Page 18 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

16  INTRODUCING THE USA

Five Days in Day 2: Las Vegas, South Strip Day 5: Santa Fe
the Southwest Tour the mega-casinos at the Spend a full day in Santa Fe,
southern end of the Strip. Enter visiting the Palace of the
• Arriving Fly into Las Vegas’s the Luxor (p502) pyramid Governors (p540) and the
McCarran International between the paws of the giant Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Airport, located right on Sphinx, and visit its exhibitions (p541) downtown, and the
the Strip. Depart from of artifacts from the sunken Museum of International Folk
Albuquerque International Titanic and “plastinated” human Art (p541) on the periphery.
Sunport or Santa Fe bodies. Then walk through Sample New Mexico’s chilies,
Municipal Airport. Excalibur (p502) castle to reach served in any number of ways.
• Transport A rental car is a New York-New York (p502); to While the afternoon away on
necessity for making the see its Manhattan skyline close the art gallery-packed Canyon
most of the region. up, take a ride on its roller Road (p541).
coaster. Drive to the city’s
original downtown core and Five Days in
Day 1: Las Vegas, visit a casino along the Fremont California
Central Strip Street Experience (p506); at
Start by visiting Bellagio sundown, watch the sound- • Arriving Fly into San
casino (p503) and its show- and-light shows on the Francisco International Airport
piece conservatory. Then catch overarching canopy. or Oakland International
the monorail to CityCenter Airport. Depart from San
(p503) for the stylish Crystals Day 3: Grand Canyon Diego International Airport.
shopping mall. Now head north Set off early for a full day at the • Transport California does
across the Strip to Paris (p503), South Rim of the Grand Canyon have a decent rail network,
and enjoy the view from atop (p532). Begin with the views but a car is necessary to get
the Eiffel Tower. Eat lunch from Grand Canyon Village the most out of a visit to the
outdoors beside the Strip, or (p532), then tour the canyon state. Prepare for some of
in one of the legendary all- overlooks along Desert View America’s worst traffic; avoid
you-can-eat buffets. Next, Drive (p532). Spend the night rush hours at all costs.
visit Caesars Palace (p503), in the park itself, either in fine
admiring its version of accommodations or rustic
Michelangelo’s David and camp-style lodging. Day 1: Wine Country
browsing beneath the artificial After a short drive north from
sky of its Forum Shops, then Day 4: Grand Canyon the Bay Area, explore the world-
move on to the Venetian to Santa Fe class wineries that dot the Napa
(p504) and cruise along the Drive east toward New Mexico, (pp700–701) and Sonoma
Grand Canal in a gondola. stopping to take the 28-mile Valleys (p700). Clos Pegase,
Later on, as well as dining in a (45-km) scenic route through Rutherford Hill, and Mumm
gourmet restaurant and taking the Petrified Forest National (p700) are among the most
in a show, join the after-dark Park (p526). Arrive in breath- popular. Take a break from the
crowds on the Strip sidewalk, taking Santa Fe (pp540–41) in bacchanalia with a visit to the
to see free attractions like the time to watch the sunset region’s historic sites, such as
volcano outside the Mirage change the colors of the adobe the Mission San Francisco
(p504) and the fountains at buildings that populate North Solano de Sonoma (p700) and
Bellagio (p503). America’s oldest state capital. the Petrified Forest (p701).
Day 2: San Francisco
Select a day from the “Two Days
in San Francsico” itinerary on p13.
Day 3: San Francisco
to Hearst Castle®
Drive south along the stunning
California coastline. First comes
the beautiful 17-Mile Drive
(p680), followed by the rugged
Big Sur (pp678–9). Consider a
pit stop in two of the region’s
loveliest destinations: Carmel
(p680) and Monterey (pp680–81),
the latter home to the world-
class Monterey Bay Aquarium
(pp680–81). If time allows, take a
A nighttime view of the colorful Strip, Las Vegas guided tour of Hearst Castle®
For practical information on traveling around the USA, see pp30–35

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