Travel Guide: Arizona

I just got back from Arizona late this week and it was so much fun! I had never been to Arizona so it was really special to be able to see a totally different landscape than what I'm used to. Since I had been to LA, I thought it might be somewhat similar since they're not too far away, but Scottsdale was unlike anything I've ever seen before. If you have never been, I definitely recommend visiting. I only wish we had more time to spend there because I would have liked to explore more! 

We flew into Phoenix airport and stayed with friends in Old Town Scottsdale. On our first day, we got there in the later afternoon and walked around Fashion Square and had lunch at Sauce. It was a really cute Italian place with pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. 

After we shopped around a bit (I finally bit the bullet and bought this) we went to the grocery store to stock up on bubbly and things for snacks to munch on as we got ready! We then headed back to the apartment and got ready for dinner. We were exhausted from traveling but very excited for our dinner at SumoMaya, which is what you see pictured above. If you are in Scottsdale, I definitely recommend this restaurant because all of the food was fantastic and the atmosphere was so much fun. It was very hip and trendy with a DJ booth as soon as you walked in. In the middle of the restaurant, there is a huge, life-size tree, and the entire restaurant is lit up like you are in a club. It specializes in Asian-Mexican fusion so you could get tacos and pad thai all in one sitting! 

The next day, we went to Canyon Creek Ranch. It's about an hour and a half outside of Scottsdale and we had the most perfect day for a visit because it was warm and beautifully sunny! This is exactly what I pictured Arizona to be like in my head. Sprawling acres of mountains and cacti, beautiful browns, greens, and blues, and a strong Southwestern theme. 

When I had looked up the ranch online, I thought it might be really cheesy. However, this place was incredible and not at all cheesy. It has the best reviews/ratings of any experience like this online, so I guess I set my expectations lower than I should have. If you only have time to do one thing while you are there, do this!!!

We started off by going horseback riding through the ranch's property. Our guide Jamie was so great and lots of fun. He was full of knowledge, so it was great getting to learn some fun facts about the desert. My horse was Gizmo and she was so good! We rode for about an hour and a half and then headed to the little Western town area. 

If you have ever seen West World on HBO, this is exactly what it looked like! I actually asked if they used this for movie sets because it was so 'real' feeling and they said many times! While we were in the town, we had drinks at the saloon, we played lots of games like tomahawk throwing, lassoing, and more. 

In total, I think we spent about 6 or 7 hours at the ranch. We headed back to where the car was parked in an awesome open-air Jeep just as the sun was setting. It was pretty incredible.  

On New Year's eve, we woke up and headed to brunch at El Chorro. The only way I can describe it is that it is an Instagrammer's dream. Every single inch of El Chorro is picture perfect. It was so incredible to be able to eat outside on December 31st... something definitely not possible in Pittsburgh, that's for sure!  

The food was beyond incredible. Every single person loved what they ordered. I shared the banana Nutella pancakes and the Candied Bacon BLT. And we also got the truffle fries to share. Probably one of the best brunches I have ever had. 

Steelers Shep Shirt// Best Leggings Ever

Sneakers (on sale here but limited sizes)// Sunglasses 

The entire grounds of El Chorro really look like something out of a Nancy Meyer's movie. Everything is situated outside in a huge patio area with fireplaces everywhere. There are heaters and blankets, too, to keep you warm if need be! 

There are so many fresh citrus trees everywhere, so we got some lemons, grapefruits, and oranges and made fresh spa water. It was incredible. I ended up eating a freshly picked orange and it was the best thing I have ever tasted. Wow... in my future backyard, need to plant some citrus trees.

White Tank// J. McLaughlin Feather Skirt (Similar)

Cashmere Wrap// Emy Mack Shoes 

Earrings

We celebrated New Year's by all hanging out and cooking dinner together and then we headed to a nearby bar for midnight. It was weird being two hours behind east coast time. I was getting Happy New Year's texts at 10pm... so we celebrated twice! I wore this outfit- most of the items are old, but I've linked similar pieces. 

The next day, we all were exhausted (we were joking that we're 'too old for this' hahah!!) and so we just hung out and watched the bowl games and had deliciously fresh acai bowls. We went to bed super early because my flight was at 7am the following morning. I didn't make it home until 6:30pm in Pittsburgh so it was a longggggg travel day. I was SO happy to be home and be reunited with sweet Henry who had been staying with my parents- he and Mac are now BFF's!

All-in-all, it was a great way to end 2017 and kick off 2018! If you have never been to Arizona, I definitely recommend it! I hope to be back again soon!