St. George, Utah is truly at the heart of the Southern Utah Lifestyle. On December 22, 2008 – St. George Utah was selected by Trip Advisor as the number one emerging hot-spot in the U.S. for 2009. This is the result of an annual survey, conducted by Trip Advisor, of over 3,000 U.S. travelers.
Trip Advisor’s annual travel-trends survey identified that Americans “appear to be going lean and green” as they plan to visit more National Parks, and participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, boating and many other adventure activities.
Why St. George Utah?
A Great Location
Trail running in Southern Utah
St. George is in a prime position to satisfy the demands of this trend with its close proximity to Zion National Park and several scenic state parks. Even Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and several national monuments are within a one to two-and-a-half hour drive of this southern Utah scenic mecca.
Loaded with Adventure
“Several factors are likely contributors to St. George’s ranking,” says regional Director of Tourism Roxie Sherwin. “For one, St. George has experienced a recent growth in the development and promotion of outdoor adventure. We have many companies offering experiences for guided hiking, mountain biking, jeep tours, ATV tours, scenic flights and a lot more.”
Great Entertainment
A second strong influence is the growth of entertainment in Southern Utah. A key to this growth is the Tuacahn Amphitheater. Tuacahn provides an unparalleled live experience. Some folks even call it broadway in the desert.
St. George Utah is a Golfer’s Paradise
Perhaps a third and excellent feather, in the communities cap, is the expansion of golf in the area. The new Sand Hollow Resort golf course recently opened for play, and word is that this is one of the best new courses in the west and certainly one of the most scenic desert courses in existence. “We’ve created a system where visitors to St. George can either call us or go on-line to book hotels and tee-times all in one simple package,” says Sherwin. St. George offers 12 different golf courses ranging in their degree-of-difficulty from community courses to the championship level.
Diverse Geography
The community of St. George is situated in the southwest corner of Utah and is just a few miles from the Arizona and Nevada borders. Its location is in a region where unique desert life-zones come together and the plants, wildlife and geology of this area is exceptionally diverse. Elevations around St. George range from a low of 2,000 feet to over 10,000 feet, leading to great geography for outdoor adventure.
Another outstanding feature that makes St. George an oasis in the desert, are the many rivers and lakes in Southern Utah, available for year round recreation and fun! You find yourself within a couple of hours of some of this countries most beautiful and unique lakes, rivers and streams.
World Class Events
The world has come to know St. George for world class sporting events like The Huntsman World Senior Games, The Ironman St. George Utah and The St. George Marathon. Plan on making your reservations for Southern Utah lodging early as all the Southern Utah hotels fill up fast.
The Calendar of Events in Southern Utah is long and exciting. Soon we will host the annual St. George Parade of Homes: proof positive that the St. George Utah Real Estate market is vibrant and alive.