Before I find out which of these hot / dusty / Libertarian state is , in fact , the best , let me flip in a quick word about which states are , in fact , the Southwest . Some are obvious ; if a state includes the suffix " -zona " or the word " Mexico " in its existent name , it ’s clearly in . The others are states that you ca n’t forthwith brush off asnotthe Southwest . For example : is Louisiana the Southwest ? Obviously not , so it ’s not ranked . How about Colorado ? Maaaaaybe . Rank it we shall .
So far , as an " impartial " Midwesterner I have now range theNew England states , which I knew nothing about belong in , andthe South , which I still do n’t feel like I know anything about , but hey , mint of good crapulence in New Orleans and Louisville . But as a bi - regional person primarily based in Vegas , I drop a lot of time exploring the Southwest and know this terrain . Let ’s reason .
8. California (the Southwest part)
What most of the California people talk about when they blab about Californiaisn’t considered part of the American Southwest . The part thatisis the part you drive through to get to the residuum of it . California has many beautiful innate characteristic ; but besides Death Valley ( not part of " Southwest " status ) , its desert landscape is n’t one of them . reckon , it ’s not that Palm Springs –barely"Southwest " – is n’t coolheaded , it ’s just that there are so manycoolerSouthwestern city with so much more to see around them . And unless you ’re a card - carrying appendage of the AARP , there ’s a good chance you do n’t go there for anything but Coachella anyway . Joshua Tree National Park is great – but have youbeento Zion ? It ’s hunky-dory , California ; you ’ll have your bend . meet to your strengths . You ca n’t have EVERYTHING .
7. Oklahoma?
Is it the West ? Is it the South ? Is it the sou'-west ? Is it the Southeast ? Who know , but at some degree the South becomes the West , and the Oklahoma - Arkansas border may as well be it . Oklahoma at largeis some serious Wild West - cape . Oklahoma City at least convey capital chocolate roasters , breweries , and restaurants , and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is well worth an afternoon . If you ’re the case who is on the perennial search for the next big matter , OKC is decidedly put for it . It ’s the new Nashville ! But OKC ’s next " it " metropolis status aside , the rest period of Oklahoma is Great Plains boring , thoughTulsa is totally underrated , too .
6. Colorado
People are going to be mad Colorado did n’t rank higher . And hey , there are lots of neat things about Colorado – bountiful coke , sound weed . But away from its beer prospect , Colorado does n’t invoke . It might be Coloradans . They exhibit someMidwestern Nicewhile also being as off - putting as New Yorkers . well-disposed ! But … not really ? And just a little awkward ? Or , out of it ? Could be all the spate ? Oxygen want from the high altitudes ? A guy in Fort Collins once examine to show me his yurt . True story . Also truthful : it was n’t really his yurt he was trying to show me .
Get outside , you say ? Well , Mesa Verde National Park is pretty nerveless but that ’s probably because it ’s basically in New Mexico . While Aspen may be a footling lieu where the beer flows like wine-colored and where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano , the perfidious three - hour drive from the Denver airport in the middle of winter to get there is no bueno . Speaking of Denver : America has many major cities , and Denver is n’t one of them . Colorado does n’t do it for me . This is my list , not yours . Good solar day .
5. Texas
The further Benjamin West you get in Texas , the more " Southwest " it gets – like , to the point of fundamentally being Mexico . I fall out to care Mexico , so I ’m all about it , but I ’ve also seenSicario , and while I fuck that corporate trust - related crime is on the decline ( thanks , Colorado ! ) , I would n’t recommend just anyone go weekending in El Paso just yet .
Over in Brownsville , another Mexico - light Texas border township , you may get cachete taco at perhapsthe last persist traditional barbacoa joint in the res publica , Vera ’s Backyard Bar - boron - Que . And yes , this is Texas , so everyone is allblah blah bombast Austin , but have you try San Antonio ? It ’s snug to Austin and all that cook out you roll in the hay , but also less displaced - East - Coast - hippy and more , well , actuallyTexas . Do n’t hold that against it .
4. Arizona
The Southwest ’s Epcot Center : all the feel , but with a lackluster vibe . belike because of all the Baby Boomer retirees who lost a coin pass and put down here instead of Florida . Phoenix / Scottsdale is essentially an upscale outdoor shopping center . Camelback Mountain is where all the fancy hoi polloi go , but like so many other places where the fancy people go , all the spas and resort are generically " de luxe . " Sedona ’s beautiful but not much of an upgrade on New Mexico or Utah .
Arizona does have the Grand Canyon , and it is pretty damn marvelous – specially if you go to the North Rim , the good rim , and specially if you do n’t makeone of these Grand Canyon mistakes . And if you want to know what paradise look like but ca n’t afford Hawaii , plan a long - weekend encampment trip at Havasupai Falls – massive aqua - colored waterfalls surrounded by lush verdure hidden in a canyon that requires a 10 - mile hike in . Boating on the Colorado River and Lake Mohave in Laughlin is also a hoot .
3. Utah
Utah is hands down the most beautiful state in the continental United States . There ’s Bryce Canyon National Park , Zion National Park , Canyonlands National Park , Arches National Park , Dead Horse Point State Park , and wild rock organisation galore . One of the best scenic drive on the planet is I-70 through Central Utah , one of the loneliest desert stretches you ’ll ever cross . You ’ll pass near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks , as well as the amazingly bring up Goblin Valley State Park . Other evocatively key out scenic spot on this route : Devils Canyon , Ghost Rock , and Spotted Wolf Canyon are right off the thruway .
Salt Lake City stealthily hasa bangin ' restaurant scene , plus great gastropubs , beer and whiskey and cocktail bars , and breweries . Over in the Sundance Film Fest and ski resort soil of Park City , you ’ll find more of the same .
Dem John Barleycorn laws doe . The Mormons definitely got their say on the state ’s pot liquor regs , though to their citation , the LDS ' imposingly gothic Salt Lake Temple is nothing short of breathtaking .
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2. New Mexico
New Mexicoisthe Southwest . It ’s not at all cool , and that ’s what take in it so outstanding – there is no level of " trying " here . I almost hate write this because then masses will start move to Albuquerque and Albuquerque will all of a sudden be " cool " and then Albuquerque will become just like Austin and be smash . But I belike do n’t have to worry about this too much because most people will probably never bother learning how to decently spell Albuquerque at any tip in their lives and therefore wo n’t move there .
Sante Fe is beautiful , no doubt , and has some of thecoolest architecture in the body politic , but the arts scene there is just a scrap more collective , just a bit more manufactured , just a chip more tourist - driven . Property owners charge absurd amounts for rent and gallery take huge commissions from artists , meaning few artists own their own studio or heading . For more indie grit , hit up Albuquerque . And for those of you who just tuned out for that whole last paragraph , beer . New Mexico has one of the most under - the - radar beer scenes with some unfeignedly wonderful brewery , and most do n’t distribute outdoors of the state .
Oh , and since I ’ve talked about the great outdoors a deal , New Mexico has Santa Fe National Forest , Carson National Forest , Gila National Forest and Wilderness , the La Luz Trail , Dripping Springs Natural Area , Yapashi Pueblo , Sierra Ladrones , the Continental Divide Trail , White Sands National Monument , and so much more .
Plus : green chile cheeseburgers .
1. Nevada
This might be my base state nowadays , but I like to think I am able to retain some common sense of objectivity . Probably because Nevada = Las Vegas andthere are a heap of thingsabout Las Vegasthat are terrible . But but BUT Nevadaisn’tjust Las Vegas ! And also , there are a lot of thingsabout Las Vegasthat arenotterrible ! So it ’s a affair of perspective , really .
So first , if you get it on to party and eff to blow money and … um , other clobber , there is VEGAS , and it is the best berth in the country to do all of that . And even for those of us who just ca n’t with the 24/7 political party lifestyle anymore , the whole 24/7 thing ( even more so off the Strip where the actual Vegas humans live ) is exceedingly convenient . When I flee into Detroit now and I just want to pick up some seemly beer and some food for the next few days and it ’s 9:07pm and everything is close and I have to drive to a Meijer 20 minute away , that ’s kind of stupid , you recognize ? It ’s not that IneedRoberto ’s greaser or a Green Island smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Café at 4 am . It ’s just nice to know I can get them .
Vegas is catching up in non - dirtbag ways , too , withastounding growth in the beer sceneand theDowntown hipster solid food scene . Our Chinatown is great , we ’ve got scores of 24 - hour taquerias , and every celebrity chef worth his weight in cable television - internet food shows has a restaurant here . Even the low-spirited - rough-cut - denominator / mellow - profit - margin pandering adds to the absurd sort here . And amusement ? Fuggedaboudit . Comedy order , Cirque shows , concerts of all sizes and stripe , independent theaters , tour Broadway productions , penis puppetry – we have it ALL .
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And that ’s to say nothing else about the rest of Nevada ! Reno , " the biggest piddling city in the world , " probably has more hipster cred than even Downtown Vegas , plus it ’s just an time of day to Lake Tahoe . Also , TAHOE . ( It ’s half in Nevada ! ) Plus : ghost towns and weird alien - put down / nuclear - examination history and the ruination of former Mormon settlements and wooden taproom go steady to the groundbreaker day .
Also ALSO : there may be no skilful state for outdoors enthusiasts , and that ’s not a prank . There are mountains and state parks and national park and forests and river and lake in every single state , but few major cities can claim all of these thing within an minute ’s drive from the urban center , and most within a half - hour ’s drive . Las Vegas and Reno can . Hiking , climb , canyoneering , rappelling , kayaking , Jet Skiing , whitewater rafting , cycling , mountain biking , skiing : you may do it all here in Nevada , often in the same day .
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