We are heading down to Palm Springs next month, so I thought it might be fun to try and recall the details from our last trip to the desert (Arizona) back in December 2019. This might be a struggle… let’s see how I do!
Scottsdale
During our visit to Arizona, our accommodation was in Scottsdale, so naturally this is where we spent most of our time. We managed to fit in a couple of hikes while in the area, the first being Camelback Mountain. This trip to Arizona was my first time in a desert, so I was pretty excited to see my first cactus, and there were several on our way up to the top of Camelback Mountain.
This hike was definitely on the harder side – a lot of rocks and big steps! Not to mention, it was over 20°C (which is probably not hot for Arizona, but it was pretty warm for this BC-girl), and there was no shade – we were sweating! But, the spectacular views of Scottsdale were definitely worth it, and there was even a Christmas tree at the top since we were in Scottsdale during the holiday season, which was a nice “present” (see what I see there?)!
The other hike we did in Scottsdale was called Pinnacle Peak Park. This was a very enjoyable hike (much easier than Camelback Mountain), with views overlooking the nearby golf course. There were also several information signs along the trail, identifying that Pinnacle Peak Park was home to various plants and wildlife. I was really enjoying reading these (which, if you have read my other posts, you will know is not a common occurrence), until I reached the one that said there were mountain lions/cougars in the area ツ.
Aside from hiking, we also checked out World of Illumination in Tempe, which is apparently the world’s largest drive-through light show. This was a huge light display and it was very well done, with synchronized music and lights.
Another one of our evening activities was checking out an Arizona Coyotes hockey game. Whenever we are travelling in Canada or the US, we always make an effort to check out the local NHL team, if there is one (for Justin, hockey = life ツ). Hockey games are always a good time, and during the time of our visit, the Coyotes were playing at Gila River Arena, which is located in a very cool complex – Westgate Entertainment District – with a variety of different restaurants and shops. You could easily spend a couple of hours here!
In terms of food, our go-to place in Scottsdale, because it was so close to our hotel, was Farm & Market – they had several plant-based options and delicious drinks! Another big hit for us was Fresh Mint, which was vegetarian Vietnamese-style food – absolutely delicious! And finally, we made a couple of trips to Alien Donuts while exploring downtown Scottsdale… their donuts were “outta this world” (that is their slogan… my puns are on-point today ツ). However, I just did a quick Google search and I am sad to see and share that Alien Donuts is now closed. I am glad we had the chance to try these delicious donuts while we could!
Sedona
For our last day in Arizona, we decided to drive out to Sedona. Sedona is well-known for its stunning red-rock formations, and they definitely did not disappoint! We thought the best way to explore the area would be through Pink Jeep Tours. A little bit of off-roading and an excellent tour guide made for a really great experience. But, remember how I said I wanted to write these blog posts mostly for myself so that I could recall details of my trips many years later? Well, here is a perfect example – I really want to recommend our tour guide to others, but I do not remember his name! I think it started with an A… Andy? Let’s go with Andy.
Before we finished our tour, we asked “Andy” if he had any recommendations on what we should do while in Sedona. Funny enough, he actually told us to leave Sedona and go check out a couple small towns about an hour away. His two recommendations were Old Town Cottonwood and Jerome.
Our first stop was in Old Town Cottonwood. We did not have a lot of day light left, so this had to be a quick stop if we wanted to make it to Jerome before it got dark, but we made a point of checking out a few shops, including the very cool antique shop.
Fortunately, we made it to Jerome just before 5pm. This small town was definitely a highlight of the trip. Jerome was a booming mining town in the 1880s, eventually turning into Arizona’s ghost town.
Jerome was very small – only a couple streets long – but it had some very cool shops, and beautiful mountain views. There is a lot of history in this town, including a jail cell that had slid halfway down the mountain. Funny enough, the jail cell was something Justin and I both wanted to see, and somehow we missed it! I guess we will have to plan for another trip back to Arizona to find it ツ.
Always grateful,
Michelle
Exploring With Gratitude 
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