THE Southwest is America’s playground, luring adventurous travelers with thrilling red-rock landscapes, the legends of shoot-’em-up cowboys and the kicky delights of green-chile stew.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Beauty and adventure are a fun-loving team in the Southwest. They crank up the white-water, unleash the singletrack, add blooms to the trail and drape a sunset across the red rocks. This captivating mix of scenery and possibility lures travellers who want to rejuvenate physically, mentally and spiritually. The big draw is the Grand Canyon, a two-billion-year-old wonder that shares its geological treasures with a healthy dose of fun. In Utah the red rocks will nourish your soul while thrashing your bike, while in southern Colorado ice climbing and mountain biking excite. Take a scenic drive, an art walk or a lazy slide down a shimmery dune in New Mexico, or chase the neon lights in Vegas.
THIS IS THE PLACE FOR HISTORY
The Southwest wears its history on its big, sandy sleeve. Ancient cultures left behind cliff dwellings and petroglyphs, while their descendants live on in reservations and pueblos. Navajos and Apaches arrived next, followed by Spanish conquistadors. Then the missionaries left a string of stunning missions in their wake. Mormon religious refugees arrived with Brigham Young in the Salt Lake Valley, and their cities have flourished. The lure of gold and copper drew prospectors, and vast tracts of land drew cattlemen.
MULTICULTURAL MEANDERINGS
It’s the multicultural mix — Native American, Hispanic, Anglo — that makes a trip to the Southwest unique. There are 19 Indian pueblos in New Mexico, and the Navajo Reservation alone covers more than 27,000 sq miles. Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly, two of the most striking geological features in the Southwest, are protected as sacred places. Tribal traditions and imagery influence art across the region. The Spanish and Mexican cultures are also a part of daily life, from the food to the language to headlines about immigration.
LOCAL FOOD & DRINK
Green-chile sauces in New Mexico. Sonoran dogs in Tucson. Steak in Colorado. Regional specialties are pleasingly diverse in the Southwest and sampling homegrown fare is half the fun of a trip. Top restaurants are increasingly focused on fresh and locally grown fare — anyone up for a little foraging? A crop of new microbreweries has opened across the region, and Arizona wines are also winning fans.
WHY I LOVE SOUTHWEST USA
“Because I never get bored. Deserts, mountains, red-rock canyons. Wherever I hike in the Southwest, I know there will always be a cool new view around the bend. But it’s not just the scenery that’s compelling. Behind every beautiful landscape there is, inevitably, an interesting story or bit of history that adds to the richness of the experience. And outdoor fun? Seriously, there are enough adventures here to fill several lifetimes. Yep, the Southwest — it’s worth an extended visit.”
-Amy C Balfour, Coordinating Author, Lonely Planet Southwest USA (7th Edition)
SOUTHWEST USA’S TOP FIVE
1. Grand Canyon National Park
The sheer immensity of the canyon is what grabs you first: it’s a two-billion-year-old rip across the landscape that reveals the earth’s geological secrets with commanding authority. But it’s Mother Nature’s artistic touches — from sun-dappled ridges and crimson buttes to lush oases and a ribbon-like river — that hold your attention and demand your return. As Theodore Roosevelt said, this natural wonder is ‘unparalleled throughout the rest of the world.’
2. Sedona
The beauty of the red rocks hits you on an elemental level. Yes, the jeep tours, crystal shops and chichi galleries add to the fun, but it’s the crimson buttes — strange yet familiar — that make Sedona unique. Soak up the beauty by hiking to Airport Mesa, cycling beneath Bell Rock or sliding across Oak Creek. New Agers might tell you to seek out the vortexes, which allegedly radiate the earth’s power, but even nonbelievers can appreciate the sacred nature of this breathtaking tableau.
3. Las Vegas
As you awake from your in-flight nap — rested, content, ready for red-rock inspiration — here comes Vegas on the horizon, like a showgirl looking for trouble. As you leave the airport and glide under the neon of the Strip, she puts on a dazzling show: dancing fountains, a spewing volcano, the Eiffel Tower. But her most dangerous charms lie in the gambling dens — seductive lairs where the fresh-pumped air and bright colours share one goal: separating you from your money. Step away if you can for fine restaurants, Cirque du Soleil and a shark-filled reef.
4. Old West Towns of Arizona
If you judge an Old West town by the quality of its nickname, then Jerome, once known as the Wickedest Town in the West, and Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die, are the most fascinating spots in Arizona. While the moniker for Bisbee — Queen of the Copper Camps — isn’t quite as intriguing, the town shares key traits with the others: a rough-and-tumble mining past, a remote location capping a scenic drive, and a quirky cast of entrepreneurial citizens putting their spin on galleries, B&Bs and restaurants.
5. Santa Fe
Although Santa Fe is more than 400 years old, she’s still kicking up her heels like a teenager. On Friday night, art lovers flock to Canyon Rd to gab with artists, sip wine and explore more than 100-plus galleries and shops. Art and history partner within a consortium of museums, with international crafts, Native American art, world-class collections and a history museum competing for attention. And oh, the food and shopping. With that crystal blue sky as a backdrop, dining and shopping on the Plaza isn’t just satisfying, it’s sublime.
WHEN TO GO
■ High Season (Jun–Aug, Nov–Feb)
Enjoy warm temperatures and sunny skies in New Mexico, Utah and northern Arizona.
In winter hit the slopes in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado or giddyap at southern Arizona dude ranches.
■ Shoulder Season (Mar–May, Sep–Oct)
In fall, check out colourful aspens and cottonwoods in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
■ Cooler temperatures and lighter crowds on the Grand Canyon South Rim.
Low Season (Nov–Feb, Jun–Aug)
■ National parks in Utah and northern Arizona clear out as the snow arrives.
■ In summer locals flee the heat in southern Arizona. Rates plummet at top resorts in Phoenix and Tucson.
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