Desert Getaways

Think of a desert honeymoon as one giant outdoor playground with some of the country's hippest casinos, most scenic golf courses and plushest resorts. No, you won't see any camels. But you will spy coyotes, cacti and roadrunners (beep beep)! Here, our picks quench your desire for days of fun in the sun and nights of decadence and delight.

Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona

Phoenix and suburban Scottsdale have evolved from small, cactus-studded towns to booming, business-oriented cities. Yet, they've managed to retain their small-town Southwest feel.

Located at the edge of the Sonoran Desert, ringed by cacti and craggy mountains, this cosmopolitan setting is home to some of the best golf courses in the Southwest and a lush chain of parks and lakes that is linked by an eight-mile-long bike path. Most years, the area averages more than 300 sunny days, so there's little chance Mother Nature will rain on your parade.

One of the best ways to enjoy the desert is from above, in a hot-air balloon. Popular local restaurateur Vincent Guerithault offers a three-hour balloon ride that touches down in the desert at sunrise or sunset. Surprise: After the ride, you'll dine on croissants and quiche in the morning, or truffles in the evening, at a table set up in the desert. Or, stay grounded and sample all that the Sonoran Desert has to offer on a four-hour all-terrain-vehicle trek with Arizona Bound.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was so enamored with the Arizona desert that, in 1932, he created a West Coast home for his design school called Taliesen West, which also became his winter residence. Wright used local stone and natural hues for his work, building structures that blend with the Scottsdale terrain. The two of you can tour Taliesin West; for more information, go to www.frank lloydwright.org.

In the early evening, head to The Squaw Peak Bar at The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa to watch the sun set over Camelback Mountain. Then go to Roy Yamaguchi's restaurant, Roy's, in Scottsdale. Yamaguchi is known as a master of pan-Asian cooking, but here in the Southwest he's wowing crowds with dishes like Szechwan barbecue duck quesadillas topped with pepper jack and pineapple-mango sauce. After dinner, drop by Scottsdale's Axis and Cajun House for live music and dancing.

Where to Stay:

Many of the area's resorts feature the finest sybaritic pleasures, from spacious rooms to sublime dining to spas to die for.

• The Phoenician, a 250-acre oasis of waterfalls, splashy fountains, blooming cacti and swaying palms, is the perfect desert digs in Scottsdale. On property are a 27-hole golf course, 9 swimming pools, 5 restaurants and lounges, and an ambitious spa. Call 888-625-5144.
• The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa is a classic beauty inspired by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The 740-room Art Deco resort features a new spa that incorporates Native American healing rituals. Try the Sedona Mud Wrap, which nourishes the skin with rich local clay. The resort also has eight swimming pools. For that one romantic, elegant meal out, head to the resort's Wright's restaurant, where you'll dine on Maine lobster with baby fennel and black-seared foie gras; save room for the decadent chocolate tower dessert. Call 800-950-0086.
• The 650-room Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has a gorgeous 33,000-square-foot spa, but the sprawling pink resort's real pull is its two championship golf courses. All of the guest rooms are charming, but we recommend you stay in one of the 23 gorgeous casitas with stir-your-soul outdoor fireplaces. A gourmet Mexican meal at La Hacienda restaurant is the perfect live-happily-ever-after ending to a fabulous day. Call 800-344-4758.
• Tucked into the folds of the desert's rocky monoliths, The Boulders resort in Carefree, near Phoenix, not only attracts golf enthusiasts but rock climbers who want to tackle the granite. Retreat to your very private casita, hidden among the saguaro cacti. Sweet dreams, señora! Call 800-553-1717.

Las Vegas, Nevada

With all the opulence and neon that give Las Vegas its pizzazz, it's easy to forget that where this city now stands was once empty desert. Long a magnet for high rollers and couples in search of drive-through wedding chapels, today it's a win-win honeymoon destination celebrated for its incredible resorts, 24/7 entertainment and, of course, oxygen-pumped casinos (kaching!).

Like nightlife? You'll hit it big on a Vegas honeymoon. Whether you're mesmerized by Siegfried and Roy, or the acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, the entertainment will rival the casinos for your attention. Keep the party going at Studio 54, at the MGM Grand resort, where you can boogie until the wee hours of the morning.

A decade ago, Las Vegas was the buffet capital of the world. You'd pile your plates high, and back you'd go to the gaming rooms. That all changed when legendary chef Wolfgang Puck opened a branch of his L.A. restaurant, Spago, at Caesars Palace in the early '90s.

Now, almost every celebrity chef wants to clone his or her famous restaurant in Las Vegas. In the Bellagio alone, you'll find Sirio Maccioni's Le Cirque, Todd English's Olives and Jean-Georges Vongerichten's steakhouse, called Prime. The most romantic of them all is the Bellagio's Picasso, awarded five stars (the highest rating) by the Mobil Travel Guide. Surrounded by $50 million worth of Pablo's artwork, you might start with poached oysters garnished with caviar. Dinner entrées include Colorado lamb with truffles and venison with green apples. A real treat!

Where to Stay On The Strip:

• The 3,005 rooms in the grand Bellagio resort are super-spacious. Of course, you'll also find non-stop casino action and top-notch entertainment there. Or, pull back from all the hoopla and stroll in the resort's botanical garden, then jump into one of its six swimming pools. Call 800-987-6667.
• Also on The Strip, the European-inspired Venetian resort hosts an art exhibition throughout the year that rivals some of those seen in Paris museums. The resort also features a sprawling five-acre pool deck, modeled after a gorgeous Venetian garden, with three swimming pools and two pampering spas. And you must take a gondola ride on the resort's "canal"—complete with a singing gondolier! Call 877-857-1861.
• If you aren't high rollers—or just prefer to stay off The Strip—the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas Resort, Spa and Casino offers Southwest-style serenity. Sitting on 10 miles of shoreline, the resort is surrounded by a Jack Nicklaus- designed golf course and jagged desert peaks in the distance. Take out a paddleboat for primo privacy; later, relax in the Moroccan-themed Spa Moulay. Go for the Desert Stone Massage, in which stones are strategically placed on the body to promote relaxation; or the Haddem Tandem massage, where two masseurs work on you at the same time. Call 800-233-1234.
• Another best-of-both-worlds option is to check in at the Alexis Park hotel—not in the heart of The Strip, but still just a poker-chip's throw away from all the action. The townhouse-style suites feature fireplaces and whirlpools. Call 800-582-2228.

Palm Springs, California

It's not just the desert clime that's made Palm Springs a hot spot. A new generation of hipsters has followed in the footsteps of the old-time movie stars, discovering the charms of this oasis in the California desert. They come to hike in native palm canyons or golf on one of more than 100 courses before returning to the comforts of their resort.

Indeed, "roughing it" in Palm Springs means you've walked the back nine. At night, both young and old wear colorful shirts and congregate at restaurants where dining to the vocal stylings of Frank Sinatra is preferred. Life is good!

For heart-pounding views of the valley, take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 8,516 feet up from the canyon to the San Jacinto Mountains. There, hiking trails spread out like the spokes of a wheel. Another must-visit spot: Palm Springs' Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, a wildlife and botanical park.

Back in town, good shopping on North Palm Canyon Drive is one reason to open your wallets. Hundreds of vintage cocktail glasses fill Bandini Johnson, and you can find eclectic home furnishings at John's Mid-Century Modern. There's also a thriving art scene, especially at Galeria Dos Damas, which showcases the work of Californian and Mexican artists.

Arguably, the best meal in town is at St. James at the Vineyard. Begin with North Carolina crab cakes, then choose one of the house specialties: North African lamb curry or a hearty bouillabaisse. Then, walk across the street to Muriel's Supper Club, a '50s-era nightclub that retains the ambience of the city's glory days. If you truly want to relive the time of the Rat Pack, venture to Melvyn's at Ingleside Inn. There, the martini is the drink of choice and you can sip yours to the swingin' sounds of Sinatra and Tony Bennett.

Where to Stay:

• A Mediterranean villa that was once home to Marion Davies, William Randolph Hearst's companion, has been converted to the Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn. Spend your days at this eight-room bed-and-breakfast inn the way Clark Gable and Carole Lombard did when they honeymooned there—poolside, beneath the bougainvilleas. Call 800-966-9577.
• Korakia Pensione is a Moroccan-style villa resort that evokes The Arabian Nights. Fountains, fragrant fruit trees and torches ablaze by the pool all create a stunning environment. Each of Korakia's 28 rooms is decorated with artifacts from around the globe, including couches from Thailand and showerheads from Mexico. Call 760-864-6411.
• True hedonists stay at the Givenchy Resort & Spa, located at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, where treatments incorporate products straight from the Givenchy Spa in Versailles, France. The signature service is a three-part process: a body scrub to exfoliate, a detoxifying wrap to remineralize the skin, and a hydrating wrap to release tension. Bliss! The resort also features 104 rooms, with 7 villas. Call 800-276-5000.

Canyon Magic: Sedona

It's as if some impassioned sculptor went to extremes: The lovely town of Sedona, Arizona, located two hours north of Phoenix, presents a stunning landscape of twisted red rock formations. Its spires, buttes and mesas, some as high as 5,000 feet, are backed by serrated red mountain walls.

Where to Stay:

• The Enchantment Resort, with 220 adobe casitas, has the best seat in the house—right on the floor of awesome Boynton Canyon. The resort's pièce de résistance: the Mii amo Spa, which specializes in deep healing through body, mind and spirit therapy. The spa features 24 treatment areas, indoor and outdoor pools and a fitness center; eclectic contemporary cuisine is served at the café. Having dinner at sunset at the resort's elegant Yavapai Restaurant is a romantic must. Enjoy Southwestern specialties like Colorado rack of lamb and Black Angus filet mignon while overlooking the breathtaking canyon. Call 800-826-4180.