In Moab, some companies offer four-wheel drive tours through red-rock back country -- places ordinary tourists never get to.

The road also sports some old-fashioned attractions like Hole 'N the Rock, a 5,000-square-foot home carved out of a sandstone cliff. It includes a petting zoo, sculpture garden, general store and trading post, and is located 12 miles south of Moab. A house tour costs $6 for adults.

The Dinosaur Museum ($3.50) in Blanding, Utah, tries to convince visitors that dinosaurs are just big birds that lost the ability to fly.

Where to stay. Moab, at the start of the road trip, has dozens of motels and B&Bs -- as well as housekeeping cabins for travelers planning longer stays.

About an hour down the road, Monticello has lower-priced alternatives; it's also the closest town to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.

Chinle has a couple of hotels, while a Navajo-run lodge inside the National Monument grounds offers pricier rooms with great views.