More "Staycation" Ideas

This time up north, here in Cache Valley. :)

There are no great package things like the Salt Lake Connect Pass but there are still some fun and even FREE things to do up here.

For couples there's the Cache Valley Getaway deals.
This is only good Sept - the end of April. They have been doing this for at least 10 years. When Brandon was going to school here we took advantage of it several times. Starting at $49.99 you get a hotel room, dinner and breakfast.

We've enjoyed our stay at the Baugh (they have a good HOT breakfast), Anniversary Inn, & Crystal Inn. I hear the Riter and Providence Inns are nice too. We like to eat at Cafe Sabor, Hamilton's and Firehouse Pizzaria for Dinner.

http://www.getawaypackage.com/

Here are some fun stops with kids or not:

American West Heritage Center offers lots of activities year round. We've visited it twice as a family since moving here. It's not super cheap but still fun and very educational.

http://www.awhc.org/

Willow Park and Willow Park Zoo
Willow Park is HUGE with several playgrounds, basketball courts and lots of shady spots for the perfect picnic. It also includes the Willow Park Zoo which is small but still interesting. Zoo entrance costs $1 for adults and .50 cents for children. It is also super close to the Logan Aquatic center if you want to take a swim too.

http://www.loganutah.org/parks_and_rec/willow_park/index.cfm


Cache Valley is known for a lot of food products. Many of these places offer free factory tours. Here's a run down of some of the more popular places :

Crumb Brother's Artisan Bread
291 S 300 W Logan
(435) 792-6063
M-Sat 7am-1pm
TOUR: 9:30 am daily Free

Bluebird Candy Company
75 W Center Logan
(435) 753-3670
M-Sat 10am-5pm
Tour: 11am Mon-Wed, June 1-Sept 15 Free but space is limited. Call ahead.

Aggie Icecream and True Blue Cheese
USU Campus
750 N 1200 E Logan
(425) 797-2109
Mon-Fri 9am-10pm; Sat 10am-10pm
TOUR: 2:30pm Monday-Friday FREE

Casper's Ice Cream Manufacturing Facility
Makers of the Fat Boy & Nut Sundae on a stick
11805 North 200 E Richmond
(435) 258-5219
M-Th Noon-9pm
F & Sat Noon-10pm

&

Casper's Malt Shoppe
585 W 100 N Suite 1, Providence
(435) 713-0056
M-Th 11am-midnight
F & Sat 10am-1am

Tour available at either location M-Sat 11am & 2pm FREE

Rockhill Creamery
563 S State St, Richmond

Sample and Purchase farmstead cheese on this historic farm and micro-dairy.
Tour: Sat 11am-4 pm
mid-April to mid-October
FREE
Additional tours arranged by email creamery@rockhillcheese.com

Weeks Berries of Paradise
Learn about jam and juice making and the art of growing berries. Utah's largest berry farm.
8560 S 800 E Paradise
(435) 245-3377
TOUR: M & F 10 and 10:30 am FREE
May - October, or by appt.

Cox Honeyland
1780 S Hwy 89-91, Logan
(435) 752-3234
M-Sat 10am-5pm
TOUR: 11:30am & 3pm Daily FREE
Memorial Day - Labor Day

Here's an easy schedule to do a "Food Tour" on a Monday:

9:30 am Crumb Brothers
10:00 am Week's Berries
11:00 am Bluebird
11:30 am Cox Honeyland
2:00 pm Casper's Malt Shoppe
2:30 pm Aggie Ice Cream
3:00 pm Cox Honeyland (if you didn't catch it earlier)

You may also like to visit:

Gossner Foods Inc.
Although you can no longer take a factory tour you can watch them making cheese through windows most weekday mornings. Many varieties of cheese curds aka squeaky cheese are made and sold on Fridays. They have TONS of samples. My kids love sampling all the flavors of shelf milk.
1000 W 1000 N Logan
(435) 752-9365
M-Sat 8am -7pm

Pepperidge Farm
901 N 200 W Richmond
(435) 258-2491
M-Th 9:30am - 6pm
F 6:30am-6pm; Sat 10am-4pm

Cache Valley Fun Park
They have everything from bowling, to roller skating, to lazer tag. They even have Northern Utahs largest indoor playground

http://www.cachevalleyfunpark.com/index.php

Coupons for the Fun Park:

http://www.cachevalleyfunpark.com/promotions.php

It's also right next door to Logan's Celebration Center. They have rides, mini-golf, go-carts and more. Open during the summer.

http://www.utah.com/logan/celebration_center.htm

Stokes Nature Center.

Located up beautiful Logan Canyon they have tons of educational actvities year round.

http://www.logannature.org/community_program_schedule.html



Hardware Ranch. We recently visited Hardware Ranch. Although it is not super cheap it was still fun and educational. They are however only open December - March so keep it in mind for next winter. :)

http://wildlife.utah.gov/hardwareranch/visit.php

CRYSTAL HOT SPRINGS(30 min. west of Logan)
8215 North U.S. Hwy. 38, Honeyville, Utah
(435) 279-8104 or (801) 547-0777
http://www.crystalhotsprings.net/
Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.;Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-11 p.m.;Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Slide open every day

WIND CAVES
Years of wind and water have worn a delicate triple arch and natural cave into the limestone outcropping at the top of this 2-mile trail. Also known as Witch’s Castle, this fascinating formation provides a clear view of the China Wall formation as it winds through most of Logan Canyon’s midsection. During summer months it’s best to hike this trail in the early morning hours.
5.2 miles up Logan Canyon, off U.S. Hwy. 89

LOGAN CAVE
As you travel along Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway, you’ll notice the craggy mouth of Logan Cave on the cliffs above the road. The cave extends 4,000 feet into the mountain and in some places is 70 feet high. It was carved from water seeping along faults and joints in the limestone rock, which slowly dissolved the rock. The cave is now gated and closed to visitors to protect the Townsend big-eared bats, a sensitive species that roosts in the cave.
12.2 miles up Logan Canyon, U.S. Hwy. 89


Cache Valley also offers tons of hiking, biking, and water recreation areas perfect for the close to home vacation.