Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Best Friends is the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States and one of the most affecting places you'll visit on your stay. Twenty-three years of work, 5,800 acres of pink-and-cream Angel Canyon, and at any given moment around 1,600 animals — dogs, cats, horses, pigs, parrots, rabbits, even a few wild bird species in rehab — living out lives that wouldn't have happened without this place.

Free 90-minute tours run daily and start at the welcome center. You'll see Dogtown (the largest section, organized by personality and need), Cat World (with its own series of cattery buildings), Horse Haven, and the smaller-animal habitats. Buy lunch at the on-site café — the Angel Canyon view alone is worth the drive.

**The Sleepover program** is the part most guests don't know about: if you're staying somewhere pet-friendly (Anasazi Cliffs counts), you can take a sanctuary dog or cat home for the night. The animals get a break from kennel life, and you get an unforgettable evening. Multiple pet-friendly lodgings around Kanab participate; ask the welcome center about the day's available companions when you arrive.

Volunteer shifts (4-hour or full-day) are also free and book a few weeks ahead — meaningful family activity that doubles as one of the most authentic things you can do in southern Utah.