Things to do in Southwest
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Zion Canyon Scenic Dr
The premier drive in the park leads between towering cliffs of an incredible red-rock canyon and accesses all the major front-country trailheads. A shuttle bus ride is required April through October. If you've time for only one activity: this is it. Your first stop should be the Human History Museum; the excellent exhibits and 22-minute film are a great introduction to the park. There are shuttle stops, and turn-outs, at viewpoints like the Court of the Patriarchs, at the Zion Lodge, and the end point, the Temple of Sinawava. Use the map you receive at the entrance to navigate. The shuttle takes 45 minutes round-trip; we'd suggest allowing at least two hours with stops.
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Utah Museum of Natural History
The massive Rio Tinto Center makes a suitable home for the museum's prize Huntington Mammoth, one of the most complete fossils of its kind in the world. After taking a hiatus, it and other Utah-found objects and fossils are once again on display – in a shiny new museum building.
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Salt Lake Roasting Co
It's all about the beans here – from 100% Kona to Gayo Mountain shade-grown Sumatran. There's an SLRC branch cafe in the SLC Library.
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Wake & Bake
- Moab, USA
- Entertainment › Cafe
Great vibe at this groovy cafe next to a bookstore; ice cream and sandwiches available.
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Zion Natural History Association
Nonprofit organization; runs field institute classes and sells maps, books and gifts at the visitor center.
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Human History Museum
A half-mile from the park’s southern entrance station, the <strong>Zion Human History Museum</strong> presents the geological and human history of Zion and its birth as a park. A good introductory video is shown every half hour. The paved <strong>Pa’rus Trail</strong> parallels the road for 2 miles from South Campground to the main canyon junction, passing the museum on the way.
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Pizza Place
Think wood-fired flatbread piled high with fresh ingredients. When locals eat out, they come to this family-owned joint. Serves pizzas, salads and sandwiches.
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Tavernacle Social Club
Dueling pianos or karaoke nightly.
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Tao
Some Vegas clubbing aficionados claim that Tao, like a Top 40 hit that's maxed out on radio play, has reached a been-there-done-that saturation point. Newbies however, still gush at the decadent details and libidinous vibe: from the giant gold Buddha to the near-naked go-go girls languidly caressing themselves in rose petal-strewn bathtubs.
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Second Street Brewery
Santa Fe’s favorite brewery is the perfect spot to stop for a pint after a long hike. It serves handcrafted English-style beers – brewed on the premises – and also offers a hearty selection of better-than-average pub grub. Sit outside on the big patio, or inside the brewery. There’s live music nightly.
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Ski Santa Fe
Often overlooked for its more famous cousin outside of Taos, the Santa Fe ski area boasts the same fluffy powder (though usually a little less of it), with an even higher base elevation (10,350ft) and higher chairlift service (12,075ft). Briefly admire the awesome desert and mountain vistas, then fly down powder glade shoots, steep bump runs or long groomers. The resort caters to families and expert skiers alike with its varied terrain. The quality and length of the ski season can vary wildly from year to year depending on how much snow the mountain gets, and when it falls (you can almost always count on a good storm in late March).
On autumn weekends, the chairlift takes…
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Santa Fe Baking Company
A bustling cafe serving burgers, sandwiches and big breakfast platters all day. There's also a full-on smoothie bar. This is a great spot to get a glimpse of the human melting pot that is Santa Fe. Need proof? The local radio station, KSFR, broadcasts a talk show from here each weekday morning.
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Sandia Peak Ski Park
Sometimes the snow here is great, other times it's lame, so check before heading up. The ski area opens on summer weekends and holidays (June to September) for mountain bikers. You can rent a bike at the base facility ($48 with $650 deposit) or ride the chairlift to the top of the peak with your own bike ($10). Drive here via Scenic Byway 536, or take the Sandia Peak Tramway (skis are allowed on the tram, but not bikes).
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Red Rock Bakery & Cafe
- Moab, USA
- Entertainment › Cafe
This tiny coffeehouse has tasty baked goods - and three internet terminals for web surfing.
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Moab Rafting & Canoe Co
Small company with guided and self-guided canoe and raft trips.
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Bryce Museum
Visit this barnlike natural history museum – with more than 400 taxidermied animals, butterflies, and Native American artifacts – then feed the feral deer and other animals in the yards surrounding. West of the park.
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Rocky Mountain Recreation of Utah
Snowmobile tours, horse-drawn sleigh rides (to dinner or around) and dog sledding.
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Museum of Natural History & Science
The teen-friendly New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science features an Evolator (evolution elevator), which transports visitors through 38 million years of New Mexico's geologic and evolutionary history. The new Space Frontiers exhibit highlights the state's contribution to space exploration, from ancient Chaco observatories to an impressive, full-scale replica of the Mars Rover.
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Market Street Grill
SLC's favorite seafood served at a cosmopolitan fish house.
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Salt Lake City Main Library
You can do more than read a book at this library. Meander past dramatic glass-walled architecture, stroll through the roof garden or stop by the ground-floor shops (from gardening to comic-book publishing). Occasional concerts are held here too.
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Lensic Performing Arts Theater
A beautifully renovated 1930 movie house, the theater hosts a weekly classic film series and eight different performance groups, including the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus.
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Hotel/Elevate
Top DJs spin house music and more; live music includes R&B and jazz.
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Harwood Foundation Museum
Housed in a historic mid-19th-century adobe compound, the Harwood Foundation Museum features paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and photography by northern New Mexican artists, both historical and contemporary. Founded in 1923, the Harwood has been run by the University of New Mexico since 1936 and underwent a major renovation in 1997. It is the second-oldest museum in New Mexico, and one of its most important when it comes to art collections.
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Gear Heads Outdoor Store
Rents snowshoes and provides trail maps.
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