Places Near Zion

Cedar City, Utah

A college town with more cultural life than most towns its size, Cedar City is a worthwhile stop for travelers on the I-15 corridor or headed for Cedar Breaks - not a base for Zion itself.

Sandstone slickrock and pine trees on the east side of Zion National Park

Why Go

Cedar City is home to Southern Utah University and the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival, which runs June through October. That gives it more cultural life than any other town its size in the region. It is also the jumping-off point for Cedar Breaks National Monument, a Bryce Canyon lookalike with almost no crowds. Both the festival and the monument are reasons to make the trip on their own terms.

What It Means for a Zion Trip

Cedar City is about an hour's drive from Springdale, so it is a side trip rather than a place to stay for Zion. It sits right on I-15, which makes north-south travel easy. The illustration on this page is a Zion photo, not Cedar City - we have no photos of the town itself yet.

Where to Stay and Eat

The site has not reviewed lodging or restaurants in Cedar City, and we would rather not guess. Look for a college-town mix of hotels and local restaurants near the university and downtown, and check current listings. If Zion is your goal, where to stay near Zion and where to eat cover the towns we do know well.

Getting There from Springdale

At about an hour away, it is much farther than nearby towns like Rockville. See our full list of places near Zion for closer options.

A Note on Timing

If the festival is a reason for the trip, confirm current dates and programming with the festival itself before you plan around it. The city's own site is cedarcityut.gov.