Vegas


Bryce Canyon, Utah


UTAH The skinny, spindly red-rock


formations or ‘hoodoos’ of Bryce Canyon seem to defy gravity. Shaped like inverted and intricately carved icicles, they also defy imagination. Travellers to Utah should


prepare to be awed. Zion National Park can be explored in style from new glamping resort Under Canvas, with 60 luxury tents, great food and activities including hot- air balloon rides over jagged rocks, natural arches and tree-studded Zion Canyon. To explore without the crowds, hike to Kolob Canyon. This lesser-known section of the park wows with finger canyons and red Navajo sandstone cliffs. It’s even more spectacular at night. Antelope Island, roamed by bison, recently became Utah’s ninth International Dark Sky Park – meaning the state now has the highest concentration in the world. Another is Dead Horse Point, famous as a filming location for Thelma & Louise, and one of 43 state parks. Bonneville Salt Flats, covering


a crunchy 12,000 hectares, is yet another arm-pinching sight. The landscape becomes even more surreal when racers attempt to break the land speed record during August’s Speed Week. Salt Lake City is home to Utah’s


most popular tourist attraction, Temple Square: the headquarters of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, or Mormons. The state capital is also shaking up its nightlife scene, with a growing reputation for innovative cocktails and chic bars. In January, visitors might see some famous faces at the bar, as Park City’s Sundance Film Festival also has screenings in Salt Lake City. Utah’s notorious outlaw Butch


Cassidy, immortalised in film alongside the Sundance Kid, is being honoured with two new museums – in his home town of Circleville and in Hanksville, where his Wild Bunch gang crept out of hiding for supplies.


COLORADO This vast outdoor playground has


long been a favourite for skiers


heading to the resorts of Aspen and Vail, and new direct flights from London with Norwegian (followed by United next March) are drawing more attention to its year-round appeal. Those who’d rather strap on


walking boots than skis can hike through a landscape of rivers, lakes, natural hot springs and the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Colorado beckons with an amazing array of ever-changing landscapes and dramatic vistas. Twelve distinctively different national parks and monuments are open year-round and are always uncrowded. Hip Denver is the ideal springboard for exploring the state, with vibrant neighbourhoods, great museums and a dynamic food scene. The stylish Kimpton Hotel Born opened in August, with the boutique Ramble Hotel slated for early 2018. The Red Rocks Amphitheater


hosts some of music’s biggest names between May and October during its Summer Concert Series.


Suggest booking a yoga class on the curved steps to gaze towards the city while perfecting the ‘warrior one’ pose. There’s no bad time to visit


Colorado, but suggest September for clement weather and a calendar packed with delicious events. A Taste of Colorado has local musicians and artisan food, the Palisade Colorado Mountain Winefest offers tastings with strains of live jazz, and the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival promises three days of music and craft beer in a valley ringed by 4,000m mountains.


BOOK IT


USAirtours offers an 11-night Las Vegas, Colorado and Utah itinerary from £1,199, for travel between January 1 and March 23 and including flights, accommodation, compact car hire and sat nav.


Find out more at:


usairtours.co.uk/hot-deals 08000 350 149


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