Arches & Canyonland National Park Guide for FAMILIES | SAVE $ using Credit Card Points

Planning a magical family adventure to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in Moab, Utah, but worried about the cost? We've got you covered! In this 3-day itinerary, we'll show you how our family explored these breathtaking landscapes without breaking the bank, using points and miles!
Here's what you'll discover:
- Epic Hikes & Sights: Witness iconic landmarks like Mesa Arch, Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, and more, with kid-friendly tips for each location.
- Travel Hacks for Families: Learn how we saved on flights with the Southwest Companion Pass, scored a free hotel stay using Hyatt points, and secured a free rental car with the Capital One Venture X card.
- Food Saving Tips - How to keep your large family's food costs LOW.
- Invaluable Tips & Tricks: Gain valuable insights from our experiences to plan your own unforgettable National Park escape!
Trip Plan:
Day 1
- Land early and pick-up the rental. Drive 4.5 hours down to Canyonlands.
- Pick up food supplies either in Salt Lake City or in Moab, Utah.
- Recommend Mesa Arch, Upheaval Dome and end your day at Grand View Point Outlook for Sunset
- Grab a quick dinner; we chose an Italian restaurant called Antica Forma. Definitely $$ but very delicious.
TIP for Canyonlands - We focused on the Island in the Sky region. There are other areas for Canyonlands but require an off road vehicle which our standard rental could not access.
Day 2
- Enjoy FREE breakfast in Hyatt Place Moab
- Drive to Arches National park entrance which is only a few minutes away from the Hyatt Place
- Focus on visiting Delicate Arch which is a 3 hour RT hike
- Bring LOTS of water and supplies to fuel your kids from the hike so they aren't always whining
- Enjoy wolf ranch and it's history, the historic rock art and then ascend up the trail to Delicate Arch
- Enjoy a picnic lunch up at Delicate Arch! Watch out for your children slipping on the rock surfaces!
- After delicate arch, go to north and south window to hike a small trail there
- Easy simple dinner at the hotel and let the kids rest with some screen time and early sleep
Day 3
- Pack up and finish exploring Arches national park
- Stop by Balance Rock on your way up to Landscape Arch trail head
- There are many arches here to stop and look at. We stopped at Sand Dune Arch, Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch before starting the hike to see Landscape Arch
- After getting to Landscape arch you have the decision to continue up and see more. However, for small kids be careful of the slippery surface.
- We chose to keep the youngest waiting with one parent and while the other three kept going to explore a bit
- The drive back will be another 4.5 hours! So remember a toilet break before heading off on the drive.
Ready to embark on an affordable adventure with your loved ones? Watch now and get inspired!
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#ArchesNationalPark #MoabUtah #HyattPlaceMoabUtah #FamilyTravel #TravelHacks #creditcards
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About: I’m Eric, a husband, and father of three boys. Let's be honest, kids are EXPENSIVE! I'm on a mission to create some laughs and share with families on how you can travel without breaking the bank. Our family uses the power of credit card points to travel at big discounts!
You can find us at:
Instagram - / thetravelpointsdad

[@RealSenseMedia]

Kudos to the growing channel ... well deserved. Perhaps it would make sense to add Playlists ...Do you also cover tips applicable in Europe?

[@thetravelpointsdad]

Thank you so much! The playlist idea is a great idea! Unfortunately I'm based in the US and most of my strategies will be focused on the US credit card market.

[@ladybugmom10]

How far is the sand dune arch from the parking area?
Thanks for the tip about the extra socks.

[@thetravelpointsdad]

The Sand Dune Arch is actually fairly close. I would approximate less than 10 minutes of walking with kids on a normal day. It was windy and cold, so my kids were not cooperating and traveling at a much slower pace :D haha

[@Kratosordinson]

Are toddlers and infants allowed to?

[@thetravelpointsdad]

Hi Kratos! When we were hiking, there were several families that had their toddlers / infants in a child carrier. For delicate arch, the path was definitely wide and safe enough for an adult + a carrier. I would recommend to watch infants and toddlers very very closely at Delicate Arch (small bowl area) or keep them safely in the carrier. For the scrambling part, between Landscape Arch up to Navajo / Partition arch, there was a single family that ascended before us with a infant in a child carrier. Both the parents had proper hiking gear for the ascension. We did not ascend with our 4 year old due to his shoes and also my big fear of heights.