low rider,There's an airport in Hurricane, 1L8, but I don't know of any car rental closer than St. George. Be aware that the inner canyon road is closed to private vehicles April thru October, so best to park in Springdale and take the shuttles for that area. Springdale might be a good base for the family because of easy access to the most popular spots.
You can still drive thru the park on Utah 9, and also into Kolob Canyons in the NW corner. Check out
glidergeek's nice video of the Kolob area:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9285&start=120#p128315If you haven't found it yet, the Zion Park site is here:
http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htmAngel's Landing is about as close as you can get to flying on a hike, but you'll have a great time anywhere in Zion.
N Rat