7 Things to Do Near Arches National Park [2023 Guide]

Good day, good morning, or good evening and welcome to my article on all the fun things there are to do around Arches National Park. To be honest there are so many fun activities you can get into around the area that I listed a couple of vacation planning businesses on the list. You never know where you might be able to save on one of their package vacations, and it really is worth it to have a guide when you go to explore one of our massive states or National Parks. 

And I’ll give you the address of everything the best I can, as well as provide you with a link to the attractions website when I can. On top of that, I’ll also be sure to give you a handy link anytime one of these great things to do near Arches accepts our convenient digital GiftYa gift cards.

If you haven’t used GiftYa before, they can honestly make vacation planning and financing a lot less of a headache. See you can just get a GiftYa in the dollar amount you need for any of the restaurants or attractions you might like to see. And then you can just pay for the night out, or the day-long adventure, ahead of time by putting the money aside on a digital gift card. And the nice thing is that the all digital format makes it practically impossible to forget to pack them when you are in the hustle and bustle of preparing for a vacation. Since they stay on your phone all the time, you can always expect to have access to them!

But that’s enough for now about how useful GiftYa can be, let’s get to that list of fun things to do near Arches National Park!

1 - Dead Horse Point State Park

A State Park With Unbelievable Views

Sr 313 | Moab | stateparks.utah.gov

If you are looking for things to do near Arches National Park because the park is a little too crowded for your idea of a vacation, then Dead Horse Point State Park is going to be just the place for you. It’s a state park instead of a national park, but it still offers an incredible landscape of canyons, forests, and miles and miles of hiking trails. So you can get a similar but much less crowded version of the experience you would get at Arches. 

There’s also no way to beat how beautiful the sunrises and sunsets are when they are cast over the rolling valleys and canyons!

“Arches was crowded so we went to Dead Horse SP, it was beautiful, absolutely stunning. Not crowded at all. You are rewarded at the end of the hike with an incredible view of the Colorado River. The visitor center is really nice and they have a Little Library!!” - Yelp Review  

2 - Moab Giants

Top of the Line Life Sized Recreations of Dinosaurs Set Against the Dessert They Once Roamed

112 W SR-313 | Moab | moabgiants.com

Moab Giants is something that I think is especially fun if you happen to be visiting with your family. But even if you don’t have kids it’s worth stopping by to see this (first of its kind in the entire world) outdoor museum. The park features top of the line and life size replicas of the actual dinosaurs who would have roamed the wilderness of Utah millions of years ago. You can see all the giant recreations as well as plenty of fossils that have been preserved. But more than anything you can enjoy seeing these incredible recreations cast against the beauty of the desert and wilderness!

“Worth the stop if you have kids. This was our kids favorite part of our trip to Moab. The "aquarium" was amazing and the outdoor walk didn't disappoint either. Would definitely visit again.” - Yelp Review 

3 - Moab Golf Club

A Great Way to Spend A Day In the Sun When You Are Tired of Hiking and Kayaking

Grab a Moab Golf Club gift card by following the link!

2705 SE Bench Rd | Moab | moabgolfcourse.com

If you are looking for a nice day out in the sun that is a bit more laid back than hiking and rafting, but still outdoors enough to enjoy the sun, then the Moab Golf Course is going to be an excellent spot for you! You can book 9 holes (with a ride) for around $30. And obviously double that if you are looking to shoot 18 holes. All in all it’s a pretty reasonable price when you consider the amazing views at this golf course. 

You are unlikely to encounter views like this at any other golf course which makes it a great experience for seasoned golfers and new golfers alike. And speaking of new golfers they also have plenty of driving ranges where you can get some practice in, and even offer lessons with a PGA professional!

“Best price for 9 and a cart with amazing views!! Wife and I got out early and couldn't believe the views” - Yelp Review 

You can get a quick and convenient digital Moab Golf Club gift card by following the link!

4 - Adrift Adventures

The Best Way to See the Rivers That Run Through Arches

Grab an Adrift Adventures gift card by following the link!

378 N Main St | Moab | adrift.net

Adrift Adventures is a company that offers all kinds of different tours through the Moab area and Arches National Park. The thing that sets them apart from some of their competitors further down the list is that they were in the top 10% of attractions worldwide on Tripadvisor. Which is incredible! 

They’ve been giving tours of the area for over 45 years now and it’s easy to see how they have built such a reputation for themselves over the years. They have licensed and experienced guides who take customer after customer on one of the most memorable vacations of their lifetimes on a consistent basis. They offer the river trips during the spring through the fall, but you can take the Jeep tours all year long!

“Had such a great day ! Our tour guide Abby was so amazing! She kept us safe through the rapids and was a power house rowing and us through the river. Everything from the friendly staff to the great tour guides was five stars” - Yelp Review 

You can get an Adrift Adventures gift card for you or a loved one by following the link!

5 - Moab Reservation Center

A Great Company That Can Help You Book Your Vacation

2182 US 191 | Moab | moabreservationcenter.com

Moab Reservation Center is going to be one of your best choices whenever you are looking to plan an adventure around the area. They have everything from rafting and jet boat tours to extreme off-road tours and national park tours. They claim to be your single stop for adventure planning and with everything they have to offer, it’s easy to see why. They even have a store where you can get everything you need for your adventure. 

And when you are booking your adventure through them, you even get the option to stay at one of their properties in Moab that are offered as nightly rentals. There’s the Moab Inn which is perfect if you plan to spend your evenings dining or shopping after a fun day in the sun. It’s within walking distance to everything you’ll want to see in Moab. 

And if you are hoping to stay a little bit outside of the city you can also choose to stay at the Moab Valley Club. Which is a newly renovated 5,500 Sq Ft. building that was built with entertainment in mind. There’s arcade games, a pool, a hot tub, and even shuffle board. So you can be sure there’s something that’ll be fun for everyone!

“We took the 4x4 extreme tour with Craig.  He was great - very informative of the land and a great driver - would recommend the tour and driver to everyone.  Happy we took this tour.” - Yelp Review 

6 - Moab Adventure Center

Another Great Business That Can Help Craft Your Adventure

Grab a Moab Adventure Center gift card by following the link!

225 S Main St | Moab | moabadventurecenter.com

Moab Adventure Center is another excellent resource to check out whenever you are planning a trip to the area. They honestly offer so many unique ways to see the natural beauty of the area that it’s hard to list them all here. But they have everything from hummer tours and rock climbing to hot air balloons and bike tours. You can book whatever kind of adventure you have in mind with the Moab Adventure Center. 

And you can even bundle activities and save if you go with one of their package vacations. And on top of all of that they boast a reputation of having not only highly trained guides, but some of the friendliest and most engaging guides anywhere in the area!

“Did a full day of rating recently. It was such an experience, a day full of fun & laughter. Our guide Aaron was awesome! There was a total of 4 rafts that went out the day we went and it was such an amazing experience. I would definitely do a rafting trip again with Moab Adventure Center!” - Yelp Review 

You can get a convenient digital Moab Adventure Center gift card that you can use anytime by following the link!

7 - Skydive Moab

Jump Out of A Plane for the Most Incredible Views You Can Imagine

Grab a Skydive Moab gift card by following the link!

114 W Aviation Way | Moab | skydivemoab.com

I’ll be honest, skydiving isn’t for me. I’ll never understand the urge to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but lots of people out there love it. So I would be remiss to leave Skydive Moab off the list. If you are looking for an exhilarating time on your vacation then how can you beat skydiving? It’s one of the most intense things a person can do. But it is evidently well worth it in Moab. Where else are you going to get such sweeping views of the national parks and the desert? You’ll be able to see for miles the breathtaking beauty of the natural topography. But such an experience doesn’t come cheap and you can expect to spend at least $250 on the experience. But if you’re willing to pay that much to jump out of a plane, then you are going to be hard pressed to find a better place to do it!

“Such a great place to skydive!  Did my first 2 jumps here, and decided to go off and get certified! Whether you're a first time jumper or have been certified for years, this place is awesome!!!!” - Yelp Review 

You can get a digital Skydive Moab gift card for yourself or the adrenaline junkie in your life by following the link!

And there you have it! That is my list of some of the amazing things there are to do around Arches National Park. There’s so much to do within Arches itself as well as the nearby state park and rivers that I wanted to give you some options on how to plan a complete vacation to the area. 

You can’t really go wrong with seeing the parks with the trained eyes of a guide to, well, guide you to all the most interesting parts. And I know some of you may be thinking, what? There are no restaurants in the area? But no, not too worry, there were so many great restaurants in the area that we composed entire separate articles on them for your viewing pleasure.