The Southwest Overview

The Ancestral Puebloans of the 10th and 11th centuries were the first to discover that the Southwest’s arid lands could support an agrarian civilization. Years later, in 1803, the US bought parts of the Southwest in the Louisiana Purchase, and claimed the rest of it in 1848 with the treaty that ended the US-Mexican War. The hope for a Western “empire of liberty,” where Americans could live a virtuous farm life, motivated further expansion and inspired the region’s individualist mentality. Today, the Southwest’s vastness—from the dramatically colored canvas of Arizona’s red rock and striking blue sky, to the breathtaking vistas of Utah’s mountains—invites contemplation and awe, and the area’s potential for outdoor adventures is as unparalleled as its kaleidoscopic mix of cultures.

Achieve nirvana (or at least a sense of vertigo) at the Grand Canyon and Utah’s “Fab Five” National Parks .
Soak your cares away in the bubbling hot springs of Truth or Consequences .
Jingle the coins in your pocket one last time before offering them up to the shimmering slot machines of Las Vegas .
Scramble past lush waterfalls to the mystical Havasupai Reservation .
Titillate your taste buds with the chili-laden cuisine of Albuquerque , Santa Fe , and Tucson .

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.