Our Favorite Arizona Staycations: Scottsdale
While I often rag on our two-year-Arizona-stint, we did enjoy some pretty epic adventures and staycations. Organizing and editing thousands of cell phone photos brings back a lot of those desert memories. We were so focused on leaving that, I think, we didn't fully appreciate the state's beauty. That's a sappy statement, but these cell phone pictures are making me nostalgic. Would I move back to The Grand Canyon State? Negative. Will I cherish the neglected cell phone photos from our Arizona adventures? Certainly.
If you've ever been to Arizona, you know the summer temperatures are quite toasty, and the resorts drop their rates to attract locals for the weekend. We often took advantage of the price dips and partook in many Arizona staycations. Out of all of the drivable trips, Scottsdale and Sedona were our two favorite destinations.
Scottsdale
We moved to Tucson in June and took our first (of many) road trips to Scottsdale for my 22nd birthday in July. I was homesick, but familiar shops and the beautiful resorts helped ease my Texas blues. ;)
A few of our favorite Scottsdale activities (all photos from my iPhone photo book):
Shopping
The Kierland Commons - My FAVORITE!
// We spent many weekends attending cooking classes at the Sur La Table in Kierland Commons. Kudos to anyone who makes homemade croissants -- those suckers are tricky. Back in the day, we would wake up early, grab a drink at Starbucks, attend a cooking class, shop, and then return to the resort for an afternoon swim.
Full center directory here.
// There isn't a Nordstrom in Tucson, so I fully embraced overnight trips to Scottsdale for special occasions. Sometimes a girl just needs to browse and sip on a drink from the e-bar.
Full mall directory here.
Swimming / Resorts
The Sanctuary at Camelback is my all time favorite resort. More specifically, The Sanctuary casitas are a dream come true. There are pools everywhere, the restaurants are divine, and the spa is incredible. If you can swing a night or two in Scottsdale, I wholeheartedly recommend the Sanctuary.
More information on casitas.
And, some Sanctuary deals!
Spring Training
In February, several "Cactus League" teams start training in Scottsdale. While my Astros practice in Florida, it was still super fun watching the Giants. Sports are far less stressful when you don't have strong feelings about the outcome.
More information on Spring Training here.
The resort prices aren't as good in the Spring, but you can still find a deal!
I originally planned to chat about Sedona, too, but the post quickly lengthened with each photo-induced-memory! Sedona will be another staycation post for another day. :)
As always, thanks for stopping by the blog!
Emily
The photos from our snowy Switzerland adventures are some of my favorites, and I'm excited to *finally* share the finished photo book! I selected a red fabric cover to match the Swiss flag (of course) and opted for a clean foil stamp with the date.