Arizona Trip Recap + Guide

Hey everyone! Last month, Jordan and I went Arizona for a little over a week to hike and enjoy the warm weather. We decided on Arizona for a few reasons:

1. The weather – it’s been freezing in NYC and we wanted a break from the cold. Plus, warm weather meant more outdoor options for dining, activities, etc.
2. Hiking – Jordan and I both love hiking! Most of our hiking experience has been on the East Coast and we knew Arizona would have a lot to offer.
3. We have friends in Arizona – my best friend moved out to Arizona about 3 years ago so this was a great opportunity to see her! She had some great local insight on hikes, food, and things to do.

Before I get into the trip I want to make a quick comment on travel in the current state of things. Jordan is vaccinated, I am not. We followed required travel guidelines for self-quarantine and testing before and after the trip.

Our primary focus of this trip was outdoor activities, but we also sat on a relatively full flight, ate at restaurants (mostly outside thankfully!), and went to local shops. We always wore masks and, luckily, because of the mild weather in Arizona so much of our time was spent outside!

STAYS

• 

• 

The Scott Resort – gorgeous Havana inspired hotel with modern rooms, beautiful pool and spa, located in Downtown Scottsdale. We were in walking distance to many popular restaurants and about 20-45 minutes from most hiking spots in the Scottsdale area.

Scottsdale Airbnb – the cutest little guest house! The hosts went above and beyond to make their space comfortable and accommodating to visitors. It was SPOTLESS and perfect for a couple visiting Scottsdale!

• 

Sedona Rental House – Talk about a view! This place was incredible! Nestled between the epic Sedona mountains, this rental home had a large swimming pool, jacuzzi, and lots of space for guests. Located about 15-minutes from Sedona’s most popular restaurants and hikes!

HIKES

If you are planning to hike during your time in Arizona, All Trials is a must! They have all the information you need to find and plan hikes including difficulty, distance, and route, plus thousands of in-depth reviews! Highly recommend you download the app prior to your trip to help plan your hiking adventures.

**Side note: Jordan and I are in good physical shape, and are not afraid of heights or steep climbs. We sought out moderate to difficult hikes, but there are thousands of options in Arizona that work for all difficulty levels!

• 

• 

• Tom’s Thumb Trail (Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve) – challenging 4-mile hike with steep incline and beautiful scenic viewpoint at the top!
• Flatiron via Siphon Draw Trail (Lost Dutchman State Park) – this trail was more of a climb than a hike! Expect to spend most time on all fours and on your butt on the way back down. View at the top is completely worth it! This is not a hike for beginners or those who have a fear of steep heights! But probably the most fun hike we did!

• Cathedral Rock (Sedona) – short, moderately challenging hike with 3-4 steep inclines. This is a popular trail in Sedona and gets very busy for sunset. A must do if you’re in the area! Give yourself at least 35 minutes to reach the peek before the sun begins to set. Note that once the sun goes down, it’s best to start moving back down the mountain to reach the parking lot before real darkness sets in.
• Camelback Trail (Scottsdale) – moderately challenging hike in the heart of Phoenix! This is another popular hike for both tourists and locals. We didnt make it for sunrise, but many locals recommended this as the best time to go to beat the crowds and see the sun come up over the city.

The Pink Jeep tour isn’t a hike, but SO much fun! If you’re not into hiking, but still want to see the gorgeous mountains views, this is for you.

I’d also like to share an initiative my friend shared with me called Leave No Trace. Leave No Trace focuses on responsible sharing of information on outdoor locations and the environmental impact of social media. I think we’ve all heard the horror stories of how beautiful global landmarks have become overrun and destroyed in the name of getting a perfect IG photo.

You can learn more on the Leave No Trace site (linked above)!

PACKING

After leaving the freezing cold NYC weather, we were thrilled to feel some heat in Arizona! Keep in mind, Arizona is a desert. The mornings and evenings were quite chilly while the afternoons felt like peak summertime on the east coast. For example, I would wear a North Face, jeans and boots for breakfast and dinner, but would be in shorts and a tank by mid-day.

My best suggestion, PACK LAYERS! You will need them. On the hike in the photo below I wore three different jackets…ha!

I broke this down into a hiking + leisure list so you can get a better idea of what you might need on your trip:

Hiking:

Leisure:

FOOD:

Nearly every restaurant had outdoor seating, but I highly suggest making dinner reservations! The few nights we didn’t, we ended up waiting for quite a while to be seated.

Scottsdale/Pheonix:

Sedona:

• 89 Agave
• Cucina Rustica
• View 180
• Mariposa
• Red Rock Cafe

Thanks for reading! I can’t tell you how much we enjoyed this trip. Feel free to DM me on Instagram with any questions 🙂

*Melissa