After quite a few requests for detailed info on this EPIC trip, I am SO VERY EXCITED to feature these destinations on the blog- most certainly at the top of our most favorite sight-seeing we have ever done! We crammed a lot in 5 days, always on the go, but man it was worth it and was every bit of the perfect celebration for our 16 year wedding anniversary.
YOU READY? Let's goooo!!
SCOTTSDALE
We started and ended our trip in Scottsdale, AZ. A great city for dining, shopping, nightlife, exploring, hiking, ALL THE THINGS. It's right outside of Phoenix, a relatively short drive from the airport.
DINNER + BRUNCH: Maple & Ash. Our most favorite restaurant in all the land! You get amazing food + a swanky, fun atmosphere here, plus an array of tasty + Instagram worthy cocktails. It was actually our first time to do the dinner experience here as we've always only done brunch at the Chicago location. LOVED IT. We ordered the IDGAF where they bring you surprise after surprise to sample the best of the best on and off the menu. Highly recommend the splurge. We love Maple & Ash so much that we returned to the Scottsdale location on the back end of our trip for brunch before heading home!
HOTEL STAY: The W Scottsdale. Enjoyed the vibe of this hotel! We had a spa suite with direct access to the pool, Wet Deck, which is known as one of the day party pools in Scottsdale. The pool was open, but pretty chill when we were there since it was early March. I can see this spot being a TON of fun during the summer! We also enjoyed the lobby bar for a nightcap after dinner at Sushi Roku.
DINNER: Sushi Roku. This spot is connected to The W which made it super convenient to not have to worry about driving or walking to/from your dinner destination. Truthfully I really enjoyed this spot, but Jack was very MEH about it. So I guess you could say it's a toss up there and maybe something to experience for yourself, especially if you are staying at The W.
BOUTIQUES + WINE TASTING + DINING: Old Town Scottsdale. We had so much fun walking the streets of Old Town Scottsdale browsing so many unique boutiques, wine tasting, and having "the best bolognese ever" [according to my husband] here before our flight! Two highlights: Truly Blessed Jewels for beautiful permanent jewelry [plus timeless, traditional pieces], and Merkin Vineyards for wine tasting + SUPER yummy bites. We were so happy that we accidentally discovered Merkin because we had the best time! This is where you need to order that bolognese. 😉
SEDONA
Sedona, AZ is about a 2 hour drive from Scottsdale and was our 2nd stop! Some of the best scenery and hiking can be found in Sedona, and powerful spiritual vortex's if you're into that thing like me. 😊 There are lots of boutiques and dining options in Sedona as well. Many things to do in this beautiful city!
WHERE WE STAYED: Courtyard Sedona. This was our second stay here and we loved it just as much as the first! It's not your usual Courtyard in our opinion [more like a boutique option], and YAY for FREE hotel stays with those awesome Marriott points. 👏 In the warmer months, they have a rooftop happy hour so you can watch the sun set behind the mountains. AMAZING. The hotel bar also serves up one of the best New York Sours I've ever had. We chose quick & easy breakfast options in the bar/restaurant to get our days started and to maximize our time for other things, and did dinner here the night of Horseshoe Bend & Antelope canyon because we were just tired. Overall it was such a fast, great + convenient option for any time of day!
DINNER: Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano. OH MY WORD you have to eat here. I had the Gamberi Fra Diavolo [don't ask me how to pronounce that with my country self lol], and Jack had the lasagna. Neither one of us were sad about our choices, but I definitely preferred the signature spicy sauce with mine. DROOL. And the tiramisu was the best I've ever had, Jack even loved it and he is not a tiramisu fan. *Note that dine-in is by reservation ONLY. Request the private alcove for two if you can!
HIKING: this trip we did Boynton Canyon Trail. There were some beautiful views along the way, but because of the trail conditions from the recent snow + timing, we weren't able to make it to the most rewarding of views. We will definitely give it another try on our next Sedona getaway when we have more time. Here are two others we loved on our last trip [just google them to see why!]:
Cathedral Rock
The most challenging, but BY FAR the most rewarding of any hike we've done anywhere. Highly suggest putting this one first on your list.
Devil's Bridge
Definitely on the more simple side of hiking, but still with a really cool + rewarding view.
ANTELOPE CANYON
From Sedona, Antelope Canyon is about a 3 hour drive. We did this on a Saturday and made it a full there-and-back day trip. Yes, it's a lot of time spent in the car, but you have so much beautiful scenery along the way! Something to take note of- a lot of the drive is pretty desolate so just remember that with the food + potty breaks.
You MUST use a tour guide to see Antelope Canyon. The company we used was Antelope Slot Canyon Tours and it was a wonderful experience! There were only about 10-12 of us in our group, and they wait for the group ahead of you to move on in the canyon so that it doesn't get crowded. Our tour guide also showed us all of the best picture taking angles, and even offered to take all the photos of you and your spouse or friend group. We would recommend this company 100 times!
*pictured above is the "Dragon's Eye"
HORSESHOE BEND
Horseshoe Bend is only about 7 miles from Antelope Canyon! We stopped at a local grocery store to take a little wine + charcuterie picnic with us to enjoy while at Horseshoe Bend, and it ended up being the BEST PICNIC EVER. Highly recommend.
I read a lot of mixed reviews on the crowds and what to expect here so we went into with lower expectations. I don't know if it was the time of year we went or what [early March], but it wasn't crowded AT ALL and it was easy to find a cliffside spot for our picnic + get lots of good pics and video. There are actually plenty of areas you can venture off to to view this amazingness, you don't have to stay behind the provided public viewing spot and railings.
You also don't need to book a tour time or guide, you can do everything on your own time. We sat here for a LONG TIME just taking in all of God's beautiful creation.
Forever chasing those epic views!
This photo was taken on the drive between Sedona and Antelope Canyon + Horseshoe Bend. I'm telling y'all we were the only car on the road for quite a bit of the drive!
There you have it, one of the absolute BEST vacations we have ever done. I hope this helps you plan your next trip to Arizona. I would consider this bucket list material for sure!
XO
-Jenn