There are some places you can't help but fall in love with at first sight and return to year after year. We've chosen some of the world's most beloved (and touristed) destinations and, with the help of the best travel specialists in the business, have ferreted out their secrets, their treasures, their unmissable experiences. The result is a series of step-by-step trips that will surprise and delight those who've never been to the destination before…or who have been a dozen times. Each of our highly detailed itineraries has been vetted and perfected by a Condé Nast Traveler editor, and each can be bought as is with just one phone call. Let the romance begin.

The Problem
The American Southwest has lured travelers since the days of the Bering Land Bridge. Today, Europeans leave their overcultivated continent, Americans their crowded cities and artificial suburbs, to visit the serene rocky landscape of Utah and Arizona. The Grand Canyon alone attracts almost five million visitors a year. Environmentalist and author Edward Abbey, who spent much of his life traveling through and writing about the American West, said it best: "I find that in contemplating the natural world, my pleasure is greater if there are not too many others contemplating it with me, at the same time." Crowds may be the biggest problem, but they aren't the only thing you're up against in planning a trip to the Southwest. There are also vast distances, huge seasonal weather fluctuations, and a lack of tourist infrastructure—an enormous positive for wilderness-seeking travelers, as long as they are prepared.

The Solution
To make the most of your time, enlist the help of a travel agent and book a private tour. It'll cost more than going it alone (especially true for the United States, where guide fees are much higher than in the developing world), but an experienced planner can help you navigate the trials mentioned above. The itinerary below was developed with the assistance of Josh Taitelbaum of Off the Beaten Path, who has spent years exploring the byways and trails of the American Southwest. You could book the whole thing yourself using the contact information we've provided, but by going through Taitelbaum you can tweak our recommendations to your particular interests. The following trip is tuned to a jack-of-all-outdoor-sports, master-of-none. If, for instance, kayaking's your thing and canyoneering (more about that in a minute) isn't, Taitelbaum can set you up with a half-day, full-day, or even multi-day river trip. The best times to set out on your adventure are from mid-April through mid-June (though June can mean gnats and no-see-ums), and from early September through early November. Both seasons bring a burst of color, with desert wildflowers dotting the usually monochromatic landscape in spring, and deciduous trees shedding their vibrant leaves in fall. If you're forced to travel during summer, be prepared for much larger crowds, triple-digit temperatures, and thunderstorms. Winter sends temperatures to the other extreme, and some hotels and restaurants shut down. Plan well in advance: Several of the accommodations listed below book up months ahead of time.

Day One: Grand Junction, Colorado, to Moab, Utah

Though your red-rock itinerary rightfully begins in Moab, Utah, you'll be flying into Grand Junction, Colorado, today. Why? Because the sole car rental agency in Moab charges a $700 penalty on top of the regular fee for a one-way rental to Phoenix, where you'll be ending your trip ten days from now. There are nonstop flights to Grand Junction Regional Airport from Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Dallas/Fort Worth, and depending on where you're coming from you are likely to arrive by early afternoon. If you're hungry, pop into the Main Street Bagels Artisan Bakery & Cafe (559 Main St.; 970-241-2740; snacks, $4–$9). Just about every lunch on this trip will be alfresco; the scenery's simply too awesome to ignore. Your first taste of the museum-quality landscapes to come is the peach- and green-striated cliffs that surround Grand Junction.