Zion Lodge in Zion National Park in southwestern Utah is THE place to stay when you are visiting this remarkable natural wonder. As with any National Park lodge, you need to make your reservations up to a year in advance (but if you haven't, do check last minute anyway--they do have cancellations). Outside the park is the adorable town of Springdale, and there is no shortage of lodgings there, but staying in the park itself is a privilege and the views are unrivaled. The lodge has two main two-story buildings with hotel rooms and suites, as well as cabins in the woods. I stayed in a cabin one night, and it was fine. The next two nights I stayed in a room in one of the buildings, with a balcony that overlooked the Virgin River and the towering red cliffs beyond. All in my party just sat out there forever each night gazing in wonder at the beauty. There is a full-service restaurant at the lodge and a shop for sundries and souvenirs. The shuttles that take visitors around the park (you cannot drive private cars--it would be too crowded) all stop at the lodge so reaching any point in the park from there is easy. The canyon itself is incredibly magnificent. We were lucky enough to have some thunderstorms when we were there that prompted "spontaneous waterfalls" cascading off the cliffs. There are a lot of great hikes for all ages/abilities. A truly magnificent place.
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