More Travel Tips

Denver, Colorado
Move: Denver's light rail system is centered mostly in downtown and won't get you too far. Fortunately, buses are frequent and easy to figure out. Go to the station at the end of 16th Street for information and buses to all destinations. Fare $1.15- $2.50.

Free to see: 16th Street Pedestrian Mall, Larimer Square, Colorado State Capitol.
$ but worth it: Black American West Museum, Denver Art Museum, Ski Train to skiing, Denver Broncos game (reserve in advance).
Eat: If you're staying in the budget-friendly Cherry Creek area of town, eat saag paneer at Bombay's Clay Oven just across the street from Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Taste the famous, spicy Denver Omelet at The Delectable Egg, near the Capitol off 16th Street.

Grand Canyon
Move: The Greyhound does go to Williams, Arizona, but it's far off the beaten track and takes some twisted scheduling to get there. For the most convenience, rent a car from Las Vegas and drive to Williams, then onto the canyon. Otherwise, take the adorable glass-top tourist train that runs daily to the South Rim (tickets from $58).
Free to see: Williams downtown.
$ but worth it: Grand Canyon Park Pass, helicopter rides into the canyon.
Eat: Sorry, no Indian here. Stick to the diners. The Cruisers Café 66 has the best authentic American food I've ever tasted. Get the barbeque chicken.

Las Vegas, Nevada
Move: Wear comfortable shoes, as the sheer scale of each casino requires at least a kilometer walk. Stroll the South Strip, and when you want to see the cheaper, calmer climes of downtown, take the Deuce bus, which runs 24 hours a day up and down Las Vegas Boulevard. Fare is $2.
Free to see: Treasure Island's Sirens, the Mirage's volcano, Circus Circus Midway, Bellagio fountains, downtown's Neon Museum, Fremont Street Experience.
$ but worth it: Manhattan Express rollercoaster, Cirque du Soleil, Guggenheim Hermitage Museum at the Bellagio.
Eat: Make your way around the world, all in one meal. For Indian food (plus Chinese, Mexican, Japanese and Italian) head to the casinos' gigantic international buffets, the best of which is at the Rio. The best deal in town: the Paradise Buffet at the Fremont Casino. The all-you-can-eat breakfast is just $5.29.

Los Angeles, California
Move: It's tough to see this city without a car, though the buses and train system serve a limited number of destinations ($3 daily pass). If you want to spend more than two days here, rent a vehicle and get a good map.
Free to see: Venice Beach, Hollywood Boulevard, UCLA, Grauman's Chinese Theater sidewalk of famous handprints, Getty Center.
$ but worth it: Universal Studios, Disneyland, Kodak Theater.
Eat: Too many choices to list. A favorite: Cowboy Sushi in Santa Monica near UCLA, where you get authentic Japanese food from waiters in cowboy hats and a loud, crazy crowd. Feeling homesick at the end of the trip? Drive south of Los Angeles to the city of Artesia and wear a salwaar in the Little India district.

-S.J.

Courtesy : SPAN Magazine