If you are looking for a mix of adventure, excitement, natural beauty, exploration and relaxation, a 2 week trip to US Southwest is a great idea.

– get a break from the severe Canadian winter (although some of these places are cold but bearable… lowest in the day was 5 C)

– economical or let me say, can fit to many budgets

– travel through 3 beautiful US states – Nevada, Arizona & California – from mountains to desert to the ocean and beaches;

We looked for online return air tickets from Toronto to Las Vegas and for a change, found a good deal with American Airlines. The destinations were decided based on the variety of experiences we were looking for :

Las Vegas : Excitement, super-duper glittering sights, casinos, shows such as David Copperfield magic and illusion, comedy, musicals, etc.

Grand Canyon : South rim, Wonder of the world, natural beauty, Trails – test of strength, patience, perseverance, exploration

Sedona : Natural beauty, serenity, calmness, amazing natural structures, trails

Arizona Dunes : Sand dunes

San Diego : Historical city, birthplace of California, US Naval base, homes of rich and famous – La Jolla, beautiful beaches; cruise in the bay

Los Angeles : Home of the glitterati, Hollywood, Film studios such as Universal, Museums such as Getty, Pacific coastal drives, bump into celebrities, Obesrvatory, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Zuma, Malibu beaches

Hoover Dam – Boulder City : Engineering wonder, beautiful Lake Mead