. The great thing about Moab is that the pools are open super late. At our last hotel, the pool closed at 11:00 p.m!
If you’re looking for a waterpark, check out the Moab Aquatics Center. They have reasonable prices for out-of-state guests and are located right in Moab.
- Additional reading: Easy to pack swimming essentials for toddlers
The T-Shirt Shop
We discovered this shop last year on Main Street and it was a hit for the entire family. This is a custom souvenir t-shirt design shop where you choose your t-shirt style and design.
There are tons of t-shirt styles and hundreds of designs to choose from. Once you make a selection, the owner screen prints the design onto your t-shirt in a matter of minutes.
I enjoyed it because it was a nice souvenir to take home and it was very reasonably priced. This would definitely be a hit for younger kids who might be excited to design their own souvenir. If they’re not excited about custom t-shirts, there is also a large variety of stickers available.
Final thoughts on family friendly activities in Moab
Moab is a wonderful place for a family vacation. If your family enjoys nature and the outdoors, Moab needs to be on your destination list.
Although Moab is geared toward extreme sports activities, there’s plenty to do for families with young children and toddlers, including swimming, hiking, and a visit to the dinosaur park. As our toddler gets a little older, we definitely look forward to new adventures with her like rafting and ziplining.
I hope you enjoyed this article on family friendly activities in Moab!