Headed west, recommendations needed.

I plan to drive my family of four from Alabama to Utah for spring break (first week in April) and need some recommendations. We plan to do this over 10 days allowing 2 days to travel west and 2 days to travel back home. We would like to see the 5 national parks in Utah but also hit some sights along the way. any recommendations on things to do, sights to see, places to eat or stay from people who live in the area or any of the states between Alabama and Utah would be greatly appreciated.

 

Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, and Zion should be okay in April, at least in the lowlands. Higher elevations may still have snow, but it depends on spring storms. Bryce can be really snowy in April. Plan on mud in the mid-to-high elevations in all of them.

Roads should be fine in all of them, but trails and overlooks may be snowy. Again, depends on spring storms.

Make reservations, especially around Zion. It gets full around spring break, both camping in the area and hotels in Springdale. You prolly want to check if that’s jeep week in Moab for Canyonlands and Arches. Campsites and hotels can be hard to come around then too.

Plan on getting to Arches early (dawn or pre-dawn) to get in and get a parking spot if you plan on doing anything more than driving through. And you should; you won’t see much just driving through.

Those parks are incredible, though. Not trying to discourage you, but want you to be prepared for the onslaught of humanity these parks see over spring break.

Two days each way is a brisk pace from Arches to the deep south.

Just my $.02.

 

Drive through Monument Valley are your way up to Moab. It's very awe-inspiring. Natural Bridges National Monument is just northwest of Monument Valley and it is nice too.