8 days in Wyoming, Utah & Arizona Itinerary

Still largely undiscovered by foreign tourism, Wyoming is anything but "the bunchgrass edge of the world," as a writer once called it. Though the state's geography includes mostly wide-open plains, swaths of high desert, and sweeping mountain ridges, it also contains many small towns filled with places to visit, such as historical buildings, museums, shops, and restaurants. A great place to discover the last vestiges of the Old West, Wyoming's tourist attractions include the country's first national park, Native American reservations, and a smattering of ghost towns from the early frontier days. As you travel across this "Cowboy State," remember that distances between towns can be vast, requiring more advance vacation planning than travel in more densely populated parts of the country.

A huge but sparsely populated land, Utah remains a major holiday destination offering plenty of year-round outdoor vacation ideas, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, boating, horseback riding, and camping. The rugged terrain, defined by towering mountain peaks, deep canyons, and vast deserts, seems custom-made for adventurous nature lovers. With five national parks, the state has no shortage of pristine wilderness areas, causing many tourists to overlook the cultural attractions of its towns. Salt Lake City, the state's capital, features the headquarters of the Mormon Church, and draws over 5 million annual visitors. Utah also hosts several major film festivals each year, attracting young movie buffs from around the world.

Known as the "Grand Canyon State," Arizona boasts dense forests, deep gorges, sprawling national parks, and modern ski resorts. Native American reservations take up about a quarter of the state, housing several tribes and offering visitors a chance to discover the varied cultures of the country's indigenous population. A patchwork of diverse tourist attractions, Arizona features exclusive golf courses and upscale shops, as well as cactus-covered canyons and stretches of desolate desert straight out of old Westerns, perfect for a vacation far from the city bustle. Though the state still clings to its Old West flavor, its busy college towns packed with young students from around the world exude a cosmopolitan atmosphere.