Art Around the Corner

One of St. George’s strengths is its continued support of the arts. I recently attended the Dallas Brass concert at Dixie State University where the visiting emcee made the comment that one sign of a vibrant community is one where the arts are supported and enjoyed. We have benefitted from Southern Utah’s continued efforts to support the arts.

The Art Around the Corner Foundation is a non-profit oraganization dedicated to supporting the arts, enriching the community, and bringing firne arts to the heart of historic St. George. Their signature project is the collection of sculptures displayed outdoors in the historic district of St. George. We have enjoyed walking around downtown (especially in the evening just as the sun is setting) and discovering these different treasures. There are all types of sculptures. Our kids have enjoyed discovering them as well.

If you go to Art Around the Corner website, you can find a map that marks the locations of all the sculptures. You can also find a great list of questions that you can use to engage your children in learning about the sculptures.

We also find that we can combine our walk around downtown with a dinner at one of the locally owned restaurants downtown. The kids love Pizza Factory or Pasta Factory; we love Cappeletti’s and Benjas, but those aren’t your only choices. Walk up main street and over into ancestor square. Find your favorite place in Downtown Historic St. George.

Our team loves Southern Utah and would love to help you with any of your real estate needs. Call our team to answer your questions.

Chris at 435-313-3966

Or Visit www.whystgeorge.com

Staheli Farm: Pumpkin Patch fun

The fall season and Halloween just don’t seem complete without a trip to a pumpkin patch. We have friends in Las Vegas who, in a town with no legitimate pumpkin patches, take their kids to the make-shift patches in commercial parking lots just to let their kids have the chance to experience fall and pick their own pumpkin. It’s tradition, right?

We love our St. George tradition of going out to a fully functioning farm, Staheli Farm in Washington Utah, picking out pumpkins and enjoying an entire evening of activities. The weather now is just starting to get crisp enough in the evenings that you can justify a nice cup of hot chocolate to go along with the activities.

Here are some of the things you can do:

The Corn Maze: Great for all ages.

The Field of Screams: In our experience—not great for younger kids (or weak knee-ed parents)

Pumpkin Patch

Farmland: Games, jumping pillow, petting zoo, pony rides, playground—the little kids can spend hours here

We’ve found it’s a great place to take some family pictures as well. Go enjoy Staheli Farm and check out their website. They have facilities for group activities and other events throughout the year.

Directions: The Farm is located in Washington Fields. 3400 Washington Fields Road, Washington, Utah. Click here for detailed instructions on how to drive there.

(And I have to give them an extra shout out for all that they do for the local elemetary schools. They host classes and classes and classes of elemetary school children who go and learn about what happens on an actual live farm. Thanks for your generosity!)

The area in Washington Fields where Staheli Farm is located is a great place to find a home. Call our team and let us know how we can help you with your real estate needs.

Chris: 435-313-3966

Visit: www.whystgeorge.com

DIXIE ROCKS! Pioneer Park, St. George, Utah

 Romping on Red Rocks: Pioneer Park, St. George

Hours—in fact, hundreds of hours—we've spent romping over the red DIXE rocks on the north side of St. George City. The rocks that are home to the sugarloaf or better known as the rock with DIXIE painted on it provide all sorts of places for climbing and exploring. 

Our kids love to squeeze down the little “slot canyon” that we call ‘the Narrows’, not to be confused, of course, with Zion Canyon’s Narrows.  (It’s really just a deep crack in the rock. I don’t think it qualifies as a canyon.) We also see often see rock climbers practicing their skills, scaling walls small and tall.

Three of our favorite places to explore are the Narrows, the Scout Cave, and the Sugarloaf, but most of the time it isn’t about the destination but simply going up, over, around and in all of the rocks and caves and taking time to just explore. I don’t know if the names are official, but our kids love to crawl up ‘Cat’s Eye’ and ‘Devil’s eye’, two little caves off of the Narrows that lead you to the top of the rock. You may hike around for 20 minutes or spend a couple of hours there. It is a great place to get out of the house and enjoy our wonderful desert.

Pioneer Park has some picnic tables and one pavillion, but for the most part this is more of a rustic park. No playground or grass. Some trails are designated but mostly, you simply explore and find what the rocks have to offer.

To Get There: From St. George Boulevard turn north on 200 East. Drive to the very top. You can park at Dixie rock or turn right and go to the parking lot and trails further east. (That is where you want to park to be closer to the Narrows and Scout Cave.)

Living in St. George, most of us see DIXIE rock every day. It is a great place to live.

Let us help you find the perfect home here in Utah’s Dixie.

Call Chris at 435-313-3966

Or Visit www.whystgeorge.com

http://www.trekaroo.com/activities/pioneer-park-saint-george-utah

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pioneer-park-st-george

I Hiked the Narrows! One of Zion National Park's Beautiful Hikes!

Majestic Zion National Park. There is nothing like it. The towering rock walls, the winding Virgin River, the numerous hiking trails make it nearly limitless as a resource for outdoor excursions. I have biked it. I have hiked it. I’ve even floated in the river, and there are still things to do and places to see on my Zion bucket list.

Last week we hiked the Virgin River Narrows.  There are a couple of ways to do it. You can hike down from the top starting at Chamberlain Ranch. If you choose to do this, you are required to obtain a permit. You can get a one day permit (that’s what we did), or you can get a two day permit and camp mid-way at one of the twelve designated camp spots. Either way you have to make arrangements to be dropped off at the top and have someone meet you or leave a car at the bottom.

Hiking from the top, you will get to see the upper Narrows which I loved as much as the Large Narrows down at the bottom. We were pretty isolated the first half of the hike passing only one group until we reached the bottom half of the hike. Very Peaceful.

If you start at the bottom, you do not need a permit. You can hike all the way up to the water falls without a permit. You can veer off to the right and explore Orderville Canyon. Still a beautiful hike.

Things to take:

• A hiking stick. We brought our own telescoping walking sticks. You will cross the river a hundred times and the sticks help balance on slippery rocks. If you hike up from the bottom, there are a bunch of walking sticks at the mouth of the Narrows that people use and return. Not so if you start at the top.
• Good Shoes. I’ve heard different opinions on the best shoes to wear. I wore hiking shoes that weren’t water proof. I really liked these because of their ankle support and toe protection. Another person on our hike wore water proof hiking boots. These were great until the water was over the tops of her boots, then she found herself sloshing in water that couldn’t get out of her boots. Some people hike in Keens, I actually tried these for a bit and then went back to my shoes with more ankle support. Whatever you use, make sure they are close-toed. There’s a lot of rock stubbing.
• Ziploc Bags. Double bag everything you don’t want wet. The deepest water we had to go through was thigh deep but that all depends on the time of year, and there are no guarantees that you won’t step in a hole or slip and go down.
• Water. It’s a long hike. We took a gallon of water each and drank it.
• No Cell Phone.  It doesn’t work in the canyon.
• Hat. Not much sun gets to the canyon floor but when it did, I appreciated having a visor.
• Light Jacket. We only used them in the morning up by Chamberlain’s Ranch but were glad we had them.

Of course, things will vary depending on the time of year that you hike. We were mid-July. Check out Zion National Park website for an exhaustive list of warnings and instructions.

Go and enjoy the beauty of Zion. It truly is a wonder and for those of us that are locals…don’t take it for granted. Be grateful for the wonder that is in our backyard.

Contact me if you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Southern Utah. I’d love to help you find the perfect place.

Chris: 435-313-3966

Or

Visit: www.whystgeorge.com

Where to Beat the Heat: St. George Children's Museum

St. George Children’s Museum: Double Thumbs Up

I have taken my kids to A LOT of children museums, interactive science centers, aquariums and other child centered, interactive exhibits in hopes of somehow putting a positive parenting stamp on my children. Of course, some of them are off the charts and some aren’t worth the price of admission—even when they’re free. St. George’s Children’s Museum was a wonderful experience. I admit to being impressed and even a little surprised at the quality of the museum.

You know it’s a hit when the adults are experimenting and playing right along with the kids. One of our boys’ favorite spots is the service station with a car (not real but real enough) that you can check the engine, change the tires, climb under and look at the undercarriage. Last time I was there, I watched two dads just about as enthralled as their kids.

The museum is on two levels. You check in on the upper level and receive a wrist band. The museum is technically free but they suggest a $3.00 donation which is more than fair for what you get. They require that all adults be accompanied by a child. Yes. That isn’t a typo. Adults without children are not allowed to come and wander by themselves. If you really want to see it and you don’t have a child, bring a valid id and a museum guide will escort you through the museum.

The upper floor seems to be geared a little for the younger and the lower floor for the older, but our children were up and down and found things on both floors that they loved.

Perhaps Chris Jones Real Estate Team will sponsor a room in the future where the kids can design and build their dream house. Hmmm….something to think about.

To find your dream house call:

Chris at 435-313-3966

Or www.whystgeorge.com

AS A SIDENOTE: Here are links to some of our favorite out-of-town children/science museums.

Las Vegas Children's Museum

Salt Lake's Children's Museum

San Diego's Science Center

Seattle's Science Center

St. Louis Science Center

Pioneer Day: Where Can We Celebrate the 24th of July?

(Scroll down for celebration sites and activities)

To most people in most states, July 24^th is just another day at the office, but in Utah, banks and many businesses close their doors and celebrate the 24^th of July, known as Pioneer Day or the Days of ’47 Celebration. This is our chance, whether we are multi-generational Utahns or 1^st generation Utahns, to celebrate the Pioneers who traveled West in the 1840s and began settling the Utah territory.

Today’s celebration include fireworks and parades. The Days of ’47 parade is broadcast on the local NBC station. People picnic, swim, hike or enjoy a lazy day in the comfort of their air conditioned house. A few years ago I laughed as I observed one of our local churches having a huge fair-like celebration outside in the sweltering St. George heat. I wondered if their pioneer progenitors weren’t rolling their eyes at these well meaning celebrants who could be inside enjoying modern cooling systems rather than melting in the heat of the day. Oh well, at least the kids enjoyed getting squirted by one of the local fire trucks.

I am in awe of the pioneers who were sent to settle St. George. Most were not volunteers but came by assignment to settle St. George and see if cotton could be grown here in the south. I love this desert, but I have adequate water supplies and climate controlled buildings. It is difficult to imagine, especially now as the sun and the heat beat upon us, what it would be like to live and raise a family without those basic comforts.

Click on the links to some of the Pioneer Day local events in the St. George area. (St. George City does not sponsor any specific events.) Happy 24th:

·         Ivins City Morning Celebration

Ø  Pancake Breakfast

Ø  Flag Raising Ceremony

Ø  Parade

Ø  Events in the Park

·         Washington City All Day Celebration

Ø  Flag Ceremony

Ø  Breakfast

Ø  Parade

Ø  Events in multiple Parks

Ø  Fireworks

·         Hurricane City Morning Celebration

Ø  5 K Run

Ø  Breakfast

Ø  Parade

Ø  Games

·         Enterprise All Day Celebration

Ø  Fun Run

Ø  Scout Pancake Breakfast

Ø  Parade

Ø  Program

Ø  Foot Races

Ø  Splash Party

Ø  Rodeo

·         Springdale Evening Celebration

Ø  Live Music

Ø  Dinner

Ø  Games

Contact me to find a place to settle and put down your roots.

Chris Jones 435-313-3966

Or

www.whystgeorge.com

Skimboarding on St. George's Virgin River

Who knew that those of us who love St. George’s southern Utah desert but also crave some of the fun of the ocean’s surf can indulge in skimboarding right here on our own Virgin River? Granted, inland skimboarding is not the same as the popular ocean skimboarding (check out these links for ocean versus inland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skimboarding and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_skimboarding). 

However, skimming across the Virgin River water can still provide an adequate fix for the inland surfer.

My family was introduced to the sport after my son made his own skim board in a shop class at Desert Hills Middle School. A little incredulous at the idea of “surfing” on the river, we went down and watched the kids have a blast skimming across ankle deep water. Within a week, with the help of their now “expert” brother, all my kids had constructed their own boards. There we were just south of Pineview Estates at the bend in the river overlooking Washington Fields, getting sunburned, playing in the water and enjoying our version of desert surfing along with a bunch of other enthusiasts.

We now look forward each year to the skim boarding competition right here in our beautiful St. George. The City of St. George hosts it and there are divisions for all ages. We’ve never competed, but it is still fun to go and watch the skill and enjoy the sun. This year’s event is coming up soon on July 12^th. Here is a link to the site: http://www.sgcity.org/departments/recreation/youthsports/skimboarding.php

We love that these kinds of events are right here in the backyard of our neighborhood. And we are often surprised by the variety of activities at our doorstep.  We would love to help you discover the amazing life our community has to offer. Check us out online or call us at:

www.whystgeorge.com

or

435-313-3966

Free Movie Night in St. George: Sunset on the Square

Love a Movie? Love a FREE Movie? Love being outdoors? Yes. Yes. And Yes. Grab a blanket or a chair and check out the movies at the Town Square Plaza provided by the City of St. George. 

http://www.sgcity.org/cityevents/  (find a list of the movies playing)

With summer here and the kids out of school, we are always looking for ways to keep all of us happy and entertained.  Finding outdoor activities is a bonus since the dog days of summer often drive us indoors to find respite from the heat. On one of our frequent trips to the Washington County Library, we found out about these great movies showing every 2^nd and 4^th Friday throughout the summer in the Town Square.

On our first venture there, we were unprepared for the pre-movie festivities that take place. Some nights they have friendly competitions for prizes. One time the audience broke into a pre-show dance. It is quite the party for all ages. The only drawback that we found is that the movie doesn’t start, of course, until sundown, and that can make for a late night for our smallest ones. Our solution: bring a little pillow and let them lay down and fall asleep right there under the night sky.

Kudos to the St. George, Utah Parks and Recreation Department led by Kent Perkins. From the bike trails to the St. George Marathon to the various events like this movie night, they help make St. George a great place to live.

Let us help you find a great place to live in Southern Utah.

Find us at www.whystgeorge.com or call 435-313-3966

Kanarraville Falls

Embracing outdoor life is key to fully appreciating the wonder that is Southern Utah. Life in St. George, Utah includes access to scenic hiking trails, miles of running and biking trails, camping locations, National Parks, and of course, golf.

Kanarraville Falls is one of the hikes in Southern Utah that shouldn’t be missed. Just 30 miles north of St. George not too far off of I-15, you can find this hidden slot canyon that is a perfect hike for kids and adults alike. 

We hiked at a fairly leisurely pace, went all the way up to the second waterfall (mind you these are 14 foot waterfalls, not 40 foot waterfalls), allowed the kids quite a bit of time to play in the water and were back down to the car in 3.5 hours.

Wear hiking shoes that can get wet. We had people in tennis shoes or sturdy water shoes. Don’t wear flimsy sandals or flip flops. Take water to drink.

Finding the trail isn’t hard. Exit I-15 at the “New Harmony/Kanarraville” exit. It is close to mile marker 41. Follow the road signs to Kanarraville—about a 5 minute drive east of the freeway. In the middle of town there is a small sign that points to Kanarraville Falls parking. The parking lot is three blocks off the main road. Parking cost $10, so plan to pay or follow the posted instructions to free parking back down by the main road. There is no cost to hike the trail. You start on a dirt road and eventually move onto trails. Keep following the creek up the little canyon to experience the beauty.

This is just one of the many great reasons that the Chris Jones Real Estate Team enjoys living and selling real estate in St. George. There is always an adventure to be found right outside of our homes. We can help find the home for you. Contact us at:

www.whystgeorge.com

or

call (435) 313-3966

Other links for Kanarraville Falls

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g143057-d3404982-r168124001-Kanarra_Creek-Zion_National_Park_Utah.html

http://www.utah.com/hike/kanarra-creek-canyon-trail

Facing the Reality: Pickle Ball Take-over

Vernon Worthen Park

Okay. I’ll confess. I was a tennis snob. The day I saw pickle ball courts take over the tennis courts adjacent to Vernon Worthen Park in downtown St. George, was a day of mourning. Smaller courts. Silly paddles. Only the weak, slow and retired could be opting for such a water-downed sport. Imagine my consternation when I started seeing more tennis courts being adapted for pickle ball and then when a whole pickle ball complex was installed at The Fields at Little Valley. What were people thinking??? http://www.sgcity.org/departments/leisureservices/parks/park.php?id=129

Little Valley Park

Yes, friends would suggest that I should give it a try. More and more friends began inviting us to go play as a couple. I declined several times—but I started to feel isolation creeping in to my choice of eliteness. Wednesday night at the Summit was where we could find our friends, hanging out on the %$@*$ pickle ball courts. I finally relented when our friends told us they were going to bring extra paddles so that we could come and give it a try. http://summitathleticclub.com/

Summit Athletic Club

I stood on the court with paddle in hand, listening to the crazy rules, trying to make peace with my step onto the dark side. We started warming up, dinking the ball back and forth. My competitive juices started to warm, as well, and it didn’t take long for those competitive impulses to take over. The harder I hit the ball, the harder it came back. The more finesse I used, the more finesse my opponents shoved right back. This little “paddle ball” game grew into an all out war, and the moment I lost, I wanted back on the court for a re-match. Sweat was pouring down my face, and I was guzzling water to keep up the pace of this wuss sport. http://www.usapa.org/rules-summary/

Pickle Ball is described as a mix between ping pong, tennis and badminton, all sports that I enjoy, and I could definitely feel a little of each of those sports as I played.

Our evening ended. The façade of eliteness stripped away. I was a convert. We discussed the best kinds of paddles and where to buy them as we walked—humbly walked—off the courts. Tennis is still my first love—but pickle ball has earned my respect and attention, and we’ll be back on the courts next Wednesday. But for now I’ll go take some Ibuprofen and rub some icy hot on some of those muscles that got whooped by Pickle Ball.

Pickle Ball Tournaments in St. George: http://www.sgcity.org/departments/recreation/adultsports/pickleball_tournaments.php

http://www.seniorgames.net/sports/pickleball/handbook/

Looking for a spot in St. George? Find me at the pickle ball courts or just call:

Chris at 435-313-3966

Or

Visit: www.whystgeorge.com