Last month I started writing about my trip to Utah. This is the last story about my trip that I want to share with my precious readers here.
The reason we headed to Utah was to visit Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. I have to say that Zion National Park is my favorite of all the national parks yet. Although the park is never free of people, it has an ambience or serenity. The Virgin River is utterly refreshing as it runs wildly through the park and soaring vermillion walls that surround the sparkling waterway are magnificent.
Most people go to Bryce Canyon to enjoy the many perspectives of the famous hoodoos, but in my opinion the hidden waterfall at Mossy Cave in the northern section of the park is a lot of fun and quite a thrill. You can actually see hoodoos and windows without having to hike a steep trail here.
If you are headed to Zion and Bryce, then plan well, because getting a good meal can be a little tricky around these areas. My take on eateries around Bryce Canyon is that they are generally overpriced and not very good. This is because the area is quite isolated and there are only a few places to eat. Never the less, if there is even one place that serves a good meal, I’m willing to pay the price when I’m on vacation, but I did not encounter that option at Bryce Canyon. Zion, however, has quite a few fine dining and quality food options, but most of them close down at 6 pm. So, if you are visiting Zion National Park and choose to have dinner after sunset, your options could become very limited.
Bistro H at Zion
In the midst of this reputation for eateries closing early in the Zion area, I still found a wonderful restaurant to enjoy a beautiful sunset and meal concurrently. Bistro H is a charming patio café located at the Cliffrose Lodge. It was wonderful to sit on a terrace overlooking the red cliffs of Zion Canyons at sunset while enjoying a relaxing family dinner at the end of the day.
Bistro H makes handcrafted burgers that were excellent. The menu is a cross between American and Cuban featuring Havana Shrimp Tacos, Steak, Salmon, Pasta and more. The restaurant also has a full liquor, wine, and beer menu.
Aside from burgers, we ordered pizza, and pasta for the kids. Everything was great. We also ordered appetizers – the lobster rolls and potatoes were delicious. Food at Bistro H is very fresh and the atmosphere is wonderful. The staff is friendly and we were there until closing enjoying family time. This is a great choice for an upscale meal in a relaxing atmosphere after visiting Zion National Park.
MeMe’s Café for Brunch at Zion
I need to back up a bit and mention that we had brunch before hitting the park earlier in the day. MeMe’s Café has some of the best crepes I have had in a long time. To be honest, the last time I had truly good crepes was when I was in Paris, and since then it has been a struggle to enjoy crepes anywhere else. Meme’s Café has finally broken the pattern. They have excellent sweet and savory crepes. The cute café with a Boho-chic feel, serves quite large portions and you can easily order one savory and one sweet crepe to split among two people. That way you get a taste of both. They also offer specialty burgers, wraps and paninis. The best part is that you can dine at MeMe’s Café on a budget.
Getting To Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon
You can head towards Las Vegas and go over to Zion and on to Bryce just as easily as most people do for Grand Canyon. As a matter of fact, the drive is a lot easier and faster in my opinion. I think Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon don’t get enough credit for being nearby to Las Vegas as Grand Canyon does due to its airports and helicopter rides. The Grand Canyon from Las Vegas is simply overrated. Next time try the less beaten path.
