At first, national park trips can seem relatively budget-friendly. Nature is the entertainment, after all. But once you add up flights, rental cars, accommodations, and food — especially for parks far from major airports and cities — the trip can quickly get expensive!
In Moab, specifically, adventure tourism and pricey outdoor excursions are among the biggest draws, though they rarely come cheap. ATV tours, guided rafting trips, and private stargazing experiences can quickly turn a simple national park visit into a luxury vacation. But for this trip, Brian and I intentionally took a different route.
A Week of Work & Wilderness
We skipped the expensive adventure packages this time around and focused on a more relaxed style of exploring instead. Between hiking, scenic drives, a spacious stay, and quiet evenings back at the resort after work hours, the trip ended up being the kind of reset we needed.
Thankfully, Moab is just as enjoyable at a slower pace and on a simpler budget.
Accommodations
$595.81
We booked a 7-night stay through RCI at the WorldMark Moab, a resort located about 5 minutes from Arches National Park and 30 minutes from Canyonlands National Park. We loved the proximity to the parks but also appreciated having a spacious, quiet place for remote work and downtime after exploring.
Our Ratings
Check-In
Check-in was easy breezy! Brian and I arrived about 2 hours after check-in time and were greeted by a couple of friendly front desk associates. We got the lowdown on amenities, gym and pool hours, and energy-saving key cards. All in all, we were in and out under 10 minutes, all without an invitation to a timeshare presentation!
Building 2, Room 2118
We booked a 2-bedroom unit, which was located on the ground floor of a 3-floor building not far from the lobby. Surprisingly, we had zero noise issues during our entire stay, even though there were other guests above us.
Typically, we’d book a 1-bedroom unit, but only studios and 2-bedrooms were available during our stay. Since the upgrade cost wasn’t too steep, we decided to go for the extra space. Considering the studio setup included a Murphy bed, the 2-bedroom ended up being well worth it for a week-long workcation.
Our unit featured:
- 2BR/2BA with 1 king, 2 fulls, and a queen sleeper sofa
- A fully equipped kitchen
- 1,070 sq. ft. with an open-concept kitchen and living area
- Space for comfortable workstations
- Washing machine and dryer
- Ground-level patio
We really enjoyed our stay here. Since the resort is still fairly new, we had high expectations, and thankfully, it delivered. While Wi-Fi and cell coverage can be inconsistent, our hotspot worked fine for streaming and light work. We added resort Wi-Fi access for more reliable meeting connectivity. Ultimately, it was a successful workcation and relaxing stay!
Resort Amenities
Throughout the week, plenty of families made use of the resort’s amenities. While we didn’t take advantage of everything, we did spend time at the pool and took advantage of the outdoor grills, which were located outside of each building.
Other amenities offered by the resort include:
- Deli/Snack Bar & Cafe
- Activities center with billiards table
- Outdoor swimming pool and 3 hot tubs
- Fitness center
- Business center
- Children’s playground
- Firepit and picnic area
- Propane grills
Flights
$483.92
Good ol’ Frontier Airlines had our backs on this journey! This was actually the first time that we paid for baggage on Frontier, which was very much needed since we brought along extra hiking gear and our daypacks.
Flying in and out of Denver was cheaper than flying into Grand Junction, Colorado, the closest regional airport to Moab. Flights to Grand Junction would have cost about $500 per person, had limited schedules, and required a layover. Even though nearly $500 for both tickets felt a bit expensive, it was still more reasonable than the alternatives.
And honestly, the drive to and from Moab ended up becoming one of our favorite parts of the trip. Cruising through Colorado and Utah gave us a slower transition into the red rock desert landscape, which was way more pleasant than rushing from airport to airport.
Rental Car
$374.95
Coincidentally, we ended up renting a Jeep Compass Limited 4WD, just as we had on the Big Island! Although we never needed to use the 4×4 during the trip, the recent snowstorm in Colorado made us glad to have it available just in case.
Local Fare
$100.73
Truthfully, we mostly stayed away from shopping and dining out. Too many crowds, too expensive, and too little flavor, unfortunately. Doughbird and Milt’s Stop & Eat were two local eateries that caught our eye. I wish we could tell you that these were worth the money and calories, but that’s not the case.
They were decent, but nothing special. The doughnuts from Doughbird were on the sweet side, and the burgers from Milt’s were just plain ol’ burgers. Fine, but the ones we make at home are much better!
One local stop that was a true treat was Ye Ol’ Geezer Meat Shop. Our $48 ribeyes looked incredible and tasted just as good. It was a really nice reward after our hike through the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park.
Groceries
$336.03
We definitely splurged on groceries for this trip! We focused primarily on whole, high-protein foods, and with Moab’s higher grocery prices, the total added up quickly. I’m so thankful we had the freedom to cook our own meals. It turned out to be way more affordable and relaxing than having to go out to eat.
Activities
$119.98
Brian and I initially toyed with the idea of guided off-roading and stargazing experiences. Would you believe it if I told you that just those two activities would have cost us over $500?! Oof—no, thanks!
As mentioned in my previous post, we intentionally planned a slower-paced trip this time around. So instead of dropping extra cash and energy for guided tours, we kept things simple. After spending $79.99 at REI for the America the Beautiful annual national park pass, the only other purchase we made was GuideAlong’s Utah’s Mighty 5 Bundle.
Budget Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of the costs for our week-long Moab workcation retreat:
| Accommodations | $595.81 |
| Flights | $483.92 |
| Rental Car | $374.95 |
| Gas (1,220 miles) | $174.12 |
| Local Fare | $100.73 |
| Groceries | $336.03 |
| Activities | $119.98 |
| TOTAL | $2,185.54 |
Based on current Moab travel estimates, a one-week trip generally runs $1,050 per person for budget-conscious travel and closer to $2,900 per person for a more mid-range experience. The average weekly total for two is approximately $5,800. These figures only account for costs within Moab and not the cost of getting there.
Our experience ended up costing far less than many of the adventure-heavy itineraries often planned for Moab. By focusing on low-key exploration, comfortable accommodations, and flexible experiences, we were able to enjoy a full week of easy downtime without feeling maxed out.
We still experienced incredible hikes, scenic landscapes, and dark skies throughout the week, all without the need to spend more. Brian and I came home feeling rested and thankful for the slower pace we gave ourselves. All in all, our Moab workcation retreat turned out just as we had hoped: relaxed, unrushed, and full of easy wanderings.
2 Responses
I hope you were able to get away from artificial lights to view the clear skies at night, I remember being in Nebraska at the missile site and just being mesmerized at the night sky. The stars were so bright and they seemed so close you felt you could reach out and grab them. I remember one night there was a lightning storm between two distant clouds, every once in a while a bolt would scream across the clear sky and the entire landscape would light up as though a huge flashbulb was fired. It was scary, but I was intoxicated with the show.
We did! One of my favorite parts of the trip was heading into Arches National Park at 2 in the morning. The stars did not disappoint. What a gre Sat visual you described… I wish it felt that way for us! Unfortunately, the full moon impacted the experience a bit. Still, it was a stunning display of stars, and being out there in the desert by ourselves felt pretty magical, nonetheless. Your lightning storm sounds both intimidating and awe-inspiring. That must have been such a cool experience!!