Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we visit the American Southwest! The Southwest states include Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, and Colorado. It’s a beautiful region of the United States that is well worth coming to. As you know, here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new travel destination. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate when you visit the Southwest USA.
Hate #1: Sand Everywhere
Even though not all of the Southwest is desert, you will end up with sand and dust everywhere. In your car, your suitcase and on your clothes. This is not the trip to bring your brand new white tennis shoes, or they may end up dyed red from the dirt in the Southwest.
Love #1: Southwest Weather
The weather in the Southwest is pretty perfect, especially in winter when the rest of the country is cold and snowy. You’ll have sunny, warm days and crisp, cool nights. There’s a reason so many people retire to the Southwest. Even in the summertime, there are areas of the southwest at higher elevations that are not too hot to visit.
Hate #2: Extreme Temperatures
Although the weather in the southwest is generally great, there are huge temperature shifts every day, from hot to cold. You end up having to pack more clothing because you need warm weather clothes for the daytime and a few extra layers for nighttime. A typical day will see about a 30-degree temperature swing, whether it’s from 50 to 80-degrees, or from 80-degrees to 110-degrees, depending on when you visit.
Love #2: Southwest Landscapes
The landscapes of the Southwest states are incredibly unique and breathtaking. There are so many neat places to visit in the American Southwest. National Parks like Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, Saguaro National Park, and more! Then there are state parks and unique destinations like Sedona, Arizona. Monument Valley is another iconic Southwest destination. The Southwest attracts a lot of outdoor adventure travelers because of all the amazing opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature.
Hate #3: The Snowbirds
Many retirees spend their summers up north and then converge on the southwest for the winter. The joke in Arizona is that you know it’s autumn when the license plates start to change colors. Most of the cities aren’t built as seasonal tourist destinations, so restaurants, grocery stores, and other places can get overwhelmed during the snowbird season. Finding accommodation can also be a challenge, especially if you want an apartment rental or long-term stay.
Love #3: Native American Culture
Native Americans lived in the Southwest long before the Europeans arrived and started to move west. The Native American culture remains strong in the Southwest, and there are so many interesting places where you can learn more. There are many spots to visit the historic settlements at places like Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. You can sample Native American food in several places, and experience the culture through pow-wows that are open to the public. There are also some really great museums in the southwest that are dedicated to preserving Native American culture and history.
Hate #4: Long Drives
Yes, there’s something fun about the open road, but the distances between attractions of the Southwest states are huge. Many travelers tend to over-plan their itineraries to include too many Southwest destinations and end up spending most of their vacation behind the wheel of a car. Given the long stretches of desolate roads, it’s always a good idea to fill up your gas tank when you are leaving a town because you don’t know where the next gas station will be. It’s also a good idea to have an actual map with you, as you may frequently be out of cell phone range.
Love #4: Southwest Food
The food in the southwest is amazing and diverse. Native American foods include fry bread (with sweet or savory toppings) and lamb stew. New Mexico is known for tamales, green chiles and hatch chiles, while Arizona has some of the best Sonoran Mexican food you can find. Make sure you try a Sonoran hot dog if you visit Tucson!
Hate #5: Leaving the Southwest
One of the worst parts of visiting the Southwest is having to leave and go back home, especially in the winter! As you can see, we really had to stretch to find five things to hate about these Southwest vacation destinations!
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Love #5: Desert Views
This is one of the least populated areas of the United States, which means there are still wide open vistas with nothing to see but scenery. From canyons, forests, rivers and unique plants like the saguaro cactus, the Southwest is a very diverse environment. And the night skies are some of the best in the world. You won’t believe how many stars you can see!
Overall, the Southwest is a really fantastic place to visit, with iconic scenery, great culture, history, and food. The “hates” are really just things to have a heads up on rather than a reason to avoid Southwest USA travel. Want more tips for planning a US vacation? Check out these other blog posts: