Travel Tips: The Southwest Pt. 2

Now that you know Mesa’s favorites when it comes to Arizona and New Mexico, it is time to move on to Utah and Nevada. These vast States have so much to offer whether it’s a planned trip or a layover. Keep reading to see what activities they have to offer and Mesa’s top picks ✈️!

Utah - The Beehive State 🐝

• Zion National Park 🏞️

  • This nature preserve is home to many people’s favorite hikes. Rivers are flowing to Emerald pools, hanging gardens, and the well-renowned Angel’s Landing.

  • Mesa’s Picks: The Narrows and Angel’s Landing are both must-do hikes at Zion!

    • When doing the Narrows, do not skip out on the right equipment. You will need waterproof boots, pants, and a walking stick. These items make the experience so much more enjoyable and manageable. There is a rental place nearby and it is easy to rent all of this equipment and return it by the end of the day. Make sure you check the weather before adventuring into the Narrows. We do not want you to get swept away by flash floods! To save time on your trip we recommend staying inside the park so you don’t have to drive to your hike and can get an earlier start!

• Utah Olympic Park

  • This Olympic Park was built for the 2002 Winter ❄️ Olympic games and is an exciting visit for Olympic enthusiasts to visit. You can experience a thrilling bobsled ride or visit the two free Olympic museums.

  • Mesa’s Picks:

    • We recommend the rope and zipline courses to experience the thrill of being an Olympian yourself! There are several courses to choose from for people of varying confidence levels.

    • Freestyle shows are an incredible experience for just $20 per person! You are able to see real Olympians and national team members show off their skills. The Mesa members who have watched this show have said you will truly see nothing else live like it!

• Park City

  • This city is great for spa days, golfing⛳, art, shopping, and scenic drives. And of course, it is famous for amazing skiing ⛷️ and snowboarding. If you are a first-time skier don’t skip the beginner class you want to make sure you have it down before hitting these slopes alone!

  • Mesa’s Tip

    • Transportation: This is the one location we recommend skipping the rental car we mentioned earlier. That is because the best way to transport yourself around Park City is via bus🚌! You can get to Park City from the airport with a shuttle.

Nevada - The Silver State 🥈 

• Hoover Dam

  • This massive dam has tours available or you can stop by as you pass through. On the drive from Arizona to Las Vegas, you can drive through the Hoover Dam and stop and take a peek. Its sheer size alone is enough to make you say “Dam!”

  • Mesa’s Tip:

    • Paying for the tour is much more worth the money than paying for just the visitor center! However, currently, only the visitor center is open due to COVID-19 and the visitor center is open at 25% capacity.

• The Mob Museum

  • This thrilling museum is an interactive telling of the true stories of the Mob. Touring this museum will take one to three hours depending on how enraptured you feel by the exhibits. If you are a true-crime fan this will pique your interest.

  • Mesa’s Tip:

    • This is a great place to bring kids and there are always local discounts online!

    • Distillery Tour + Tasting - We recommend including this in your ticket if you want to taste spirits while learning about the Prohibition era!

    • Firearm Training Simulator - Include this in your ticket if you want to experience the everyday scenarios of law enforcement!

• Fly Geyser

  • The Fly Geyser is a part of the Fly Ranch in Northern Nevada. It was formed by human error when plugging a drill testing site. The plug didn’t hold and minerals and water are coming out of it forming a Geyser as the result.

  • Mesa’s Tip

    • Walking Tours end for the season after September!

• Las Vegas

  • Home to gambling, nightlife, amazing cuisine, spectacular shows, and much more entertainment. We can’t share much more, because what happens here stays here🎆.

  • Mesa Tip:

    • Savings: Save on your hotel because almost every hotel is a short walking or cab ride distance away. That way you can splurge on shows, bars/clubs, shopping, or fancy dinners! Also, download the MyVegas app and play the games to earn discounts and freebies in Vegas!

    • Shows:

      • KA by Cirque du Soleil: A Mesa employee shared that this is her favorite show in Vegas and is like nothing she has ever seen before. In this show, they perform on a 360 rotational stage!

Closing

With this new information in mind, we hope that you have an amazing journey to the Southwest and fall in love with the region like we did. Mesa holds the Southwest close to our hearts💖!