Every year summer happens to pass me by and I look back at all the fun activities I missed. I promised myself this year would be different and I would be prepared by planning ahead.
After some research, I’ve found there are endless activities you can do this summer to create fun family memories you’ll have for a lifetime. So slather on the sunscreen, grab your shades and check out this list of fun Utah Summer events. To make it easy, we have a free summer checklist printable below.
(Is there an event we should add? Leave a comment and we will add it to the list!)
I recently had the chance to tack on a family vacation with my husband and daughter to San Diego since I was already going for a work conference. One thing I like to do before I travel is plan every detail. I might actually go a little overboard, but what can I say, that’s me! The number one thing I make sure to always have in my back pocket is a list of places to eat. I don’t know about you, but when I get overly hungry, I can get hangry. This is especially true when I’m in an unfamiliar place and trying to find a place to eat becomes overwhelming and time consuming.
I decided to ask my friends on Facebook if they had any suggestions. Turns out, I have a lot of friends who are familiar with San Diego. I figure it’s only fair that I share this awesome list of great places to eat!
We’ve all been to a 1950’s style diner at some point in our life, but Corvette Diner takes it to a whole new level! When we arrived, we were worried we would have a long wait since it was a Friday evening, but we were able to get seated right away. Traveling with a hungry toddler, it was a huge plus! We were guided to our table by a woman all dressed up, top to bottom in 1950’s attire, beehive wig and all. As we walked to our table, you couldn’t help but “ohh and ahh” at the fun and bright environment. (Check out the virtual tour on the website to see all the fun rooms in the diner!) When we sat down, we were showered with straws thrown at our table by dressed up waiters running around frantically having fun and acting in character. As I looked around, I noticed kids and adults with tall straws all placed in their hair, compliments of the waitresses. As we were placing our drink order, music began blasting throughout the diner and our waiter shot up, got in position and started dancing to a choreographed number with other employees. They seemed to do this about every 10 minutes!
The menu was full of home style comfort food, exactly what you expect from a diner. We started the meal with an order of fried pickles. Normally this appetizer comes as battered sliced pickles, but at Corvette Diner, you get pickle spears! It was absolutely delicious. For our meal, my husband ordered the cheese steak sandwich and I decided to go with a classic, a sloppy joe. I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous to try it, but figured it had to be good. I was right! This classic sloppy joe had the classic flavors of your Mom’s home cooked sloppy joes. The portion size was huge–spilling over with tons of meat and topped off with classic American cheese. We ordered a grilled cheese and a glass of milk for our daughter Olivia. Her milk came out with sprinkles layering the top of her lid and a marshmallow on top—she was in HEAVEN!! And we couldn’t leave without getting some kind of dessert for ourselves, so we ordered a brownie fudge sundae. It was to die for, of course!
All in all, Corvette Diner was such a fun, family friendly experience. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect, making a great end to a busy day.
This rustic/industrial pub is right in the heart of the Gaslamp district in San Diego. My co-worker and I were looking for a yummy place to eat lunch in between our conference sessions and I can definitely say we hit the jackpot with this place. I could immediately tell that this place was the perfect hang out spot to meet up with a big group of friends on the weekend. Inside, it’s very spacious with three large communal tables and a huge bar, making it an inviting place to spend an evening catching up and enjoying a few beers. The decor was very trendy and hip, making it a fun vibe to relax and chill.
When we sat down and started looking at the menu, I knew this place was going to be delicious. Half of the menu was full of items that were built from a base of homemade fries smothered in cheese! You can’t go wrong with fries and cheese. You could add any type of meat or veggies including carne asade, short ribs, apple-smoked bacon and more. Even though everything on the menu looked to die for, I decided to go with the typical cheeseburger. I rarely eat red meat and I have to say this was one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever eaten. It was worth it. My co-worker opted for one of the weekly specials, a sweet and sour pork sandwich. This sandwich had braised pork shoulder mixed with a tangy sweet chili sauce, cucumber, pickled carrots and fresh jalapeno on a bao bun.
As if the food and atmosphere aren’t enough, barleymash has entertainment seven nights a week from live bands and deejays to beer tastings and food pairings.
When asking for suggestions to eat on Facebook, a lot of people suggested Old Town Mexican Cafe in Old Town San Diego. Of course, we decided we had to check it out since it was seemed to be so popular. When we arrived we knew it was going to be a long wait since we saw a line out the door. It was a Saturday night, so it was to be expected. We decided waiting to be seated was the perfect opportunity to walk around Old Town and check out the shops. We did have an hour to kill, so what else were we going to do? If you haven’t been to old town, I highly suggest it.
Immediately when you walk in, you see employees making fresh homemade tortillas. I’m pretty sure I overheard someone say you can purchase the tortillas fresh while you wait or order them to take home when you leave. When we finally got seated, the first thing we ordered were drinks, of course. (we just walked around for an hour with a toddler, we deserved it!) I had a classic margarita and my husband was overjoyed to have Pacifico on tap. Apparently that is not common. The chips and salsa were great, although the salsa was a little too spicy for my daughter to enjoy.
The menu was kind of overwhelming with a lot of options, and since we waited so long I was getting a little impatient. I decided not to look too closely at my options and went with what sounded the best in my head, fish tacos. My husband ordered the chili Colorado and we ordered a quesadilla for my daughter. I could only finish one taco before I was completely full, but both of our meals were absolutely delicious.
The atmosphere was super fun and inviting as well. A Mariachi Band toured the restaurant serenading tables and handing out roses. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for great Mexican food in San Diego with the caveat of coming for lunch instead of dinner so you don’t have such a long wait.
Address: 170 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101 Tin Fish Menu
When I travel to the coast, the first thing I think of is, “Where can I get some great seafood?” Let me tell you, I found THE place for seafood in downtown San Diego! The first day at my conference, I was so excited to see this little diner right across the street from the convention center.
The Tin Fish isn’t a formal dining experience but delivers on the quality of food. When you enter the restaurant you step up to a counter, place your order, and pay. It’s a little pricey but once you dig into your meal, you know why. Trust me, you won’t be mad paying the price. With tons of options on the menu it was really hard to choose what I wanted. I opted for a combination of fried shrimp and fish so I could taste a variety of what they had to offer. The batter was perfect and neither the fish nor shrimp were greasy. I ate the entire basket and wanted more!
The UNION Kitchen & Tap was a place my co-worker and I happened to stumble upon when looking for a place to eat lunch in-between conference sessions. This place, like barleymash, has a very rustic but modern feel. The menu was full of great choices, but we decided to stick to some classics. I had the blackened chicken wrap with avacado and Hayden had the cheeseburger. The food was so delicious and had great flavor. The best part about this place was the selection of beer. The UNION Kitchen and Tap would be the perfect place to hang out with a group of friends on the weekend.
One of my favorite things to do with my family is to go hiking. In my opinion, there’s no better way to spend quality time together than outside, free from distractions. Living in Utah we are definitely spoiled. Whether you are hiking along the Wasatch Front or spending time in Southern Utah, we have some of the country’s most beautiful hiking trails.
I love learning about new trails to take my family hiking. It’s important to me to know that the hike is family friendly and dog friendly. (We could never leave Mia at home, that’s just rude!) We recently moved to Layton so we’ve had a great time venturing around the new neighborhood to see what is available. As a family we decided to create a summer bucket list to see how many Utah Hikes we can complete. Below are three of our favorite spots to add to your summer bucket list. These are all moderately easy trails that will get your heart pumping. Grab your boots and get out and enjoy the beauty in our own backyard. Go on…”Take a hike”!
The Adams Canyon Trail is one of my favorite hikes to take with my family since it’s close to our home and ends with a gorgeous waterfall. This is a very popular hike, so arriving early will give you a head start from the weekend crowd. The parking lot is full every time we go so we always plan on parking along the side of the road and hiking up to the trail head.
This is a hike you definitely want to do in the early morning since the beginning of the trail is a series of switch backs with little shade. This is the most difficult part of the hike, so don’t let that keep you from moving forward! It might be a little intense for young kids, but once you get up in the canyon, your little ones will have a blast. There are so many places along the trail head to stop and play in the river and over the bridges. This is also a great trail to bring your dogs because it follows the creek for most of the hike. This makes it easy for them to lap up some water and stay cool on the hot summer days. The trail ends with a gorgeous 40-foot waterfall with a nice pool below, perfect for dipping your feet and relaxing.
If you’re looking for a unique hiking trail, somewhere you can choose your own adventure, the Parish Creek Pictograph trail in Centerville Canyon is the perfect spot! This trail is a fun place to explore that won’t take up your whole day. The trail starts off heading up the mountain towards the canyon. Follow the trail until you reach a bridge that crosses the creek. On the north side of the bridge you will see a small single track trail. You made it to the trail head!
The trail follows the creek as it slips and slides its way down the canyon. During the hike you don’t see a big increase in elevation; however, I would still rate this hike as being moderate because it does require some agility as it’s not an established trail. You’ll find times where you might need to climb up over some boulders or the occasional log.
This hike is perfect for the summer because the canyon provides lots of shade and the creek slightly cools the air. This is not a well-known trail, so you’ll most likely have it all to yourself.
What makes this hike unique are the pictographs. One mile up the canyon, on the north side, you will see a Forest Service marker informing you about the pictographs. If you climb a little further up the canyon around the rocks, you will find them!
This trail is pretty easy but does get a little technical in some areas, so I would leave kids under five at home. Also, don’t forget to bring your dog. They’re welcome on this hike and will love playing in the creek.
Strawberry River City: Heber
Distance: 4 miles roundtrip
Approximate Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: Minimal Map/Location
The Strawberry River is one of my family’s favorite places to visit in the summer when we have a full day to adventure. Most people go to this river for fishing, but we find it to be a fun easy hike to take with our toddler where we can enjoy the beautiful scenery. This is a bit of a drive, since it’s about 45 minutes past Heber, in the Uintah Mountains. When you arrive, you will see the trail head at the end of the parking lot, overlooking the river bottom. (Bonus: There is a restroom in the parking lot which can be much needed after a long drive, especially with children)
The beginning of the hike is a long semi-steep trail that gets you into the river bottom. The trail follows the river as it winds through the canyon. Take in the scenery and you might notice fish darting in and out of the water as you walk by. This is a pretty remote area, so be prepared to see other wildlife such as deer, eagles and even moose. So be careful and aware of your surroundings.
This hike is perfect for the whole family, young kids and dogs included. Bring a picnic for lunch and make a day out of your adventure to Strawberry River.
My daughter recently turned two and to celebrate we planned a family trip to the Happiest Place on Earth…Disneyland! It had been 10 years since my last visit (way too long) and would be Olivia’s first time, so I wanted to make it as fun and magical as possible.
The first thing that popped into my head was to make our own t-shirts to wear on the trip. Sure, I could easily go to the store and find something cute, but there was something special about making my own. I wasn’t sure where to start since it was my first time making anything with vinyl, so I called up my crafty sidekick Ashley for some help! I was surprised with how fast and easy it was to make the shirts, so I will definitely be making more in the future.
STEP 1. Visit a local craft shop and retail store to pick up your supplies. My shopping list included:
Adult Plain White T-Shirt: $5 each at H&M.
Child Plain White T-Shirt: $1.50 each at Old Navy (Yay for clearance deals).
Iron-On Heat Transfer Vinyl: $12 for one roll of black and $16 for one roll of red glitter. The vinyl is the most expensive part of the project, but the red glitter was totally worth the price.
STEP 2. Grab a vinyl cutter and prepare the images you want to use on your shirt. Ashley owns a Silhouette Cameo, which was super easy to use, but because my designs weren’t on a template, we had to look online and upload them to the Cameo. Every system is different, but here is a Silhouette tutorial by Sew Dang Cute Crafts for reference. Just remember, make sure your designs are printed backwards since you are ironing onto a shirt! (That might have slipped our minds…a couple of times)
STEP 3. Drape your shirt over an ironing board and get your vinyl in place. Grab a towel to cover your shirt and start ironing. Run the iron back and forth multiple times. Lift the towel slowly to see if the vinyl is sticking or if it needs more heat. Once it sticks, you’re done!
Every year I swoon over the cute fabric lined baskets while shopping for Easter goodies. So this year I decided to get crafty and make my own. Sewing is not my specialty, so I’m pretty excited about how it turned out. With Easter right around the corner, this simple and easy basket liner tutorial can help you personalize any basket that you already have on hand.
Step 1: Turn your basket upside down over an ironing board. You will then drape and center your fabric over the outside of your basket and pin the fabric tight around the corners and down the sides of the basket. This is a lot easier than trying to cut and sew multiple pieces together.
Step 2: Take the fabric off of the basket and with a ruler, extend the pin line to the edge of the fabric. Repeat this step for all four sides. Next, you will sew a seam along the pin lines, leaving a triangular flap. Cut off the flap on each side, leaving a 1/2 inch seam. If you find the fabric doesn’t fit snug in the basket, make your seam a little closer from the original.
Step 3: Next you need to determine how much fabric you want showing on the outside of your basket. I have three inches showing on my basket. Measure your fabric accordingly and add an additional length for a ribbon casing. The length of your casing will depend on the width of your ribbon. You will then trim off the excess fabric.
Step 4: With the fabric in the basket, make a cut from the edge of the fabric to the handle at the top edge of the basket. The width of the cut will depend on the width of the basket handles. Fold the fabric under and stitch around the edge to get a nice finish.
Step 5: Next you will need to make the casing for your ribbon. Thread the ribbon through the casing and pull tight to make sure the liner fits snug around the outside of the basket and tie a bow at each end.
