Phoenix and Scottsdale

Visiting Phoenix Metropolitan Area


After visiting Las Vegas, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon and more, our vacation was coming to an end. But we had one final destination before heading home — Phoenix.

Cactus in Phoenix Arizona

Traveling from Grand Canyon to Phoenix


After leaving the Grand Canyon, we enjoyed a refreshing stop in Flagstaff for some delicious brews at Mother Road Brewing Company, located downtown, just off historic route 66. They don't have a kitchen, but they partner with a couple local places that will deliver to you at the brewery. We shared a pork bahn mi sandwich from Proper Meats + Provisions, which was delightful and paired well with our beers.

We decided to take the scenic route from here through Sedona to enjoy the beautiful landscape. I wish we could have had more time here to observe the scenery because it was breathtaking. Alas, we only were passing through, but I would love to visit for the gorgeous red rock formations.

Hole in the Rock at Papago Park in Phoenix Arizona

Exploring Phoenix and Scottsdale


We arrived in Scottsdale, just outside of Phoenix, where we stayed with my aunt and uncle, and enjoyed some lovely, quality time together. For the next day and a half we had private tour guides to show off their city and give us personal recommendations.

On our full day there, we had beautiful weather — sunny and 70 degrees. We biked along the Arizona Canal Trail to Papago Park area. We enjoyed the scenery of the Desert Botanical Garden as we rode past, and then stopped at Hole in the Rock. This is a neat sandstone formation and a good picture taking opportunity. You can see many landmarks from atop this area.

Papago Park and Hole in the Rock

From here, we rode a little bit further on the trail to the Phoenix Zoo. In addition to animals you may typically see at a zoo, there was a special area dedicated to Arizona native creatures and desert wildlife that can be found in the nearby Sonoran Desert.

After visiting the zoo, we rode our bikes back to the house and got ready for the evening out. Our hosts took us to Old Town Scottsdale. We started out at Goldwater Brewing Company for some craft beers. My favorite was the Hop Chowda New England IPA. We then walked around the old town area, which is a bit of an artsy district just to observe some of the art and shop fronts. Of course, we had to stop in at the Rusty Spur Saloon, which is an iconic dive bar with great live music.

Beautiful Phoenix Arizona at Papago Park and Hole in the Rock

After drinks and exploring the area, we had an awesome dinner of New Mexican fare at Carlsbad Tavern. The food here has amazing flavor. Rachael had blue corn enchiladas topped with hatch green chile sauce and I had a prime rib burrito complete with peppers, onions, mushrooms, chile sauce and topped with a horseradish cream. The flavors in our meals had a nice smokey heat.

The next morning, we just had a half day before catching our flight home. Our hosts recommended an early lunch at O.H.S.O. Brewery. This place had great food and beer. I thoroughly enjoyed the BOOM Dynamite IPA and the AZ Burger, with a jalapeno cream cheese spread, poblano aioli, and onion straws. Rachael ordered the brisket mac which paired a tender beef brisket with a creamy macaroni and cheese.

With full bellies and a lot of wonderful memories made, we made our way to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Arizona did not disappoint, and we will certainly be back, with so many more places to see. In fact, our entire trip was wonderful, and I would recommend it to anyone. Back home in St. Louis area, we are plotting our next trip. Stay tuned for more posts, soon. Safe travels and happy trails, all!

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