r/travel • u/AutoModerator • Jan 23 '20
Advice r/travel Region of the Week: 'South West US - Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Southern Colorado, and West Texas'
Hey travellers!
In this series of weekly threads we want to focus on regions that have a lot to offer to travellers: the towns, nature, and other interesting places whether they are lesser or more known. If more known provide more in depth suggestions like tours, things to do, places to eat, your personal trip review, etc.
Please contribute all and any questions / thoughts / suggestions / ideas / stories / highlights about this travel destination, whether it be places you want to see or experiences you have had.
This post will be archived on our wiki destinations page and linked in the sidebar for future reference, so please direct any of the more repetitive questions there. Please click here for list and dates of future destinations. If you notice an area of a region is not listed it is likely it will be a future topic or it may have been a prior topic as a country or city. Please focus on the specific regions in the submission unless it was not a prior or future topic.
Only guideline: If you link to an external site, make sure it's relevant to helping someone travel to this city. Please include adequate text with the link explaining what it is about and describing the content from a helpful travel perspective.
Example: We really enjoyed the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. It was $35 each, but there's enough to keep you entertained for whole day. Bear in mind that parking on site is quite pricey, but if you go up the hill about 200m there are three $15/all day car parks. Monterey Aquarium
Unhelpful: Read my blog here!!!
Helpful: My favourite part of driving down the PCH was the wayside parks. I wrote a blog post about some of the best places to stop, including Battle Rock, Newport and the Tillamook Valley Cheese Factory (try the fudge and ice cream!).
Unhelpful: Eat all the curry! [picture of a curry].
Helpful: The best food we tried in Myanmar was at the Karawek Cafe in Mandalay, a street-side restaurant outside the City Hotel. The surprisingly young kids that run the place stew the pork curry[curry pic] for 8 hours before serving [menu pic]. They'll also do your laundry in 3 hours, and much cheaper than the hotel.
Undescriptive I went to Mandalay. Here's my photos/video.
As the purpose of these is to create a reference guide to answer some of the most repetitive questions, please do keep the content on topic. If comments are off-topic any particularly long and irrelevant comment threads may need to be removed to keep the guide tidy - start a new post instead. Please report content that is:
Completely off topic
Unhelpful, wrong or possibly harmful advice
Against the rules in the sidebar (blogspam/memes/referrals/sales links etc)
11
Jan 23 '20
Apply for a permit to the Wave in advance...if you get drawn, alter your plans to make it happen: https://www.thewave.info/CoyoteButtesNorthCode/Permits.html
5
u/CivicBlues Canada Jan 23 '20
I did exactly that in Nov 2017 when I won a permit and booked a flight to SLC that very day. It was amazing. Also took in the 5 National Parks, Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon. Met up with some other hikers at the Wave trailhead but I was glad I brought a GPS. Finding the Wave was easy enough going in but the return trip was a bit confusing given the "map" provided.
7
Jan 23 '20
I was seriously disappointed with Antelope Canyon but very impressed with the rest of my 5 days in southern Utah/northern Arizona. Zion was like visiting the land of the dinosaurs and the Wave is one of my favorite day hikes ever, like you're in the Wild West and have the entire country to yourself. I also went to Bryce Canyon but didn't visit Monument Valley or the Moab parks. I'm sure I'll return to do those some other day, though.
5
u/duelingdelbene Jan 24 '20
What didn't you like about antelope? My only complaint was you get kinda herded like cattle
4
Jan 24 '20
That's one thing.
It's just too commercial and contrived and the real life photos look nothing like the staged photos they help you set up by tweaking with your camera settings.
It wasn't a bad day. It's obviously still a neat place. I just wish I'd used that day to see a perhaps less impressive slot canyon that wasn't like Disneyland.
4
u/duelingdelbene Jan 24 '20
Well they arent really staged considering its still a real picture lol
But I get your point. It was a bit annoying.
It's also so strange how there are tiny formations like that that only exist in one place with how grand and unbiased nature is in forming. Like imagine there was just one mountain on the entire planet. And everything else was flat.
4
u/jfchops2 Jan 27 '20
The conditions needed to create a mountain are far less sparse than the conditions to create a slot canyon.
4
u/RocketGirlTravel Jan 25 '20
I agree, I was also disappointed with Antelope Canyon. I think all of the images just portray it in a very beautiful picturesque way and the only way you could see it how the internet shows it is through your camera lenses with certain filters... I just felt like “why did I pay to have this tour when I could have looked at the pictures online...” It would have been beautiful & I would have probably liked it more if I didn’t have certain expectations for it because of the pictures.
Zion is my favorite National Park & I highly recommend Angel’s Landing & The Narrows! Also, Horseshoe Bend at sunset is a must!
2
u/mataushas Jan 28 '20
Zion is my favorite park as well but I'd like to add that Hidden Canyon trail is awesome. On the way up to it there's a lot of ledges where you have to get use a chain to gain some footing. It is also way less crowded. Ascend section is nicer than Angel's landing I think.
7
u/redfour0 Jan 24 '20
My girlfriend and I (both in our mid 20's) are thinking of doing a 10-day road trip through the Southwest. We don't know a whole lot about the region but it's one place we both haven't been and are interested in exploring. We're thinking we'd want to see (in order of interest) Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. We'd try to find a cheap flight from the Northeast, rent a car and do a loop through each of the states.
Does anyone have advice on an itinerary? We think we'd like to go in the fall but is there a better time? There's a few places we want to check out for sure and I'd like to hear more suggestions about must do's and sees. We're both pretty active, enjoy hiking and the outdoors but are fine checking out some of the bigger cities too. The only stop for sure we'd like to make so far is Flagstaff, AZ, the Grand Canyon, Zion or Bryce.
3
u/Illbeintheorchard Jan 25 '20
Google the Grand Circle road trip. It hits all the big national park highlights of the Southwest. Only challenge is ten days may be a bit too short to do it justice...
3
Jan 27 '20
In New Mexico, the best natural sites are down south! Take I-10 and highways to Carlsbad Cavers, White Sands, Cloudcroft, etc
For modern wonders and architecture, try Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
7
u/DDDD6040 United States Jan 25 '20
I've done a few amazing road trips in this area. Southern Utah has 5 national parks -- all are amazing and really worth spending some time in. Grand Canyon South Rim is really over- commercialized and crowded. Keep in mind the distances out here are vast. People often try to do too much in too little time. Bryce Canyon might be the most beautiful place I've ever seen (Iceland, Amalfi Coast, Lauterbrunnen area of Switzerland, Havasu Falls, and the Grand Tetons give it a run for its money) and I highly recommend staying in the park or at the entrance at Ruby's - it's best at sunrise and sunset so staying right there makes it really easy to be there at those times.
6
u/Illbeintheorchard Jan 25 '20 edited Jan 25 '20
If you've never been to the Southwest, you'll probably want to hit up the big Utah National Parks plus the Grand Canyon. I recommend you spend at least a full day (two nights) in each park so that you really get a chance to explore it and go on a good hike. That might mean you don't have time to visit them all, but that's a quality over quantity trade-off - in my opinion, far too many people spend most of their Southwest trips driving just to stop at a viewpoint and snap a quick picture before getting back in the car to the next destination.
Okay, so you've done the big parks (and probably Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, because those are all over social media these days). Or you just hate sitting in traffic and being shoulder-to-shoulder with other tourists. What else? Most people don't bother with Capitol Reef National Park on their first trip, and that's a shame, because it's absolutely gorgeous and way less crowded than the other 4 in Utah. Also the Needles district of Canyonlands is amazing with so many fewer people than Island in the Sky. Also make sure you drive UT 12 from Escalate to Torrey - it's one of the most spectacular roads in the US. Utah also has a number of State Parks which tend to be a little smaller than the National Parks, but still worth a visit. Kodachrome and Coral Pink Sand Dunes are particularly good.
Logistics - spring and fall have better weather than summer, which can be quite hot in many places. Winter is much less crowded, but generally too cold to camp unless you have an RV. Hotels can be very expensive near the national parks; many people choose to camp as the more budget option. If you are planning on camping you'll want to reserve as soon as reservations become available (usually 6 months in advance) - go to the park website for more details (official national park websites are hosted at nps.gov). Zion is also so popular that some activities require reservations as well - again, check the website).
All this hiking and camping not really your thing? I suggest Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's a wonderful city with an amazing history (it's over 400 years old, making it the oldest state capital in the US!). It's got a totally unique style of architecture (adobe), and the plaza area is charming and very walkable. Huge arts scene there too. It's small, so it's a long-weekend-type destination - 2 or 3 days is probably enough.
Finally, if you're interested in learning about ancient cultures, the Southwest is littered with ruins from the ancient puebloans. The most accessible and famous ones are at Mesa Verde, but there are tons more. Chaco Canyon, Bandalier, Wupatki, Montezuma Castle, for a start. The descendents of the ancient puebloans moved South and you can visit inhabited villages at Acoma and Taos (and others, but those two are the most photogenic). Today they have a very rich pottery tradition.
4
u/WSBagholder Jan 23 '20
Coincidentally, I stayed in Kanab, Utah on the same night the annual hot air balloon festival occurred last year. I do not know exactly what day it will occur on this year (sometime around President's day), but when I went it was great. Although the amount of Mormons there was sort of a culture shock for me (I'm from southeast USA), everyone was extremely friendly (better than the "southern hospitality" we have down here, hahaha), there was a lot to do (but not too much to do), and it being in a small town just made the entire atmosphere great.
If you can, stay in Kanab, Utah and go to the hot air balloon festival.
3
u/AButcherKnife United States Jan 23 '20
Wife and I are doing a week in Arizona. Any hikes around Sedona I shouldn't miss?
4
u/mrye06 Jan 24 '20
There are a lot of trails that I'd say "not to miss". I believe the tourist office has some detailed information on the majority of trails. Vultee Arch was pretty cool. Some of the trails that involve scrambling were really fun as well. Cathedral Rock was really crowded at the base but after the scrambling sections there wasn't many people.
3
4
u/joetheschmo2001 Jan 27 '20
Devils Bridge is a bit commercial but regardless is absolutely stunning
5
u/swimbikerun91 Jan 24 '20
Grand Canyon is truly amazing. South rim is super touristy (like Disney) but the north rim is incredibly remote and relaxed. Stay at the north rim lodge if you get the chance.
Through hiking rim to rim is awesome. Stay down at phantom ranch at the bottom if you can. You typically have to enter a lottery around a year in advance
4
u/ekphonesis Jan 25 '20
If you're heading to West Texas, try and stop in Ft. Davis. It's a small little town smack just about the middle of nowhere. But it's great.
- The McDonald Observatory is the biggest draw to the town, what with the Star Parties(weather permitting) and other activities they host drawing in space enthusiasts from all over. With prices ranging from $9-$15 for adult tickets, it's well worth the trek. These sell out fast, though. Only note, your phones likely won't get service on top of the mountain as you get closer to the actual telescopes cause of A) lack of range and B) radio waves and other frequencies would disrupt the work of the astronomers.
- Marfa is only ~30 minutes from Ft. Davis. Good for the art incline folk as it's becoming a younger, art driven town. Do try and see the Marfa Lights, just east of the town right off 67. Like, a pull off to the side of the road off. When sun sets and the dark settles in, face the mountains. The lights should shine not long after.
- Historical sites of the old Fort still stand from the Civil War. Lots of the old buildings are still up and you can walk through them in the Ft. Davis National Historic Site.
- A lot of hotels and shops are located on State St, but not the only place. You won't find any big name, chain hotels. I recommend the Ft Davis Drug Store and Hotel. The food is good, the accommodations are nice.
And that's all just from three days I spent out there. There are of course other things that can be done, but these are my personal favorites and highlights :)
5
u/jadeoracle (Do NOT PM/Chat me for Mod Questions) Jan 27 '20
Strange Museums Suggestions
Santa Fe, NM
Highly recommend the art experience "Meow Wolf" in Santa Fe, NM. I've done a road trip from Colorado to visit it and it was amazing. Sadly the Denver, CO version has been pushed back from a 2020 opening to sometime in 2021. And I think there is one in Las Vegas, NV.
If you don't know what Meow Wolf is, you see a Victorian House, and go into it and start to find out something happened to the family that lived there. As you explore, you see that time and space have created portals in weird things. There is a slide in the dryer. The fridge opens up to another place. You can crawl through a fireplace and end up seeing dino bones. Hit the bones, they make music. Weird stuff like that. I spent an entire day here, and still didn't see everything.
Las Vegas, NV
Another random museum to check out, this time in Las Vegas is the Neon Museum. One of my favorite things I've done in Las Vegas. It is where a lot of the old Neon Signs of Vegas are stored. Formely "Junk Yard" like, they now are displayed (and some are restored) in interesting arrangements. You also can only visit with a tour, and they'll tell you the history of the signs and old Las Vegas. I also hear the nightime tickets where some of the signs are lit up are very hard to come by so make sure to get tickets ahead of time. This is not a "roll up and see it" place.
4
u/sierranevada007 Jan 27 '20
If you are in Southern Utah/Northern Arizona to explore the Zion/Grand Staircase Escalante/Grand Canyon, a stay at Amangiri is an absolute must. Not only is there no better hotel in Utah, but there is also no better hotel in the lower 48. It is a truly magical place with staff dedicated to making your trip unforgettable, down to the smallest detail.
I genuinely would not even consider staying anywhere else in the area. I've made trips to the area just to stay at Amangiri, it's that spectacular.
Do yourself a favor and stay there for a few nights.
4
u/ben1204 Som Tam Advocate Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20
Did Zion and the Grand Canyon without a car. I’m a city guy that wasn’t comfortable driving out west
Fly into Vegas. It’s much closer than Salt Lake City to Zion
St George shuttle runs routes from Vegas to Springdale, Utah. They’re $60 each way. Not cheap but def cheaper than renting a car.
Find a place to stay in Springdale. There aren’t really any hostels in Utah. However if you go during offseason the hotels are really not expensive. Or camp if that’s your thing.
Springdale and Zion NP have a very good shuttle systems that run for most of the year. Enjoy. Completely free with a NP entry ticket.
You need at least two full days in my opinion. Observation point was closed when I went.
I highly recommend Angel’s Landing. The chain thing is pretty terrifying but honestly that’s totally optional. Once you get to the top there’s still a great view and you can skip the chains
If you’re willing to shell $40 for the rentals, absolutely do the narrows
Watchman is another trail with great views
I loved Zion. Be open to going in Shoulder season, but don’t let the crowds deter you.
Grand Canyon
Fly into Phoenix or Flagstaff. A company called Arizona Shuttle runs routes from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon that leave around 7 and embark back to flagstaff around 6:30 pm.
I walked along the south rim and into the canyon via Bright Angel. Be warned, account for double the time when returning up from the canyon. That taxes your legs
Shuttle system like Zion is very good and takes you all over
The shuttle should leave you enough time to see a sunset, at least in November
For both places the national park rangers are helpful and friendly, don’t be afraid to ask for advice.
3
u/joetheschmo2001 Jan 27 '20
If you are interested in a slot canyon like Antelope Canyon, but don’t want to pay for the tour or put up with the crowds, I would highly recommend Buckskin Gulch Canyon. Beautiful hike
3
u/scrumptious_quack Jan 28 '20
I drove with a buddy from Denver to Taos, NM last year for a weekend getaway. Taos is a great town with a lot of great hiking and sightseeing nearby. We visited the Taos Pueblo and learned about the history and traditions of the Red Willow people, at least the little bit they’re willing to share (they’re very secretive about their ceremonies, etc.). There is a restaurant on the way, Tiwa Kitchen, that serves their traditional cuisine. One of the coolest things we did was finding Manby Hot Springs, a natural hot spring along the river. IIRC Black Rock hot spring was flooded at that time, so ask the locals for tips on which one to go to. We needed my buddy’s Subaru to get up there because the road was very rough. Also, although we didn’t encounter anyone going au natural, be forewarned that the springs are clothing optional.
3
u/katiekfitz Jan 29 '20
I did a road trip through Utah in 2018 and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on! We did Arches, Canyonlands, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in Page AZ, Bryce Canyon and Zion. Super easy to make this a really inexpensive trip. Highly recommend buying an annual pass if you’re visiting any parks, it’s cheaper than buying entrance fee every time. You need to reserve a tour in advance for antelope canyon. Highly recommend doing the angels landing hike in zion, that was probably my favorite part of the whole trip.
2
u/GT_Knight Jan 24 '20
In Tucson for a week. I’m a beginner mountain biker looking for a fun trail that’s not too challenging. Have a bum knee so lots of uphill is a no-go. Anything exist like that?
2
2
u/musictomyomelette Jan 25 '20
Has anyone been to Marfa, TX? I know nothing about it but after seeing Bourdain's episode when he visited, I've always wanted to go. How was your experience when you went? how long did you go for? Was it worth it?
3
u/hapea Jan 25 '20
I went! We basically stopped over for the night on the way out and back from Big Bend. If you don’t go on a weekend it’s pretty dead. Stayed in a nice little air b n b, had an extraordinarily tasty fancy dinner, hung out a dive bar and got breakfast burrritos at Marfa Burrito. Good stopover but probably not worth it on its own but ymmv.
I’d highly recommend Big Bend as a trip. We stayed in Terlingua which is a neat tiny town. The starlight theatre is one of like only 5 restaurants in town, they have a big front porch and you can buy beer at the store next door and drink and listen to music while waiting for a table. Food is good. Also a great bbq place (Rustic iron). We also did a canoe trip down the river overnight which was awesome.
3
u/ekphonesis Jan 25 '20
Worth it. I only went through Marfa since I was actually staying in Ft. Davis, but nevertheless. As Hapea said, pretty slow on during the week. It is becoming more of an "art town" kind of vibe, lots of young people, etc. My advice, if you're trying to get a sit down restaurant, check to see if they take reservations. We had trouble finding a restaurant to eat at that evening, but they do exist!
It gets cold out there in the winter, desert and all that. So dress warm.
The biggest tourist-y draw to Marfa is the Marfa lights. When the sun starts going down, head out east on 67, looking toward the mountains. You don't have to go too far, just outside the town. When dark settles in, you'll likely see lights flash on and off in the distance. It's cool to see, cause at first it's tricky to figure out if those are actually the lights or not.
2
u/tippedthescaffold Jan 27 '20
Santa Fe and Taos, NM are some of my favorite places I've ever been. It's just so gorgeous there. It's truly mystical there, in a way I can't explain. I feel incredibly drawn to everything about it. The unbelievably blue sky on the earthy hues of the high desert, wild horses running through fields of wildflowers, the incredible ratio of art galleries and antique shops for a relatively small population, every building seems to be full of outsider art. There's so much vintage torquoise jewelry, the smell of leather is everywhere, you can smell chilis from a cafe everywhere you walk, the breathlessness you feel walking up and down hilly sidewalks at 7,000 feet, being surrounded by all seasons at one - the dry, arid desert, full of lush green foliage, permanently snow-capped mountains in the distance, dramatic canyons and ravines, starry skies in the night when the temperature cuts in half. Everywhere there are steel structures with ancient figures and symbolism, pueblos that have withstood the test of time, contrasting colors of tan and blue of the earth and sky that seems almost sacred to the history of the area.
I'm counting down the days til I can go back there!
2
u/joeh4384 United States Jan 29 '20
If you are going to Moab area, first do not skip Canyonlands (Island in the Sky) or Dead Horse Point. They are a lot less crowded than Arches but not very far of a drive at all. I think Green River overlook maybe has the best Sunset view.
In Arches, far and away the best hike is the Fiery Furnace. It is completely worth getting either a pass or signing up for the Ranger guided tour which fills up quickly. I did the ranger guided hike and really enjoyed it.
In Moab, I liked Woody's for a watering hole if it is still open. The drinks were cheap and i enjoyed the dive atmosphere and ended up meeting some great people during Easter Jeep Safari who I have kept in touch with.
In Utah, Capitol Reef is seriously underrated. It is way less crowded than the other parks due to being sort of in the middle of no-where. That area probably had one of the best night sky's I have ever seen in my life. The drive from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon is also fantastic.
2
u/mlaporta2008 Jan 29 '20
Santa Fe is a treasure trove of beauty in and around the city. I went to the Tent Rocks about 45 minutes outside of Santa Fe, and got to experience similar rock formations and mineral deposits as you see in the Antelope Canyon photos with no lines, traffic or applying for permits. Santa Fe has world class food, really great architecture, tons of art and Meowulf. If you don’t know Meowulf, it’s an interactive art exhibit from the mind of George RR Martin and a slew of talented artists who have created a house that travels through different dimensions as you move from room to room, all with a trippy back story of a family who lived in this house and you are challenged to discover what happened. Or you can just check out the art. To my knowledge no one has solved the problem and people get annual passes to go continually revisit and unlock new clues.
Tent rocks information here: https://www.blm.gov/visit/kktr
Meowulf info here: https://meowwolf.com/visit/santa-fe
2
u/Johnnyg150 Jan 30 '20
If you are looking to get a taste of the landscape in these states, but don't have time to visit, take a look at Amtrak's California Zephyr, Sunset Limited, or Southwest Chief. Get a sleeping car (roomette is comfortable for one, cozy for 2), turn off your phone and look out the window!
Zephyr is on the Northern boundary of this region, but the trip is incredibly scenic and worth consideration, Southwest Chief has a much more 'southern' clientele and route, but the scenery is not as good. I have never been on Sunset Limited, but I would expect more latin vibes due to proximity to Mexican border.
Since Amtrak serves a lot of rural communities without airports, there are a lot of really interesting people onboard. The dining car has limited tables, so they will match you with other people to fill the seats. This means over the course of the trip, a solo traveler will eat with up to 21 other people! Since there often is no phone service, all you can do is talk. Be aware that rural americans do not value being politically correct- regardless of party. They will at some point express beliefs that you may not agree with, but it is really interesting to hear their perspectives.
If you don't want to make the full plunge into a 52 hour train ride, consider just doing San Francisco (leaves from Emeryville right across the bay bridge, coach bus from downtown provided) to Denver or Los Angeles to Albuquerque. Those are the most scenic sections- Kansas and Iowa are really boring!
1
Jan 23 '20
Don't start your trip from the Salt Lake City airport.
Thanks to Delta's ripoff monopoly, fares are very high.
4
u/SiscoSquared Jan 23 '20
I think that just depends. I have flow in/out of SLC many times, and pretty often the flights are priced just fine. There tend to be a lot more promo and cheap flights to Vegas though, which can serve as a good jump-off point to this region.
3
12
u/saimang Jan 24 '20
Girlfriend and I took a road trip through Southern Colorado and Utah 2 years ago, it was one of the best trips we've ever been on. Here's some notes from our route off the top of my head:
That's all I have. Hope this helps make someone else's trip to this region of the U.S great - it's easily one of the most impressive natural landscapes I've ever seen.