Arizona

That state of Arizona, is a state of contrasts. One moment you may be trying to survive the 107 degree heat, while a few hours north their might be snow on top of Flagstaff Mountain. No matter the time of year, the weather should be cooperate with whatever your vacation plans are! Arizona is home to one of the most beautiful “seven wonders of the world”, The Grand Canyon! And if that alone doesn’t persuade you, there is the Old West, ancient history, Sedona, and the Sonoran Desert just to name a few! Regardless of what you want, Arizona is a top United States Destination any time of the year!

Phoenix

Throughout this article I’ll mention the “Phoenix area” a lot, and by this I mean the general Metro area. Locals often refer to this area as “The Valley”. Surprisingly, Phoenix has the 6th largest population in the United States! I would not have guessed that while there since their traffic never seemed to compete with other large population cities.

Camelback Mountain is the “staple” of hikes in the Phoenix area, and for good reason. This hike is challenging and will give you one of the best views of the surrounding cities. While this hike is obtainable for most people, make sure you come prepared! Learn from my mistakes. 1. Bring WAY more water than you normally need. Even in the Winter the sun can be extremely intense. 2. Hike early or late in the day. Due to time constraints, I the only time In the middle of the day. And it was HOT (duhh?). 3. Always try and hike with someone. Now this trail is usually pretty crowded. Since I went in the middle of the day, there was anyone around during the last part of the hike. Not enough water + intense sun + no one around = a potential disaster.

Phoenix is known for its many wonderful spa’s they have to offer. While you’re here, you need to take advantage the many options! After being in the harsh desert sun, your body may thank you! I had time to stop in and get a pedicure during my last trip! If you are looking to save some money on your SPA day(s), head over to Groupon. Always try and purchase through Groupon, when their “extra percentage” sales are going on. To save even more money, make your Groupon purchase through Ibotta (both apps). Currently my Ibotta app gives you 13% back on your Groupon purchase!

For more ways to save money, check out the article “How to Get Huge Discounts While Traveling”.

The first time I was in Phoenix, my uncles had brought us to the Mesa Swap Meet. If you are a fan of shopping, this is going to be your one stop shop! Mesa Swap Meet seems to be the perfect mix between a farmers market, thrift store, and a boutique. There’s something for everyone with over 900 merchants and 1200 shops! Currently, there hours are Friday-Sunday from 730AM-300PM. Make sure to check out the coupon page on their website, to save some money on shops and food!

Gold Field Ghost Town is located a few miles NE of Apache Junction on the Apache Trail. While this place is more suited for families, I can honestly say it’s fun for people of all ages. I was 20 when I visited, and thoroughly enjoyed the myself. According to their website, “Back in the 1890′s Goldfield boasted 3 saloons, a boarding house, general store, blacksmith shop, brewery, meat market and a school house. Just when it looked like the town would outgrow Mesa, the vein faulted, the grade of ore dropped and the town died a slow painful death. After several unsuccessful attempts to reopen the mines, the town did come to life again from 1910 on and off until 1926. After more than 115 years, travelers from all over the world still visit this gold mining town located on the historic Apache Trail and enjoy the excitement and grandeur of Arizona’s wild west.”

While there is an overabundance of “Wild West” at Gold Field, there is plenty of shops and local vendors that sell amazing hand made products! My parents found some hand made iron décor, that’s still up at my dad’s cabin! I also found a hand made dream catcher that’s moved around with me for the past 7 years! Also, located at the Goldfield is Superstition Zipline! While not a very long ride, it is something fun that gives you amazing views of the area.

Little Miss Barbecue – 8901 N 7th St Phoenix, AZ 85020

Now this was recommended to me by my friend Dwayne, who is the biggest “foodie” I know. So as soon as I got to Phoenix, this was the first place that I ate at. He recommends trying the Sausage. Once I walked in the line was already to the door (good sign). They have many meats to choose from, and they cut it all up for you right there. The restaurant got it’s start as a competitive barbecue team (another good sign). I went with the smoked brisket, Mac N Cheese, and their ranch styled beans.

Cocina Madrigal – 4044 S 16th Street Phoenix, AZ 85040

When I was brought here by my local friend Courtney, she honestly didn’t think we’d get in. She even mentioned that she had tried two times before, and couldn’t get a table (that’s when you know it’ll be good)! Cocina Madrigal has super good hand made Mexican food for a very reasonable price! Whatever you order, you’ll have A LOT of extras too! Since I can’t handled too much spice, I ordered the steak quesadilla and their Mexican Street Corn. While Courtney sampled a few different tacos (fish, pork, and chicken I believe)! As soon as I posted photos of my food on social media (no name attached), multiple people had asked me if this was Cocina Madrigal. Again, that’s when you know this is an AMAZING restaurant!

San Tan Flat – 6185 W Hunt Hwy, Queen Creek, AZ 85142

While the food is good, come to San Tan Flat for the environment! The restaurant is open and big, which is perfect for families since the kids can roam a bit and parents can relax. If you are looking for that “Arizona Cowboy” themed bar, this is it. Sit around a fire, and listen to live music while grabbing an adult beverage or two (or 6..). The atmosphere is what you should come to San Tan Flat for! As far as choices, this restaurant seems to serve you the “typical” restaurant food.

Sedona

Sedona is the perfect place to stay if your are trying to get away from the “hustle and bustle” of the Phoenix area. There’s a lot of shopping to be had in Sedona with all their cute boutiques and art studios. Even when I was younger I could tell how artsy the Sedona area was. To me it felt like a breath of fresh air compared to the surrounding areas. You’ll be surprised by how lush it is for being in the middle of the desert.

With it’s diverse eco-system, Sedona is an amazing area for hiking! Devils Bridge is the most popular hike in the Sedona area. More than likely, you’ve seen photos plastered on social media. While it is a short and beautiful hike, expect A LOT of people to be there as well. The trail is 4.5 Miles roundtrip and takes most people about an hour (depending on how long you spend at the actual “bridge”). You can drastically shorten this hike if you have access to something with 4 wheel drive. While we wanted to hike, a lot of people in the area had rented those 4×4 quad’s. Their is a main “road” that connects to the majority of trails.

The first time I went to Sedona, I was hoping to hike Devil’s Bridge (after seeing the photos on Pinterest). While at the visitors centers in town an employee convinced us to check out the Courthouse Butte Loop Trail instead. Since my parents and younger sister Ciara were with at the time, this was probably a better hike to do at the time! I would suggest the Court House Butte trail for families over the Devils Bridge. There seemed to be path for all different physical abilities. My mom who had cancer at the time, was even able to walk around the trails on the ground with ease!

Not many people envision wine, when they think of AZ. But Sedona has some of the most famous wine regions in the world! According to Visit Sedona, “Mention Arizona and most people envision cacti, not Cabernet. Yet between heat-battled desert basins and soaring mountains, pockets of microclimates exist that echo some of the most famous wine regions of the world. Sedona occupies such an oasis. The Verde Valley’s abundant sunshine and dramatic nighttime cool-downs, combined with rich volcanic soil and a good water source create an ideal environment for hearty varietals.” Check out this list on local wineries in Sedona!

Grand Canyon National Park

Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park covers 277 MILES of the Colorado Rive and adjacent uplands. The canyon itself is over a mile deep and can get up to 18 miles wide! The canyon is millions of years in the making, which can be seen through it’s layered bands of colorful rock. Although it’s known for it’s beautiful colors and beautiful geology, it’s much more than a big hole in the ground! For thousands of years now, people have been living in and exploring the Grand Canyon. The National Park Service, has done a lot over the years to protect and preserve all of the human history and culture that is found within it.

Hiking is one of the more popular things to do at the Grand Canyon. While I highly suggest hitting some trails, please come prepared! Although this is a National Park, nature can be unforgiving. While some paths are easily marked, roughly 12 people die annually inside the park! Visitors often over-estimate their own abilities and under-estimate the environment itself. During the Summer temperatures can reach over one hundred degrees in the shade. Hiking the Grand Canyon is essentially backwards from most hikes. People often venture farther than they normally would, since going down is the easiest part. When they finally decide to turn around, the hardest part is yet to come. These same people are often not prepared with sufficient clothing and supplies.

It costs $35 to enter the Grand Canyon in a private vehicle, and that pass is valid for 7 days! I highly suggest buying the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. The pass currently costs only $80! Each annual pass admits the pass owners (up to 2) and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas; and pass owner + 3 adults. where per-person fees are charged (children under 16 are always admitted free). If you are currently serving in the military or a disabled Veteran, you can get the National Park pass for free! Check out the article “Travel Deals for Military Veterans” for more information on military discounts!

Page

Page Arizona offers many attractions and is a must stop. Luckily, if you are already stopping by the Grand Canyon, it isn’t too far North of there! Page has grown significantly as a tourist destination due to social media over the past few years. You may recognize the dramatic light beams that show off the beautiful winding corridors of Antelope Canyon! The “hidden” canyons are situation on Navajo lands, and a tour guide is required to see. Unfortunately for us, they were closed at the time due to COVID.

Horseshoe Bend is another destination located right outside of Page. The Colorado Rivers bends around the town, creating beautiful look outs similar to this famous photo opportunity. Again, Horseshoe Bend has dramatically increased in popularity due to social media. So expect A LOT of people do be here. We went as late as the light would let us, and the cliff was still crowded with people. While it makes for amazing photo opportunities, other people have the same idea. If you decide to come here with kids, please be careful. The majority of the cliff does not have any sort of railing to prevent you from falling off. Which is awesome for photographers, not so awesome for people with young children running around!