Greetings from sunny and warm Phoenix, Arizona! Woo!
Last time we were here was back in October 2013. We came with Bird and went to watch the Huskies lose by a lot to the ASU Sun Devils. That was a pretty fun trip. We went to Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.
This is our slightly delayed 10-year wedding anniversary trip! Phoenix is only a short 2.5 hour flight from Seattle but it feels like stepping into a whole new world, one where there is sunshine and happy people.
We were lucky enough to get free upgrades to first class for both our flights (Bellingham to Seattle, and Seattle to Phoenix). On the flight to Phoenix we got a complimentary meal and free drinks which was awesome since we didn’t have enough time at the Seattle airport to grab food. We literally got off the Bellingham flight and power walked the entire way to the next gate, and walked directly onto our flight.
The first class seats provide much more space for Jacob to fit. The seats were so big, I couldn’t touch the ground. I decided to take advantage of the free drinks and get a few glasses of Pinot Gris, yum! Our flights on the way back look more full so we won’t likely get upgraded seats again.
We arrived in Phoenix around midnight, grabbed our checked bag and then took the Sky Train to the rental car area. We picked out a white 2026 Chevy Trailblazer and were on our way! The roads were understandably empty which was nice since we didn’t know where we were going. I remember from our trip here last time that Arizonan drivers are worse than Oregonian drivers. Jacob did a great job as usual and got us safely to our VRBO destination.
We rented a nice two bedroom guest house for our stay. We booked this place through Alaska Airlines to get more air miles. I’ve never booked through VRBO before but so far it has been a positive experience. This place has a full kitchen, comfortable living room, two bedrooms, a nice bathroom with a washer and dryer, and a pleasant and private outdoor seating area. The outdoor area gets lots of afternoon shade.
Once we arrived around 1 a.m., we were both wiped and went straight to bed. We woke up around 8 a.m. and decided to get going on the day, slowly. I had packed some breakfast bars so we ate those and I enjoyed a cup of tea.
We sat outside and enjoyed the clear skies and already rising temperatures. At this point, I said to Jacob “It’s too bright,” and after some research on his phone he determined it is on average 33% brighter here than at home. From then on I’ve basically only worn my sunglasses. We really are like vampires from those Twilight books.
We are right next to the Phoenix Mountains Preserve and decided to do a short hike before the weather got too hot. Jacob described this as a half-mile hike one way, but he didn’t mention we’d be climbing to the top of a small mountain. We only packed his water bottle and I was starting to see the headlines now about PNW tourists getting stranded on this hill in the middle of a neighborhood on a random Wednesday. But never fear, we were fine!
We even remembered to put sunblock on before we left so we didn’t get burnt.
Here is me standing triumphantly at the top!
The views were quite nice!
After our hiking adventure we went back to the room to freshen up and then head out for lunch. I had found a place called The Original Breakfast House on Google and I wanted to check it out. It looked like it had good reviews and good food. What I didn’t realize when we arrived was that this restaurant is cash only. Luckily, I had $60 in my purse from someone on my soccer team paying their session fee in cash, so we were all good!
Jacob ordered a giant pancake with fresh fruit and I got a Mexican themed eggs benedict and iced tea. I was stuffed!
After brunch we stopped by the local Fry’s Marketplace to pick up provisions (drinks and snacks) for the next few days. I noticed at the restaurant and grocery store, prices are a bit lower here which is nice. After we got our groceries we headed back to the VRBO for a much needed siesta (nap time!).
We then sat outside in the shade enjoying the warm weather. I read my book and Jacob scrolled through his phone. It was nice to stare up at bright blue sky, without a cloud in sight, listening to the wind rustling through the palm trees and the birds flutter about.
We had debated going over to the Desert Botanical Gardens today but decided against it. We will try to go there on Friday.
We went to a local Mexican place for dinner called Valle Luna. Jacob picked it out because he saw they have a sangria-rita on the menu that he figured I want to try. And I did, and it was delicious! The service was quick and friendly, and though the restaurant was quiet when arrived, the parking lot was full when we left.
Jacob commented in the restaurant that besides how pale we are which gives away that we do not live here, almost everyone else there was wearing pants. It is mid-80s, and everyone is wearing pants! I told Jacob if I lived here I wouldn’t even own a pair of pants.
This evening we just sat outside enjoying the continued warm weather and beautiful sunset. We took a short stroll around the neighborhood and saw two cats.
Tomorrow we are aiming to wake up early and head out to the Saguaro National Park in Tucson. The drive is just under 2 hours and should be very scenic. We will do some small hikes and enjoy the desert scenery.
Until then!