8 Unusual Places to Stay Near Zion National Park

Near Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, find unique places to stay from renovated Airstreams to a pet refuge to safari-inspired glamping tents. Here are 8 of our favorite picks for unique lodging near these amazing national parks.

1. Lie Down Among Dogs, Cats, and Horses

Stay at a cottage, cabin, or RV site on the grounds of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. You’ll have views of horse pastures, juniper forests and walking trails, and maybe even make some new animal friends.

Or you can stay at Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile, a modern motel in downtown Kanab. Choose from rooms with a kitchenette and two-stories or a single room. Rooms feature stunning artwork of animals, trundle beds and water and food bowls for your pets and hip, spacious bathrooms. A large cafe and store set in a gorgeous modern building full of windows and natural light provides complimentary breakfast. You’re steps away from Kanab’s great restaurants and locally-owned shops.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is on 33,000 acres near Kanab, Utah. It runs the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for about 1,600 companion animals such as dogs, horses, cats and domesticated birds. Guests are welcome to have lunch with the sanctuary’s volunteers at the Angel Village Cafe for an additional cost.

For more information:
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
435-644-2001
5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah 84741
bestfriends.org/sanctuary/visit-our-utah-sanctuary/places-stay

2. Snooze in a Tipi

Have a large group or family? Stay in a tipi at Ruby’s Inn Campground with room for up to eight adults. It’s a rustic adventure with no electricity or plumbing, but you are welcome to use the campground restrooms and showers. There aren’t any beds either. Bring your own sleeping bags, camp chairs, camp stove, and cooler. To complete your experience, add a guided horseback ride near Bryce Canyon and some old-time photos at Ruby’s portrait studio.

For more information:
Ruby’s Inn Campground
888-878-9373
300 S Main Hwy 63, Bryce Canyon, UT 84764
www.brycecanyoncampgrounds.com/bryce-canyon-cabins/

3. Stay at a Drive-In Movie Theater

Stay at the gorgeous, modern Yonder resort in Escalante, north of Bryce Canyon. It’s on the grounds of an old drive-in movie theater. Guests can watch movies from restored classic cars before spending the night in a beautiful cabin, renovated Airstream or RV site. There’s even a swimming pool.

For more information:
Yonder Escalante
(435) 274-7222
2020 UT-12, Escalante, UT 84726
www.stayyonder.com

4. Stay at a Ski Resort in Summer

Are ski resorts even open in summer? You betcha. Enjoy the mountain trails, scenic chair lifts and activities such as disc golf, mountain biking, ATVing and archery without the snow. At Brian Head Resort north of Zion National Park, there are two lodges plus condo rentals. Their Cedar Breaks Lodge offers several restaurants, a tavern, game room and a spa. You won’t have time to miss the skis.

For more information:
Brian Head Resort
435-677-2035
329 South Highway 143, Brian Head, UT 84719
www.brianhead.com/summer-lodging/

5. Stay in a Movie Star Room

The Parry Lodge in Kanab, Utah, is where movie stars like Anne Bancroft, Clint Eastwood, and John Wayne stayed when they acted in films on location. So many movies were filmed in the Kanab area that they call it Little Hollywood. Most recently Disney’s 2012 film John Carter and the 2001 Planet of the Apes were set among Kanab’s dramatic landscape. Plaques above each hotel room door note which Hollywood star spent the night. John Wayne not only requested that Parry Lodge build a pool, he paid for its construction and always stayed in a poolside room. The rooms have an older hotel feel, so if you are looking for modern hotel room, you may want to drive a few seconds down the street to some of the national chains in town or the new locally owned inns like the Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile.

For more information:
Parry Lodge
435-644-2601
89 E. Center St, Kanab, UT 84741
parrylodge.com

6. Relax in a Kids-Free Zone

Stressed out moms and dads can gain back their sanity at a resort dedicated to health and relaxation. And no kids under 12 are allowed. At Red Mountain Lodge, you can enjoy your adult time getting a massage, attending healthy-life classes, doing personal-discovery activities, hiking, biking, or practicing yoga. Packages include three healthy meals each day. Still stressed? Participate in their Pound Puppy Program where you can borrow a dog from the local animal shelter and take them on a hike. Or go for the works with Red Mountain’s Wellness Package that adds physician and nutritionist evaluations from the Intermountain Healthcare’s LiVe Well Center.

For more information:
www.redmountainresort.com

7. Glamp Near Zion

Stay at Under Canvas for an unforgettably hip glamping experience. Set on 196 acres bordering Zion National Park, you can choose from a variety of tents, including ones with flush toilets and showers in your private tent.

Open March through early November, Under Canvas Zion offers on-site dining, an outdoor fire pit with complimentary s’mores fixings, in-tent luxury bedding and an adventure concierge to help you plan your days.

For more information:
Under Canvas Zion
888-496-1148
3955 Kolob Terrace Road
Virgin, Utah 84779
www.undercanvas.com/camps/zion/

8. Sleep in an Airstream Next to Zion

Opening in 2023, AutoCamp Zion is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the magic of the desert tucked next to the Virgin River just 20 minutes from the park. Stay in an elegantly renovated Airstream or a modern cabin perfect for larger groups.

For more information:
AutoCamp Zion
(877) 713-3003
1322 East State Route #9
Virgin, UT 84779
www.autocamp.com/zion/