Things To Do in St George
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St George Attractions
Most visitors head to St. George for rest and relaxation at the spas, golf courses, and area parks, but there's also a good deal of history in these parts, not to mention pre-history: The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, 2180 E. Riverside Dr. (tel. 435/574-3466; www.dinotrax.com), showcases 2,000 fossilized tracks left by dinosaurs of all kinds when the area sat on the edge of a vast lake. It's open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm; admission is $6 adults, $3 kids, and those 3 and under are free.
Discovering Mormon History In & Around St. George
Because the LDS Church was the primary driving force in the settlement of St. George, it should come as no surprise that most of the sightseeing in town is church-related. At the town's historic buildings, staffed by knowledgeable church members, you'll learn about the church as well as the specific sites; expect a little sales pitch on the benefits of Christianity in general and the Mormon faith in particular.
- Historic Site
Brigham Young Winter Home Historical Site
Church leader Brigham Young was one of St. George's first snowbirds. He escaped the Salt Lake City cold during the last few winters of his life by coming south to this house. In addition to its obvious religious importance, this home is a handsome example of how the well-to-do of the… - Historic Site
Jacob Hamblin Home
This stone-and-pine house, built in 1862, is closer to what you'd think of as a pioneer home than most of the refined houses of St. George, and it's typical of pioneer homes throughout the West -- except for one aspect that is definitively Mormon: It has two identical bedrooms, one… - Religious Site
Pine Valley Chapel
This handsome white chapel was built in 1868 by Ebenezer Bryce (for whom Bryce Canyon National Park was named) and Lorenzo and Erastus Snow (for whom Snow Canyon State Park was named). The settlers of the Pine Valley logging and saw-milling community wanted to build a church that… - Religious Site
St. George Tabernacle
This is the most beautiful building in St. George -- an excellent example of fine old-world craftsmanship, from the hand-quarried red stone walls to the intricate interior woodwork. Its craftsmen finished pine, which was all they had, to look like exotic hardwoods and even marble.… - Religious Site
St. George Temple
Completed in 1877, St. George Temple was the first Mormon temple in Utah, and is the world's oldest still in use today. The majestic white temple is not open to the general public, but you can walk among the beautiful gardens and stop at the visitor center south of the temple for a…
St George Nightlife
St. George, with its large nondrinking Mormon population, isn't one of the West's hot spots as far as bar scenes go. Locals going out on the town will often attend a performing arts event, and perhaps stop in for a nightcap at one of the local restaurants that serve alcohol or a hotel restaurant. Keep in mind that you'll have to buy something to eat in order to purchase a drink.
Dixie State College's Avenna Center, 425 S. 700 East (ticket office tel. 435/652-7800; tickets.dixie.edu), is St. George's primary performing arts venue. The four-building complex hosts a wide range of performances, from country and rock concerts to symphony, ballet, and opera performances -- and even sports games.
Dixie State College, 225 S. 700 East (tel. 435/652-7994; www.dixie.edu), offers a variety of events throughout the school year. The Celebrity Concert Series, running from October through April, has developed a strong following for its programs of music, ballet, modern dance, and performing arts presented by national and international performers. Tickets are $20. Recent offerings have included performances of The Marriage of Figaro and Swan Lake and a concert by the Japanese-born duo-pianists the Mack Sisters.
Not to be outdone, the college's music and drama departments offer numerous performances, including student recitals; band, chamber singer, and jazz ensemble concerts; and theater that runs the gamut from musicals to dramas -- and maybe even a Greek tragedy. Admission usually costs between $8 and $12 per person; most performances are presented at Cox Auditorium. Call the box office (tel. 435/652-7800; http://tickets.dixie.edu) to find out what's scheduled during your visit.
Music lovers will enjoy St. George's own Southwest Symphonic Chorale and Southwest Symphony, the only full symphony orchestra between Provo and Las Vegas. Its repertoire includes classical, opera, and popular music. Get tickets early for the annual Christmas production of Handel's Messiah -- it usually sells out. Concerts are usually scheduled from October to May (tel. 435/688-8183; www.southwestsymphony.org).
Broadway musicals and plays are presented in a September-through-April season by St. George Musical Theater, 735 E. Tabernacle (tel. 435/628-8755; www.sgmt.org). Recent productions have included Annie Get Your Gun and Singing in the Rain; tickets cost $10 to $15.
The St. George Tabernacle presents free concerts (including half-hour organ recitals) on Saturday at 12:15pm and Fridays at 7pm. (The latter are held Wed from Labor Day to Memorial Day.) For information on these and other programs, call tel. 435/673-5181.
Not far from St. George, at 1100 Tuacahn Dr. in Ivins, is the Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts (tel. 800/746-9882 or 435/652-3300; www.tuacahn.org). Surrounded by towering red-rock cliffs, this 2,000-seat state-of-the-art outdoor theater presents original and Broadway productions from June through September, and at other times is the venue for big-name music acts, such as Kenny Rogers. It also hosts the annual Christmas Festival of Lights, during which Christmas lights illuminate the buildings and grounds at Tuacahn. Reservations are recommended. Tickets for the musicals vary, but are generally in the range of $20 to $60 for adults and $20 to $40 for children 11 and under. Dutch-oven dinners are served before the productions ($13 for adults and $9.50 for children).
