Phoenix is absolutely BEA-U-TIFUL. This was my second trip to the area and I had such a lovely time pulling out my favorite dresses and enjoying somewhere that actually experiences summer. While it was a short visit, CJ and I were able to squeeze in so much stuff. I wanted to share where we stayed, my favorite eats, and fun some activities to check out during your stay.
If you’re visiting I would definitely recommend renting a car since everything is pretty spread out and you’ll have a 20 min + drive to most places. We got a Mazda convertible during our trip and it was super fun to take the top down and cruise around.
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WHERE TO STAY IN PHOENIX
Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley – this is where we stayed and we absolutely loved our room. Check out my full review and more hotel photos in this post.
Hyatt Regency in Scottsdale – we had Easter brunch at the Hyatt, which I would highly recommend checking out if you’re ever there during a major holiday. The grounds and pool are just stunning.
The Scott in Scottsdale – this hotel is absolutely stunning and came recommended to us by a few friends and locals. Definitely want to check it out during out next stay.
TOP FOOD + DRINK IN PHOENIX
Hearth ’61 – the restaurant at Mountain Shadows was one of our faves. The food, ambiance, and people were just incredible. A quick piece of history, in 1961, Paradise Valley, where Mountain Shadows is located, officially became an incorporated town. Hearth honors the area’s origins by encouraging people to gather around delicious food and enjoy in good times. Hearth was named “Best New Restaurants of 2017” by PHOENIX Magazine.
Blancos Tacos & Tequila – we had dinner here and absolutely loved everything – especially the cocktails. 😉 We tried the Skinny Mango/Spicy Margs and absolutely loved them. Fun fact: a friend/follower DM’d me and said her brother was the one that creates all the cocktails for Blancos. How cool is that?! Also very jealous of his job.
Teaspressa – there are a few of these in the area. I love that they serve a large variety of tea and it’s also the cutest spot I’ve ever seen. We stopped here for a mid-day pick me up before heading to the Botanical Gardens.
The Churchill – home to a few shops, restaurants, and cocktail bars and made out of industrial shipping containers, It’s a 9,000 square foot open courtyard that’s super chill.
Parma – Italian eatery serving cocktails and yummy bites. It looks laid back but super fun. We didn’t get to go here but it’s on my list.
Progress – another on my list for our next trip.
ACTIVITIES TO BOOK DURING YOUR STAY IN PHOENIX
Phoenix Art Museum – definitely worth exploring. I really loved the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies exhibit. They also have a fashion exhibit, Flora, showing how flowers have inspired fashions through the ages.
Take an intuitive cooking class with Melanie Albert – my favorite thing we did during our trip. Ya’ll know CJ and I love a good cooking class. We’ve taken many at Sur la Table and even took one in Mexico City during CJ’s 30th. This class with Melanie was so different and one of my favorites. I loved that it was fun and way more interactive than most classes I’ve taken. The class was outside at The Farm at South Mountain on Earth Day and was such a beautiful experience being able to cook up food that was freshly harvested from the farm.
Desert Botanical Garden – we spent an hour here and that wasn’t enough time. There are 5 different trails in the garden and you could spend hours walking around here. I’d recommend going a little bit before 5pm to see the butterfly exhibit and then staying for the light show that starts just after dark.
Book Goat Yoga – everyone was telling us to do this but we didn’t have time. If you’ve never heard of it, definitely check it out.
Ride in a hot air balloon – I have been saving hot air ballooning for a special time but really wish we had time to do this in AZ. It’s absolutely stunning.
Book a dinner with Cloth & Flame – I’ve had my eyes on Cloth & Flame for a while. They host the most stunning dining experience in the desert. This would be perfect for a bachelorette party or if you had a big group of people with you.
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White Button Dress // Black flutter sleeve dress // Sneakers (here and here) Bag (similar here)
Thank you Visit Phoenix for hosting our stay. As always, all thoughts/opinions are my own.
