Southwest U.S. Vacation 2007
September 20, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Traci and I finally did the Southwest U.S. vacation we'd been talking about doing for years. The trip was loosely based on a AAA DriveAmerica package I saw when we were originally supposed to do this vacation back in 2004. The package is no longer offered. Therefore, I did some online research to put together our own version of a Southwest road trip. I had great time comparing prices and estimating mileage. In the end, we decided to fly to San Diego California and then fly to New Mexico where we'd do a week long road trip that included northern New Mexico and southern Colorado before flying back home. Our itinerary is summarized below:
- 3 nights in San Diego, California
- 3 nights at Santa Fe, New Mexico
- 2 night in Durango, Colorado
- 2 nights in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Southwest U.S. Vacation 2007 itinerary. Click map for larger view.
Traci and I had a fantastic time on this vacation. In general, we felt we spent the right amount of time in each location to see what we wanted to see. The trip was a pleasant mix of magnificent scenery, history, culture, and shopping.
Things I Really Enjoyed
In San Diego:
- The Del: The Hotel del Coronado and its surroundings are beautiful. We visited one afternoon to take in the San Diego beach scene.
- The Prado Restaurant: We celebrated our 11-year wedding anniversary at this up-scale restaurant. We had a great meal and friendly service.
In and Around Santa Fe:
- The Santa Fe Plaza: This is the most popular attraction in Santa Fe - and rightfully so. Here we found quality shopping, art, and fascinating historical churches.
- El Santuario de Chimayo Church: This quaint church in the little town of Chimayo is known for its healing powers. It was a joy to see the mementos left by the faithful who have received blessings from praying here.
- Homewood Suites Santa Fe: Great service, classy decor, big room, free meals, and a low price - what more could we have asked for? This was our favorite lodging of this vacation.
- Taos Pueblo: The Taos Indians have continuously inhabited this community for more than a thousand years. We enjoyed touring the neighborhood and learning about their history and modern culture.
In and Around Durango:
- Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: This was my favorite activity of the vacation. We took an awesome scenic journey on a restored trained pulled by a real steam locomotive. The whole trip was like riding through a post card.
- Four Corners Monument: This is a fun monument that marks the only point in the U.S. where four states (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona) meet at a single point. We took pictures of each other posing in all four states simultaneously. We also found out the Indian Market here had the best deals on jewelry.
In Albuquerque:
- Indian Pueblo Cultural Center: This is a great museum to learn about the art, history, and culture of the Native Americans that have lived in what is now New Mexico for thousands of years. We started our road trip at this museum.
Things I Would Do Differently
In San Diego:
- Stay Outside the City: I saw no advantage to staying at a city hotel. It was expensive and we still needed a car to get to the attractions we wished to see. I'll consider a less expensive hotel outside the city next time.
- Bring My Passport: A popular excursion while in San Diego is a day trip to Tijuana, Mexico. We didn't bring our passports so this excursion was not an option for us.
In and Around Santa Fe:
- Not Stay At La Fonda Hotel: This historic hotel has a great location right on the famous Santa Fe Plaza. The hotel is worth a visit to see its artistic interior but our room was a let-down for us. The old furniture and thin walls did not live up to the expensive room rate.
In and Around Durango:
- Plan My Mesa Verde Park Visit: We missed out on the guided tours because we arrived too late. Furthermore, I did not know the park was so big. We should have set aside at least a day for exploration instead of 4 hours.
In Albuquerque:
- Flexibility On Sandia Peak Attraction: We would have liked to have ridden the Sandia Peak Tramway, the world's highest ariel tram. However, the high winds grounded the tram on the only day I had set aside time to ride the attraction. We missed out on this experience.
Other Road Trips:
