SOUTHWEST USA TRAVEL GUIDE
Dreaming of visiting the American Southwest?
We spent several months exploring on our Southwest USA road trip so have plenty of tips and insights to share with you down below!
The American Southwest region is one of the best road trip destinations in the USA, if not the world.
It’s full of wide open spaces and natural beauty, diversity of landscapes and Southwest culture, and crazy fun adventures that will have you screaming, whooping, and talking about for years to come.
These are the stuff memories are made of and these are the reasons why we travel, especially with our kids. We want to help you get the most out of your USA road trip through the Southwest states.
Scroll below to find content on some of our favorite things to do in Southwest USA including favorite hikes, hidden secrets, national parks and awesome tours and adventures.
SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP IDEAS + GUIDES
Our favorite region for exploring national parks in the American Southwest. Think vast canyons, stunning vistas, giant arches and mesas, Native American culture, and the spectacular Colorado River helping to shape the land.
This colorful, rocky, desert landscape is perfect for adventurous activities and camping under starry skies.
The following itinerary guides for Southwest USA include many national parks and monuments, including Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which is owned and managed by the Navajo people and is unmissable.
SOUTHWEST USA NATIONAL PARKS
Good news for lovers of natural beauty. The American Southwest has over 50 national parks and monuments.
Down below, you'll find our guides on those we have personally visited.
- Arches National Park, Utah
- Zion National Park, Utah
- Canyonlands National Park, Utah
- Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
- Natural Bridges Monument, Utah
- Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument
- Saguaro National Park, Arizona
- Grand Canyon, Arizona
- Big Bend National Park, Texas
- Lake Mead Recreation Area, Nevada
Donna Morritz
INCREDIBLE TOURS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
There is probably no better region in the US, than the wild, rugged red rock, desert country of the American Southwest for your outdoor adventures and tours.
From horseback riding, canyon explorations, rewarding hikes, scenic drives and railroad journeys, and historical tours, the Southwest overdelivers in every way.
Here are a few of our favorite tours and experiences.
SOUTHWEST USA INCREDIBLE HIKES
The hiking experiences in the Southwest are phenomenal. Allow time in your schedules to enjoy a few hikes from easy to difficult.
They will lead you to breathtaking views, through narrow tunnels, to hidden surprises, and will test your courage.
These are the stories you'll remember forever.
A few of our favorite:
- Lower Calf Creek Falls, Utah
- Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons, Utah
- Sedona Vortex Hikes, AZ
- Zion Narrows, Utah
- Red Reef Trail, St George, UT
Plus, you'll find a ton of hiking ideas in each of our national and state park guides!
SOUTHWEST USA LESSOR KNOWN
Most people whiz around the Southwest visiting the national parks and bucket list items. We absolutely recommend you do as they are incredible.
But so much beauty and adventure lies beyond these as well. We loved exploring the following places in the Southwest just as much as the showstoppers.
SMALL TOWNS AND CITY LIFE
The Southwest isn't an area over brimming with big city life and cute small towns. It's more your region for outdoor explorations.
However there are a few places you don't want to win that offer historical charm or flashing neon lights.
FEATURED VIDEO: Grand Canyon in the Winter
It's not the most popular time to visit the Grand Canyon, but we love to do things differently!
Grand Canyon in the winter offers a very different and beautiful perspective, PLUS you have far less crowds.
WHAT SOUTHWEST USA STATE ARE YOU INTERESTED IN?
There is much debate over what states are in the American Southwest. For geographic and road trip ease and convenience of how we organize content on this site we're including the states of Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.
FOLLOW OUR CURRENT ADVENTURES
Travel has been the focus of our life since 1997 - intentionally.
We don't plan on stopping that. We now have a base in Raleigh, NC - after being granted a Green Card for our extraordinary ability in the art of travel blogging.
We will continue to explore more of the US but also intend on traveling further abroad - Europe, South East Asia and Central and South America.
We can't wait to share more of our favorites as we experience them.
Be sure to join our free VIP email community - form below - to grab your free Southwest USA itineraries, bucket lists and more!
And connect with us on social for live udpates!
YOUR FREE SOUTHWEST USA ITINERARIES
We're excited to help you plan an amazing road trip through Southwest USA - our favorite region for adventure and beauty! We have 2, 3 & 4 week itineraries to help! Our free VIP email community also gets access to a range of checklists, tipping guides, and itinerary ideas. All easy to print off and follow PDF formats! Fill in the form to join.
