Road trip

[Dioltach]

Dear Americans,

This summer, I'm planning to travel around the American southwest with a couple of friends(strictly speaking, we'll be doing a bit more than just the southwest: my friends want to see California too, and we're thinking about including Colorado). They're going for three weeks, but because I'm already going to Madeira with my wife immediately before that, and because I'm self-employed and it will cost me too much to take a whole month off work, I'm only going for a week or ten days.

I'd like to see Arizona, the Rockies, New Mexico, and perhaps the Pacific (just to say I've seen it from both sides), and I'm not particularly worried about travelling up California to see big trees like my friends. My friends want to see Las Vegas, but I already promised my wife we'd go there together.

So my question is, can anyone recommend anything in particular? We won't have time to visit anywhere at length, but we'd like to catch some of the highlights, or just see some amazing stuff. And does anyone have any tips that might make the trip easier, cheaper, more fun, or whatever?

Oh, and I solemnly promise that I will never again in my life scoff at American tourists "doing" Europe in a fortnight.

 

[kenobi65]

Well, it's a beautiful area of the country, for sure.

You absolutely need to go to the Grand Canyon. When my wife and I went there, we drove up from Flagstaff to the south rim.

Hoover Dam (just south of Vegas) is also tremendously impressive.

New Mexico, as a whole, is very cool. Santa Fe is a funky town, a mix of Mexican influences with an artist community. Taos is supposed to be pretty cool, too, though I understand that it's gotten very touristy.

It's really a to-hell-and-gone trip, but the Chaco Culture National Historical Park (several hours NW of Albuquerque) is pretty amazing. It's a big valley with many ruins of a pre-Columbian culture.

The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway (in northern New Mexico / southern Colorado) is interesting, especially if you have any interest in railroads. It runs along an old narrow-gauge mining railway through some beautiful mountain terrain, and is pulled by an old steam locomotive.

Biggest piece of advice: make sure your rental car has air conditioning.

 

[ssampier]

I'm from Utah, so....

Lake Powell
Arches National Park
Zions National Park

Mesa Verde National Park, Cortez, CO

People say you need to see "Four Corners Monument". I say skip it. I rather enjoyed the natives selling their goods, but the monument itself is pretty lame (plus it's a rather long drive).

 

[drothgery]

The list of things to see and do in San Diego and LA is rather extensive, but just as an important note for travellers -- the Pacific off the coast of California is only very rarely warm enough to swim in. There's a reason why you always see the surfers wearing wetsuits.

 

[Dioltach]

Thanks, guys! We planned our itinerary yesterday, and we have the Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, Mesa Verde, Hoover Dam, and much much more on the list. We might visit the Scenic Railway when we're in the neighbourhood (and Four Corners), as we're leaving the option open of staying a day longer in that area for Monument Valley. Sadly, I won't see the Pacific, because I'm heading back home once we get to Las Vegas, but my friends are continuing on to San Francisco.

 

[BSF]

Sorry I missed this before you planned your itinerary.

If you are going to be in Santa Fe, you should at least stop to get pictures of the San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe. It is the oldest church in America, which ought to give you a little giggle since it isn't quite 400 years old.

What routes are you planning to take? There might be little idiosyncracies that we can clue you into before you begin the trip.