Southwest USA

SOUTHWEST, USA

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

VOLUME TWO: PART ONE : 14 DAY TRIP NOVEMBER 2020

CONTENTS QUICK FACTS Known for desert heat, red rocks and being the home to amazing natural wonders.

15

ZION NP Currently my #1 favorite NP, Zion blew others out of the water, we didn't want to leave.

4

14 DAY ROAD TRIP Find out how we decided to break up our trip into two weeks!

19

PAGE, AZ My favorite stop on our road trip, this small town packs a punch!

5

WHERE TO STAY A mixture of Airbnbs and hotels throughout our stays.

22

FLAGSTAFF, AZ A true mountain town offering breweries, restaurants, shopping, and cold weather.

8

NEWPORT BEACH, CA A great place to unwind and pamper for a couple days.

24

GRAND CANYON NP One of the world's natural wonders - so breathtaking, a photo does not do it justice...

10

JOSHUA TREE NP One of those National Parks you do not hear about often, but definitely worth the trip!

25

SEDONA, AZ Known for Red Rock State Park, a not so secret little town anymore!

13

LAS VEGAS, NV Casinos, entertainment, and all the great food you could possibly want in a vacation.

27

PHOENIX, AZ The Valley of the Sun offers more than just hot weather and cactus

30

CLOSING REMARKS A trip to remember - I highly suggest everyone takes the time to visit the Southwest USA

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

3

QUICK FACTS Although multiple sources seem to vary in opinion, the Southwest is generally made up of Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.

The Southwest is known for its arid desert climate, red rock landscapes, rugged mountains and many natural wonders. Outdoor recreation is popular including hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, and rafting. Most people think of cactus and dry desert heat, but the higher in elevation you go into the mountains, you will experience alpine climates with very large amounts of snow.

Different areas and activities in the Southwest provide perfect opportunities to vacation all year long.

The best months to visit the Grand Canyon are between April and June, since that is when rainfall is lowest and tourism is down due to families less likely to travel until the summer months.

Flagstaff, AZ on the other hand, is a great place to visit from December to October if you are interested in winter activities like skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. Temperatures are in the 30's and 40's during the day, and drop into the teens or even the negatives at night.

Zion National Park is incredible during the fall season, September through November, due to cooler temperatures in the morning, then warmer temperatures throughout the day for hiking. But the best part about visiting Zion in the fall is for the leaves changing colors.

Imagine the red rocks and lush greenery that Zion already has to offer, and add in yellows, orange, and reds from the foliage within the park. It is incredible and makes the park that much more special!

Newport Beach, CA is definitely best during the summer months, from July to September.

You will have hot, sunny days perfect for the beach, pool, or playing golf, without the stifling temperatures, like summers are in Phoenix, AZ or Vegas, NV.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Best Time to Visit: Year Round!

14 DAY ROAD TRIP Since we were flying from the east coast, we decided economically it made sense to

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

come into LAX and see how much we could fit into 14 days from there!

Day 1

Day 8

Newport Beach, CA

Page, AZ

Day 2

Day 9

Newport Beach, CA

Grand Canyon NP

Day 3

Day 10

Newport Beach, CA

Flagstaff, AZ

Day 4

Day 11

Joshua Tree NP

Sedona, AZ

Day 5

Day 12

Las Vegas, NV

Phoenix, AZ

Day 6

Day 13

Zion NP

Phoenix, AZ

Day 7

Day 14

Zion NP

Phoenix, AZ

WHERE TO STAY Lodging is super important to any vacation, but even more so for a road trip. Plenty of people have successfully road tripped and booked lodging as they went. In our case, we decided to book ahead so that we had a schedule to keep up with. We stayed in a mixture of hotels and Airbnbs. This trip happens to be our honeymoon, so for us, having designated days at the beginning and end of our trip at a relaxing location with a "resort-style pool" was important and well worth it for us!

This is how we broke it down and chose locations where to stay:

Newport Beach

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

We stayed at the Marriott's Newport Coast Villas for a couple days in the beginning of our trip to wind down and relax, as I said we had just gotten married the day before we left.

This hotel offers rooms with a full size kitchen, laundry, and living space, so really we could have cooked and never left the property. The pools were incredible, with the main pool overlooking the ocean. The location was great to be in proximity to the happening areas without being on top of it.

Palm Desert Since we were exploring Joshua Tree NP, we learned the places to stay surrounding it are slim to none! There are plenty of awesome Airbnb / camping experiences out in the middle of nowhere Joshua Tree that we would absolutely love to come back and do. It was our honeymoon, so we decided no camping. We drove into Palm Desert, and stayed at the Marriott Desert Springs. It was very nice, modern amenities, and beautiful golf courses. The location itself was not our favorite, but it was worth it for one night to experience Joshua Tree. Palm Desert is definitely an older crowd. If you're wanting a more lively, happening area, check out Palm Springs, CA instead.

Las Vegas, NV The Marriott's Grand Chateau exceeded our expectations when we arrived! We were asked to pull into the circle drive and get out of the car - staff valet parked our vehicle and took our luggage out of the car and up to our room. We felt very fancy! The hotel is positioned about a block off the strip, but right next to Planet Hollywood and across from City Center. We were up on the 29th floor and had wonderful views of all the lights and action.

WHERE TO STAY Springdale, UT Springhill Suites by Marriott was conveniently located in Springdale, UT right outside of Zion National Park. You can imagine the incredible morning views we had every way you looked. The hotel offered breakfast early every morning, which we took advantage of before heading into the park. One awesome feature to note is that this hotel was on the the Springdale Shuttle route, stop #6. The shuttle is free and runs often throughout the day so once we parked at the hotel, we walked to any and all restaurants, and took the shuttle up to Zion NP's entrance. HUGE PLUS!

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Page, AZ We stayed at this incredible Airbnb on the Vermillion Cliffs in Page, AZ. The views from our host's house were unbelievable. We had our own private entrance, private bathroom, parking, TV, and even a little mini fridge and microwave. The backyard was available to us which was perfect for watching the sunset. Location was great, and we were even greeted by the friendly host cat, Tomac! If you know me, you know that this made my whole trip!

Flagstaff, AZ We stayed at another Airbnb in Flagstaff, AZ. It was a couple blocks north of the main downtown area. The Airbnb itself was an entire private townhouse - we had a full kitchen, living room, bedroom & bath. There was even a loft space to sleep extra people. We actually mentioned while here, that the space would have been very livable long term! We had a parking space, and the hosts were generous enough to let us park there and walk into town before our check in time.

Phoenix, AZ The Marriott Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge was incredible. We had access to everything on the property, including tennis courts, golf, multiple pools, lazy river, you name it. We chose this location up in North Scottsdale/Phoenix for some seclusion and relaxation at the end of our trip. Plus it happened to be Thanksgiving during our stay, so we knew we needed a place to cook since most restaurants would be closed! Our villa included a full kitchen, laundry, living space, and gorgeous balcony that overlooked a community area with string lights, fire pits, patio seating, bocce ball, and a basketball / pickle ball court. It took about 25 minutes to drive into Old Town Scottsdale from the hotel.

This trip was one of my all time favorites. As you might know, we recently moved to Phoenix, AZ, so we are naturally drawn to the Southwest USA. We love the culture, the people, proximity to nature, restaurants, landscape, and the weather. Visit the desert and find out for yourself!

NEWPORT BEACH, CA Newport Beach is about a 45 minute drive south from LAX airport without traffic.

Other than relaxing at the pool and winding down from one of our most cherished days ever, we did explore around and hit up a lot of tasty places to eat. Details on our amazing villa can be found in Where to Stay above.

WHAT TO DO: Crystal Cove State Park is one of Orange County's largest nature spaces remaining.

It consists of a 3.2 mile long beachfront as well as acres of park filled with trails for hiking and biking, a historic district of cottages along the waterfront, and even an

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

offshore underwater area. This was a beautiful beach walk for us one morning!

Newport Pier - gorgeous place to watch the sunset!

Balboa Island is another awesome day time activity. There's tons of shopping and eating along Marine Avenue. Stop by Sugar n' Spice for a famous frozen banana or dipped Balboa bar. There is also a scenic ferry ride to check out if that interests you!

Balboa Peninsula is a primarily residential community attached to Newport Beach.

We drove down one morning to admire the gorgeous homes from the Newport Beach pier and boardwalk to the end. We got out to walk around the West Jetty View Park. The water is a gorgeous clear blue and it was nice to see boats coming in and out around the bend.

Laguna Beach - with a ten minute drive you can be at some of the most beautiful beaches and coves within Southern California. Crescent Bay Beach, Shaw's Cove, Fisherman's Cove, and Diver's Cove, to name a few, are popular for swimming, scuba diving, and bodysurfing.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA WHERE TO EAT: Alta Coffee - I cannot stress this enough. if you are in Newport Beach you must get coffee and pastries at Alta. We went both mornings to ensure we wouldn't be disappointed on day two somewhere else! The staff was friendly, the outdoor seating was awesome, consistently great coffees, and the chocolate croissant was to die for!

Las Brisas - This was our most expensive meal on the entire trip, but let me tell you, if you're looking for something special, this is it! Located in Laguna Beach, about a 10

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

minute drive from our hotel. The location allows you to eat dinner and drink cocktails on top of a cove while overlooking the ocean at sunset. It is unreal. The menu is full of delicious seafood, but really you are there for the incredible ambiance.

Cafe Sevilla - a tapas bar, restaurant, and nightclub located in Fashion Island. This is a small California chain with three locations. The food was excellent, fresh, and flavorful.

We love to find authentic Spanish paella whenever we can!

Sugar n' Spice - frozen dipped bananas and Balboa bars. No frills, walk up window on Marine Avenue, and the perfect dessert after a filling meal.

JOSHUA TREE NP Joshua Tree NP is located in Southern CA, about 2 hours without traffic from Los Angeles. An interesting fact I discovered when doing research prior to our trip is that, visitors only see about 15% of the park. The remaining 85% is managed as wilderness. While there are some backcountry trails in the other 85%, the landscape and climate make it for experienced hikers only. For the most part, those lands remain fairly untouched by humans.

We spent one day in Joshua Tree. We hiked a lot, explored and climbed rocks, spotted petroglyphs, and even saw a roadrunner! Unless you're on a rock climbing trip, I think

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

one full day is plenty to see it all!

In regards to staying the night, we chose to stay in Palm Desert, about 50 minutes outside of the park. If you wanted to stay in the park, we highly suggest Hidden Valley Campground to be near major rock climbing, Jumbo Rocks Campground for beautiful scenery and being in the heart of the park, or Cottonwood Campground for the best stargazing and least crowded area!

JOSHUA TREE NP One nice feature about Joshua Tree, is that there is one main road that takes you from the West Entrance Station to the Cottonwood Visitor Center. Taking this route allows you to stop and hike almost every trail offered within the park! Another nice aspect to Joshua Tree, is that most hikes are relatively short and flat, so you can cover a lot in one day!

Barker Dam ~ 1.3 mile, loop trail with great views, tons of joshua trees, and rock formations of all shapes and sizes

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Hidden Valley ~ 1 mile, loop trail with amazing scenery and wildflowers during certain times of the year, located near a campground and plenty of nice picnic areas for a lunch break Hall of Horrors: not really a hike, but awesome rock climbing area, with great views from the top of the rocks Cholla Cactus Garden ~1/3 mile garden trail that is very maintained. Why? Even slightly brushing against a cholla will cause the spines to dive into your shoes, clothes, and/or skin - be cautious!

Cottonwood Spring ~short 0.1 mile walk to one of the NP's best kept secrets. A beautiful palm oasis in the middle of the desert! If you're feeling really ambitious continue the trail to Lost Palm Oasis, 7.5 miles out and back. Be aware this is considered challenging so have a lot of water packed and fresh legs!

Mastodon Peak Loop Trail ~ 3 mile, moderate loop. An optional rock scramble takes you to the top of a craggy granite peak. The trail then loops around past an old gold mine and ends up back at Cottonwood Spring

Stargazing in Joshua Tree is a big deal! It is considered one of the best places in the country, maybe even on the planet to see stars and the milky way. The optimal time would be when the moon is not out, aka near the "New Moon Phase" - Be sure to check a moon calendar before your visit!

LAS VEGAS, NV Vegas was a perfect distance to break up our trip between Joshua Tree NP and Zion NP. Even if you're planning a trip to Zion on its own and cannot drive there, I highly suggest looking into flying to Las Vegas, as it is the perfect airport to reach any of the nearby nature - always affordable and plenty of flight options!

Our Vegas trip was a little odd since we were there during the peak of COVID, aka all entertainment was on a break. When we return to Vegas again soon, we will definitely be purchasing tickets to a show, concert, and/or day club, as those are all a must!

The food in Vegas is awesome! Below I will share where we went, but really you cannot go wrong, there's so many incredible places to choose from!

Ocean One Bar & Grille - located in Planet Hollywood, this is a "grab lunch and bring it steal! We thought the portions would be small due to the price, but seriously it was great food and huge portions for $5! We got to try a salmon and mango salad, southwest salad, calamari, and a quesadilla.

Mon Ami Gabi - French restaurant with quaint atmosphere. We chose this restaurant due to the location, across from the Bellagio. The french onion soup was to die for and for entrees we had the lamb shank and roasted chicken - both so tasty!

At the end of the night, after walking around multiple casinos , sightseeing, and people watching, we were exhausted. We got gelato on our walk back to the hotel and ate it in bed while admiring the views of the Strip from our window.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

back to your hotel poolside" type of spot. Every entree was $5, and in Vegas that is a

LAS VEGAS, NV Depending on your personality and reason for visiting Vegas, there is so much you can do in a weekend. Obviously lots of drinking and hangover breakfasts comes to mind, but here are some other fun aspects of Vegas to check out!

The Bellagio Fountain Show is fun to watch, even after the fifth time, I swear! The restaurant we went to for dinner was right across from the Bellagio Hotel & Casino, so we had entertainment every 15-30 minutes while we ate! I also suggest going into the Bellagio to walk around the botanical gardens after dinner. Its free, changes seasonally, and everything is made of fresh flowers!

I also want to make sure to note that although we did not have the time, make sure you do Street area has been revitalized. Here you will find large art murals, "coyote ugly" style bars, new hip and trendy bars, old school hotels, tons of fun restaurants, and naked street performers. It is a completely different experience and one you should not miss! The Fremont Street Experience is a light show that occurs above the street, making it a great place to simply walk around and enjoy!

The Downtown Container Park - an area filled with 40 repurposed shipping containers that have turned into boutiques, whiskey cocktail bars, cafes, and more restaurants & bars.

The Neon Museum - a collection of iconic Las Vegas signs that express the history to Las Vegas. Always offering special exhibits and of course the Neon Graveyard to check out!

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

not just spend time on "The Strip" while in Vegas. In recent years, the downtown Fremont

ZION NATIONAL PARK Ok so prepare yourself because of the 14 day trip, these two days we spent in Zion NP were my absolute favorite by far. It is hard to explain how this location could stand out amongst the rest when we saw some really incredible places, but it just does and here's why: We woke up at 4:30am in Vegas to drive the two and a half hours into Springdale, UT. It was 100% worth it in order to get a full day in the Park! We checked into our hotel so that we could park our car there and take the town shuttle to the main entrance. The shuttle service is awesome, I highly recommend taking advantage of it because parking at the Park can be very limited and challenging!

the stop for the Angel's Landing trailhead. In November, the fall color was breathtaking, we did not expect to see yellows, oranges, and reds throughout the park!

Day 1 Hike: Angel's Landing is a strenuous 4.4 mile out and back trail. The trail starts off as many switchbacks. Eventually leading us to a flat part of the trail where we saw a lot of people taking a break, having a snack, and catching up on their water intake. From here you can see a sign for the last 0.5 miles to the top of Angel's Landing. Just beyond that you can see the infamous chains, where a lot of people choose to stop and turn around. This was the most thrilling hike I have ever done, but it is not for the faint of heart. There were multiple sections where I was pulling my body up with just my arms to advance to the next step. Finally getting to the top I was tired, but the views were so incredible. You cannot help but end up in a trance just staring out. It was a great sense of accomplishment, I cannot wait to go back and do it again. As I sat at the top, I could tell the trail was getting more and more crowded, so I started going back down to the flat break in the rocks. We sat and ate lunch, admiring more beautiful views! At the bottom of Angel's Landing we ended up veering off and taking the Emerald Pools trail back to the shuttle.

Emerald Pools is officially a 3 mile loop, but starting at The Grotto and ending at the Zion Lodge shuttle stop, we shortened the trail to probably 2 miles. It was an easy trail, I highly suggest it for families! The landscape was gorgeous, even more bright red leafed trees. A great way to end the day!

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

At the entrance we hopped onto the Zion shuttle and took it to stop #6, The Grotto. This was

ZION NATIONAL PARK We packed in so many of my favorites into just two days. Favorite cup of coffee on the trip, favorite dinner experience, and favorite hike! Zion National Park is very special, I do not think it could ever get old...

After hiking all day and waking up at 4:30 am that same day to get there, we decided early dinner and early to bed was necessary. St. George locals that we met along our journey told us we had to go to Oskar's Cafe, so being located only a 5 minute walk from our hotel, we had to go!

Oskar's Cafe - this was by far our favorite restaurant experience on the trip. The staff was No frills, but awesome beer, homemade sangria, and huge portions of both burgers and classic Mexican dishes. To this day I still think about the green chile enchiladas. The sangria is like no other, containing fresh squeezed OJ and the nugget ice that trumps all other. Beer comes in a large mug lovingly known as a "Hanker Tanker" - a picture holding the mug is a must! When the waitress found out it was our honeymoon she brought out a huge brownie sundae for dessert! I cannot recommend this restaurant enough - we went here for dinner BOTH NIGHTS and have zero regrets!

Deep Creek Coffee Company - laid back, local joint serving coffee through a window in a bright blue cottage in Springdale, UT. You cannot miss it driving into Zion! The coffee was incredible, with tons of speciality options - I got the orange vanilla latte and wow what a game changer. I have tried to get other coffee shops to recreate it, and it's just not the same!

Joy Craft & Design - boutique gift shop attached to Deep Creek Coffee. The perfect shop for a souvenir before you leave. I got a beanie and a watercolor landscape print of the Angel's Landing trail. The owner is so friendly and the artisans she supports are so talented.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

extremely friendly, the atmosphere was casual and fun with a huge outdoor covered patio.

ZION NATIONAL PARK The Narrows is one of the most unique hikes I have ever done, simply because it seemed like something that should have been secret and only locals know about how to get there, but it is quite the opposite! The Zion Outfitter is located at the park entrance, an outdoor sports & apparel shop. The outfitter offers rentals of dry suits, boots, and walking sticks specifically for those hiking The Narrows.

Day 2 Hike: The Narrows - begins at shuttle stop #8 for the Temple of Sinawava. Suited up in waterproof pants and boots, you start with a 1 mile walk to the beginning of the Virgin River. Here is where you commit to getting at least hip dip for a couple hours to experience hiking in the and the water can be ice cold depending on the time of year. We were there is November, but I was told if you're visiting in late spring or summer, you could get away without the dry pants.

One benefit to The Narrows, is that you can choose to explore for however long you want to.

We winded around in the river until there was a "fork in the road" as we were told by friends that is a good point to turn around and feel accomplished. If you're looking at Google Maps for this "fork" look for Orderville Gulch. We decided to keep walking down the right fork to a point were the water level was super low and we were walking on rocks! The left side of the fork is definitely deeper. One way to this point is about 2.6 miles. Be aware that walking with heavy dry pants and boots through water makes this even more tiresome than 2.6 on a dry trail would, as there's a lot more drag! We made sure to stop and eat lunch in Mystery Canyon where there were plenty of rocks to break on. Pack a lot of water so that you are prepared! Photos cannot even do this canyon justice, so you'll just have to see it for yourself!

Side note: The one mile back to the shuttle bus in your wet, cold, and heavy attire is not very fun so just mentally be prepared for that! But the moment you strip out of your boots, pants, and socks is an immediate relief and makes you realize the rentals were worth it.

The Narrows is incredible and a must experience for sure. If you can, arrive very early in the morning to ensure you are sharing the beauty with less people. If you're contemplating renting the gear, absolutely do it. The river has a very rocky bottom, the current can be strong, and it is SO NICE coming out dry when you take everything off!

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

narrowest section of Zion Canyon. The walls on either side of you are a thousand feet tall

PAGE, AZ Page is a small town in Northern Arizona on the southern shores of Lake Powell, near the Glen Canyon Dam. To Arizonians, it is a great place to boat in the summer and partake in many types of nature activities all year long. For this trip, it was a perfect spot to stop along our road trip between Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.

Lake Powell Paddleboards and Kayaks : Since we went during COVID, the Navajo Indian Reservation had shut down Upper Antelope Canyon tours for safety reasons. This was a bummer to us until we discovered Lake Powell Paddleboards and Kayaks! We kayaked 3 miles into the canyon from the Antelope Point Launch Ramp to a point where Lower Antelope Canyon begins. This section of Antelope

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Canyon is not a part of the Indian Reservation, so we were safe to explore it! You can get out of your kayak at the end of the 3 miles where the water disappears and it becomes a sandy path to walk through. The walls get narrower and narrower and you can see the curvature in the rock form more and more wild waves as you keep going deeper. It was so incredibly beautiful, I have yet to kayak somewhere else with a better reward!

PAGE, AZ Horseshoe Bend The morning of day two in Page we woke up before sunrise and went to Horseshoe Bend. This natural bend in the river is located about 10 minutes south of the main streets of town. There is a $10 parking fee to enter, and the America the Beautiful pass does not cover this. Horseshoe Bend is definitely worth checking out, especially at either sunrise or sunset. The colors bouncing off the rocks at these times just hit different, it is spectacular! From the parking lot it is a short walk, we did not even wear hiking clothes or shoes. Definitely take some photos and find a seat to sit and enjoy the views!

Lake Powell

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

In the summer, look into renting or bringing your boat, jet ski, kayaks, paddle boards, etc to Lake Powell. It is a huge lake to spread out and a popular location for renting a pontoon boat with friends for the day or a house boat for a weekend to remember!

Glen Canyon Dam Driving over the bridge into Page from the north is very impressive and I highly recommend. Until you do this, you cannot fully comprehend the height of those canyon walls, I am still not so sure I fully comprehend and I did drive over it!

Antelope Canyon There are organized tours through the Navajo Nation that take you into Antelope Canyon. The photos of this experience look incredible, and I am sure in person it is even better! I have been told tours are always busy and you will be there soaking it all in with plenty of others around you. Regardless, it is highly ranked and worth doing, especially for those who don't want to kayak or hike to get there!

State 48 Tavern We ate dinner and had drinks at the Tavern in town. We sat at the bar and enjoyed conversation with the bar tenders. Food was great, drinks were quality. Be sure to ask for the cuban sliders!

LP Espresso We got coffee and breakfast at this quaint shop located in downtown Page. It was a huge cup of coffee, which was perfect waking up before sunrise. We ordered the quiche of the day and a pastry, both were delicious.

FLAGSTAFF, AZ A city in northern Arizona, Flagstaff is surrounded by mountains, desert and ponderosa pine forests. Flagstaff is home to Arizona’s tallest mountain and Snowbowl. Many Arizonians flock to Flagstaff in the fall in order to see leaves changing colors - the aspens turn bright yellow here! Arizonians also love Flagstaff for the escape from the heat, being at a much higher elevation than the Phoenix metro.

Day one of being in Flagstaff we chose to relax, rest our legs, and enjoy the town. We stopped in many of the local shops, brewery hopped, and ate lots of good food. Flagstaff is known for having a lot of local breweries, so we wanted to really test those out.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Our brewery hop included: Beaver Street Brewery - casual pub feel inside and a great outdoor patio with brick pavers, string lights, and potted plants. The beer here was solid, nothing stood out to us, but there's a great variety for all beer drinkers. The brick oven pizza here was actually what stood out, so if you're looking for lunch at a brewery this would be a great option.

Hops on Birch - definitely the local drinking hole. We loved sitting at the bar and talking to some folks. The saloon offers a huge selection of taps, most were local to Arizona and the western US states. I had one of my favorite IPAs ever here, but cannot for the life of me remember the name of it!

Dark Skye Brewing Co. - this was definitely our favorite brewery in Flagstaff. If you only have time to pick one, Dark Skye is the easy answer. We got flights because the selection was so unique, we could not decide on just one. The brewery itself is industrial and hip, you cannot go wrong sitting inside or outside, which for me to say that means something!

The brewery collaborates with Pizzicletta, so you can order their pizza while drinking at Dark Skye! The porter stood out and the sour was even one notch above that!

Historic Brewing Barrel & Bottle House - this brewery is across the train tracks, south of Rt 66. An old brick building houses some awesome beers - we were impressed with the selection here! It can get crowded, but there are a lot of seats inside! I tried one of the locals favorites, a blueberry cider - it was sweet but very good!

Drinking Horn Mead Hall - a unique experience for sure. Mead is fermented honey, therefore can be very sweet. This Mead Hall does a good job at having some options that are crisper and light as well. You can order in sample size glasses, which is what I suggest, especially for a first timer.

FLAGSTAFF, AZ Dinner: MartAnne's - with a funky Dia de los Muertos atmosphere you will not forget, this mexican fare is very tasty, and the restaurant is always crowded due to its size - but I promise the food is worth it! Try the enchiladas and chilaquiles, in general you cannot go wrong with green chile sauce. I have also heard their breakfast is awesome if you're interested in a big meal one morning.

Karma Sushi - awesome spot right on the main street of downtown. They offer a ton of sushi rolls and specialty options worth trying - every roll we shared was so delicious!

Coffee: Macy's European Cafe - by far one of the best coffee shops I have ever been to. Prior to COVID they had great indoor seating, but since then, have converted to a walk up window

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

only. You cannot miss them, since every morning a line forms along the sidewalk as people flock for a cup of their coffee. The cappuccino is no joke one of the best I've ever had! Also don't forget about their pastries - they're made in house and always amazing.

Firecreek Coffee Company - another solid coffee shop in town, we really enjoyed our breakfast plate here - it was fresh, healthy, quality ingredients. My only complaint about this shop is that they only serve coffee in traditional small sizes and the price was $$$.

GRAND CANYON NP Grand Canyon National Park, located in northern Arizona, is named one of the seven natural wonders of the world! The Grand Canyon is one mile deep and up to 18 miles wide - the crazy thing about that is when standing on the South Rim, you see the North Rim and feel like it is close, but in reality it is not at all!

When visiting the Grand Canyon, we drove from Flagstaff, AZ, which is about an hour and a half drive to the South Rim Visitor Center. On our way in we actually saw an elk crossing the road! There are tons of parking lots at the visitor center, we have never had an issue with finding a space. The viewpoints right at the South Rim are incredible - I highly suggest walking the paved trail along the rim to either South Kaibab or Bright Angel trailheads. We chose to hike South Kaibab, which if you're facing the Rim, is to the right.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

The South Kaibab Trail starts off as many switchbacks down to the Ooh Aah Point - a popular location to stop and take some photos. From here we continued down to Cedar Ridge - a flat break in the canyon where you can stop for a snack, restroom, and/or water break. From here we continued down to Skeleton Point, our final destination. This is a great stopping point for a day trip. Any farther, and I would suggest planning to camp at the Colorado River for the night or if you want to do it in one day, start bright and early and pack accordingly with plenty of food and water. The Grand Canyon actually gets much hotter as you go down and a lot of people do not plan for that, which could be very dangerous! We ate lunch at Skeleton Point, admired views of the Colorado River below, and then started trekking back up to the trailhead.

Tip: When completing the trail, you do not have to walk back along the paved path if you do not want to. The NP Shuttle service runs often and is free - it will pick you up and bring you back to the visitor center! That was a life saver for us, as our legs were shot from running back up!

SEDONA, AZ A vibrant community in the middle of Arizona, surrounded by red rock and pine forests. Sedona is considered one of the most beautiful destinations, and a must visit for anyone traveling to Arizona. The mild climate, nature, and arts scene, make it a desirable destination.

Living in Arizona now, we have explored a lot of Sedona and will continue to find more hidden gems each time we go back! For now I am going to summarize the one day we spent there on our road trip.

HIKING TRAILS:

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

1) Birthing Cave This 2 mile out and back trail is located off the popular mountain biking trail, Long Canyon Trailhead. The path is a little tricky to follow, as it is not marked, so I highly suggest downloading the AllTrails map for this one! The trail is easy until you get up to the cave, then it can be quite steep trying to climb in! The cave is a large, but shallow cave carved into the cliff. Bring a wide angle lens for your camera if you have one - the iPhone could not capture a complete photo of what you are sitting in. The views are stunning, and what makes it even more special is that you tend to be enjoying them alone, as this trail is not super crowded compared to the rest in Sedona!

SEDONA, AZ Cathedral Rock A short 1.2 mile out and back trail in Sedona, AZ. This is a very special hike, I tend to always take friends here when they come in for a weekend to visit. The hike is challenging at certain spots, but the reward at the top is incredible, making the scramble well worth it!

You can wear sneakers, but I like hiking shoes for the better grip on the rocks. There are multiple points where you are crawling up the crack, so when coming back down I rely on my

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

shoes a lot!

When you get to the top there's a great spot to stand out on the edge and get someone to take your photo from a far, giving the illusion that you're standing on a ledge close to a drop off. I also suggest veering to the left when you get to the end of the trail. There's a short climb up to another neat location with another cool lookout, usually one you can admire without others around!

Be aware that parking is limited for this trail. Arrive early in the morning if you want a chance at getting a spot. In the afternoon I have seen park rangers blocking off the road and not allowing access to the tail, so they are not messing around! It is located in a residential area, so over the years, more and more parking along the side of the road has been restricted.

PHOENIX, AZ The Valley of the Sun, known for desert landscape, hot summers, and being a bustling metropolitan area surrounded by cacti.

Living in Phoenix now, has made it very difficult to summarize everything there is to do here into just one or two pages, so for now I am going to give a quick snapshot based on what we did as tourists when we were here on our road trip!

We spent a lot of time relaxing at the pool, playing pickle ball, and exploring the area. Our hotel was located in Desert Ridge, North Scottsdale. This area is located about 25 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale. We spent each evening driving into Old Town for quality dinner and drinks. The restuarants we went to were all amazing, and I would reccomend each and every one of them! If there is one thing we learned while being in the Phoenix metro, it is that

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

there is not a shortage of great food!

Dinner: Diego Pops - lively atmosphere, always crowded, but great food and drinks! If you're looking for a date night, bachelorette dinner location, or just a friends night out, this is the spot. Located in the heart of Old Town, come during Happy Hour for elevated tacos and margaritas!

Rehab Burger Therapy - funky burgers in a funky environment. The restaurant has a great outdoor patio decorated with an island theme. The menu is huge, and the burger options are very unique, for example, a PBJ burger!

Breweries: Goldwater Brewing Co. - one of our favorite breweries, even to this day as locals! The environment is awesome, the brewers are so friendly, and the beers are great! They have a prickly pear lager that is bright pink, I highly suggest trying.

They also created a beer for the Phoenix Suns this past year when they made it to the NBA Finals!

Fate Brewing Company - just south of Old Town Scottsdale, this brewery definitely acts more like a restaurant / brew pub than a traditional brewery. If you're into stouts, they have a Candy Bar Milk Stout that is definitely worth checking out!

PHOENIX, AZ As I said prior, I am only highlighting places we ate at and things we did on this trip, since I live here now. I love to talk about food, so here's more you must try when visiting Phoenix!

Coffee: Berdenas - in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, a small coffee shop offering quality lattes and avocado toast! Try their honey lavender latte with oat milk, that is one of their specialties!

King Coffee Roastery - one of my favorite little shops in town, King Coffee has two locations - one in Tempe by the University and one in North Phoenix, which was up by

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

our hotel. The coffee is great and the selection is abundant!

Snacks: In-and-Out - if you're new to the west coast, be sure to check out In-and-Out, as it is a staple late night snack or even Saturday lunch!

The Original Rainbow Donut - located on Cave Creek Rd, this no frills donut shop serves up a ton of old fashioned varieties - perfect for a quick grab and go breakfast Dutch Bros. - another west coast staple for coffee, I like to call it the Dunkin Donuts of the west coast, but with extra friendly staff! Ask them to make you anything, their menu is limitless, not just what they have printed on the screens at the drive thru!

PHOENIX, AZ Other than relaxing at the pool and eating a lot of delicious foods, we did a little shopping and we went to the lake for a day.

Shopping in Old Town Scottsdale is fun, there are a ton of local boutiques and funky stores for souvenirs and browsing. We went on a hunt for a T-shirt and landscape print to bring back home. One store I want to highlight is Alixandra Blue - if you are a female and like "athlesiure" wear then you need to enter this storefront! They have so many great quality finds. The employees are always friendly and willing to help make suggestions. I have been a couple times since moving and always leave with something!

Bartlett Lake

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Located in the Tonto National Forest, this lake was about an hour drive from the Desert Ridge area, but would be about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the heart of Tempe, AZ. This lake is a great location for fishing, boating, swimming in the summer, and camping in the fall and winter months. Barlett is long and narrow, offering sandy beaches on one side, a surrounding landscape of saguaros, and even wildflowers during the right season. It is such a beautiful area, I highly suggesting visiting at least one of the many lakes in the Phoenix area for a day of relaxing and enjoying the nature Arizona has to offer!

CLOSING REMARKS The Southwest USA is probably my favorite part of the United States. I cannot get enough of

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

the red rocks, warm weather, and incredible parks and monuments located here.

Our Honeymoon Road Trip ended up being more than we could have ever asked for. We loved how many incredible places we were able to check out in two weeks. It was a trip we will never forget! My favorite National Park on this trip was by far Zion. It is so incredible there, and really the entire experience was wonderful from the hiking, to the eating, to the lodging. I do not think I could ever get tired of visiting that NP. Our favorite destination was probably Page, AZ simply because we did not expect it to be as much fun as it was there! With low expectations we ended up sharing some of our favorite memories together in Page.

If there is anything to take away from One Backpack Traveler, it would be that the Southwest USA is such a unique and special part of this country. You cannot go wrong exploring, and what I really loved about it was that we experienced multiple styles of vacationing in one trip! Newport Beach offered a high end, relaxing getaway, Vegas, NV was high energy and nightlife oriented, and Flagstaff, AZ was chill, low-key and close to tons of nature activities.

This guide is huge, and probably will be one of my largest guides ever. Some of the locations will require its own flipbook, now that I am a local to Arizona. More to come on those! If you're interested in visiting the Southwest states and feel like there's something I missed, please let me know. I am always looking to add and adjust so that everyone can Travel Like a Local.

Cheers,

One Backpack Traveler

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.