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Major city · United States

Cedar City

Base here 2 nights for the Shakespeare festival and Cedar Breaks; skip it as a Zion or Bryce base — both are 1.5–2 h away.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep (festival, Cedar Breaks road open), plus Jan–Mar for skiing
avoid Nov–Mar for the Cedar Breaks rim road (closed by snow)
Airports
CDC · LAS · SLC
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Cedar City sits at 1,780 m on I-15 between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, with a university, a summer theatre festival and the Cedar Breaks rim 45 min up the mountain. It works as a supply-and-sleep stop for southern Utah's parks, not as a park base: Zion and Bryce are both a long drive. Two nights covers the town and the rim; one night is enough if you only need a bed on the I-15 run.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cedar City, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner mainTipping 18–22% is expected.$18–35
  • BeerDraught beerUtah rules: beer on tap is limited in strength; wine and spirits by the measure.$6–9
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketCedar Breaks entry, private carcheck current fee$20–35
  • Budget bedHostel or motel bed, a night, per personUS$35
  • Mid-range bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$140
  • High-end bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Utah Shakespeare FestivalCedar Breaks National MonumentBrian Head ski areaSouthern Utah University
Airports
CDC Cedar City Regional (Delta connection from Salt Lake City; small field, few daily flights) · LAS Las Vegas Harry Reid (About 2.5 h by car on I-15; the usual arrival for rental-car trips) · SLC Salt Lake City (About 3.5 h by car on I-15)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cedar City: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C

−8°C

5 rd

Feb

8°C

−6°C

6 rd

Mar

13°C

−3°C

6 rd

Apr

17°C

0°C

5 rd

May

23°C

4°C

5 rd

Jun

29°C

9°C

3 rd

Jul

33°C

14°C

5 rd

Aug

31°C

13°C

5 rd

Sep

27°C

7°C

4 rd

Oct

19°C

1°C

5 rd

Nov

12°C

−4°C

5 rd

Dec

6°C

−9°C

5 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: sights and trailheads sit outside town and there is no useful local bus for visitors. Downtown is walkable in 15–20 min end to end. In winter, Highway 143 to Brian Head and Highway 148 over Cedar Breaks need snow tyres or chains — check road status before setting out.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Cedar Breaks National Monument

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive UT-14 east then UT-148; about 45 min from town

Rim drive and overlooks at over 3,000 m; road closed by snow in winter. Entry fee applies — check current price.

Brian Head

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive UT-143 up the mountain; about 45 min

Skiing and tubing in winter, biking and hiking in summer.

Zion National Park (Kolob Canyons or Springdale)

caution

Door to door: 1–2 h

I-15 south to exit 40 for Kolob Canyons, or UT-9 for the main canyon

Doable as a long day, but sleeping in Springdale is better than driving back after dark.

Bryce Canyon National Park

caution

Door to door: About 1.5–2 h

UT-14 east to US-89, then UT-12 south

A full day out; consider one night near the park instead of a return drive.

Door to door: About 1 h

I-15 south, about 1 h

Warmer, lower, with more restaurants and services if Cedar City feels small.

Las Vegas

go

Door to door: About 2.5 h

I-15 south, about 2.5 h

The usual next stop if you are flying out of LAS.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown / Center Street

Walk to restaurants, the festival box office and campus; best for a festival night.

South Main Street and I-15 exit 59

Chain motels with parking; best for one night with a car.

Brian Head

45 min up Highway 143; ski-in lodging in winter, cool nights in summer.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–190 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain-hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$140US$280
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$130US$520
Rental car, one day, compact1 × US$70US$70
Fuel, about 150 km of local driving1 × US$18US$18
Festival ticket, one show2 × US$60US$120
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$104
Trip total≈ US$286 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,142

2026 estimate in US dollars, per person unless noted; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–6
Diner or café main$12–20
Sit-down dinner mainTipping 18–22% is expected.$18–35
Draught beerUtah rules: beer on tap is limited in strength; wine and spirits by the measure.$6–9
Gallon of petrol$3.50–4.50
Cedar Breaks entry, private carcheck current fee$20–35
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A small, low-crime town; the real risks are mountain weather, altitude and long empty drives at night. Lock the car at trailheads and carry water.
  • Cedar Breaks' rim road (UT-148) closes with snow, usually Nov–May: check status before driving up.
  • Town sits at 1,780 m and the rim at over 3,000 m: altitude and fast weather changes, bring a layer even in July.
  • Summer afternoon thunderstorms on exposed trails; start hikes in the morning.
  • Cell signal drops on the mountain roads; download offline maps.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Cedar City Police (non-emergency)
435-586-2956
Road conditions (Utah DOT)
511

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Cedar CityCedar City

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Road conditions511

Embassy

No embassies here; consulates are in Salt Lake City or Denver, embassies in Washington, DC. Check your country's list.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Cedar City → Las Vegas, drive: about 270 km, 2.5 h on I-15
  • Cedar City → Zion main canyon: about 100 km, 1.5 h
  • Cedar City → Cedar Breaks rim: about 30 km, 45 min

Say or show

  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Is the mountain road open? — Is the mountain road open?
  • A table for two, please — A table for two, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the nearest petrol station? — Where is the nearest petrol station?

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, $2–5 a night for housekeeping.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cedar City. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep (festival, Cedar Breaks road open), plus Jan–Mar for skiing · avoid Nov–Mar for the Cedar Breaks rim road (closed by snow) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CDC and the LAS/SLC drive-in: last flight times, rental desks, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Center Street, the SUU campus and festival grounds, Main Street motels.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and fees (Cedar Breaks, Brian Head, festival box office) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and monsoon fixtures so the Cedar Breaks and trail pages can go green or red.

Sources