There are 5 major states that I would consider to be must sees for any type of Southwest road trip. Those states would be Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, and Utah. The heart of the Southwest is New Mexico and Arizona but parts of the other states mentioned are a part. Here are some tips and tricks for a successful solo female southwest road trip.
Texas
Now I have a Texas road trip guide that you can find right here. I am not a native Texan but I have driven to and through the state at least 4-5 times. There is a lot to love about the western part of the State. Starting near Austin, you begin to experience a completely different Texas than the Eastern part of the state.
If you are starting from Texas, the Austin is a great place to start your travels. Some notes for the western part of the state is to always be mindful of your gas level. There is a lot of open space in the Western Part of the state where the wind blows hard and the gas stations are few and far between.
While you are heading towards New Mexico, you can do to San Antonio and El Paso before you cross the boarder. I have been down to the Texas boarder and have never seen any of the issues that are talked about in the media. El Paso is a great place to stop for a break. It is only 20-30 miles from the New Mexico boarder and also the Mexico boarder.
Arizona
Arizona is hot. I live in Texas and I can tell you that Arizona might have dry heat, but it is a heat that I have never experienced before in my life. You will wake up and it will already by 104 degrees. The sun just lays on your body like a straight jacket. You can’t escape it. With that being said there are several cool things to do in the state.
When I road tripped through the state the first time, I drove in from Albuquerque on my way to the Grand Canyon. The second time that I went through the state I was able to see the southern part of the state. If you were to see the difference between the two regions, you wouldn’t believe that they are in the same state.
The Northern part of Arizona is lush forest and mountains. You can literally be driving down the highway and see massive moose in the forest. There is also the Grand Canyon which is a must see for any southwest road trip. One note about Northern Arizona is that it can be very isolated. I was at the southern rim of the Grand Canyon and it is about 50 miles from the nearest big town.
It could of been my tastebuds but the food was pretty atrocious. The views however are not to be missed. Seeing the Grand Canyon was a spiritual experience that could not be replicated. Southern Arizona is pure desert with cactus, dry heat, and hot sun. The food was much better is Southern Arizona and the cities are larger and closer together.
If you are going through the Southern part of the state than you definitely need to see Tucson and Phoenix which are only a few hours from each other. You can stop by an In-N-Out and enjoy the very diverse part of the state. When I was there in 2017, I saw people from all backgrounds which is reflected in the food choices. Both parts of the state are worth stopping driving through.
New Mexico
New Mexico is one of my favorite state. It is not a state filled with glitz and glam. However, the food is good and the people are kind. Also, the geography is absolutely amazing. The Sandia Mountains are absolutely amazing and the dry air makes almost any of the temperatures tolerable. The only things that I struggled with was the altitude. I’m a big girl and those hills were killer but it was so worth it.
Fun fact, the streets are huge. Literally, the streets are at least 50% wider than almost any of the states that I have ever been to. New Mexico is one of the most affordable states that I have had the pleasure of going to.
There is a lot of Native American influence in this state and if you like turquoise then this is the state for you. There is so much turquoise, it isn’t even fully. You can find a lot of shops on the side of the road that will sell you authentic Native American jewelry, pottery, and clothing. It is definitely something that you should factor into your budget.
Utah
I recently wrote about all the things that a solo traveler should hit up in Utah. You can find that post right here. It is really only the lower part of Utah that some would consider to the the Southwest and in my opinion it is definitely the more interesting part of the state.
I went traveling though Utah in 2017 and the geography is absolutely amazing. Utah is a really clean state. By that I mean that the state has a real emphasis on clean energy, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, and promotion of exercise and healthy living. This is not to say that there isn’t drugs and alcohol but it’s less that other places that I have been. The people in Utah has some of the clearest skin and eyes I have ever seen.
I would recommend Utah for those travelers who are in love with the outdoors. There is so much that you can do regarding hiking, skiing, water rafting and a bunch of other activities. I was able to find some cheap lodging and the food was overall pretty affordable.
Nevada
Nevada is another state that really knows how to get hot. I went in the month of September and the day was starting off in the 90 degree range. The pictures that I have at the Hoover Dam, it was easily about 104 degrees. The sun is also a complete beast that you are going to have to contend with.
Similar to Utah, it is really just the Southern part of the state that qualifies as the South West part of the county. I think that this includes Las Vegas but if it doesn’t, you should go anyway. There is no adventure like the one that you can find in Las Vegas. You can actually find my post about Las Vegas solo travel right here.
There are several things that I would recommend that you do in Nevada. You can take a day trip down to the Northern rim of the Grand Canyon. It closes in the winter but the southern rim is open all year. You can take a tour of the Hoover Dam. I booked the tour through a ticket that I found on Groupon. You can also catch a bunch of shows in Las Vegas. It can truly be fun for the whole family if you don’t want to go alone.
Safety Tips for a Southwest Road Trip
There are a few tips that I can give regarding a Southwest road trip. First, you want to make sure that your car’s tires are in working order. This is especially the case in the summer, but the roads in the Southwest can get really hot and pop tires. It would behoove any traveler who is using their own care to make sure that they get their car inspected.
Always make sure that you carry cash just in case you get to a place that you don’t feel comfortable using your card. This is also good for gas stations that have debit card minimums or you run into toll roads. Always carry water to avoid dehydration from the high temperatures and humidity.
For any solo road trip you want to make sure that you have a check in buddy so that there is always someone who will be looking out for you. You don’t want to get in trouble and no one knows where you are or where you should be.
There you have it! If you are look for a list of road trip essentials you can find it here. If you would like some gas tips for your road trip then you can find that here. I also have a post for safety tips for a solo female road trip right here.
Travel safe my friends!
There is apparently a bunch to realize about this. I believe you made various good points in features also.