Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
44
What Things Cost in the Southwest
US$
Weekly compact car rental (with taxes)
531.00
Local telephone call
0.50
Double room in high season at Santa Fe Motel and Inn
130.00
Double room at El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon
174.00
Dinner for two at Santa Fe's La Choza, without alcohol, tax, or tip
25.00
Dinner for two at Cowboy Ciao, Scottsdale, without alcohol, tax, or tip
80.00
Pint of beer in a restaurant
4.00
Double latte
3.25
Adult admission to the Museum of International Folk Art
8.00
Admission to the Grand Canyon (per vehicle)
25.00
It's always advisable to bring money in
a variety of forms on a vacation: a mix of
cash, credit cards, and traveler's checks.
You should also exchange enough petty
cash to cover airport incidentals, tipping,
and transportation to your hotel before
you leave home, or withdraw money upon
arrival at an airport ATM.
Prices in the Southwest vary greatly.
You can find world-class resorts, if that's
your bent, or a cheap roadside motel and
a diner, if you like to pinch pennies. If you
come from a major city such as New York
or London, you may find prices overall
fairly inexpensive, though the major cities
will be closer in price to what you're accus-
tomed to. Exceptions are major tourist
destinations such as the Grand Canyon,
Zion National Park, and Carlsbad Cav-
erns, where one or two concessionaires
often have a monopoly and charge pre-
mium prices.
Nationwide, the easiest and best way to
get cash away from home is from an ATM
(automated teller machine), sometimes
referred to as a “cash machine,” or “cash-
point.” In the Southwest, ATMs are ubiqui-
tous but possibly not as plentiful as city
dwellers are accustomed to, simply because
there is so much space here between towns.
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HEALTH
STAYING HEALTHY
One thing that sets the Southwest apart
from most other regions is its elevation.
Much of the region is above 4,000 feet, and
many heavily traveled areas, including the
Four Corners region, the Grand Canyon,
and Santa Fe, are at 7,000 feet or above.
Getting plenty of rest, avoiding large meals,
and drinking lots of nonalcoholic fluids
(especially water) can help make the adjust-
ment easier for flatlanders.
General Availability
of Health Care
The best medical facilities in the region are
in Arizona, in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and
Tucson; in New Mexico, in Albuquerque
and Santa Fe; and in Las Vegas, Nevada.
COMMON AILMENTS
HIGH DESERT CHALLENGES
One of
the most common ailments in the region
is acute mountain sickness. In its early
