Lonely Planet Western USA

Western USA

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Western USA

Western USA’s Top Exeriences

Need to Know

What’s New

Accommodations

Month by Month

Itineraries

Route 66 & Scenic Drives

Outdoor Activities

Eat & Drink Like a Local

Family Travel

Regions at a Glance

On The Road

Rocky Mountains

Colorado

Denver

Boulder

Northern Mountains

Central Colorado

Southern Colorado

Wyoming

Cheyenne

Laramie

Lander

Jackson

Cody

Yellowstone National Park

Grand Teton National Park

Montana

Bozeman & Gallatin Valley

Billings

Helena

Missoula

Whitefish

Glacier National Park

Idaho

Boise

Ketchum & Sun Valley

Stanley

Southwest

Nevada

Las Vegas

Around Las Vegas

Western Nevada

The Great Basin

Arizona

Phoenix

Central Arizona

Grand Canyon National Park

Around the Grand Canyon

Northern & Eastern Arizona

Western Arizona

Southern Arizona

Around Tucson

Southeastern Arizona

Utah

Salt Lake City

Park City & Wasatch Mountains

Northeastern Utah

Moab & Southeastern Utah

Zion & Southwestern Utah

New Mexico

Albuquerque

Along I-40

Santa Fe

Around Santa Fe

Northwestern New Mexico

Northeastern New Mexico

Southwestern New Mexico

Southeastern New Mexico

California

Los Angeles

Southern Californian Coast

Disneyland & Anaheim

Orange County Beaches

San Diego

Palm Springs & the Deserts

Palm Springs

Joshua Tree National Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Mojave National Preserve

Death Valley National Park

Central Coast

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

Morro Bay to Hearst Castle

Big Sur

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Monterey

Santa Cruz

San Francisco & the Bay Area

San Francisco

Marin County

Berkeley

Northern California

Wine Country

North Coast

Sacramento

Gold Country

California’s Northern Mountains

Sierra Nevada

Pacific Northwest

Washington

Seattle

Olympia

Olympic Peninsula

Northwest Washington

San Juan Islands

North Cascades

Northeastern Washington

South Cascades

Central & Southeastern Washington

Oregon

Portland

Willamette Valley

Columbia River Gorge

Oregon Cascades

Oregon Coast

Southern Oregon

Eastern Oregon

UNDERSTAND

Understand Western USA

History

Way of Life

Native Americans

Arts & Architecture

Land & Wildlife

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Customs Regulations

Discount Cards

Electricity

Embassies & Consulates

Health

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBTIQ+ Travelers

Money

Opening Hours

Photography

Post

Public Holidays

Responsible Travel

Safe Travel

Telephone

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Volunteering

Women Travelers

Work

Transportation

Getting There & Away

Entering Western USA

Air

Land

Sea

Getting Around

Air

Bicycle

Boat

Bus

Car & Motorcycle

Local Transportation

Train

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

COVID-19

We have re-checked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.

Welcome to Western USA

I love this place, and the love affair began out on the Great Plains. The combination of wildlife, Big Sky landscapes and soulful Native American stories had me from the beginning. But the spirit of the American West is just as much about the new sophistications of the Pacific Northwest as it is the hardscrabble, red-rock canyons and old American stories of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. And whichever side of the incomparable Rockies I find myself, from California to Colorado, I keep coming back to one thing: this is one beautiful, extraordinary place.

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park | BRYAN MULLENNIX/GETTY IMAGES ©

By Anthony Ham, Writer

@AnthonyHamWrite

For more about, see our writers

Western USA’s Top Experiences

1INCREDIBLE ROCKIES

There is no more beautiful mountain range than the Rockies. Separating stunning coast from the big-sky Great Plains, these ramparts unfurl with so many scenes of beauty that you could spend a lifetime exploring them and never grow tired of the view. Some of the range lies within national park boundaries, but so vast are the Rockies that they’ll provide a backdrop to so many unforgettable experiences in the American West.

Yellowstone National Park

The world’s first national park is a world of geological and wildlife wonders, with everything from geysers and fluorescent hot springs to grizzlies, black bears, wolf packs, elk, bison and moose, roaming across some 3500 sq miles of wilderness.

Wintertime in Yellowstone | LAURA HEDIEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Chautauqua Park, Boulder | PAGE LIGHT STUDIOS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Rocky Mountain National Park

With hiking boots laced and the trail unfurling beneath your feet, this park’s majestic, untamed splendor becomes unforgettably personal. From epic ascents along the Longs Peak Trail and Continental Divide to family-friendly Calypso Falls, there’s a vista for everyone.

MARGARET.WIKTOR/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Glacier National Park

Montana’s sprawling national park is a million-times worthy of an in-depth visit. Road warriors can maneuver the thrilling 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road; wildlife-watchers can scan for elk, wolves and grizzlies; and hikers have 700 miles of trails to explore.

Going-to-the-Sun Road | ISTOCKPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Top Experiences

2ICONIC PARKS

National parks are often called America’s best idea, and there’s no more compelling evidence in support of the proposition than Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Zion and Bryce Canyons. They’re almost too beautiful to be true, at once epic landscapes to explore and each with their own fascinating natural and human story. There’s no better way to spend your time while out west than getting to know these remarkable places.

Yosemite National Park

Meander through wildflower-strewn meadows in valleys carved by rivers and glaciers. Thunderous waterfalls tumble over sheer cliffs. Climbers scale the enormous granite domes of El Cap and Half Dome. And hikers walk beneath ancient groves of giant sequoias, the planet’s biggest trees.

FRANCESCO FERRARINI/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Grand Canyon National Park

The sheer immensity is what grabs you at first. To explore the canyon, take your pick of adventures: hiking, biking, rafting or mule riding. Or simply grab a seat along the Rim Trail and watch the earth change colors before you.

Rafting, Grand Canyon National Park | JIM MALLOUK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks

Towering red cliffs hiding graceful waterfalls, narrow slot canyons and hanging gardens dominate Zion National Park. Or try Bryce Canyon National Park, a hypnotic, Tolkienesque place where pastel-colored rock spires shimmer like trees in a magical forest of stone.

Queens Garden Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park | MARK SKERBINEK/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

3COOL CITIES

Strung out along America’s Pacific coast, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland rank among the world’s most liveable cities. They combine a casual, progressive outlook with a commitment to enjoying the best things in life. Whether in the cafes or along the beachfront, they really have perfected the art of what life should be all about. Come visit, but be careful – like everyone else, you might just want to move here.

San Francisco

Amid the clatter of old-fashioned trams, the diverse neighborhoods of San Francisco invite long days of wandering, with great indie shops, fabulous restaurants and bohemian nightlife. How cool is San Francisco? Turn that first corner to a stunning waterfront view and you’ll be hooked.

Lombard St | F11PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Seattle

A cutting-edge Pacific Rim city, Seattle has a world-renowned music scene, a mercurial coffee culture and a passion for innovation. Elsewhere, city traditionalists guard its soul with distinct urban neighborhoods, homegrown food culture and arguably the nation’s finest public market, Pike Place.

Pike Place Market | GOLDILOCK PROJECT/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Portland

Everyone loves Portland. It’s as friendly as a small town, and home to a mix of students, artists, cyclists, hipsters, young families, old hippies, eco-freaks and everything in between. It has great food, music and culture aplenty, plus it’s as sustainable as you can get.

Food carts | HRACH HOVHANNISYAN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

4URBAN CULTURE

The cities of Western USA combine to offer a microcosm of the nation, from all that’s brash and glitzy to quieter, artsy urban centers with an emphasis on the quirky and creative side of life. Wherever you go, food and drink are an essential part of the experience, whether in their prioritizing of Californian wines or spicy local specialty dishes to the ubiquitous brewpubs where they’re passionate about their locally brewed beers.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is an old city with a young soul. Art and history partner up in style and with that turquoise sky as a backdrop, the experience is darn near sublime.

New Mexico Museum of Art | LIZCOUGHLAN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Las Vegas

Here comes Vegas shaking its thing like a showgirl looking for trouble. Beneath the neon lights of the Strip, it puts on a dazzling show.

Neon lights, Fremont St | TRAVELVIEW/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Microbreweries

Microbreweries are a specialty of the West, and you’ll find at least one good one in outdoorsy towns all across the West, from Missoula to Moab.

Western USA craft beer | TONELSONPRODUCTION/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

5DESERT BEAUTY

If the lush greens of California and the Pacific Northwest define America’s west coast, the interior is all red and yellow southwest of the Rockies. Five deserts – the Sonoran, Mojave, Chihuahuan, Great Basin and high Colorado Plateau – stretch across the Southwest and California. In Utah, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona in particular, the scenery, scorched and blistered by the sun, is simply extraordinary.

Cactus Land

The human-like saguaro cactus, in the Sonoran Desert, is one of the West’s most enduring symbols of a landscape both harsh and unforgiving, but also strangely beautiful. Each of the West’s deserts is also home to an amazing array of well-adapted reptiles, mammals and plants. This thriving diversity makes a stroll through the desert a wondrous, one-of-a-kind experience – try it at Saguaro National Park.

Saguaro National Park | SASHA BUZKO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Monument Valley & Canyon de Chelly

‘May I walk in beauty’ is the final line of a famous Navajo prayer. Beauty makes its most famous appearance at Monument Valley, an otherworldly cluster of rugged buttes and stubborn towers. And beauty swoops in on the wings of birds at Canyon de Chelly, where farmers till the land near age-old cliff dwellings.

Top Experiences

6HIT THE ROAD

There’s nothing more American than going on a road trip, and Western USA has some of the best anywhere in the nation. Traveling here can feel like a cross between Thelma and Louise and Jack Kerouac’s classic On the Road. An extended period traveling by road through the landscapes and towns along the Pacific Coast, or along Route 66, is like traversing the American soul in all its glorious diversity.

Route 66

It’s the kitschy, down-home touches that make the Mother Road – which crosses California, Arizona and New Mexico – so memorable. Think begging burros, the Wigwam Motel, the neon signs of Tucumcari, and a squirt of fake mustard in a diner that beats a McBurger every time.

Hackberry General Store, Route 66 | CASEYMARTIN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Wigwam Motel, Route 66 | BILL DICKINSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

Coastal Highways

A drive along America’s stunning western coastline is road-tripping at its finest. On your way through California, Oregon and Washington, you’ll get to enjoy everything that’s good about west coast USA, including dizzying sea cliffs, idiosyncratic beach towns, major cities, redwoods and windswept capes.

Bixby Creek Bridge, Hwy 1 | PUNG/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

7CALIFORNIA FUN

People in California are known for their relaxed approach to life. While that may be a stereotype that’s far from universal, there certainly is a recurring theme running through Californian life: they really know how to have fun. For adults, there’s the wine country and its passion for life spent sampling the taste of the good life. For children and big kids alike, there’s Disneyland. And so much more besides.

California Wine Country

The Golden State is home to more than 100 wine regions. The rolling vineyards of Napa, Sonoma and the Russian River Valley lure travelers north from San Francisco. Further south, day-trippers head to the lovely vineyards clustered east of Santa Barbara.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery | DAVID GREITZER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

All Things Disney

Inside Disneyland, beloved cartoon characters waltz down Main Street USA, thrilling Space Mountain rockets through the darkness, and fireworks explode over Sleeping Beauty castle. Next door, Disney California Adventure showcases a recreated Hollywood back lot, coastal boardwalk and a patio perfect for sipping California wine.

Disney California Adventure® | IAN DAGNALL/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Top Experiences

8GET ACTIVE

Perhaps it’s because the backdrop is always so spectacular, but whatever the reason, Western USA seems custom-made for adventure. There are endless possibilities for hiking, surfing, white-water rafting, rock-climbing, wildlife-watching and more. But it’s the skiing (especially in Aspen, Colorado, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming) and the mountain-biking at Moab, in Utah, that are truly world-class.

Mountain biking, Moab | SARO17/GETTY IMAGES ©

Snow Sports

Western resorts are among the world’s best. Aspen, Vail, Park City and Jackson Hole may sound like playgrounds for the rich and famous, but shredders and ski bums – and copious amounts of powder – have always found a way to keep it real.

Cross-country skiing, Jackson Hole | ROB HAMMER/GETTY IMAGES ©

Moab

Moab is the mountain-biking capital of the world, where the desert slickrock surrounding the town makes a perfect ‘sticky’ surface for knobbly tires. Challenging trails ascend steep bluffs, twist through forests and slam over 4WD roads into the wilds of canyon country. One trip and you’ll be hooked.

Snowboarding, Vail | PATRICK ORTON/GETTY IMAGES ©

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

US dollar ($)

Language

English, Spanish

Visas

Visitors from Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and many EU countries do not require a visa for stays of less than 90 days. Other nations should see https://travel.state.gov.

Money

ATMs are widely available. Credit cards are normally required for hotel reservations and car rentals.

Cell Phones

GSM multiband models will work in the USA. If you have an unlocked phone, you can find prepaid SIM cards fairly easily.

Time

The 11 states follow either Mountain Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus seven hours) or Pacific Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus eight hours).

When to Go

High Season (Jun–Aug)

A Summer temperatures (June to August) soar well above 100°F (38°C) and national parks are at maximum capacity.

A In winter (December to March), hit the slopes in the mountains; giddy-up at southern Arizona dude ranches.

Shoulder (Apr & May; Sep & Oct)

A Clouds may blanket the southern coast (May and June).

A Mountain towns shut down in spring.

A A good time to visit national parks, with milder temperatures, but some roads closed by snow.

A Blooming spring flowers; fiery autumn colors.

Low Season (Nov–Mar)

A Accommodation rates drop by the coast.

A Dark, wintery days, with snowfall in the mountains and heavier rains.

Useful Websites

Visit the USA (www.visittheusa.com) The USA’s official tourism website.

National Park Service (www.nps.gov) Information on national parks and monuments.

Recreation.gov (www.recreation.gov) Camping reservations on federally managed lands.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/usa) Destination information, hotel reviews, traveller forum and more.

Roadside America (www.roadsideamerica.com) Find offbeat tourist attractions.

Important Numbers

To call any regular number, dial the area code, followed by the seven-digit number.

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than $150

A Campgrounds and hostel dorms: $10–50

A Free activities (beach, park concerts): $0

A Food at farmers markets, taquerias: $6–15

A Bus, subway: $0–5

Midrange: $150–250

A Mom-and-pop motels, low-priced chains: $50–150

A Museums, national and state parks: $5–25

A Diners, local restaurants: $10–35

A Economy car rental per day: from $20

Top End: More than $250

A B&Bs, boutique hotels, resorts: from $175

A Meal in top restaurant, excluding drinks: $30–100

A Hiring guides; going to a show: from $100

A SUV or convertible rental per day: from $70

Opening Hours

Banks 8:30am–4:30pm Monday to Thursday, to 5:30pm Friday (and possibly 9am–noon Saturday)

Bars 5pm–midnight Sunday to Thursday, to 2am Friday and Saturday

Nightclubs 10pm–2am Thursday to Saturday

Post offices 9am–5pm Monday to Friday

Shopping malls 9am–9pm

Stores 10am–6pm Monday to Saturday, noon–5pm Sunday

Supermarkets 8am–8pm, some open 24 hours

Arriving in Western USA

Denver International Airport The easiest way to get from DIA to downtown is by train ($10.50, 35 minutes, every 15 minutes). The AB bus runs to Boulder ($10.50, 82 minutes, hourly). Shuttles run to all the major ski resorts.

Los Angeles International Airport Taxis cost about $47 to downtown, and door-to-door shuttles from $17 for shared rides. Free Shuttle G heads to Metro Green Line Aviation Station and free Shuttle C to the Metro Bus Center. FlyAway bus connects to downtown LA for $9.75.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Light-rail trains run regularly from the 4th floor of the parking garage to downtown ($3.25, 30 minutes, frequent); shuttle buses stop on the 3rd floor of the airport garage and cost from $20 one way; taxis cost from $55 to downtown (25 minutes).

Getting Around

Air Western USA has a decent regional air network, allowing you to save time by flying from one side to the other.

Car The best option for travelers who leave urban areas to explore national parks and more remote areas. Drive on the right.

Train Amtrak can be slow due to frequent delays, but trains are a convenient option for travel along the Pacific Coast. Cross-country routes to Chicago run from the San Francisco area and Los Angeles.

Bus Cheaper and slower than trains; can be a good option for travel to cities not serviced by Amtrak.

For much more, see getting around

What’s New

It has been a tough couple of years in America’s West, what with the pandemic, a record-breaking drought and deepening political divisions. But there’s a feeling of cautious optimism at large, as Americans get out to explore some of the country’s most beautiful wild spaces and most dynamic cities.

Bears Ears National Monument

The country’s newest – and most controversial – national monument was designated in southeastern Utah in late 2016 and protects land sacred to the Pueblo Indians, the Navajo and the Ute. A year later President Trump shrunk it by a whopping 85%, only for President Biden to reinstate the 2016 boundaries in October 2021. It’s a stunning place.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Just prior to the pandemic, Colorado’s favorite mom-and-pop ski area went big-time with a major expansion that includes gnarly steep tree runs and all manner of other improvements. With so many restrictions having kept Arapahoe Basin quiet for much of 2020 and 2021, it all still feels like new. And they still serve the best Bloody Mary in the state.

Seattle Revitalization

Seattle undergoes a pretty constant process of reinvention, and not a year passes, even during the pandemic, when it makes national headlines for some grand new opening or cultural trend coming out of the city. Two that opened just before the pandemic, and that travelers haven’t had a chance to enjoy yet, caught our eye: the iconic Space Needle has been given an overhaul, and the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct has had a wonderful impact on the waterfront.

New Type of Lodge

Across Oregon and Washington, new, outdoor-activity-oriented lodgings are springing up that mix classic hotel rooms with dorms and onsite amenities that bring guests together, such as community rooms, kitchens and hot tubs. They’re a whole new way to experience some of the West’s outdoor attractions, and prove that the buzz of getting outdoors can begin before you reach the trailhead. Loge ( icon-phonegif %541-382-4080; www.logecamps.com/bend-or; 19221 SW Century Dr; dm $50, r $125-155) in Bend is one recent example.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WESTERN USA

Anthony Ham, Lonely Planet Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit America hard, and Western USA is no exception. Even so, with very few international visitors to enjoy the attractions out west, Americans have been rediscovering their own backyard and savoring the chance to do so without pre-pandemic crowds. Two years of restrictions have fostered a longing for big horizons and natural experiences, and Western USA has both in abundance. Western cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Las Vegas are also roaring back to life. The old political divisions very much remain, and just about everyone out west is worried about where it will all lead. But at the very least, many are enjoying regaining some of their old, pre-pandemic travel freedoms.

San Francisco’s Greater Highway

The 3.8-mile stretch of concrete forming San Francisco’s western border along Ocean Beach (www.parksconservancy.org) closed to traffic during the pandemic, transforming itself into the city’s newest promenade. Cyclists, roller skaters and families rejoiced and recreated, and transit activists advocated for even more car-free streets. Someday, they hope, this thoroughfare will permanently become the Great Walkway.

Crosstown Trail

This new 17-mile path of pure greenery connects San Francisco from the southeast to the northwest via public parks, tiled stairways, community gardens and other patches of parkland. It can be walked, run or biked in either direction, and was built by a small and dedicated group of volunteers. Some of the parks linked up by this trail include John McLaren Park (www.sfrecpark.org/destination/john-mclaren-park; Mansell St & John F Shelley Dr), the Presidio and Lands End (www.nps.gov; 680 Point Lobos Ave).

Pot Central

Now that marijuana is legal in several states in Western USA for medical and recreational use by adults aged 18 and up, you’ll probably get a whiff of ‘bud’ while you’re here, even though it’s supposedly restricted to private, indoor use. Be mindful of neighbors and, for your own safety, buy your weed only from licensed dispensaries or legit delivery services like HelloMD (www.hellomd.com) and Eaze (www.eaze.com). And just in case you thought that marijuana legalization was restricted to left-leaning states such as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico and California, recreational marijuana use is also legal in Montana. Note that it’s illegal to take marijuana across state borders, even if you’re travelling directly to another state in which marijuana use is legal.

LISTEN, WATCH & FOLLOW

For inspiration, visit www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/western-usa/articles.

Visit the USA (www.visittheusa.com) The latest on tourism in the US.

SFGATE (www.sfgate.com) SF news and culture.

Visit California (www.visitcalifornia.com/podcasts/) California travel topics.

The Modern West (https://www.npr.org/podcasts/423908746/the-modern-west) Wyoming podcast on Western identity.

FAST FACTS

Food trend Eating out again!

Latino population 30%

US/California population density (people per sq mile) 86/242

Population 78 million

Accommodations

Find more accommodation reviews throughout the On the Road chapters.

Accommodation Types

Hotels Hotels range from the humble to the luxurious. Most have ample in-room amenities, cable TV and private bathrooms, and many have restaurants, bars, swimming pools and fitness centers.

Motels The mainstay of towns across America, motels are usually simpler than hotels and rooms have independent entrances opening onto the parking lot. Some have kitchenettes.

B&Bs Usually in the midrange, inviting homes offer a higher level of interaction and personal attention.