First Time in Utah!
This was a short trip planned on short notice! My boss in Vernal, Utah, told me about a month ahead that he wanted to host a dinner get-together for the employees. I wanted to join the party (and let’s be honest, I didn’t want to say no since I’ve been planning to work remotely from Thailand soon—gotta stay on his good side, LOL).
The best part of the trip was having Tim with me, he makes me feel like I have a great backup. His shoulder is still stiff and hasn’t stretched out well, but he was willing to come along with me.
There’s no direct flight to Vernal, so the travel time can stretch up to 8 hours with a stop. The easiest way is to fly to Salt Lake City or Denver and then drive 2-3 hours to Vernal. For this trip, we flew into Salt Lake City Airport and rented a car for the 3-hour drive to Vernal.
Salt Lake City Airport is really nice and clean! The rental car area is conveniently connected to the terminal, making it super easy to pick up our car.
Once we hit the road, we planned to stop for lunch at Ruth’s Diner, but unfortunately, it was closed on Wednesday—the day we arrived! Instead, we found a spot called Black Sheep through Google. It’s in an area with plenty of other food options like Jersey Mike’s, Korean and Japanese (sushi) restaurants, and even a Dan’s Supermarket, where we grabbed drinks, snacks, and water before hitting the road.
Not far away, we passed Park City where many ski resort are. Tim even mentioned if we ever come back here again in winter, we should stay here!
The Utah landscape was so different from what we’re used to in Texas! The roads were curvy, with hills going up and down, unlike the flat, endless stretches of Texas highways. I was a little nervous when I realized there weren’t many rest areas along the way—I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d do if I needed a restroom stop!
On the way to Vernal, we passed through Heber City, where we could have stopped for lunch at places like Ranch House or Back 40 Roadhouse and Grill, just about 45 minutes from Salt Lake City. The drive to Vernal took around 3 hours, and once we arrived, we checked into our room at the Holiday Inn.
Vernal is a small city, but it has everything in one place—Walmart, Lowe’s, Ross, fast food restaurants, coffee shop (Beans & Brews), Donuts (Glazed and Grilled) and even a Harley-Davidson store! The Holiday Inn we stayed at was undergoing remodeling, so the lobby was a bit messy. However, our room (a king bed) was very spacious. We did have to change rooms to avoid the noise from the roadside. Vernal might look like a small town, but there are so many cars running all day and night—and they are really loud!
On the first day we met my boss “Eric”, he took us to Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery, where people help fish grow. We got to feed the fish, which we were told are trout. The hatchery is about an hour’s drive up into the mountains.
On the way back, we stopped at Flaming Gorge Dam and Green River, where I enjoyed a nice, short hike.
Day 2: Exploring Vernal
On the second day, my boss and his family, including their two kids, took us to the Dinosaur National Monument (Quarry), where we saw real dinosaur bones!
They also drove us around the nature sites to enjoy the beautiful scenery and spot wildlife, especially deer—it felt like they were everywhere!
Vernal has so much to see, but the highlight of the trip was spending time with my boss, his family, and our co-workers.
If you ever pass through Vernal, I highly recommend stopping by Bee’s Thai Kitchen, owned by my boss’s wife, Bee.
Bee is an incredible cook—far better than I am! I thought we’d have the chance to sit in front of her shop, but it was cold, and her kids were sick, so she had to close it during our visit. Thankfully, Eric and Bee invited us over for dinner on our second night, and her Thai food was absolutely phenomenal!
Heading Back to Salt Lake City
After three great nights in Vernal, we spent an extra night in Salt Lake City. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn (there are so many Hilton locations in the area!). The one we stayed at was conveniently located near Thai 101 Kitchen, Starbucks, and Beehive State Souvenirs, all right next to the hotel. There are also a BBQ spot and Subway sandwich shop within a 5-minute walk.
We didn’t do much in Salt Lake City because it was raining and snowing lightly, and we didn’t feel confident driving around in that weather. I had hoped to visit Bonneville Salt Flats, but it’s 1.5 hours away, and a 3-hour round trip in the snow didn’t feel worth it this time.
Asian Market in Salt Lake City
On the day we returned to Salt Lake City, we had Pho for lunch and were pleasantly surprised by how many Korean food options were in the area! There’s even an 85°C Bakery Café, one of my favorites. It feels like they have everything an Asian like me could want here!
Breakfast at Ruth’s Diner
Before heading to the airport for our return flight, we finally got to have breakfast at Ruth’s Diner (where we had tried to have lunch on the first day, only to find out they’re closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Ruth’s is about 15 minutes from our hotel, located up in the mountains.
As soon as we were seated, they served their famous Mile High Biscuit, which I had been excited to try. Surprisingly, it wasn’t much different from the biscuits I’ve had in Texas or Louisiana! We also didn’t realize they had homemade jam at first—so silly of us to almost finish the biscuits with just butter!
I kept it simple with two eggs and a side, while Tim ordered a salmon omelet. It was ok, but I was surprised he chose it—he’s never had fish for breakfast before!
The hotel (Hilton) offers an all-you-can-eat breakfast for $18 per person—we should have gone for it!
Heading to the Airport
Returning our rental car was quick and easy—it took just five minutes!
Conveniently, the United and Delta check-in counters are located right across from all the car rental desks, making it super simple to check in our bags and get ready for the flight.
Salt Lake City Airport
Salt Lake City Airport has a Delta Club but no United Club for domestic flights. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re traveling and looking for a lounge to relax in before your flight!
Note: Back to IAH Airport
Returning to IAH Airport is always an adventure, especially with the never-ending construction—it’s a mess! This was our first time parking our car at the airport. Our general rule is: if the parking fee is less than $150, it’s okay to park, but if it’s more than $150, we’d rather take an Uber.
Here’s what I learned about airport parking:
- After parking, it’s best to stay near your car and wait for the shuttle bus—they’ll come around to pick you up.
- Plan for an extra 30-45 minutes after parking to account for the shuttle ride to the terminal, and the same amount of time for the return trip back to your car.
- The shuttle drivers are very helpful and always offer assistance with passengers’ suitcases, which was appreciated!
One thing that could be improved: on the way back to our car, the shuttle driver seemed to follow the order of tickets they’d collected from passengers, starting with the last person picked up. This caused some confusion, as the driver passed our car twice while navigating between covered and uncovered parking areas. It was a little nerve-wracking watching the shuttle drive away from our car!
In the end, we were the second passengers to board the bus, so naturally, we were the second-to-last to get off. It was a bit frustrating, but we managed to get back to our car eventually. Lesson learned for next time!
