Tourists flock to Cedar City every year for a variety of reasons. And many of them end up coming back again and again to enjoy the plethora of things to do. It’s not uncommon to meet a person who came to visit and eventually decided to move to the place named mistakenly for its cedar trees (That’s okay, though, Juniper City doesn’t quite have the alliteration us locals like). From the historical and prehistoric roots to the abundant opportunities in employment and recreation, few places can compare to the western charm of this buzzing town. As you consider a trip to this area, or maybe even buying a home here, there are special features that make this small city stand tall with the best areas of the West:
Cedar City is Surrounded by World Renown Parks
Utah is known to have an unfair number of natural wonders. There are millions of people from around the world who have traveled to see them. All five of Utah’s national parks are located in the southern part of Utah, and include Zion, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon. There are also national monuments throughout the state. Cedar City is within a two to three hour drive from most of these, and Zion, Bryce Canyon, Dixie National Forest, and Cedar Breaks are all within thirty minutes to an hour’s drive away. Many of these parks are in towering mountains surrounding Cedar City, providing a breathtaking backdrop for the community. There are many other places that draw the love and attention of the masses, and the following are a few of the most notable:
• Lake Powell
• Quail Creek Lake
• Navajo Lake
• Brian Head (Ski Resort)
• Canyonlands National Park
• Arches National Park
Cedar City is a Place Where the Festivals Never Stop
Shakespeare would have loved to live in Cedar City. It’s the Festival City for a reason—The Utah Shakespearean Festival and the Paul Simon Festival, both world-class affairs. The Utah Shakespearean Festival has won a Tony Award and has attracted some of the best actors in the theater business. For six months out of the year, you can see musicals, dramas, and comedies at state-of-the art theaters near and around the Southern Utah University Campus. These attractions help the local economy boom with all of the people coming from around the globe to see the shows.
Cedar City Hosts Unique Sporting Events
Thanks to the diverse environment in Cedar, it has been a great place for a variety of large sporting events, including professional bicycle races. The most notable sporting extravaganza Cedar City is famous for is a sort of sports festival known as the Utah Summer Games. It’s an Olympics at the state level, and thousands of people from all over Utah come to compete for gold, silver, and bronze. There are sports for every age, and it’s a blast to participate in or watch. Track and field, basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling, weightlifting, swimming, and much much more are available events to compete in. The opening ceremonies include a massive firework show at the local college stadium, and usually a famous band to kick things off. It’s a spectacle and a lot of fun to be apart of.
People enjoy the special events and creativity that thrives in Cedar City. These things and more have helped the town grow steadily for the last few decades, more than doubling in size since the Eighties. If variety is what you want in the places you visit or live, Cedar City, Utah should be marked on the map as a destination you want to go to next.