[mrkdips]

Advice for hol is US
We are thinking of heading in direction of Colorado Utah etc etc in October. Any tips for me on must sees travelling etc. we will be driving

[jack presley]

Originally Posted by mrkdips

Advice for hol is US
We are thinking of heading in direction of Colorado Utah etc etc in October. Any tips for me on must sees travelling etc. we will be driving

Monument Valley on the Arizona/Utah border is well worth a visit if you're going to be in the Utah area. It's where they made all the Westerns back in the day. One of the joys of Utah being a Mormon state is that they have low alcohol beer but I wouldn't let that get in your way.

[MadsL]

Telluride is an amazing place to call into if you have time - great run up to 9,000 odd feet. A Victorian ghost mining town saved by hippies, now populated by retired banker hippies. Scene of Butch Cassidy's first bank robbery and the building still stands. Home of Nikola Tesla in his wilder years (scene in the Magician) Get someone to take you down the Black Bear Pass, most frightening experience of my life. A 4x4 ride straight down over rocks with inches to spare. Great views. Bridal Veil Falls. Long way up here though; Telluride = To Hell You Ride

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad takes you to a real ghost town through some great scenery. Highly recommend. You can also rail up there and raft back in season.

Canyon de Chelly - bitch of a drive over dirtroads but amazing, amazing piece of prehistoric culture. Home to now to the Navajo but inhabited for over 5,000 years.

Consider heading into New Mexico. Why? Because New Mexico is a hidden gem (may be biased as I live here), at the very least go to Santa Fe. History (First colonised in 1598, it is the oldest State capital in the US) Full of culture, Indian crafts, historic buildings, you will feel you walked straight into another world. And you will have, a State for less than 100 years, NM has more in common with Spain than New York.

The Mother Road; you will get to drive some of the best of Arizona by taking Route 66. I fell in love with the Southwest on my first Rt66 visit, and I never dreamt I would end up living four blocks from Rt66. I love driving this route and if you go only a tiny part of 66 try to hit Seligman, full of 66 character and characters (say hi to Angel the barber for me - he is a Route 66 campaigner and legend. Worth having a shave from him just to say you have, he's getting on in years)

Other Northern Arizona towns - Flagstaff rocks, seriously. Just the right amount of laid back tie-die ski bum shops and high end artisan crafts. Check out the world famous honky-tonk club; the Museum Club. You are buying boots Wranglers and a hat on this trip, right? If so, give them a break in at this Country nightclub.

Sedona is just too pretty, but full of probiotic sandal wearing yoga freaks I love this hotel in Winslow (the town made famous by the Eagles song, and yes the girls still drive pickup trucks) - try to make a point of staying if you love art, architecture or trains. Me, I love all three. $109 a night is pricy for Winslow but well worth it. A favoured home of all the movie stars making westerns out here in the desert.

Then head up to Grand Canyon, doubtless you will want to see it. It is a very big beautiful hole in the ground. This is part of the problem, unless you really really love Geology, it will be one of those Oh, OK moments. Mindblowing for 15 minutes then ADD sets in unless you plan to travel into it (book now for 2015) Must admit, when I was there they had not finished the Skywalk. Unless you are passing - and it is hard to get from CO to UT without passing - then consider skipping it.

Utah I have a tiny amount of experience with, except to say I hear they have nice rocks. And dinosaurs. Odd considering the amount of Mormons up there. I keep having to pinch myself when reading that they once went to war with the US. Now some people want to elect one, very odd.

Enjoy, any questions post em up!

[M5]

Arches National Park
Monument Valley
Canyon the Chelly or Mesa Verde
Bryce Canyon
Zion National Park

Not sure about the Colorado direction but Have been to all above except Mesa Verde. All well worth seeing!

Cities in Northern Arizona/Southern Utah are all pretty dull. Might be better off staying in the parks or some village!

[jack presley]

Originally Posted by M5

Cities in Northern Arizona/Southern Utah are all pretty dull. Might be better off staying in the parks or some village!

I wouldn't say Flagstaff is dull. I enjoyed staying there. There are nice bars, places to eat etc.

[M5]

Originally Posted by jack presley

I wouldn't say Flagstaff is dull. I enjoyed staying there. There are nice bars, places to eat etc.

Horses for courses i suppose, been there a few weekends, I really didnt see much nightlife TBH. Pubs were empty quite early.Glorified truck stop IMHO. Could have been bad timing i guess! As far as stuff to see there may be enough to see to pass a few hours but your time would certainly be better spent elsewhere! Sedona is 30 mins away for example!

Certainly wouldn't advise going to flagstaff above any of the locations i listed in my previous post! Different for valley dwellers though, i was actually there last week to get out of the heat

[cheesehead]

If you're considering Colorado and the mountain West, consider this a ringing endorsement for taking that trip. While raised in the NYC area, I recently returned from a 10 day vacation to Breckenridge, Colorado and Colorado Springs. Fantastic time. I could definitely see myself living in the mountain West area.

While I'm not particularly knowledgeable about the general area, it certainly appears the above posters (MadsL/Jack/M5) have a good handle on it.

I can state I loved the Breckenridge/Frisco area: hiking (try one of the 14,000 foot peaks if in half-way decent shape), mountain-biking, renting an off-road (Jeep) vehicle to explore some of the less accessible areas, cool "downtown/main street" type areas (decent bars and restaurants) and checked out an old gold mine. Unfortunately, white water rafting season is probably over by October, otherwise I would recommend the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, Co. Acclimating to the altitude takes some time - drink plenty of water.

Garden of the gods and the US Air Force Academy were worth a visit down in Colorado Springs. Stopped in Manitou Springs (next to Colorado Springs) as well - quaint main street, hippies, tasted the natural spring waters the town was named for.

I laughed when I read MadsL recommendation for New Mexico. I visited a cousin who has lived in Colorado Springs for 30 years. As I was raving about Breckenridge/Frisco, he told me he mainly vacations in New Mexico!

Enjoy your trip.

US West trivia: Oldest city in North America founded by an Irishman? Tucson, Arizona - Founded by Hugh O'Conor (born in Dublin in 1734), who in 1775, as a member of the Spanish Army, authorized the construction of the fort (presidio) around which rose up the city of Tucson. A nice place to visit as well, but a decent drive from Utah and Colorado.