Moab is the kind of place that works just as well for a quick weekend as it does for a full week. With two national parks, a state park, and a lively downtown, you can pack in a lot of adventure without feeling rushed. Here’s how to spend a weekend in Moab and hit the highlights.

Day 1: Arrival + Downtown Moab

• Lunch: On the way down from Salt Lake City, stop at Vessel Kitchen for hearty bowls. My Andrelipe Bowl was loaded with chicken, cilantro lime slaw, mango salsa, avocado, cotija cheese, and Peruvian green sauce. Spicy, but delicious.

• Check-In: Drop your bags at the Hoodoo Hilton (splurge-worthy with casitas that feel like your own home) or a budget pick like Bowen Motel right downtown.

• Explore Downtown: Spend the afternoon shopping Main Street. Favorites include The Sundry for jewelry, Moab Made for locally crafted souvenirs, and the quirky Moab Rock Shop for fossils and geodes.

• Murals: Snap photos at the “Greetings from Moab” mural at Bowen Motel and the ram’s head mural at Moab Brewery.

• Dinner: Antica Forma for wood-fired pizza made with fresh, local ingredients. My favorite? The pistachio pesto pizza with shaved fennel sausage—so different from your standard sausage pie.

Day 2: Arches National Park

• Breakfast: Cactus Jacks—don’t miss the cornflake-crusted French toast with berries and real maple syrup.

• Morning: Start with easy stops: Park Avenue Viewpoint, Courthouse Towers, and Balanced Rock. Then head to Sand Dune Arch (a shady slot perfect in the morning) and Skyline Arch.

• Afternoon: Drive to Devils Garden to see Landscape Arch, the longest in the park.

• Sunset: Hike to Delicate Arch for the bucket-list payoff. It’s a steep, strenuous hike, but worth every step. Arrive an hour before sunset to grab photos and soak in the glow.

• Dinner: End the night at Desert Bistro—fine dining in a charming courtyard. The rosemary honey butter florets alone are worth the stop.

Day 3: Canyonlands + Dead Horse Point

• Breakfast: Grab something quick from Love Muffin Cafe (their bacon sunrise panini with apricot aji amarillo jam is phenomenal).

• Morning: Head into Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky district.

  • Mesa Arch (easy, iconic sunrise spot).

  • Upheaval Dome (short but steep hike to a mysterious crater).

  • Green River Overlook and Grand View Point (short walks to sweeping canyon vistas).

• Afternoon: Detour to Dead Horse Point State Park for one of the best views in Utah—the Colorado River making a giant U-turn 2,000 feet below. If you’re up for a short walk, add the Bighorn Overlook spur.

• Lunch/Dinner: Head back into Moab for something casual—Moab Food Truck Park is perfect. Try the sushi truck, then end with gelato (white chocolate raspberry was my favorite).

Final Thoughts

A weekend in Moab is enough to see the highlights: Delicate Arch at sunset, Mesa Arch at sunrise, the drama of Dead Horse Point, and a taste of downtown’s shops and restaurants. You’ll leave tired, full, and already planning your next trip back.

For a longer adventure, give Moab a full week. But if all you have is a weekend, this 3-day itinerary proves that even a short trip can capture the magic of red rock country.