Phoenix was such a fun trip for January, especially because we live through cold, snowy PA winters year after year. The relentless sunshine and warm temperatures are a breath of fresh air … and it almost guarantees you an awesome time no matter what you end up doing. We were traveling for a friend’s wedding, but I never miss an opportunity to extend our trip a few days when we’re headed to a new place because #exploring. Here are some of my favorite parts of our trip and must-dos for anyone adventuring to Phoenix:
1. Sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert.
This has been on my bucket list since I can remember and it is SO worth the money. I was able to find a great deal on Groupon for Arizona Balloons, Inc. I definitely recommend checking for deals before you go because I saw a lot of them (and most cut the cost in half). Our guide was super friendly and knowledgable … and our flight was breathtaking. I was worried about being cold, but the gigantic flame puts off a lot of heat, and you don’t have time to think about it while you’re taking in the views. There’s something about standing in a tiny basket while floating 3,000 feet above the ground that makes you feel vulnerable enough to experience fear and adrenaline but safe enough to take in the quietness and the views. I was surprised at how quiet the Earth seemed from so high up. It was surreal and fun … plus it ended with champagne in the desert and offers the most instagrammable moments. It doesn’t get much better than that!
2. Day trip to Sedona.
Sedona is less than a two-hour drive from Phoenix, so it makes the perfect day trip. The landscape couldn’t be more different either, so it feels like a totally different world. It’s hard to give the red rocks justice through pictures, but they are incredibly massive and just plain old beautiful. Allow some time to walk around old Sedona and shop, but spend most of your time hiking or exploring the wilderness. We did a Pink Jeep Tour because it came highly recommended from several people before we went on our trip. It’s definitely a more touristy way of seeing the rocks, but nonetheless, it was a great way for us to see more of Sedona than we would’ve been able to on our feet (since we were only there one day). We did the Broken Arrow tour, which they deem the “most extreme off-road adventure” and it was thrilling. There were many times I was thrown in the air (and my butt completely left the seat!), but it was fun to watch the Jeep climb cliffs and steep rock that I didn’t think it could. We ventured to Chicken Point and Submarine Rock. If we ever make it back, hiking is high on my list. We were considering Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, and the Birthing Cave hikes.
3. Alll the Mexican food (and local breweries).
We love queso, tacos, guac, salsa … and more queso. If it’s Mexican, we love it, and Arizona had no shortage of awesome Mexican food. When we landed, we headed to Roosevelt Row and hit up Taco Chelo. It had a low-key atmosphere and it was yummy. The best part? We ate and then made a pact to only eat Mexican our entire trip and we almost kept it.
If you know us at all, you know you’ll most likely find us at a brewery, and when we travel, it’s no exception. Roosevelt Row had a few close together, so it’d be a good place to hop from one to the other. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a ton of time, but we did head to Mother Bunch Brewing and had some excellent beer. Alex had the Sidewalk Astronomer Imperial Stout and I tried all the tart ones — Loved by the Sun and Legends of Lime.
When we were in Sedona, we ate at 89Agave Cantina and I’ve never loved an enchilada so much in my life. I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that it was smothered in queso 🙂
We also made a trip to North Mountain Brewing Company when we were back in Phoenix where we ordered three dinners because we were hangry. It’s called balance, right? To top it all off, our friends had a taco bar at their wedding (fun fact: so did we!) which just means we all have awesome taste and you should consider eating your way through Phoenix.
4. Piestewa Peak hike.
One of my favorite ways to see a new city is to hike its mountains. It’s partly sentimental for me because my friends and I hike on every girl’s trip we take (which = the best memories) and because my friends are part of the reason I love traveling so much. I also always find the trails challenging, yet rewarding since I’m not an avid hiker. This trail, for example, is considered short because you can complete it in about two-three hours. I consider that a long time, but all the hikers in the world definitely do not, ha! The hike was relatively easy at the beginning, but it was steep the entire way which Alex and I both found challenging. And it never seemed to end. We actually didn’t make it the entire way to the top (we had about 15 minutes left … or so the other hikers said … but I swear I heard that 15 times along the way and each time, we always had more to go). It didn’t matter much to us, though, because there were awesome views along the way and we were just doing it for fun.
5. Hole in the Rock (Hike?) and Desert Botanical Garden.
The Hole in the Rock at Papago Park is super cool to see. I wouldn’t consider it a hike because it’s basically just a big rock you walk up to and take cool pictures out of. You could do it dress clothes, if you get the idea. The downfall of it being cool is that it’s also super crowded. But, it’s worth the look and it’s also near other attractions, so it’s easy to fit into your day plans. We hit up the Desert Botanical Gardens afterwards and even though I loved seeing all the cacti, it was definitely overpriced. If you’re on a strict travel budget, you might want to sit this one out. If not, enjoy the rare cacti and plants you might not get to see often.
If you’re thinking about going to Phoenix, go! And if you need a place to stay, I 100% recommend our Airbnb (it was called Dome on the Range). It was the cutest place, stuck right at the edge of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve … far enough from the hustle and bustle of the city to enjoy nightly fires in a chiminea, but close enough that you only have a 10-15 minute drive to all the fun the city has to offer. This is the space right outside of it, which is also perfect for watching the sun rise and set over Phoenix. Thanks for keeping up!
Keeping Up With Kate 