travel
Zion Ponderosa: Lodging Options for a Vacation in Southern Utah
You may have noticed that we really like Zion Ponderosa Ranch and Resort around here, as a great option for a family vacation in southern Utah and because of their great activity and food options. We're all planning our next family reunions there because of those options and because of the many lodging types they offer. Once again, though you might not think there would be a lot of great lodging options for a family vacation in southern Utah, Zion Ponderosa continues to surprise and delight.
Say one's extended family includes a wide variety of people in different economic circumstances and with different "outdoorsy" inclinations. Zion Ponderosa really has something for everyone there. They have:
- a tent camping area
- an RV park
- covered wagons
- cowboy cabins
- full cabins
- a neighborhood of vacation homes of all different sizes
For those on a small budget or with the desire to really experience the outdoors, the tent, cabin, or cowboy cabins are wonderful options.
Zion Ponderosa Lodging Options
Tent Camping Area
For $20 a night, you can rent a canvas tent that sleeps 5-6 people, and they pitch it and take it down for you! Or for $11 a person per night, you can pitch your own tent. All campsites include
- Access to the open use activities
- Wireless internet
- Coin-op laundry
- Hot showers in the shower house
- Picnic table
- Grill
Covered Wagons
The covered wagons are perhaps a step up from the tents, while still providing a fun and unique outdoor experience. Each wagon sleeps up to four people in one queen bed and two twin beds, and can be rented for between $49 and $65.50 a night. Rental of these wagons includes use of the showers, restroom facilities, swimming pool, tennis/basketball courts, and other open-use resort facilities.
Cowboy Cabins
Each cowboy cabin sleeps up to six people, and includes comfortable beds, access to the shower house and community bathrooms, a front porch, and use of the resort facilities. They have no bathrooms or kitchenettes, but they do have a beautiful log-cabin feel that make them feel very cozy and comfortable. They can be rented for $70 - $97.50 a night, depending on the number of people staying in a cabin.
Cabin Suites
The log cabin suites each have a private bedroom, full bathroom, wet bar, front room, air conditioning, satellite television, and a front porch. Guests can choose between a queen size bunk bed or a regular queen bed in the bedroom; all cabin suites have foldout sofas in the front room, and are capable of sleeping up to 6 people. Some of the suites also contain fireplaces. The suites can be rented for $168 to $198.50 a night, again depending on the number of people in a party.
RV Park
If you or your family members will be doing activities near Zion National Park, Zion Ponderosa's RV park is one of the closet with full hook-ups. Each site comes with:
- Access to the open-use activities
- Roomy back-in sites with room for multiple slide-outs
- Wireless internet
- 30 and 50 amp service
- Full hook-ups with electrical and sewer
- Coin-op laundry room and shower house
- Grill
- Picnic table
RV sites can be rented for $52 dollars per night for 4 people, $5.50 for each additional person. The only caveat here is that, if you have a large RV, you may need to take the longer route around the park, from Hurricane to Kanab, to get to and from Zion Ponderosa, as opposed to going through the long and narrow Zion Tunnel.
Vacation Homes
The above options are all really great, but if what you or your family hankers after is hanging out together in a luxurious vacation home, then this option is what you should consider. Just to the south of the central Zion Ponderosa property, where the tent area, cabins, etc. are located, is a neighborhood of beautiful vacation homes, some of which directly overlook Zion Park.
Ranging in size from 1,100 square feet to 6,000 square feet, and in cost from $285 to $1,090 per night, they sleep anywhere from one person to 35 people. They are all beautifully appointed and situated, and some of them come with amenities like:
- Entertainment area with ping pong table and air hockey
- Laundry room with washer and dryer
- Master garden tub
- Gas fireplaces
- 50" plasma TV, and 4 other TVs all with satellite
- DVD/VCR
- Surround sound system
- High speed wireless internet
- Telephone
- Covered decks
- Outdoor BBQ grill
- Conference/theater/basement game room
The vacation homes could be considered the more cost-efficient options, as their cost can be split amongst three or four families, and because they allow you the flexibility of feeding your large group when and how you see fit, with your own groceries or the grocery or catering services provided.
When you're trying to find good lodging options for a family vacation in southern Utah, Zion Ponderosa is the first place you should consider.
All photos courtesy of Zion Ponderosa.
Check out our other travel posts about Zion Ponderosa:
- Zion Vacation Dining: Fine Food at Zion Ponderosa
- Sightseeing in Southern Utah: National Parks and Lodging
- Family Vacation in Southern Utah: Zion Ponderosa
A frequent contributor to Mom It Forward, Jamie Moesser holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in public administration. Before becoming a full-time mom she spent 10 years writing grants and fundraising for non-profit organizations. She now enjoys blogging at HobbyMamas.com, volunteering at her sons’ school, reading, writing fiction, scrapbooking, waterskiing, r/c car racing, and dirt biking.Where do you like to stay on vacation in southern Utah?
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