Cedar City offers a variety of ways to plan a trip: architectural history, regional art, natural science, trails for different activities, and water-based offerings. When choosing a hotel, it helps to first consider whether you want to focus on museums and history, outdoor activities, or water activities. The time of year may also play a role, since some offerings are limited to the summer season or a specific date range.
History, Art and Natural History
The Cedar City Historic District covers the area between Shakespeare Lane and 200 South, and between 100 West and 300 West. This part of the district was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Its historic buildings represent a wide range of architectural styles, from the 1880s through the mid-1960s. This variety of architectural forms complements the district’s formal recognition with another perspective on its history.
The Southern Utah Museum of Art on the Southern Utah University campus displays works by regional artists. The university’s Garth & Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History has a different focus: it is dedicated to the study and collection of natural history. Interactive exhibits illustrate humanity’s connection with the natural world. The two museums therefore differ distinctly in subject: regional art at one, and natural science and the relationship between humans and nature at the other.
The Frontier Homestead State Park Museum brings the early history of Cedar City and Southern Utah to life through interactive displays and exhibits. During the summer season, hands-on activities are also available, including panning for gold, practicing with a lasso, and doing laundry the pioneer way. If you want to plan for these activities, take their seasonal availability into account when choosing your travel dates.
Trails and Outdoor Activities
Cedar City’s multi-use trail network is open to pedestrians, hikers, runners, and cyclists. One specific trail in Cedar Canyon Park is 3.5 miles long, paved, and scenic. It runs along the banks of Coal Creek into Cedar Canyon. This lets you distinguish between a trail network open to several types of users and a single paved trail with a named route.
These two options address different planning questions: do you want to exercise on a trail network open to multiple groups, or is a specific trail with a set length a better fit for your plans? The trail in Cedar Canyon Park has a clearly specified surface, route, and length. This makes it easy to include as a standalone activity in your travel plans without confusing it with the multi-use trail network.
Water Activities and Travel Dates
Paddleboards and kayaks are available for rent at Lake at the Hills from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Cedar City Aquatic Center at the southern end of Cedar City is family-friendly and offers a splash pad, lap pool, lazy river, water slide, and hot tub. There are different water activities to choose from: kayak and paddleboard rentals at the lake, or a variety of facilities at the Aquatic Center.
For seasonal planning, it’s worth checking the relevant dates. Rentals at Lake at the Hills are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day; the hands-on activities at Frontier Homestead take place during the summer season. If one of these experiences is important to your trip, check the applicable dates for your visit in advance.
Getting There and Accommodations
Cedar City Regional Airport is a commercial aviation facility serving the air travel needs of Cedar City and Iron County, Utah. When choosing a hotel, consider your reason for traveling and the days you plan to visit. First decide whether history and museums, trails, or water activities are your main focus; for seasonal activities, then compare your travel dates with their availability.
Discover more destinations: Brian Head, Parowan.
Go to the overview of the region: Iron.
