For many families travel to Utah is likely to be by plane or train. Salt Lake City International Airport is Utah's principal airport with non-stop flights to/from most U.S. locations and service to/from London, Paris and Frankfurt as well as several cities in Canada and Mexico. The much smaller Moab and St. George airports in southeast and southwest Utah respectively offer limited service. Grand Junction's Walker Field Airport in Colorado and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada are valid alternatives for families travel to the state's southern reaches. Amtrak stops at the following Utah destinations: Green River, Helper, Ogden, Provo, Salt Lake City and St. George.

Utah is the 11th largest U.S. state and aside from a few scenic train trips there is little alternative to the car. For many, travel in Utah is likely to be tantamount to a family road trip.

Altitude and longitude influence precipitation as well as the temperature. Thus Utah's climate can vary greatly from north to south and east to west and within a single region. The mountainous areas in the northwest can receive more than 500 inches of snow in a single winter. In summer, the temperature often exceeds 100°F in the desert south making strenuous outdoor activity difficult during peak heat hours. Run-off from melting snow peaks from April to mid-June.

Nature and the elements are potential hazards for families intending to make the most of the great outdoors. With its rugged environment, Utah is not a place to venture unprepared. Utah law requires children under 8 years of age or under 57 inches in height be properly secured in a U.S. government approved child safety seat. All children over 8 must buckle up.