Found 38 blog entries tagged as Utah.

Trail Tuesday took me to the Petrified Dunes in Snow Canyon Park, near St. George, this week.  The trail begins just north of the picnic areas of the Upper and Lower Galoots where you can park near the road.  Once you cross the road you will see the Upper Galoots.  If you hike to the north and around the Upper Galoots you will find the Petrified Dunes Trail.  The Petrified Dunes were once-flowing mountains of sand that are now mounds and crevices of Navajo sandstone.  You can climb the terrain and investigate these dunes for several hours.  You don’t have to worry about staying on the trail because these incredible rolling mounds are everywhere for you to explore.  Hiking the Petrified Dunes Train provides some incredible views of the park. 

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School is ending this week for students in St. George!  In a study by the Johns Hopkins School of Education, research showed that after summer break, “At best, students showed little or no academic growth over the summer.  At worst, students lost one to three months of learning.”  The study highlights summer reading programs and how they provide ”ongoing opportunities for students to learn and practice skills" so that they don't "fall behind on measures of academic achievement” following summer break.  

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a Division of the American Library Association (ALA), always releases summer reading lists that they encourage librarians, parents and children to download for free.  With school ending this…

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The Bear Paw Café, at 75 N Main Street in St. George, Utah, is a favorite of many.  When I used to visit St. George when I was on vacation, the Bear Paw was as MUST for our family.  Now that I live in St. George, the Bear Paw still draws us in for brunch at least a couple of times each month.  Each morning you will find the sidewalk in front of the Bear Paw crowded with people waiting in line for breakfast.  The Bear Paw is open daily from 7:30 to 2:30 pm.  We avoid the rush by going at 1:00 for brunch. 

The menu at the Bear Paw is 24 pages long.  Just the drink menu takes up about eight pages.  You can order an Italian soda, specialty drinks, smoothies, tea, coffee, regular beverages or an expresso from the expresso bar.  The favorites of our…

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I recently retired after a 30 year career in education in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I moved with my husband to St. George upon retirement and began blogging for the David Ellis Group of Keller Williams.  After working every day for 30 years it has been a wonderful adjustment.   According to TopRetirements.com, St. George (the 7th largest city in Utah) has become one of the more popular retirement communities in the nation.  St. George is located in extreme southwestern Utah, with spectacular red rock bluffs overlooking the town, a mild climate in winter, and numerous, terrific recreational opportunities.  TopRetirements.com describes St. George as "one of the fastest growing areas in the United States." 

I love St. George.  I feel like I am on vacation…

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Reports from the first quarter of 2017 show now is the best time to sell a home in 10 years. Housing markets have recovered from the recession, home prices are up, and home builders are having a hard time keeping up with demand. If you've ever considered selling, now is the perfect time to place your home on the market.

By the Numbers

Nationally, sellers are seeing an average of $44,000 in gains right now and home prices are up 13%. In Utah, median sale prices also reached an all time high of $295,000. Homes are on the market for shorter amounts of time, in some of the fastest-selling areas around the country they're only on the market for about 3 weeks. While these are statistics and not guarantees, they show much growing home values are…

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Utah planners and leaders are asking residents to give their input on the future of the state. EnvisionUtah.org presents visitors with five different scenarios discussing 11 different areas of focus. Utah residents are asked to vote on which scenario they would like state and local leaders to carry out. The goal is to reach 50,000 participants by the time the survey closes in a month.

Unfortunately, not enough people have taken the survey to reach any conclusive results, especially in rural areas.

“As of last week, only 420 Washington County residents had logged in to participate.” reports The Spectrum.

Utah’s population is expected to double by 2050, and Southern Utah is one of the fastest growing areas in the state. In St. George, new homes…

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The National Parks surrounding Utah are providing a boost to the economy, according to a report by the National Parks Service. Specifically, Southern Utah received $433 million in economic benefits due to national park visitors in 2014.

Visitors come to the area and they need transportation, fuel, food and places to stay. The prime real estate in St. George means residents reap a lot of the rewards of visitor spending.

The study reports that most of the spending went towards lodging, followed by food and then gas and oil. Since Washington County is usually the last stop for many people traveling to these national parks, most of that money is going into the St. George economy. For every $1 spent on National Parks, there is a $10 return on…

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According to a recent report by CNN, 21% of all real estate purchases last year were vacation homes. This is up 57%  from 2013, and the highest rate since 2003. While this is a great sign for the American economy overall, it is an especially good thing for St. George. Washington County is a popular vacation home destination, giving visitors from up north a break from the snow in the winter and plenty to do during summer. If you are one of those interested in buying a vacation home in St. George, use these tips to make the best purchasing decision.

Manage Expenses

Are the expenses worth the investment? While you probably won’t use your vacation home as much, expenses can still  stack up, especially if you hope to rent it out and need to pay for…

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