Living in the Las Vegas area, I have been exploring different cities that are within driving distance from where we live. St. George, Utah is a hidden gem nestled just 2 hours north of Las Vegas, Nevada and about 4.5 hours south of Salt Lake City, Utah. Although it is known for its incredible landmark Zion National Park, St. George has many amazing options for families with babies and toddlers. St. George toddler-friendly outings range from fun, expansive parks with play structures to interactive exhibits. Here are 7 of the best St. George toddler-friendly outings that you should definitely work into your itinerary if you are visiting this amazing city with your little ones!
1. Cottonwood Cove Park
This beautiful park is located along the Santa Clara River just off of S. Dixie Drive. When my little ones and I arrived in St. George, the first place we actually visited before settling into our Air B&B was Cottonwood Cove Park. We arrived just before sunset, and Cottonwood Cove was perfect for a quick evening stroll after our two-hour drive from Las Vegas.
This park is stroller-friendly with paved, well-maintained walkways and a gorgeous view of skyline and mountains with plenty of trees, grass, and even some flower bushes if you happen to visit at the right time. If you take the main walkway downward a little past the picnic tables, you will also come across two playground structures—one for toddlers and one for older kids. I didn’t get photos of my toddler playing on the play structures, but I definitely will next time!
Cottonwood Cove is perfect for a quick 15-20-minute outing or a longer outing with your little ones. For longer outings, just bring along a cooler and picnic blanket to eat at one of the tables or on the huge green lawn.
2. St. George Town Square
During the summer, St. George can get pretty hot. A fantastic place to bring your toddler to cool off on those warm days is Town Square. Town Square was definitely one of our top 3 favorite St. George toddler-friendly outings, and we honestly loved it so much, we went there twice during our week-long stay. Town Square features beautiful paved walkways with historic buildings, large green lawns, and clusters of beautiful trees. The whole area had almost a Northeast vibe, like places in Massachusetts or Connecticut. It also felt a little like being on a beautiful college campus.
In addition to being a lovely place to walk around with the stroller, St. George Town Square also features a really unique man-made lazy river and a creek with small waterfalls, seating areas within a shaded pavilion, large interesting art sculptures, a large splash pad, and even a carousel. The carousel wasn’t running the days and times we went, but we definitely hope to include that in our next visit.
St. George Town Square is literally steps away from the St. George Children’s Museum. You can easily plan to do both visits in one day if you’d like. We actually planned our visit by enjoying the splash pad and lazy river first earlier in the morning when it wasn’t too hot, then making our way over to the children’s museum. The location in Downtown St. George also makes it a great place to eat and relax as well after a nice day in the sun and water.
3. Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park
Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park, located within Tonaquint Park, is another place we visited twice during our St. George trip. This park is a fantastic option for your toddler if you are looking for a variety of fun play options that are also accessible for kids of various abilities. Featuring exploration areas, slides, swings, a splash pad, a music-making area, and more, Thunder Junction is a must-visit if you’re seeking a St. George toddler-friendly outing. I recommend planning to visit the park early in the morning as soon as it opens. That way you can beat the rush and get a good parking spot.
4. St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site
When I looked into this spot for our visit to St. George, UT, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I also wasn’t quite sure if it was actually toddler-friendly. Since this was part of the Las Vegas GetOutPass experiences, I was curious and decided to go ahead and give this place a try. And I’m glad I did! I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with this place!
First of all, I didn’t realize going in that this location was actually a real excavation site for fossils. When you enter, there is a roundabout walkway that takes you around a large area where paleontologists found fossils and are continuing to search for more. You can watch short videos and read details about their findings along different parts of the excavation site. It’s absolutely fascinating!
When we checked in, we were given a scavenger hunt sheet that made our visit even more fun. An expert who worked at the site also chatted with us and explained a lot of information about the displays. He was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about all the incredible work they are doing there.
When we finished walking the main area, we took a break in the kids corner near the front entrance. There were two sets of tables with chairs—one for toddlers and one for older kids. Next to the toddler table there was a bin of dinosaur toys and TONS of dinosaur books. My toddler absolutely loved this area! He spent so much time in the kids corner and didn’t want to leave!
There was a really nice outdoor display area for kids to walk along too. However, we made this super quick since it was over 100 degrees the day we were there. We cooled off by browsing the gift shop where my toddler found a new dinosaur book to buy.
I really was surprised how cool this place was! I definitely recommend it for curious toddlers (and adults) who love dinosaurs, paleontology, geology, and history!
5. Hidden Valley Park
Hidden Valley Park is easily one of the best playgrounds I have taken my toddler to! It is tucked away in the back of a neighborhood area in the southern part of town. This playground features a huge, well-maintained play structure with tons of space for running and exploring. Compared to other playgrounds, it is also well-shaded.
There is also a smaller toddler play structure, although that one does get a lot more sun exposure. Beautiful grassy areas and tons of trees surround the playground. It is also next to a covered picnic table area. There is also a splash pad that we didn’t get to see this time, but hopefully next time we will!
I wish we could have come to this park more than once. But it was a little bit out of the way compared to the other places we visited. But it is definitely worth including on your list of St. George toddler friendly outings!
6. Rosenbruch World Wildlife Museum
Rosenbruch World Wildlife Museum was another experience included in the Las Vegas GetOutPass. It was also a place that I wasn’t sure what to expect. This museum is located in the Visitor Center, so it may be a little difficult to spot at first. When we arrived, we parked on the other side of S. Convention Center Dr. and then walked over to the building entrance using the crosswalk and sidewalk.
After signing in and paying at the front desk (the desk to the right directly in from of the entrance, not the desk to the left), you can walk right into the exhibit.
Rosenbruch features two levels of over 300 taxidermy animals in sets matching their habitats. Each section included signs with information about each animal. All of the animals and their staged habitats looked so realistic, and the information was very educational.
Following the walk through the museum, we made our way to the Interactive Children’s Gallery. My toddler loved this area, and he didn’t want to leave! Although the main displays are hands-off, the kids area has displays that the kids can actually interact with in addition to animal- and habitat-related puzzles, games, and books.
One thing to note is that there is an accompanying audio presentation that you can view on your phone. We actually didn’t know about this, so make sure to ask the registration about how this works!
7. St. George Children’s Museum
Last but definitely not least is St. George Children’s Museum. Located steps away from St. George Town Square, this museum is an absolute must-visit for you baby, toddler, or child.
There is something for every child at this museum! In addition to many themed rooms (e.g., a theater, a science room, an art/sensory room, a store, etc.), this museum has an incredible library and a toddler area. The museum is gigantic, and I’d actually recommend either making multiple visits or splitting your museum visit into two time slots (maybe before and then after lunch). There was so much to see, and we definitely didn’t get to see it all even though we spent hours exploring there.
The St. George Children’s Museum was definitely one of my toddler’s favorite places to visit while we were in St. George, and I have no doubt your child will likely love this museum too.
Traveling to St. George with Toddlers
Traveling with toddlers can be challenging but fun! One of the keys to planning a successful trip with your little one(s) is to plan out some toddler-friendly outings. If you are in the process of planning your trip to St. George, I hope you found this post helpful. For more travel posts, feel free to browse the travel page at Wildflower Homestead!
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