Getting there • St. George's airport sits on a bluff overlooking the city; a new airport is scheduled to open next year. For now, flying into St. George is costlier than flying into Las Vegas, 120 miles to the west, or Salt Lake City, 300 miles to the north.

Weather • July is the hottest month, with an average high of 102 (but without humidity), while January and February are the coolest months, with an average high of 54. Golf and other outdoor activities are pursued year-round.

Shopping, eating • With St. George's population boom less than 20 years old, everything seems new, with no shortage of art galleries, spas, boutiques, malls and restaurants.

Entertainment • St. George nightlife is somewhat limited. However, from mid-June until mid-October, the Tuacahn Amphitheatre presents Broadway-style musicals. It also offers concerts in spring and other special events (tuacahn.org). The amphitheater sits against a red-rock cliff, and the 15-minute drive from downtown St. George to the Tuacahn area in Snow Canyon covers some of the best red-rock scenery in the area. Beautiful Snow Canyon State Park is in the same area.

Zion, Bryce Canyon • Two of Utah's national parks are within easy driving distance. Zion National Park is 40 miles northeast, and Bryce Canyon National Park is 85 miles beyond Zion. Lake Powell is 160 miles to the south. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is 135 miles to the northeast of St. George.

(A word of warning: I was driving to Bryce Canyon, and the quickest route from St. George seemed to be Highway 9, which, on the map, appears to run past Zion. However, Highway 9 runs through Zion, requiring a payment of the $25 park fee even if you're just passing through. If you've already seen Zion but want to go to Bryce Canyon, choose an alternate route, Interstate 15 to Highway 14.)

Adventures • St. George is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with tour operators offering excursions on bikes, ATVs, Jeeps and helicopters. Also, sky diving, powered parachuting, rock climbing, kayaking, scuba diving and more are available. I joined a group of 14 people for a four-hour ATV outing with ATV & Jeep Tours (atvadventures.com) into the scenic backcountry over a variety of terrain (dirt roads, rocky roads, smooth sand dunes). Tours run from two hours to six hours; the four-hour tour was fun but probably one hour too long for me.

More information • 1-800-869-6635, AtoZion.com

— Ron Cobb