The Rough Guide to Southwest USA, 2nd Edition (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

by Greg Ward (Author) "For US and Canadian travelers who live too far from the Southwest simply to drive there, the most cost-effective way to visit is to fly..." (more)
Key Phrases: kachina religion, information plaza, local visitor center, New Mexico, Rio Grande, Lake Powell (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
If you're traveling to the American Southwest, there are myriad choices to make, and Greg Ward's thorough Southwest USA can help you make them. First he considers the basics: how to get there, how to get around, where to eat and drink, where and when the annual festivals take place, and details on the cultural niceties of traveling in Indian reservations (a sensitivity missing from many a Southwest guide). Then the guide proper starts, covering the U.S. from southern Utah down to the border with Mexico, from Las Vegas east to where New Mexico meets Texas. Ward's guide is a wealth of information, with climate details, desert survival tips, accommodations, and many pages' worth of places to see, things to do, and roads to travel. He also offers engaging articles on the gunfight at the OK Corral, the formation of the Grand Canyon, and the Havasupai Indians. Southwest USA covers a large territory with ease, candor, and an abundance of practical details. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"We carried several paperback guides, but quickly discarded the others in favor of this excellent book... wherever I travel next, a Rough Guide will be with me, you can be sure." Richard Simpson, West Virginia on amazon.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2nd Updated edition (November 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858285569
• ISBN-13: 978-1858285566
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #854,011 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inside guide for any outsider, May 19, 1998

By	R. Simpson "Poker Player" (Romney, WV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: South West Usa: The Rough Guide, First Edition (Rough Guides) (Paperback)

On our recent trip through the grand circle of national parks in the four corners area, we carried several paperback guides, but quickly discarded the others in favor of this excellent book. We started reading it out loud as we approached each new town because of its wry observations, but quickly came to trust its preview of each new stop. We were never disappointed when we chose a non-chain motel from its recommendations, and we never got a bad meal wherever it said the food was good (and this was a budget trip).

It isn't perfect -- things change too fast. For instance, there are many new motels within easy distance of the Grand Canyon, easing the squeeze many travelers have experienced, and more are under construction. And they didn't warn us to avoid the grossly mis-named Kodachrome state park. But wherever I travel next, a Rough Guide will be with me, you can be sure.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best single guide for the American Southwest, December 22, 2001

By	"sbgantz" (Alexandria, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

I usually carry multiple guidebooks on my vacations, but during my recent trip to the American Southwest I relied exclusively on this book.

One of the reasons I recommend this book is that it covers the Southwest as a single region, so it includes New Mexico, Arizona, southern Colorodo, southern Utah, and Las Vegas. Most other books are State-based, so it would take multiple books to cover the entire region.

Another reason to pick this book is that it is opinionated. It lists top ten sites in various categories (national parks, museums, etc.), so that you can plan your time effectively. The auther even recommends against some things, unlike most guidebooks.

I am picky about maps, and the maps in this book were uniformly accurate and reliable. Driving tips and recommended routes were quite useful.

You will also find this book compact and light. While some other books are loaded with pictures, I find these books best enjoyed at home, before and after my trip, because they are too heavy to lug around during my trip.

Finally, I stayed in 5 hotels, all recommended by this book, and they were all safe choices. If you are looking for a splurge, I recommend Goulding's lodge at Monument Valley, especially for fans of old movies. To my surprise, I enjoyed the museum on site. Also, I used the inroom VCR to watch Stagecoach, and this was the perfect setup for my Monument Valley visit the next morning. At Canyon do Chelly NM, I would recommend not staying at the overpriced, dreary lodge. It's cheaper to stay at one of the places just outside the park. In Santa Fe, the El Rey Inn is convenient, friendly, and has a Route 66 feel.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Southwest guidebook, June 22, 2005

By	Jessica Lux (Rosamond, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Southwest USA 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

This is the mother of all Southwest guidebooks, and as one reviewer stated, it is most useful because it covers multiple states (New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Utah, and Southern Nevada).

The maps inside are second-to-none. I always trust these maps, especially when I need to get off the major highways to a less-traveled road.

This book has medium-to-small type and thin pages, so they pack a lot of information into a small space. This is great for the traveler who doesn't want to lug around a huge and heavy book.

Every town has a good description, history, and information, followed by a list of practicalities like where to eat, where to stay, where to get more information. The Indian reservations are covered in great detail, and this was essential for my trip.

Love this book and I highly recommend it to anyone driving through the Southwest.