Phoenix, AZ

So, Jason and I got back from Phoenix on Sunday. It was definitely a great trip! We got some GREAT deals on hotel and rental car, so it was super affordable as well.

We got to the Dallas airport and got onto the flight with no problems…we’ve been super lucky so far.  We arrived in Phoenix pretty late with a brief stop in El Paso along the way. One annoying thing about flying out of Dallas is that the Wright amendment restricts nonstop travel to states that don’t border Texas. This only applies to Love Field travel – and therefore all Southwest travel. This will be over in 2014.

We woke up really early the next day because we drove to the GRAND CANYON! It was such a surreal experience. It really looked fake – like I was standing in front of an amazing painting.

Not until we hiked into the canyon, did we really experience how massive it is. It had snowed a few days before we got there which made our trek…interesting. For the first 30 minutes or so, we were sliding downhill, hoping not to fall off the side. Really. It was crazy slippery and Jason fell on his butt twice…haha. People along the path were wearing special gear for the ice and we were obviously unprepared. After a little while, the trail opened up to the sun and we had a nice walk down to “Oooh Ahhh Point”. When you get to the point, the canyon really opens up.

Notice the ice/snow on the trail

At Ooh Ahh Point

We ate our lunch down at this point and admired the views. The way back up was MUCH easier! I would definitely recommend going in the winter as no one was there and we got to park right next to some amazing trails and views. I can only imagine how crowded it would be in the summer. I wish we had more time take the mules to the bottom, but apparently you have to reserve this over a year in advance.   We drove back to Phoenix that night and got ready for our day in Phoenix!

Tebowing at the Grand Canyon

We woke up and went to this AMAZING breakfast place called Matt’s Big Breakfast. I think there were literally 15 tables in this entire restaurant, so we waited for about 30-45 minutes. It was definitely worth it…Jason said it was the best breakfast he’s had in his life! Mine was also amazing.

We left completely happy…only to go to one of the lamest places ever, The Desert Botanical Gardens. I don’t know what we were expecting, but it was insanely boring. If you’re retired and own a fanny pack, you might like it. Otherwise, steer clear. We lasted maybe an hour before we went to explore downtown Scottsdale. We ended our day at Pizzeria Bianco. According to Rachel Ray, it’s the best pizza in America. It’s also on the top ten of many other lists. Maybe it’s a Phoenix thing, but MAN! These places are tiny! We grabbed a bottle of champagne and waited for our table outside in the beautiful weather.  It was definitely worth it and maybe the best pizza I’ve had in my life.

 

Overall, Phoenix was fun and super outdoorsy. The Grand Canyon was amazing – definitely recommended! We picked a great time to go – the weather was perfect and only the locals were around. I wish we had a little more time to go hiking in Phoenix, but that’s a 3 day weekend for you!

Our next trip is in 2 weeks. Not sure where we're headed, but stay tuned for more adventures!