Moab is known for Arches and Canyonlands, but don’t skip its downtown. This downtown Moab guide shows you why Main Street may be small, but it’s packed with quirky shops, great food, and even a few murals if you know where to look. After days of hiking in the desert, a day spent exploring downtown is the perfect way to slow down, eat something delicious, and do a little shopping for souvenirs you’ll actually want to keep.
If you’re pairing your downtown day with sunrise or sunset adventures, my guide to the Best Sunrise and Sunset Spots in Moab Utah will help you plan the perfect rest-day combination.
Here’s how I’d spend a day in downtown Moab.
This was my favorite breakfast spot in Moab. The space is hip and modern, but the food is where it shines. The biscuits and gravy were hearty and flavorful, and the French toast was a total surprise. Normally I wouldn’t order French toast—it sounds basic—but theirs is made with thick-cut bread from a local bakery, crusted in cornflakes for crunch, and topped with fresh berries and real maple syrup. It’s the kind of breakfast that makes you wish you had a second stomach.
If you’re looking for something more casual or to-go, Love Muffin is a great pick. Their pastries are baked fresh daily (and they do sell out), so get there early. I tried the caramel apple pastry and the bacon sunrise panini with apricot aji amarillo jam—it had the perfect salty-sweet balance with a little kick. Pair it with their fresh-squeezed orange juice, and you’re set for a day of exploring.
Downtown Moab is short enough to wander in and out of every shop, but to make it easier, I’ve broken it down into categories. Whether you’re hunting for a new outfit, a local piece of art, or that quirky “only in Moab” souvenir, Main Street has you covered.
Desert Wild – Trendy desert-chic finds: clothing, jewelry, and accessories you’ll actually wear again after vacation.
Indigo Alley Clothing – Modern and stylish, with pieces that feel more curated than touristy.
The Sundry – My personal favorite. I walked out with three necklaces and could have easily bought more. They carry high-quality jewelry, paintings, and unique designs that don’t feel mass-produced.
The Find – A small boutique with carefully chosen pieces, great for gifts or a wardrobe refresh.
Moab Made – The best shop in town for authentic souvenirs. Everything is made by local artists—pottery, jewelry, prints, and home goods that actually feel special.
Tumbleweed – Great for postcards, prints, and small local art pieces.
Desert Sol – A modern-western style shop with a rustic yet stylish vibe. Perfect if you want something with a little cowboy flair.
Redstone T-Shirt Co – More than just a tourist tee shop. The staff are incredibly friendly, and they offer custom designs along with a huge selection. If you want a Moab shirt that isn’t cookie-cutter, this is the spot.
Moab Rock Shop – This one deserves its own category. The outside looks rough, and the inside feels like part museum, part souvenir shop, and part “Grandpa’s garage”—but in the best way. Fossils, geodes, petrified wood, and locally crafted treasures line the shelves. It’s a little chaotic, but I left with one of my favorite souvenirs from the entire trip. If you want something different than a t-shirt or magnet, this is the place.
If you want to mix in a little more sightseeing between meals and murals, my Top 3 Arches in Moab You Can’t Miss breaks down the easiest must-see arches near town.
Moab has a surprisingly fun mural scene scattered through town.
Bowen Motel (169 N Main St): The famous “Greetings from Moab” mural.
Moab Brewery: A bold ram’s head mural at the entrance.
McStiff’s Plaza: A mural of Delicate Arch splashed across the wall (yes, it’s really called McStiff’s Plaza).
Moab Garage (back alley): A tucked-away mural for those willing to wander off Main.
Pro tip: If you want to see them all in a loop, start at Bowen Motel and just work your way down Main Street.
The Food Truck Park is the perfect lunch spot to add to this downtown Moab guide. It’s shaded, has misting fans (a blessing in summer), and offers a rotating lineup of options. I went for sushi and had chicken spring rolls and a Japanese house salad with sesame dressing that was so good I considered ordering a second. My friend got the Supreme Crunchy Roll and loved it.
And because one meal at the food truck park isn’t enough, we finished with gelato from Miss Gelato. The white chocolate raspberry was incredible, and the salted caramel sealed the deal.
Take your time strolling downtown. Duck into boutiques, grab a coffee, and enjoy the slower pace after hiking in the national parks. If you want to stretch your legs more, make the short drive to the Green River Bridge, where you can walk out and enjoy the view.
Thai Bella is a hidden gem in a cute little cottage. I started with their seasonal cucumber salad made with organic cucumbers from Moab Homegrown Farm—it was crisp, fresh, and simple in the best way. For mains, I ordered their best-seller Khao Soi (curry noodle soup) and the Massaman Curry. Both were deeply flavorful and perfectly balanced.
For hearty Italian, Pasta Jay’s is a staple. Every entrée comes with garlic bread, and I highly recommend springing for the dip trio of marinara, pesto, and Alfredo (the pesto mixed with Alfredo is the winner). My favorite dish was the Tortellone Alfredo, stuffed with cheese and baked to perfection. The Green Chili Ravioli is a local favorite and worth trying too.
If you want a high-end dinner, Desert Bistro is the place. The garden courtyard is charming, and the food is seasonal and fresh. The bread service includes rosemary honey butter florets that I could have eaten like candy, plus an olive tapenade. I ordered the gorgonzola and piñon crusted beef tenderloin and the agnolotti pasta stuffed with truffled mushrooms. We ended with their dessert trio—because why settle for one when you can taste them all.
Downtown Moab is small, but it’s packed with character. Between the boutiques, local art, murals, and restaurants, you can easily spend a day exploring without ever stepping foot on a trail. My advice? Pair it with a rest day between Arches and Canyonlands. That way, you get to recharge, shop, and eat your way through town before heading back out into the desert. If you’re building a multi-day itinerary, my Spend a Weekend in Moab: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary shows exactly how to fit downtown into a full Moab adventure.”
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Filing this one under “go now before it gets cold.” Bonneville Hot Springs is one of those trips where fall access is honestly the sweet spot the campground road is open, the hike in is short, and you skip the snow-and-gate situation we dealt with when we went in March.
September and early fall mean clearer trails, easier parking, and pools that are just as good without the extra mile of hiking to earn them. Fewer than 10 people out there when we visited, a rustic changing booth, zero amenities, and pools that range from “relax” to “actually scalding” until you move some rocks around and mix in river water. Small waterfalls feeding in, mountains in every direction, not polished, and that’s exactly the point.
Full breakdown on parking, what to pack, and timing it right is linked in my bio.
Summer’s not even over and I already have the itch. Fall hiking season is calling and I am answering.
Save this if you feel the itch too.🍁
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