Where to go "out west"
 

My husband and I just returned from a driving tour of Ireland. While we didn't mind driving there, I really don't like driving long distances in the USA. We live in western PA and have never been further west than Cincinnati. My husband said he would like to see the Rockies. We would prefer to fly to a city and do some touring in the surrounding area. Please don't be offended but I have no desire to see a desert or gamble. We aren't skiers; we like to walk, but aren't serious hikers. We like a little night life. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will be planning something for next year. It seems like we usually end up vacationing in the fall for some reason. I guess it takes us too long to make up our minds!

You could fly into Denver tour in the city get some night life and do a loop up through Rocky Mountain National Park. This would involve a bit of driving, but nothing that would need to take days if you don't want to. There is plenty to see there and fall is lovely in the mountains, just don't put it off too late as some of the best roads are closed by October.

If you haven't been to Grand Canyon, that is a second trip I think should be on everyone's bucket list. It is a fantastic place for folks who like to walk. The rim trail is mostly flat, with wonderful views. You could fly into Phoenix and do do some city stuf then drive up to the canyon for a night or two.

For a different part of the Rockies, fly into Albuquerque, do some city stuff, take the tram up Sandia Peakl, Then drive up to Santa Fe, do more city thing - nice museums, good dining, some night life- then drive over to Bandelier National Monument, check out the ancient Native American homes, carved into the side of the mountain, easy walking through most of this area.

Have fun planning.
Fall would be a great time to visit any of these places

you're right -- there can be a LOT of driving out west. Since you would like to see the Rockies but prefer to avoid arid landscapes (deserts) and casinos, I'd suggest you take a look at the Canadian Rockies -- Banff National Park, to be specific.

Fly into Calgary, drive into Banff (or Canmore, or Lake Louise). It's only about an hour from Calgary into the mountains. Take a look at the threads on that area to help you decide where you would like to stay. Canmore has more lodging and civilization and is a bit closer to Calgary. Banff is of course in Banff National Park (Canadian), also with lots of lodging, restaurants, and shops (just a bit pricier than Canmore). Lake Louise is a bit more into the mountains and gorgeous, but more natural beauty and less shops/restaurants.

We are not serious hikers, but love short day hikes. There are tons of them in Banff. However, a lot depends on when you would like to visit. Right now, of course, the weather is heading towards winter. We've been several times in September and it is just beautiful. I think that June or later, through early October, would be your window.

Hi rushed,

I can't help wondering, since you have never been west of Cincinnati, what your idea of a desert is, exactly? There are many different types of "deserts", some beautiful, some boring. The desert around Las Vegas = boring. The 4 corners areas deserts = gorgeous! How do you know you don't want desert if you have never been?

We just came from a short trip - flew to Phoenix, drove up to Sedona and Grand Canyon - such a breathtaking area!

Also, if you haven't seen them yet, I would definitely put Yosemite, Lake Tahoe on the "to visit" list.

Yosemite National Park. You can fly to Fresno and then drive about 90 miles to Yosemite Village. You can do anything from driving or taking a shuttle, to easy walking, to serious hiking. It is gorgeous.

Yellowstone Natioal Park. You can fly to Cody or Jackson Hole, WY, and then drive 70-80 miles to the center of the park (with scenery and interesting stops along the way).

San Francisco is a beautiful city. Lots to do there and surrounding.

OR both Yosemite and San Francisco. It is about 185 miles from SF to Yosemite Village. Fly into Fresno and return from San Fran.

Fly almost anywhere out west and make a loop of the surrounding sights/sites. There is NOTHING in the world to rival the American west.
You could fly to Jackson, Wyoming, drive north through the Grand Tetons to Yellowstone. Make a loop back.
Fly to Denver and do as someone suggested to RMNP. Then go south to Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, etc.
Then go west as far as Vail and see the Rockies--2 hours to Vail.
The San Francisco option is also wonderful.

Wow! Thanks everyone for a lot of good information. That gives me somewhere to start researching.

Sludick, I watched the Bachlorette this year and they filmed in Banff and it showed them taking a train ride through the mountains. I thought the scenery was stunning.

Dayle, I know this sounds crazy but any kind of desert doesn't appeal to me. I actually avoid reading books or watching tv that takes place in deserts. It just doesn't interest me. My ideal scenery is Great Britain. I've been there three times. I love Edinburgh and the surrounding area. I'd live there if I could afford it. I have friends that tell me how beautiful the desert is but it doesn't change my mind. If someone pays my way I might go.

Again, thanks everyone.

If you are thinking about the Sahara as "desert", you need to visit Sedona or a lot of other places in the Southwest.

Where should be go in Southern Europe? Please don't be offended, but we have no desire to see anything in Italy or Spain.

Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon make an unforgettable trip.
You could fly into Las Vegas to pick up your car with no obligation to gamble or to go to The Strip.

HTTY

Hi again rushed,

I'll give you one personal experience I had. On my first trip to Europe, Italy specifically, I only planned 1.5 days in Rome because I had been told it was just a big, crowded, dirty and polluted city.

I LOVED IT!!! I've been back since and am right now planning a 4th Italy trip that will definitely include a week just for Roma!

One huge benefit of travel is to broaden your experience and perspective....

The OP has at least admitted to having a completely closed mind. We should respect that.

How about the Pacific Northwest? Nothing desert-y about it.

Fly into Seattle, rent a car and see Olympic National Park (rain forest), maybe Mt. Rainier (gorgeous wildflowers in late July, fall color in September), San Juan Islands. Visit Victoria (a little bit of Britain right here on the west coast of North America) on a daytrip from Port Angeles. Return the car in Seattle, take the train up to Vancouver, and then to the Canadian Rockies (Banff) from there. Fly home from Calgary.

Personally I find western Pennsylvania more of a desert than the western USA.

Since you like Cincinnati, maybe a tour of Detroit or St. Louis would be more your style?

Upon first reading the OP, I was going to suggest flying into EITHER Denver or Salt Lake City and then doing either a one-way or a round-trip to the opposite one.

The mention of Banff suggests perhaps flying into Spokane, WA and then driving north into Canada, up through the Rocky Mountains, and then perhaps to Edmonton and/or Calgary, and maaaaaaaaybe back to Spokane to fly home. (you will need a passport to cross the border)

You have lots of options.

Good idea NWMale. Banff and surroundings is definitely the place to see the Rockies. OP could fly into Calgary for a short drive to Banff, and the drive up the Icefield Parkway to Jasper is an easy drive. Kootenay NP, east of Banff, is also a great place to view mountains without a lot of driving.

Were I making this trip, I would include Waterton Lakes NP and Glacier NP, but that would require more driving that OP seems to want.

OK folks -- there are <u>hundreds</u> of places one can go in the West w/o seeing desert. So what is the big deal?? Are you personally offended the OP doesn't want to see desert? And RBCal - that Detroit/St Louis slap was just plain ridiculous. Some of us know how beautiful the desert can be - but not everyone wants the exact same things. Which is a good thing IMO.

rushed: You have lots and LOTS of choices, but do realize that the "West" is vast w/ some enormous distances. Sometimes folks from the NE don't realize the huge-ness of things out here. So for some of the suggestions above, do realize there will be some long drives. Beautiful drives for the most part, but long none the less.

Yellowstone, or Yosemite, or San Francisco/Tahoe/Yosemite, or the California/Oregon Coasts/Redwoods or anything mentioned so far would all be fine.

The flying into Fresno suggestion for Yosemite might be good - however, service in to Fresno is quite limited and can be VERY expensive. Other likely cheaper options would be flying into Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose or San Francisco. Or if you were to visit Tahoe too, flying into Reno would be another option. Southwest serves all of these airports so that tends to reduce the fares for all the airlines.

While Yosemite and Lake Tahoe are indeed breathtakingly beautiful, they are NOT in the Rockies (it's the Sierras, a couple mountain ranges west of the Rockies), and there is little to no nightlife in either place, except in the casinos around Lake Tahoe, which the OP does not like.

hazel: "<i>While Yosemite and Lake Tahoe are indeed breathtakingly beautiful, they are NOT in the Rockies (it's the Sierras, a couple mountain ranges west of the Rockies)</i>"

And your point is? In case it was overlooked -- the OP also tagged the her thread for California. So apparently they are looking for all sorts of suggestions. I'll assume she understands that Yosemite and Tahoe are not in the Rockies . . . .

"<i>there is little to no nightlife in either place, except in the casinos around Lake Tahoe, which the OP does not like.</i>"

One can go to the shows/nightclubs in any casino w/o gambling a penny, or even walking through the gambling floor in many cases.

IMHO, the high desert is the most beautiful environment in the West.

I avoided the entire SW (did CO and all the Northern spots everyone else is detailing) because of preconceived ideas about deserts until I was nearly 50 years old. BIG MISTAKE.

Northern AZ and the bordering states to that area, IMHO, after it is all said and done- THE John Wayne sunset scene American West. Not just Sedona either, is drop dead scenic.

Also, to be honest- I liked the food better, as well.