Page 14 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

12  INTRODUCING THE SOUTHWEST DISC OVERING THE SOUTHWEST  13

Two Days in Day 3: Santa Fe Day 2: The Apache Trail and
Las Vegas Spend a full day in Santa Fe Biosphere 2
visiting the Palace of the Drive up the Apache Trail (p86),
The ultimate 24-hour city, Governors (p198), the Georgia east of Phoenix, into the
Las Vegas is a neon O’Keeffe Museum (p198) down- Superstition Mountains,
playground filled with eye- town, and the Museum of and explore the ancient cliff
popping architecture and International Folk Art (p200). dwellings in Tonto National
entertainment of all kinds, Monument (p86). Then go south
centering on its unmatched Day 4: Chimayó and Taos through the silver-mining town
array of vast casino hotels. Head into the hills to the pilgrim of Globe (p87), and take a tour
chapel at Chimayó (p207), then of the futuristic Biosphere 2
• Arriving McCarran
International Airport is within continue to picturesque Taos Center (p91), en route to Tucson.
a mile of the south end of (p208), where the twin adobe
the Strip; taxis and shuttle “houses” at Taos Pueblo (p210) Day 3: Tucson and Saguaro
buses connect with all hotels. date back centuries. National Park
CityCenter’s striking architecture, including Crystals mall and Veer condo towers, Las Vegas Once you’ve strolled around
• Booking ahead For Day 5: Chaco Culture Tucson’s historic, Hispanic The ruins of the five-story Montezuma
blockbuster shows (Cirque between the paws of the giant get a taste of Las Vegas glamor National Historic Park downtown (pp88–9), drive west Castle, a 12th-century cliff dwelling
du Soleil in particular), book Sphinx, and visit its exhibitions in the long­running show Le Head west to Chaco Culture to hike in the cactus-studded
months ahead. of artifacts from the sunken Reve - The Dream (p131), and National Historic Park (pp178–9) hills of Saguaro National Park Day 6: The Grand Canyon
Titanic and “plastinated” human party into the night in one of where the vast pre-Columbian (p90), and see desert wildlife in and Flagstaff
Day 1 bodies. Then walk through the city’s nightclubs. settlement held “great houses” the Arizona-Sonora Desert Set off early for a full day at the
Morning Start your day Excalibur castle (p111) to reach such as 650-room Pueblo Museum (p90). South Rim of the Grand Canyon
exploring the central Strip by New York New York (p111); to One-Week Tour from Bonito. Camp in the park or (pp62–7). Begin with the views
visiting the elegant Bellagio see its Manhattan skyline close­ Albuquerque continue northwest and stay Day 4: The Mission Trail from Grand Canyon Village, then
(p114) casino, and the eccentric up, take a swooping ride on its overnight at Farmington (p177). and Tombstone tour the overlooks along Desert
floral displays in its showpiece roller coaster. Now head north • Airports Land at and take Follow the Mission Trail south View Drive. Once the sun goes
Conservatory. Then catch the to the other end of the Strip, off from Albuquerque’s Day 6: Canyon de Chelly towards Mexico, stopping to down, head for the lively college
futuristic CityCenter (p112) where the Stratosphere (p121) International Sunport. National Monument swoon at the Southwest’s finest town of Flagstaff (pp70–71).
monorail to see the contem­ tower offers amazing views and • Transport The Rail Runner Continue west over the Arizona Spanish mission church, San
porary sculptures in Aria (p113), more thrill rides. (p289) connects Santa Fe border to Canyon de Chelly Xavier del Bac (pp92–3). Indulge To extend your trip…
and the stylish Crystals (p112) and Albuquerque; otherwise (pp172–5), where ancient ruins in a little shopping in the arts Take a day to explore the
shopping mall. Now head north Afternoon Continue to the renting a car is essential. nestle into sheer red-rock cliffs, colony of Tubac (pp94–5), Navajo Nation east, staying
across the Strip to Paris (p114), city’s original downtown core, • Booking ahead Taos Pueblo and Navajo shepherds graze before heading east from the overnight at Monument
and enjoy a panoramic view where the Mob Museum (p122) closes for some ceremonies their flocks below monolithic border town of Nogales (p95) Valley (see pp168–9) or
from atop the “Eiffel Tower.” Eat tells the bloody saga of Las and for up to 10 weeks in Spider Rock. to catch a staged shootout in Canyon de Chelly (pp172–5).
lunch outdoors beside the Strip, Vegas’s crime­ridden history in early spring. You must book the fabled Wild-West town of
or in one of the city’s legendary entertaining detail. Venture into in advance for a tour to visit Day 7: Acoma Pueblo Tombstone (p96). Day 7: Flagstaff to Phoenix
all­you­can­eat buffets. a casino or two along Fremont Acoma Pueblo. En route back to Albuquerque, Spend the morning exploring
Street (p122), then, once the detour south to Acoma Pueblo Day 5: Sedona Flagstaff, with a visit to the
Afternoon Spend an hour sun goes down, turn your gaze (p221), whose inhabitants defied Turning your attentions to Museum of Northern Arizona
or two in Caesars Palace skywards to watch the amazing Day 1: Albuquerque Coronado’s conquistadores. northern Arizona, head back up (p72). Then drive back to
(p115), admiring its version sound­and­light shows on the As well as strolling through I-10, beyond Phoenix, to reach the Phoenix, pausing to see the
of Michelangelo’s David and over­arching canopy. Head back Albuquerque’s original One Week in Arizona red-rock paradise (and New-Age pink-tinged ruins in Montezuma
browsing beneath the artificial to the Strip for the evening, to Hispanic core, centered on rendezvous) of Sedona (p77). Castle National Monument (p76).
sky of the Forum Shops (p128), Old Town Plaza (pp214–15), • Airports Arrive at and depart
then move on to the rival be sure to visit the city’s fine from Sky Harbor International
Venetian (p118) and cruise crop of museums including Airport in Phoenix.
along the Grand Canal in a the Indian Pueblo Cultural • Transport Renting a car
gondola. Later on, as well as Center (p218). is essential.
dining in a gourmet restaurant
and taking in a Cirque du Soleil Day 2: Up the Turquoise Trail • Booking ahead Contact
show (p130), join the after­dark to Santa Fe Taliesen West beforehand
crowds on the Strip sidewalk Head east from the city to if you plan to take a tour.
to see free attractions such as follow the time­forgotten
the erupting volcano outside Turquoise Trail (pp220–21) Day 1: Phoenix
Mirage (p118), and the dancing along the eastern flanks of Visit the Heard Museum
fountains of Bellagio. the Sandía Mountains, (pp82–3) in downtown for an
passing through the quaint introduction to Arizona’s Native
Day 2 former mining towns of Madrid peoples, then drive into the hills
Morning Start by touring the and Cerrillos, then continue north of Scottsdale to see
mega­casinos at the southern north to historic Santa Fe Frank Lloyd Wright’s purpose-
end of the Strip. Enter the Strolling along the Strip, Las Vegas’s main (pp196–203), with its superb built architec tural studio,
pyramid of the Luxor (p110) thoroughfare hotels and restaurants. Taliesin West (p85). Giant saguaros, iconic cacti of the Southwest, in the Saguaro National Park
For practical information on traveling around the Southwest, see pp286–91

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Country itinerary template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm