8 Prettiest Downtown Strips In Utah

Utah's red rock gets the postcards. Its main streets deserve some too. Murals glow beneath Cedar City's peaks. Vintage signs line Helper's historic strip. Springdale's galleries frame Zion's cliffs from the sidewalk. So park the car. Grab a malt in Ephraim. Browse Moab's Southwest bookstore. These eight downtowns prove Utah's prettiest views often come with a sidewalk.

Moab

Moab is a must-see gateway to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, making it the perfect place to stop, rest, and resupply before venturing back out into the wilds of the west. Milt’s Stop and Eat is a lovely place to rest for a spell and have lunch in the shade. If you’re looking for something to read on your long car or train ride, check out Back of Beyond Books. This bookstore features everything from narrative literature to informational texts focusing on the American Southwest and the Colorado Plateau. It’s just across the street from the Moab Museum, which educates visitors on the nature and history of the area. Right next door is the Moab Information Center, providing maps and information on just about everything in the local area.

Cedar City

The peaks of soaring mountains provide a beautiful backdrop to the historic buildings and stunning murals of downtown Cedar City. Just off of West University Boulevard sits the Southern Utah Museum of Art, which features a beautiful gallery that rotates through the year. Next to that is the gorgeous Randall L. Jones Theatre which hosts a variety of plays and musicals and participates in the award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. You can snag a bite to eat at Centro Woodfire Pizzeria which offers up pizzas, desserts, and craft drinks. Then take a stroll around the beautiful patch of green known as Ann J. Gardner Canyon Park at the foot of Red Hill.

Helper

There’s something about a town being named Helper that makes the heart squeeze. This historic town is part of Utah’s Carbon Corridor, an area rich in coal and train activity during the booming age of locomotives. Even now, Helper is on the scenic train route known as the California Zephyr, allowing riders to enjoy the beauty of the United States from coast to coast without the hassle of driving.

The downtown scene is lined with historic buildings and old signs, rising up against a backdrop of mountain and sky. The Helper Museum will gladly teach you all about the history of this town. Down the way, Canvas Alchemy offers everything from local art to workshops. If you are looking for something quick and easy to eat as you go exploring, the Filling Station is an excellent spot for a hot dog or a bite of ice cream. Guests can stay in the Newhouse Hotel Saloon, which has a genuine operational saloon on the lower level.

Ephraim

Ephraim is a university town, home to Snow College. Ephraim Pioneer Park sits opposite the university, a beautiful space of green dedicated to the history of westward expansion. There is also the Ephraim Heritage Museum within the park, which offers extensive halls of historical artifacts, testimonies, and lessons regarding the deep history of the area. Just up the way, there’s The Malt Shop, an icon of 1950s Americana featuring burgers, malt shakes, and more. There’s also the Granary Arts, a nonprofit arts center that facilitates not just art within Ephraim, but culture and community as well.

Tropic

Tropic is a slice of western living surrounded by farmland. Its proximity to both Bryce Canyon National Park and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument make it an excellent spot to stop and refuel. The Tropic Heritage Center Museum presents the history of this area alongside artifacts, including photographs and documentation that create a timeline of the town’s development.

If you’re looking for a quick drink or snack, Bryce Canyon Coffee Co. is an excellent choice, featuring various coffees and treats. However, if you’re looking for something a bit more substantial, make a point to check out Route 12 Grill. They have a wide selection of tasty food. At the end of the day, the Riverstone Inn is a place to pause and rest on your journey, offering a plethora of quaint rooms with beautiful views.

Midway

Midway is in the western Heber Valley.Due to both its location and its history of being settled by Swiss pioneers, it has been dubbed “Little Switzerland.” Celebrations, such as the Swiss Day Festival and the Midway Volksmarch, bring to life this heritage and are full of food, music, and dance. Midway is also home to snowy mountain peaks that are just perfect for skiing and snowboarding. There is also the Homestead Crater, a natural spring housed within a 55-foot-tall dome of limestone where guests can take a dip and enjoy the mountain waters.

Kanab

If your goal is to see as many National Parks as possible, then this is an excellent location to set up camp. Kanab lies on the border between Utah and Arizona, just outside of the Kaibab Paiute Reservation. It sits almost perfectly between Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks, with proximity to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Willow Canyon Outdoor offers explorers a plethora of supplies they may want or need for their journey.

There is also the Kanab Heritage House Museum, which features a variety of different exhibits and lectures, as well as an orchard. For the film fanatics, there is the Little Hollywood Museum, which offers a peek behind the curtain at how Hollywood used Utah as its landscape in everything from science fiction flicks to spaghetti western classics.

Springdale

Springdale is between Mount Kinesava and Johnson Mountain, not far from Zion National Park. In fact, it is for this reason that many park visitors elect to stay in Springdale. Places like Watchman Campground allow park guests to rough it out under an open western sky, while Under the Eves Inn offers bed and breakfast accommodations out of a 1931 landmark building.

While you are in town, stop in and see the David J. West Gallery featuring truly gorgeous photographs of Zion. There’s also the Worthington Gallery which has showcases of wind sculptures and watercolors. If you’re looking for a place to sit and have a meal, Oscar’s Cafe offers Tex-Mex food out on their shaded patio.

Little Towns and Downtowns

The small towns of Utah reflect a deep and multifaceted past, layered by time and love of community. Each town offers more than just a halfway point on an adventure or a weekend holiday; they offer the chance for a memory to be made. Explore the museums full of letters and artifacts. Wander streets filled with food and music during local festivals. These communities offer it all in and around their lovely downtowns.