In case you missed last week’s post, I turned 30 on May 30th (yay!). To celebrate the start of my next decade, I wanted to go somewhere I’ve never been. So I spent Memorial Day weekend in Arizona with my family.
I’m a lizard, and that’s the long and short of it.
I thrived in the dry alpine air and near-constant sunshine of the desert. Plus, the Sonoran-style Mexican food was out of this world. Arizona made me feel equally introspective and alive. It was exactly the kind of trip I needed to kick off my 30th year.
In the span of four days, we drove through drastically different ecosystems, stood in the footprints of civilizations more than 13,000 years old, and yes, even saw a scorpion.
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Transportation & Accommodation
Even with the surprising amount of Waymos in Phoenix and the free shuttles in Sedona, I doubt you can get around Arizona without a car of your own.
Public transit varies based on the city and the day-time heat will wipe you out after a few hours of walking.
I did feel safe at night, which is probably because most locals use that time to socialize without risk of heatstroke. Arizona also offers some of the best star-gazing in the country, especially near Flagstaff. So I highly suggest slotting some late nights into your plans.
We booked our primary rental in Flagstaff, in hopes for some epic stargazing. However, we all agreed that Sedona was the best place to be for exploring red rocks and hiking trails.
Depending on how you prefer to spend your trip, I think it’s best to fly into Phoenix and grab a rental car at the airport. Then book your accommodation in Sedona, which is 2 hours north of Phoenix. The drive is beautiful, and I recommend stopping at Montezuma Castle National Monument and Sunset Point for epic views during your drive. Both stops are right off Interstate 17.
On any clear night during your Sedona stay, you can drive the hour north to Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff for stargazing.
With those logistics out of the way, here’s what we got up to during our first visit to Arizona.
Phoenix & Scottsdale
Sonoran-Style Mexican Food
David and I touched down in Phoenix with one thing on our minds: Mexican food.
The Phoenix / Scottsdale metro area is just a couple hours north of the US / Mexico border, so our already-high expectations were further exceeded at Los Sombreros in Scottsdale.
We got a small table for two on the back patio, which was unexpectedly romantic. The roof is built around a giant ficus tree strung with warm lighting. It felt private, even though the restaurant sits on a main road.
All in all, this was a fantastic introduction to the American Southwest.
Cacti, Colored Lights, and Scary Frogs
Skyscraper cacti, omg
With full bellies and a slight Modelo buzz, we then explored the Desert Botanical Garden After Dark. This experience was a major highlight of the trip.
Every Spring and Summer, the botanical garden releases a new After Dark series, where you can explore the desert flora without the desert heat.
The fully paved trails total about 1.5 miles, but the park is sectioned off into several interconnected quarter-mile loops. Open until 10 pm, this is a must-see for any fellow plant lover like me.
Just stay wary of the frogs near the pond section of the gardens. We never saw them, but their constant chorus of croaks was ominous and, frankly, terrifying in the dark.
We had a good laugh.
Scorpion Sighting at Sunset Point
After the gardens, we drove back to the airport to pick up my brother before driving 2 hours north to our rental.
Along the way, we stopped at Sunset Point to stretch our legs. Here, David spotted the first and only scorpion of our trip.
Flagstaff
Eco-Diversity Out the Wazoo
Arizona is home to six different ecosystems: Desert, Grassland, Chaparral, Woodland, Forest, and Tundra.
That eco-diversity is most apparent on the drive between Phoenix and Flagstaff.
Unlike the desert and palm-treed landscape of Phoenix, Flagstaff is surrounded by mountains and ponderosa pine forests. Flagstaff is also 20 to 30 degrees cooler than Phoenix. The ecosystem varies so dramatically because driving from Phoenix to Flagstaff gains roughly 6,000 feet in elevation.
So pack layers and stay aware of warning signs for altitude sickness.
A Ghost of Route 66
Arrow lost its twin
The Flagstaff segment of our trip involved a lot of driving.
On our first full day, we drove about a half hour East to the Twin Arrows Trading Post Ruins on Historic Route 66. The original store was established in the 1940s, but declined in popularity when Interstate 40 was built. Abandoned in 1995, the Twin Arrows land is now owned by the state of Arizona, while the buildings are owned by the Hopi tribe.
Funny enough, during our visit in May 2026, one of the arrows was gone.
Apache Death Cave
The abandoned building theme continued with our next stop. The ghost town of Two Guns is just off I-40 between Flagstaff and Winslow. In addition to an abandoned gas station covered in graffiti, Two Guns is also home to the Apache Death Cave.
This cave is infamous for a 1878 legend where Navajo warriors trapped 42 Apache raiders in the cave and killed them by smoke inhalation after building a massive fire at the cave’s mouth.
In the roaring 20s, the land surround the Apache Death Cave was leased and transformed into a bustling Route 66 roadside zoo, which has since been dismantled.
The Apache Death Cave area is dilapidated with no railings or safety barriers between you and a steep fall. So proceed with caution.
True to its name, the Apache Death Cave had an eerie feel, even in broad daylight.
Along the way to our next stop, we got lunch at the only restaurant option in the sparsely-populated region: 2Bar3 Cafe and Saloon. The service was amazing, and we were clearly the only tourists for miles.
Hiking on a Lava Field
We then made our way to the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, which is a half hour northeast from the Apache Death Cave.
For just $25 per vehicle, you gain access to the entire park, as well as the Wupatki National Monument that is a 20-minute drive north from the Sunset Crater Visitor’s Center.
First, we walked the Lava Flow Trail, which is a 1-mile loop around the base of Sunset Crater Volcano. Next, the A’a Trail and Bonito Vista Trail are each less than 1 mile total. The A’a Trail takes you past jagged blocks of basaltic a’a lava, which formed during the cooling of the Bonito Lava Flow. The Bonito Vista Trail is paved but takes you through a field of cinders with views of the Bonito Lava Flow and surrounding volcanoes.
Wupatki National Monument
After stretching our legs at Sunset Crater, we headed to Wupatki National Monument. Nestled between the Painted Desert of colorful badlands and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki has a truly sacred energy.
The park’s namesake Pueblo had 104 rooms, a ball court, and a natural blowhole feature. In addition to the Wupatki Pueblo, you explore additional Pueblo structures called Wukoki, Lomaki, Nalakihu, and The Citadel.
For more than 13,000 years, the Wupatki region was home to multiple different groups. Today, these ancestral lands are culturally significant to 13 Native Tribes.
Walking around Wupatki, we were often awed to silence. In addition to the beautiful surrounding landscape, the region felt powerful.
After soaking in the beauty, we drove back to the Coconino National Forest region for the evening.
Whipped Feta, Craft Cocktails, and a Sky Full of Stars
I chose Taverna for my birthday dinner because Mediterranean food is my all-time favorite cuisine.
This place had a delicious selection of modern Mediterranean meals like shawarma pita sandwiches and whipped feta dip. We each tried a different craft cocktail and couldn’t decide which one was best.
Later, after my parents, brother, and I had succumbed to jetlag (we are young and hip), David drove to Lowell Observatory with my younger sister and her boyfriend.
Apparently the sleepyheads missed an amazing time with epic views of the constellations. The Observatory is open late for stargazing every night except Tuesday, and the trio of late-nighters swear that it is worth a visit.
Sedona
The Most Beautiful Drive of My Life
The following morning, we caravanned south to Sedona.
Those in my car went out of our way to take the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive (State Route 89A). Though just 15 miles, the route drops 4,500 feet in elevation while gracefully transitioning from alpine forests to towering walls of red rock.
The sharp switchbacks and general lack of guardrails are not for the faint of heart. However, the canyon vistas, lush hiking trails, and seasonal swimming holes are well worth the added adventure.
Iconic Sedona Hiking Trails
After the most beautiful drive of my life, we reached Sedona and immediately hopped on the trails around Bell Rock Butte and Cathedral Rock.
My brother and I could not get enough of Sedona. I can genuinely picture myself living in this area during the colder months of my retirement years. Sedona was by-far the most touristy place we explored, but for good reason. I want to go back and spend the same amount of time just in Sedona.
The city of Sedona offers a free shuttle service throughout downtown as well as out to popular trailheads. I also suggest renting bikes, which regularly outpaced us suckers sitting in cars.
Fried Chicken & Local Brews
After hiking all morning in the sun, we relaxed beneath the shaded patio at Sedona Beer Company. This place was recommended by my brother’s girlfriend, who is a professional-grade foodie.
Per her suggestion, we all got fried chicken sandwiches and that was the right call. I also tried the local Blueberry Mead, which was so refreshing after a hot day of hiking. Everyone else was raving about their local drafts.
Phoenix
We had to drive back to Phoenix that evening to drop my sister at the airport.
Our Final Sacred Stop
Between Sedona and Phoenix, we stopped at Montezuma Well for one last hike. (I just cannot get enough of walking outside).
Like so many places in Arizona, Montezuma Well sneaks up on you. At first glance, it looks like any other pond. But the more you learn about it, the stranger and more fascinating it becomes.
The Well contains more than 15 million gallons of water, despite the surrounding area receiving less than 13 inches of rainfall per year. With its unusually high levels of carbon dioxide and arsenic, no fish can survive. So five endemic species (native organisms that are restricted to one specific place) have evolved within the Well.
Montezuma Well is 20 minutes by car from Montezuma Castle National Monument, but an 11-mile trail connects the two sites.
If you’re driving between Phoenix and Sedona on Interstate 17, Montezuma is a non-negotiable stop.
Winding Down The Trip
Back in Phoenix, we gathered at a bar to watch the Cavs get swept in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals. It was a rough end to the trip for us Clevelanders. Then we all settled into our rooms at the airport hotel.
Our accommodation didn’t offer breakfast so we drove down the road to the Marriott Phoenix Resort Tempe at The Buttes. This is the place to stay near the Phoenix airport.
Notably, it’s the one of the only breakfast options in the airport area, so it was pretty busy. However, it offers both a cafe counter and a sit-down restaurant. We sipped our coffees on the outdoor patio, looking out at stunning views of the surrounding buttes.
The resort is also right next to the Los Angeles Angels spring training camp (Tempe Diablo Stadium). If your kids are anything like me and my siblings were, that would be a great vacation in and of itself.
Then we made our way to the airport, slightly sunburnt and full of joy.
Conclusion
No one on this trip had been to Arizona before. We had no expectations, but they were somehow exceeded.
Between the jaw-dropping drive through Oak Creek Canyon, the humbling stillness of sacred sites like Wupatki, and the red rock magic of Sedona, a long weekend in Arizona delivered the kind of variety that most destinations can’t pull off in twice the time.
I’m already plotting my return.
If you’re unaware of or on the fence about Arizona, consider this your sign to go ASAP. This trip was the perfect start to my next decade, and I’m so glad I got to experience it with my family.
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