Living in the SouthwestExplore What the Southwest Has to OfferPhoenix . Tucson . Las Vegas . Albuquerque . Reno
Phoenix Phoenix, Arizona, known locally as the Valley of the Sun, has acquired well-earned praise as one of the world's top five golf destinations. As the sixth-largest city in the United States, with nearly 1.3 million residents, Phoenix offers a multitude of cultural and recreational activities as well as some of the most unique and beautiful scenery the United States has to offer. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, the Valley provides visitors and residents the opportunity to enjoy countless activities. Phoenix is home to the largest privately owned Native American art and artifact museum, the Heard Museum. Phoenix is also home to world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright's school of architecture, Taliesin West. Many of Frank Lloyd Wright's influences can be seen throughout the city, including the office space at Lewis and Roca. Valley residents and visitors can enjoy the many art galleries as well as the performing arts including the Phoenix Symphony and the Arizona Opera. Phoenix is also home to the "big four" of professional sports: MLB 2001 World Series champ Arizona Diamondbacks baseball, NFL Arizona Cardinals football, NBA Phoenix Suns basketball, and NHL Phoenix Coyotes hockey. Many other sports, including Arizona State University athletics, MLB's Cactus League spring training, professional golf and tennis tournaments, the Fiesta Bowl, and NASCAR racing, keep sports enthusiasts busy year round. Whether you enjoy golf, extreme sports, a relaxing stay at a five-star resort and spa, fine dining, sporting events, or even horseback riding, Phoenix is a wonderful place to be. The climate makes outdoor activities and recreation a way of life. To find out more about Phoenix please visit the sites below:
Tucson Tucson, Arizona, known locally as the Old Pueblo, is a fast-growing metropolitan area of more than 725,000 people. Its culture blends the best of contemporary shopping, dining and art with historic influences of centuries-old civilizations. Majestic desert, verdant canyons and rugged mountains surround the city that lies within a warm and sunny climate. The Old Pueblo has more sunshine than any other city in the United States, about 350 days each year. Tucson is the oldest continually inhabited settlement in the United States. Growth is nothing new to Tucson, with major contributing factors being the University of Arizona and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Throughout the years, the growth of the University and Air Force base have directly reflected the growth of Tucson. Nowadays, growth comes from a myriad of new sources. Close proximity to Mexico makes Tucson a popular location for companies importing and exporting across the Mexico border, enjoying the benefits of specially created foreign trade zones that offer tremendous tax benefits. There are a great deal of nationally recognized attractions and resorts in the Tucson area such as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Biosphere 2, Kartchner Caverns, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Pima Air and Space Museum, Miraval Spa and Resort, and Canyon Ranch. The area also boasts such world class events as the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show and La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (otherwise known as the Tucson Rodeo). Tucson is home to three major league baseball teams for spring training: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies, and proudly boosts its perennial NCAA basketball stars, the UA Wildcats. Tucson also offers museums, theater, opera, symphony, as well as world-class golf, hiking, and riding. It is a city that successfully offers large city amenities while preserving an "Old West" charm. Tucson was voted "friendliest city" and one of the "top ten US cities to visit" by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. The city was also ranked by Bicycling magazine as one of the top three cities in North America for cycling. To find out more about Tucson please visit the sites below:
Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada, the City of Lights, is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. The city boasts some of the world's greatest hotels, theme parks, exciting entertainment attractions, international retail shopping, culinary fare as well as scenic wonders of nature for which Las Vegas and Southern Nevada are renowned worldwide. The construction of the Hoover Dam started the first population boom in Las Vegas in the 1930's, which boosted an economy in the grips of the Great Depression. The outbreak of World War II brought the military and defense industry to the Las Vegas Valley. These industries continue to thrive in Las Vegas today. It wasn't until the 1960s that the hotel/casino phenomenon led by Howard Hughes occurred in Las Vegas and led the city to become one of the greatest destination spots in the world. Because of its warm climate Las Vegas provides wonderful opportunities for outdoor activities. Twenty miles east of Las Vegas is Lake Mead, the man made body of water covering over 240 square miles created by the Hoover Dam. Visitors enjoy boating, camping, hiking, swimming, water skiing, and year-round fishing. Mount Charleston, located just 35 miles north of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada's tallest peak, attracts avid hikers as well as snow skiers throughout the year. The city is also the locale of the University of Las Vegas, home to the famous UNLV Running Rebels basketball team. In addition, the University's Masters Series brings some of the best international concert and New York stage artists to town. Las Vegas residents pride themselves in the city's museums, from the Las Vegas Art Museum that shows works of internationally recognized artists, to the Neon Art Museum, housing architectural elements of the city's glittery history. To find out more about Las Vegas please visit the sites below:
Albuquerque Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city, with nearly 700,000 residents in the metro area. Situated almost in the center of the state, Albuquerque is the highest metropolitan city on the American mainland. Bordering the city on the east are the Sandia Mountains. On a typical sunny Albuquerque day, the view from Sandia Crest is more than 100 miles in all directions. One of Albuquerque's best features is its weather. The sun shines more than 300 days a year and while residents enjoy all four seasons, all seasons are moderate in terms of temperature and other conditions. Albuquerque provides an array of recreational opportunities for the team-oriented as well as for the solitary weekend hiker. The city has nearly 300 parks and an extensive network of hiking and biking trails. Albuquerque has almost 30,000 acres of open space for public use, the widest expanses found along the Rio Grande and along the Sandia foothills. Other open spaces are located near the volcanoes and Petroglyph National Monument on the West Side, and in the East Mountains, just minutes from the center of the city. Albuquerque is home to 14 golf courses and other resort courses are located within a short drive from the city. Skiers can enjoy their sport at the nearby Santa Fe Ski & Tramway, only minutes from Albuquerque, Santa Fe Ski Valley, or the world renowned Taos Ski Valley, for the expert skier, a four hour drive from the city. There's something for everyone in Albuquerque, whether a resident or visitor. The city has numerous traditional and contemporary arts festivals; world-class cuisine; museums including the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, the National Atomic Museum, and Explora Children's Museum and Science Center; professional sports and is home to the Albuquerque International Balloon FiestaŽ, the world's largest, most photographed balloon event. There are also several professional symphony orchestras. And the internationally known Santa Fe Opera is only an hour from Albuquerque. Albuquerque combines a unique blend of multi-culturalism, natural beauty, profound historic attractions, spectacular climate with four distinct seasons, museums, galleries and shopping to create a distinct and unforgettable visit for every kind of visitor. To find out more about Albuquerque, please visit the sites below:
Reno Reno, Nevada is three hours east of San Francisco and eight hours north of Las Vegas. Proudly described as "The Biggest Little City in the World", Reno is small enough to be friendly and accessible, yet big enough to offer amenities that you'd expect to find in a much larger city. The area offers many art and music festivals, as well as theatre, and opera. Local casinos provide a variety of entertainment and fine dining. Reno residents enjoy one of the world's best climates, one that offers plentiful sunshine, clean air and low humidity. Here in the high desert, winter days are cool but mild, and summers are pleasant and warm. At 4500 feet altitude, the Reno area offers four distinct seasons with few extremes. Average temperatures range from winter lows in the 20's to summer highs in the 90's. Rain and cloudy days are few (less than eight inches on average annually). Snow, however, is certain (23.5 inches on average per year), though it tends to melt by late afternoon in the valleys. The Sierra Nevada mountain range rises to the west of town. The magnificence of Lake Tahoe is just 45 minutes away; and the scenic Truckee River meanders right through downtown. Outdoor recreation opportunities include world class skiing, hiking, boating, hunting and fishing and much more. Should you ever leave this friendly community, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport features frequent non-stop flights to more than 20 destinations across the country and you'll enjoy the fact that Nevada has no state income taxes. In Reno you'll find an affordable cost of living and a wonderful quality of life. To find out more about Reno, please visit the sites below: |
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