Summer Activities Around Cedar City for Kids
Posted: July 15, 2024 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 5 minutes
Every kid looks forward to summer vacation–watermelon slices, pool parties, and enjoying the warm weather with friends and family. But once the initial excitement over the end of the school year has passed, it can be easy for kids to find themselves looking for something to do. Here are some summer activities around Cedar City that the whole family can enjoy.
Experience the Arts
Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) not only houses beautiful and creative art pieces, but it also provides many programs catered towards children! One example is Create Playdate, a weekly, 45-minute storytime at SUMA that includes a hands-on activity and is geared towards children ages 3-5 and their parents/ guardians. In addition to various activities and programs at SUMA, a trip to see the artwork with the kids is always a great option. Learn more about programs, events, and exhibits at SUMA.
Or, pay a visit to the Utah Shakespeare Festival! For younger kids (under 7), the Greenshow is a free, 30-minute performance on the lawn outside the Engelstad theater. With music, dancing, puppets, and snacks available for purchase, the Greenshow is a fun time for the whole family. But be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to watch the show! Additionally, while the bigger performances at the festival don’t allow children under 7, kids older than 7 are welcome to go watch a performance at any of the theaters at the festival! Witness a truly Shakespearean show in the Engelstad theater, enjoy a proscenium theatrical production in the Randall L. Jones theater, or head to the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio theater for a black box theater experience. Learn more about shows, available tickets, and more at the USF website.
Experience the Festival City Farmers Market, which happens in Cedar City year round! Specifically in the summer, take the family out to view the shops of bakers, farmers and other various artisans and also enjoy Festival Wednesdays, which host food trucks and live musicians alike. Plan the next family outing at the Farmers Market!
Explore Nature
There are dozens of small hikes around Cedar City that aren’t too difficult for small children, not to mention tons of drives to beautiful nature icons that get the family outside and celebrate Utah’s unique geography. Here are some of the wonderful options to experience in Cedar City’s backyard this summer;
Hot Springs:
Red Hills Hot Springs
Mystic Hot Springs
National Parks and Monuments:
Zions National Park
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Bryce Canyon National Park
Capital Reef National Park
Outdoor Recreation Spots:
Brian Head
Three Peaks Recreation Area
Thor’s Lookout
Aquatic Center & Lake at the Hills
Navajo Lake
Duck Creek Village
Other Hikes:
Parowan Gap Petroglyphs
Kolob Canyon
Cascade Falls
Mammoth Cave
Ashdown Gorge
Spring Creek Canyon
Kanarra Falls
Hidden Haven Waterfall
Snow Canyon State Park
Coal Creek
Cross Hollow Trail
Old Iron Historic Villages and Nature Loop
Learn about more kid-friendly hikes. Be sure to be mindful of trail, nature and Utah hiking laws and rules. Also, if the kids want to bring the family dog along, be sure to check beforehand if dogs are allowed at the hiking location. And stay safe!
Grab a Snack
Beat the summer heat by grabbing a frozen treat! Or if a sweet tooth is craving something else, here are a few popular dessert options from around Cedar City;
- Dippers
- Tiki Shack
- Slurps Up
- Bulloch’s Ice Cream
- Yummy Tummy Sweets Bakery
- The French Spot
- Silver Silo Bakery & Espresso
- Ganache-d
- Mixrs
- The Soda Nerd
Play and Learn
There are so many hands-on learn and play experiences that families can experience this summer! Here are a few spots around town with fun-filled learning activities for the little ones.
The Cedar City Library not only has books on anything you could imagine, but there are story times all summer long! Visit the library's website for dates and times.
Giving the kids a beautiful view from above the city, Park Discovery has so many play opportunities for the kids, with various playground sets including a play boat, cars, swings, slides, climbing walls and even a rocket! Learn more online.
Frontier Homestead State Park Museum provides thirteen hands-on activities to help children learn about pioneers and what life was like in the early days of Cedar City. Along with exploring the several historical structures at the museum, kids can do things like pan for gold, play dominoes and experience the wonder of other such curios from almost two hundred years ago. Visit the museum’s website for more information.
The Cedar City Aquatic Center is open for more than just swimming. Swim lessons for the little ones are open for sign-ups, as well as children’s hula classes, Tiny Turtles Tumbling, and youth sports such as T-Ball, machine pitch, flag football and outdoor volleyball. Make a splash this summer at the Cedar City Aquatic Center!
The Ashcroft Observatory is open to the public every Monday night (if the weather permits). Learn about all the different constellations in the summer sky and the galaxies beyond this one! For the best experience, arrive at the observatory just as the sun is setting to watch the stars begin to appear. Learn more about the observatory’s hours of operation.
Learning never ceases at the Frehner Museum of Natural History! Open Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to the public, the museum is available for tours and has kid-centered events happening this summer! Wonder Wednesdays and Toddler Tuesdays are a great opportunity for the little ones to experience the history of Southern Utah. With educational programs and various exhibits, the Frehner Museum is a fun way to learn about the wonders around Cedar City. View hours of operation, programs, and exhibits.
Summertime is the perfect opportunity to make family memories with the little ones! From the mountaintop to the local library, celebrate the warm weather and get some sunshine with the kids!
Tags: Cedar City Campus Outdoors Parents Community
