The petrified forest is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. If America is ever trusted again it’s one of those things I’d absolutely recommend considering visiting for. Sure it’s just a day, but you can do a day of it from Albuquerque, Santa Fe, or the grand canyon. They got tree fossils that are made of crystals where you can count the rings and everything, a New Deal reconstructed building with petrified log beams, petroglyphs, information about the folks whose land it actually is, and the painted desert which has designated wilderness that you can go into if you’re the sort.

For real, I think Albuquerque, a few natural parks around it, and ending at the grand canyon is the sort of trip not many folks even in America think to do. The canyon is cool and absolutely worth a full day, but if you’re going there from another region or country you’ll want to do more, and unless Vegas actually sounds like it’s your thing you’d probably have more fun doing Arizona/New Mexico national and state parks and monuments.