It was a snow day in Chicago today so I thought why not write a long overdue post about somewhere warm :). Bill and I traveled to Arizona in early December to visit my close friends who used to live in Chicago and found so many cute spots I could not not share! From restaurants to hiking to outdoor shopping malls, it was so fun being in Arizona visiting friends and adventuring together. I checked out Scottsdale and Phoenix and both places have plenty to do! Here’s to dreaming of the sunshine, no coats and open toed shoes. I hope this short and sweet travel guide helps you for your next trip!
Outdoor Walks and Malls
The Farm at South Mountain: Such a cute place to walk around with a few different brunch/lunch options and gift shops. It is so lush and green and at night the twinkle lights are gorgeous! If you are feeling fancy, check out the Quiessence restaurant which features the Farm’s freshest produce.
Restaurants
Tapas Papa Fritas: Yummy tapas style dishes and live music. Perfect for a night out with friends and close to other bars in the area!
La Santisima: The best burritos you will EVER have and an amazing salsa bar!
Diego Pops: A fun spot to grab lunch at or to go out at at night! The coconut rice and artichoke dip were two of my favorites. The tacos were great too- especially the plantain taco!
Bars
Coach House: Christmas lights galore and cheap drinks if you are looking for a more casual night and guarunteed fun time.
Kazimierz: A fun speakeasy vibe with live music every night!
Bitter & Twisted: A never ending cocktail list in the form of a story book. High ceilings, great people watching and fun for a date night or with friends.
Casablanca: Funny story about Casablanca is we actually ended up crashing a company holiday party BUT regardless of being party crashers, Casablanca has a great rooftop and good music.
Hiking
Antelope Canyon: Prepare for a 4 hour drive to and from but it is so worth it! Antelope Canyon has such pretty rock formations and colors but beware it is COLD so dress warm! (I know it seems odd dressing for winter in Arizona but it was freezing!) It was about $40 a person to take the tour but definitely worth the distance and money!
Camel Back Mountain: This is one hike I did not get to go on BUT I have heard amazing things and a hike I want to do when I visit AZ again. It is a considerably harder hike so brace yourself!
Squaw Peek: This hike I did go on and it was HARD! It is about an hour up and an hour down but one you get to the top, the views are breathtaking! We went on a night hike (scary!!!) but it was neat seeing the city from above. The feeling of being on top of the world is pretty amazing.
