USA: THE SOUTHWEST
NEVADA Nevada, of course, is most famous for Las Vegas. Gambling may have been the mainstay of ‘Sin City’ for decades, but nowadays much of the emphasis is on the upmarket shopping and top- class restaurants. The entertainment is second to none, with mega-stars such as Elton John and Shania Twain headlining in the next few months, seven permanent Cirque du Soleil shows and 90-minute versions of Broadway hit shows to choose from. Due to be launched next year are
TWo giant observation wheels – the SkyVue, 500 feet tall and based across from the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and the 550ft Las Vegas high Roller, the tallest in the world, which will face Caesars Palace. Opening on October 27 is the Neon Museum, a historical institution dedicated to the celebration of some of the city’s most distinctive architectural landmarks. Farther afi eld, nevada offers the chance to visit state parks, take in ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area, see attractions such as the Hoover Dam, explore old West ghost towns and drive on uS-50, the Loneliest Road in the States.
ARIZONA Arizona’s nickname, the Grand Canyon State, says it all. The canyon is the state’s obvious main selling point but Wild West fans will love
18 October 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Tombstone (home of the OK Corral and Boot Hill Cemetery) and Monument Valley (where scenes from Stagecoach and The Searchers were shot) and ranching is still a very popular option in a state which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
From dude ranches, rodeos, and
boot-scootin’ bars to Western art and steak-outs, Arizona has the old West well covered. The state is rightly regarded as the
birthplace of desert-style golf – visitors have more than 300 courses to choose from, two-thirds of which are in Greater Phoenix with the rest in and around Tucson. Spas are another attraction, with three world-class, award-winning resorts located in Tucson (the original Canyon Ranch and Mirava – Life in Balance) and Sedona (Mii amo, where the resort had a $25-million upgrade).
NEW MEXICO Of the four southwest states, New Mexico tends to be the one that attracts the least publicity. Yet it is one of the most scenic – and quirky - of the Western states, mixing cowboy
and Native American
cultures and offering snow-
capped mountains and dazzling white deserts
as well as Spaceport America (the world’s fi rst purpose-built spaceport) and, in the UFO-linked town of Roswell, the world’s only fl ying- saucer-shaped McDonald’s!
To combat misconceptions about the state, the new Mexico Tourism Department recently launched a new branding campaign. Showing that New Mexico is a state with ‘adventure steeped in culture’, it’s targeting those with an ‘adventurous spirit and thirst for authenticity’.
New Mexico says it offers an
authentic experience that is real and unprocessed; a connection with the past
and with the land; the discovery
of off-the-beaten path locations and unexpected treasures of history, art and cuisine; and adventures with a depth of experience that ‘feed the soul’.
What’s New From October 29 British Airways begins a three-times-weekly service from London-Gatwick to Las Vegas, adding to its daily fl ights from Heathrow. On December 5, BA increases its Heathrow-Phoenix fl ights from six to seven days a week. Los Angeles International Airport is opening 60 new dining and shopping
selling tip
“Arizona is the birthplace of desert-style golf and there are over 300 courses to choose from around Phoenix and Tucson”
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