Frommer's^® American Southwest, 1st Edition

by Karl Samson; Shane Christensen; Don Laine; Barbara Laine

• ISBN13: 9780764539312
• ISBN10: 0764539310
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

You2ll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer2s. It2s like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go-they2ve done the legwork for you, and they2re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer2s Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You2d be lost without us! Meticulously researched, with every recommendation based on personal experience, Frommer's American Southwest is the only guide you'll need to experience all the adventure and natural wonders of this amazing corner of the country. In this detailed and completely up-to-date guide, you'll find geat places to stay in every price range: luxury resorts, historic B&Bs, family-friendly motels, ranches, rustic cabins, and more. We'll show you all the sights, from dinosaur fossils and ancient cliff dwellings to Wild West saloons and Native American pueblos. You'll rely on our complete coverage of the national parks and monuments, including the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, and Canyon de Chelly. Whether you're looking for family fun or daredevil thrills, Frommer's American Southwest will help you design the adventure that's right for you.

Author Biography

Lesley S. King (New Mexico coverage, plus chapters 2-4 and appendix) grew up on a ranch in northern New Mexico, where she still returns on weekends to help work cattle. A freelance writer and photographer, she's a contributor to New Mexico Magazine and an avid kayaker and skier. She has written for the New York Times, United Airlines' Hemispheres magazine, American Cowboy, and Audubon. She is writer and host of Written on the Wind, a television documentary series. She is also the author of Frommer's Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque, Frommer's New Mexico, and Frommer's Great Outdoor Guide to Arizona and New Mexico. Karl Samson (Arizona coverage) finds that the sunny winter skies of the Arizona desert are the perfect antidote to the dreary winters of his Pacific Northwest home. Each winter, he flees the rain to explore Arizona's deserts, mountains, cities, and small towns. It is the state's unique regional style, Native American cultures, abundance of contemporary art, and, of course, boundless landscapes that keep him fascinated by Arizona. Summer finds him researching his other books, including Frommer's Washington, Frommer's Oregon, and Frommer's Seattle and Portland. A California native, Shane Christensen (Utah coverage) has written extensively in South America, Western Europe, and the United States for the Berkeley Guides, Fodor's, and the Wall Street Journal. He is a co-author of Frommer's Argentina and Chile. Residents of northern New Mexico for more than 30 years, Don and Barbara Laine (Colorado and Utah coverage) have traveled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest. They are the authors of Frommer's Colorado, Frommer's Utah, Frommer's Rocky Mountain National Park, and Frommer's Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks; are the lead authors of Frommer's National Parks of the American West; and have contributed to Frommer's Texas and Frommer's USA. The Laines have also written Little-Known Southwest and New Mexico and Arizona State Parks (both for The Mountaineers Books). Mary Herczog (Las Vegas coverage) lives in Los Angeles and works in the film industry. She is the author of Frommer's New Orleans and Las Vegas For Dummies, and has contributed to Frommer's Los Angeles. She still isn't sure when to hit and when to hold when playing blackjack.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	viii
The Best of the Southwest	1	(12)
The Best of the Natural Southwest	1	(3)
The Best Outdoor Activities	4	(1)
The Best Scenic Drives	5	(1)
The Best Native American Sights	6	(2)
The Best Family Experiences	8	(1)
The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts	9	(1)
The Best B&Bs	10	(1)
The Best Restaurants	11	(2)
Planning Your Trip to the Southwest	13	(33)
The Regions in Brief	13	(2)
Visitor Information	15	(1)
Money	15	(2)
What Things Cost in Santa Fe	16	(1)
What Things Cost in Phoenix	17	(1)
When to Go	17	(8)
Calendar of Events	18	(7)
Travel Insurance	25	(1)
Health & Safety	25	(2)
Specialized Travel Resources	27	(3)
Planning Your Trip Online	30	(2)
Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource	31	(1)
Getting There	32	(3)
Packages for the Independent Traveler	35	(1)
Getting Around	36	(3)
Life on the Open Road: Planning an RV or Tenting Vacation	38	(1)
Tips on Accommodations	39	(2)
Suggested Itineraries	41	(1)
Recommended Books & Films	42	(4)
Fast Facts: The American Southwest	43	(3)
For International Visitors	46	(12)
Preparing for Your Trip	46	(5)
Getting to the U.S.	51	(1)
Getting Around the U.S.	52	(6)
Fast Facts: For the International Traveler	53	(5)
The Active Vacation Planner	58	(12)
Bicycling	58	(1)
Bird-Watching	59	(1)
Fishing	60	(1)
Golf	61	(1)
Hiking	62	(2)
Horseback Riding	64	(1)
Hot-Air Ballooning	65	(1)
Houseboating	65	(1)
Llama and Mountain Goat Trekking	66	(1)
Rockhounding	66	(1)
Skiing & Snowboarding	66	(1)
Tennis	67	(1)
Watersports	67	(1)
Special-Interest Vacations	68	(2)
The Four Corners Area	70	(38)
Cortez: Colorado's Four Corners Gateway	70	(6)
Mesa Verde National Park	76	(1)
A Base Camp in Bluff: Utah's Four Corners Gateway	77	(10)
Farmington & Aztec: New Mexico's Four Corners Gateways	87	(7)
Winslow: Arizona's Four Corners Gateway	94	(14)
Santa Fe	108	(67)
Orientation	108	(2)
Getting Around	110	(2)
Where to Stay	112	(14)
Where to Dine	126	(9)
What to See & Do	135	(9)
Santa Fe Spas	140	(4)
Organized Tours	144	(1)
Getting Outside	145	(3)
Shopping	148	(7)
Santa Fe After Dark	155	(5)
The Major Concert & Performance Halls	158	(2)
Touring Some Pueblos Around Santa Fe	160	(5)
A Side Trip to Pecos National Monument	165	(1)
Los Alamos & the Ancient Cliff Dwellings of Bandelier National Monument	165	(3)
Taking the High Road to Taos	168	(7)
Georgia O'Keeffe & New Mexico: A Desert Romance	173	(2)
Taos	175	(39)
Orientation	176	(1)
Getting Around	177	(1)
Where to Stay	178	(9)
Where to Dine	187	(4)
What to See & Do	191	(6)
Skiing Taos	197	(3)
Getting Outside	200	(3)
Shopping	203	(4)
Taos After Dark	207	(2)
The Major Concert & Performance Halls	208	(1)
A Scenic Drive Around the Enchanted Circle	209	(5)
Albuquerque	214	(32)
Orientation	214	(2)
Getting Around	216	(1)
Where to Stay	217	(4)
Where to Dine	221	(3)
What to See & Do	224	(3)
Especially for Kids	227	(2)
Getting Outside	229	(1)
Spectator Sports	230	(1)
Shopping	231	(3)
Albuquerque After Dark	234	(2)
The Major Concert & Performance Halls	235	(1)
Touring the Pueblos Around Albuquerque	236	(7)
Pueblo Etiquette: Do's & Don'ts	238	(5)
Sampling Nature's Nectars	243	(1)
Also Worth a Look: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument	243	(1)
En Route to Santa Fe: Along the Turquoise Trail	244	(2)
Pueblos, Reservations & the Best of Northern New Mexico	246	(35)
Getting Outside in Northern New Mexico	248	(2)
Acoma & Laguna Pueblos	250	(4)
El Malpais & El Morro National Monuments	254	(2)
Gallup: Gateway to Indian Country	256	(5)
Zuni Pueblo	261	(1)
The Jicarilla Apache Reservation	262	(1)
Chama: Home of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad	263	(4)
Las Vegas & Environs	267	(5)
Cimarron & Raton: Historic Towns on the Santa Fe Trail	272	(4)
Capulin Volcano National Monument	276	(1)
The I-40 Corridor	277	(4)
Route 66 Revisited: Rediscovering New Mexico's Stretch of the Mother Road	279	(2)
UFOs & Carlsbad Caverns: Southern New Mexico from Top to Bottom	281	(55)
Getting Outside in Southern New Mexico	281	(4)
Alamogordo	285	(4)
White Sands National Monument	289	(1)
Ruidoso & the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation	290	(7)
A Scenic Drive around the Lincoln Loop	297	(2)
Roswell	299	(3)
The Incident at Roswell	300	(2)
Also Worth a Look: Fort Sumner & Environs	302	(1)
Carlsbad & Environs	303	(5)
Carlsbad Caverns National Park	308	(2)
Socorro: Gateway to Bosque del Apache & the VLA	310	(4)
Oasis in the Desert: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge	314	(1)
Truth or Consequences	315	(3)
Las Cruces	318	(7)
Deming & Lordsburg	325	(4)
Silver City: Gateway to the Gila Cliff Dwellings	329	(4)
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument	333	(1)
Other Adventures in Gila National Forest	334	(2)
Tucson	336	(58)
Orientation	336	(2)
Getting Around	338	(2)
Where to Stay	340	(12)
Where to Dine	352	(12)
Cowboy Steakhouses	363	(1)
Seeing the Sights	364	(12)
Architectural Highlights	376	(1)
Organized Tours	376	(1)
Getting Outside	377	(5)
Spectator Sports	382	(1)
Day Spas	382	(1)
Shopping	383	(6)
Tucson After Dark	389	(5)
Performing-Arts Centers & Concert Halls	392	(2)
Phoenix, Scottsdale & the Valley of the Sun	394	(71)
Orientation	394	(3)
Getting Around	397	(1)
Where to Stay	398	(18)
Where to Dine	416	(16)
Cowboy Steakhouses	424	(7)
Dining with a View	431	(1)
Seeing the Sights	432	(10)
Architectural Highlights	439	(1)
Wild West Theme Towns	440	(2)
Organized Tours & Excursions	442	(1)
Getting Outside	442	(5)
Spectator Sports	447	(3)
A Day at the Spa	450	(1)
Shopping	450	(5)
Phoenix After Dark	455	(7)
Major Performing-Arts Centers	460	(2)
A Side Trip from Phoenix: The Apache Trail	462	(3)
En Route to Tucson	463	(2)
The Plains & Highlands of Southern & Eastern Arizona	465	(36)
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument	465	(1)
Tubac & Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge	466	(7)
Starry, Starry Nights	472	(1)
Nogales	473	(1)
Patagonia & Sonoita	474	(3)
Sierra Vista & the San Pedro Valley	477	(4)
Tombstone	481	(2)
Bisbee	483	(3)
Exploring the Rest of Cochise County	486	(4)
Payson & the Mogollon Rim Country	490	(2)
Pinetop-Lakeside	492	(3)
Greer & Sunrise Park	495	(2)
Springerville & Eagar	497	(4)
The Coronado Trail	500	(1)
Sedona & the Colorado River: The Best of Central & Western Arizona	501	(43)
Wickenburg	501	(4)
Prescott	505	(6)
Jerome	511	(2)
The Verde Valley	513	(3)
Sedona & Oak Creek Canyon	516	(15)
Kingman	531	(5)
Ghost Towns	534	(1)
Get Your Kicks on Route 66	535	(1)
Lake Mead National Recreation Area	536	(3)
Gambling in the Desert	538	(1)
Lake Havasu & the London Bridge	539	(5)
The Grand Canyon & Northern Arizona	544	(39)
Flagstaff	544	(9)
Williams	553	(3)
The Grand Canyon South Rim	556	(19)
A South Rim Alternative: Havasu Canyon	575	(3)
Flying through the Canyon: Grand Canyon West	576	(2)
The Grand Canyon North Rim	578	(5)
Las Vegas	583	(17)
Essentials	583	(3)
Where to Stay	586	(7)
Where to Dine	593	(2)
What to See & Do	595	(3)
Las Vegas After Dark	598	(2)
Appendix: The Southwest in Depth	600	(11)
More than Desert and Saguaro Cactus	600	(1)
How the Southwest Was Won---And Lost	601	(6)
The Southwest Today---From Flamenco to Craps	607	(1)
Art & Architecture	608	(3)
Index	611