Moab is one of those places that begs for more than a quick weekend. Spend a Week in Moab and you’ll actually have time to enjoy it. Between Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, downtown shops, and some seriously good food, a week here gives you the time to see it all without rushing.
Here’s how I’d spend 7 days in Moab—based on my own trip where I hiked, ate, shopped, and somehow still found energy for gelato at the food truck park. If you’re building out a full 7-day plan, my post on Spend 2 Weeks in Moab: The Ultimate Red Rock Itinerary pairs perfectly with this one.
Lunch: Stop at Vessel Kitchen on the drive down from Salt Lake City. The bowls are massive and flavorful—I had the Andrelipe Bowl with shredded chicken, cilantro lime slaw, mango salsa, avocado, Peruvian green sauce… basically flavor overload. It’s spicy, so ask before ordering if that’s not your thing.
Dinner: Antica Forma in Moab. Everything is fresh and locally sourced, and they even make their own cheese. My favorite was the pistachio pesto pizza with shaved fennel sausage—different from the usual sausage you get and so much better.
Stay: Check into the Hoodoo Hilton. If you can, book a casita—spacious, with multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, fireplace, private parking, and access to a dedicated pool. Perfect for families or groups.
Breakfast: Cactus Jacks. The biscuits and gravy are hearty, but the standout is the French toast crusted in cornflakes, thick-cut bread from a local bakery, and fresh berries.
Explore: Head into Arches National Park. Start with easy viewpoints like Park Avenue, Courthouse Towers, Balanced Rock, and Garden of Eden. Then make your way to Sand Dune Arch, Skyline Arch, and Devils Garden for Landscape Arch.
Sunset: Hike to Delicate Arch for the ultimate payoff. Arrive an hour before sunset for photos and to soak in the glow.
Dinner: Desert Bistro—a high-end dinner in a charming garden courtyard. Don’t skip the rosemary honey butter florets (I could have popped them like candy).
Breakfast: Love Muffin Cafe—get there early for pastries before they sell out. Their bacon sunrise panini with apricot aji amarillo jam was incredible, especially with fresh-squeezed OJ.
Shop: Spend the day wandering downtown. Hit boutiques like The Sundry (I left with three necklaces), Moab Made (local artisan goods), and Desert Sol (modern western vibe). For quirky finds, stop at the Moab Rock Shop for fossils and geodes—it looks chaotic, but I found one of my favorite souvenirs there.
Lunch: Moab Food Truck Park—sushi rolls, spring rolls, and gelato from Miss Gelato (the white chocolate raspberry is heavenly).
Murals: Check out the “Greetings from Moab” mural at Bowen Motel, the ram’s head at Moab Brewery, and the Delicate Arch mural at McStiff’s Plaza.
Dinner: Thai Bella—start with the seasonal cucumber salad (organic cucumbers from Moab Homegrown Farm), then order their best-seller Khao Soi or the Massaman Curry. Both were bursting with flavor.
Breakfast: Grab something quick from your hotel.
Explore: Hit the major stops:
Mesa Arch (easy 0.7-mile hike, sunrise if you can).
Upheaval Dome (short but steep hike, “short but not sweet”—worth it for the crater view).
Green River Overlook (sweeping canyon views).
Grand View Point Overlook (accessible viewpoint plus optional rim trail).
Buck Canyon Overlook (quick but stunning stop).
Add-On: Dead Horse Point State Park in late afternoon for sunset over the river bend.
Dinner: Moab Brewery for something casual. The giant pretzel with beer cheese and a house-made root beer float hit the spot.
If you want even more detail on the overlooks, my post on Best Stops in Canyonlands National Park walks you through every major viewpoint.
Breakfast: Another round at Cactus Jacks (you’ll want it twice).
Hike: Head outside the park to Corona Arch (3 miles round trip). The trail has a ladder and chain section, plus a bonus stop at Bowtie Arch, but the finale is a massive arch you can walk right under. I hiked it in the late afternoon and had the whole place to myself.
Lunch: Refuel at the food truck park (yes, it deserves multiple visits).
Dinner: Pasta Jay’s—don’t miss the dip trio (pesto + Alfredo combo is the winner) and the Tortellone Alfredo.
Breakfast: Keep it light at the hotel or grab a pastry downtown.
Explore: Spend more time at Dead Horse Point State Park. Walk the West Rim Trail for quieter overlooks, and add the Bighorn Overlook spur for one of the best photo spots in the park.
Lunch: Pack a picnic and enjoy it at one of the overlooks.
Afternoon: Rest back at the pool at Hoodoo Hilton (you’ll have earned it).
Dinner: Treat yourself again at Desert Bistro or go casual with another local spot.
Breakfast: One last stop at Love Muffin Cafe—don’t leave without grabbing a pastry for the road.
Souvenir Run: Pick up any last-minute gifts from Moab Made or Redstone T-Shirt Co.
Optional Stop: Walk out on the Green River Bridge for one more taste of Moab’s scenery before hitting the road.
A week in Moab gives you the best balance: adventure days in the parks, downtime exploring downtown, and plenty of time to eat your way through town. With this itinerary, you’ll hit all the must-see arches and overlooks while still leaving space for gelato breaks, shopping, and poolside lounging.
Moab isn’t just a base for Arches and Canyonlands—it’s a destination in its own right. Give yourself a full week, and you’ll see why so many people (myself included) can’t wait to go back. When you’re ready to plan where to stay, my guide to Where to Stay in Moab: From Luxury to Budget covers Hoodoo, casitas, and other great options.
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
If you’re chasing energy, beaches, nightlife, and nonstop luxury, Dubai takes the crown. If you’re craving culture, iconic architecture, and meaningful landmarks at a slower pace, Abu Dhabi shines.🤍
My advice? Base yourself in Dubai and do Abu Dhabi as a day trip! The perfect balance of excitement and culture in the UAE.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide for tips, itineraries, and must-sees!
I do not like seafood. 🐟 So when I booked a tasting menu at a restaurant built around aquarium walls at Atlantis The Palm, I was nervous.
Ossiano sits underwater fish gliding past the whole meal, moody lighting, the kind of room that makes you lower your voice without meaning to. It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. You’re paying for the entire experience.
Here’s the honest part: they have a vegetarian tasting menu, and I assumed it would be an afterthought. It ended up in my top five meals of all time. Course after course, the same care and precision as the seafood-forward menu everyone comes for. They even swapped in a steak for the main and it still felt cohesive with everything around it.
By course four you’re full. They bring out three more breads anyway. I ate all of it. No regrets.
Small detail that stuck with me my dress was black, so they swapped my napkin from white to black without me asking. That’s the kind of thing that tells you everything about a place.
Full breakdown of the menu, the vegetarian option, and what to expect linked in bio.
Dubai is all skyline until you drive an hour into the dunes and it goes completely silent. Bab Al Shams was that shift for us: slower, quieter, more intentional than anything we did in the city.
If you want nightlife or walkable everything, this isn’t your stop. But if you want a night that feels like a reset, it delivers, polished service, food I’m still thinking about, and a setting that never tries too hard.
Full review (and whether it’s worth adding to your Dubai itinerary) is linked in bio. 🏜️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
