Arizona
Scottsdale & Sedona
Scottsdale
Where To Stay (Scottsdale)
The Scott ♡♡: Although I have never stayed her personally (only went for apps & drinks), If I were visiting Scottsdale, I would absolutely stay at the Scott Hotel. They have an amazing pool deck where you can rent a cabana for the day, great cocktail bar & apps. Amazing decor, drinks & views. Walking distance to the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. Even if you don’t stay here, stop in for a drink or rent a cabana for the day!
Airbnb (Old Town) : We stayed in this Airbnb for my bachelorette party & was very affordable & convenient. Comfortable sleeps 10 people. Pool, hot tub & backyard are amazing for a girls/couples weekend. Just a quick Uber to downtown/Old Town Scottsdale and walking distance to a grocery story & Starbucks which is key! Easy & quick communication with the owner. Can’t recommend this Airbnb enough!
Where To Eat (Scottsdale)
Sumo Maya ♡♡ : I would say this place is a must-do while in Scottsdale (especially if you’re with a group). Mexican/Asian fusion cuisine with incredible food & fun cocktails paired with a fun/lively atmosphere. I got the “Mucho Grande Umami Martini” which was incredible & had a fun presentation. We also ordered about 10 menu items (tapas style) and all were excellent from the tacos, to fried rice & noodle dishes. Their sushi looked amazing as well however, didn’t get to try any. The space is large and would be fun for a group dinner or bachelor/bachelorette party. Highly recommend!
Olive & Ivy ♡ : Perfect restaurant for a date night or girls night. The restaurant is spacious and is great for large groups - they have private room options as well. Excellent cocktails, martinis & food. We did a lot of sharables like the bruschetta's, toasts and entrees. Food is excellent and has great lighter options (would be great for lunch) along with larger meat entrees. Location is in the heart of Old Town and is perfect if you’re heading out to the bars/clubs after dinner!
Mission : Excellent Latin-inspired restaurant in the heart of Old Town. Food, decor & atmosphere are wonderful - very charming. The restaurant also has a beautiful patio in the back. Walking distance to all of the Old Town “happenings” if you plan to go out after dinner!
Chula Seafood : If you’re looking for a quick, fresh & healthy lunch, Chula Seafood is incredible. We got Poke bowls to-go and they were phenomenal. Great local spot for takeout with very fresh seafood from San Diego daily.
Kaleidoscope ♡ : Perfect spot if you’re looking for something super healthy like smoothies, acai bowls, fresh juices, toasts & other superfoods. Kaleidoscope is the BEST. The “Perfect Meal” smoothie is delicious and will keep you fueled throughout the day. They also have incredible power balls - the almond butter balls are awesome.
Dutch Bros Coffee ♡♡ : Dutch Bros is what coffee dreams are made of. Definitely my favorite coffee of all time - their iced cold brew is unreal - very smooth, nutty with chocolate undertones. Wish there was one in Chicago!
In-and-Out: It’s probably worth noting that there are In-and-Out’s in Scottsdale if you’re craving it! I know for my Chicago & Boston peeps, you have to get it when you can while on the West Coast!
Things To Do (Scottsdale)
Samantha Sommelier (Wine Tasting) ♡♡ : We had Sam Sommelier come to our Airbnb for a wine tasting during my bachelorette party. It was honestly my absolute favorite night of my bachelorette. Recently, we did a virtual wine tasting with her in Chicago with a group of girls. I cannot recommend her enough for either in-person or virtual tastings. She has a very approachable wine tasting experience and takes out the pretentious & sales pitch aspect you often get at wineries/vineyards. She is very fun and personable throughout the experience and cannot recommend her enough! For her virtual tastings, she works with a distributer that sends you the wines ahead of time to make it easy along with suggested food pairings which is very helpful!
Hikes:
Pinnacle Peak Trail ♡ : This hike is easy & fun, perfect for all levels. Views are beautiful and a fun morning/afternoon activity. The elevation is gradual & leisurely. I would go early if it’s going to be hot out as there is no shade and to avoid the crowds. This is a heavily trafficked trail. If you do the full out & back, it is 4 miles. We just did one way, 2 miles and took us about 1-1.5 hours and got an uber from that side of the trail back to our Airbnb. Uber from downtown Scottsdale is 30 minutes/22 miles.
Camelback Mountain : This is a very hard hike from what I hear. I have not done it myself but hear its amazing & a great workout. This hike is much closer to downtown Scottsdale - about 10 minutes/3 miles.
Bars & Clubs:
The Scott ♡♡ : Definitely worth a stop in for cocktails, apps or a pool/cabana day. They have an amazing pool deck where you can rent a cabana for the day. Apps & drinks here (at Canal Club, pictured above) are awesome. Amazing decor, drinks & views. Walking distance to the heart of Old Town Scottsdale.
AZ88 ♡ : Great cocktails & ambience in the heart of Old Town. Has a very lounge-y vibe. They make a mean martini!
Maya : Day or night club. They do pool parties during the day on weekends which is supposed to be a blast. We went at night and DJ was great & danced all night.
Other Clubs: Around Maya is where all of the clubs are centered like El Hefe, Bottled Blonde etc. if you’re into that scene (off of E Indian Plaza)!
Sedona
Where To Stay (Sedona)
Airbnb (West Sedona) : We stayed at this little Airbnb in West Sedona which has all of the essentials and is very affordable. Great communication from the host and easy check in. The Airbnb is on a quiet street off of the main road in West Sedona. Incredible sunrise view from right outside the room which was a really awesome perk. Easy access to trails such as Devils Bridge, Airport Mesa and downtown Sedona. There are a few good restaurants nearby in West Sedona but there are more options in the main downtown Sedona area. The main downtown area in Sedona was very pricey however, wish we had stayed over there to be closer to the main strips. We went over Easter weekend so pricing on other hotels/Airbnbs were extremely expensive.
Where To Eat (Sedona)
Tortas De Fuego ♡♡ : I don’t think there is a better post-hike meal than an enchilada style burrito from Tortas De Fuego in West Sedona (photo above). Old school, authentic Mexican. Huge portions. Delicious food. No frills. I am not sure what they do to their burrito tortillas but they are so soft, moist and tasty. If you’re in Sedona, this is a must-try!
The Hudson ♡: Great upscale, American style restaurant with incredible views and great cocktails (restaurant pictured above). This is one of the most popular places in town to eat so book ahead (4+ weeks in advance for dinner, lunch is a bit easier)! We went for lunch and love the food, view and drinks. Their prime rib slider is an absolute must-try.
Mole ♡ : We were pleasantly surprised with how great Mole was. We went during peak season and was the only place with reservations available and ended up loving the food, decor and service. It’s off the main strips of Sedona & West Sedona so maybe why its less popular than some of the other spots in Sedona. Food was great (pictured above, creamy chicken/rice/beans).
The Vault Uptown : Lowkey bar/restaurant in the heart of Sedona. If you sit on the patio, it has great views. If you’re looking for something quick/casual like a beer and burger, or wrap, this is your spot. Food was decent and staff was very friendly.
Elote Cafe ♡♡: This is the hot spot in town and we could not get in! Reservations were completely booked 5 weeks out and they don’t take walk-ins (this was due to COVID so not sure if that will change). Everyone loves this place so book far in advance if you want dinner at Elote Cafe!
Things to Do (Sedona)
Watch the Sunset : This link has the best spots in Sedona to watch the sunset. There are several different great spots to watch and a must do while in town.
Airport Loop : There is a great spot at the end of this trail to watch the sunset. If you’re not up for hiking, you can just drive/park at the lookout point overlooking Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock & Courthouse Butte. I believe parking is $5-10 for the lookout point! Get there early to get a good spot/view of the sunset (45 min-1 hour before sunset).
Hikes:
Devils Bridge Trail : 4-6 miles depending on which trail you take. We hiked Devil’s Bridge Trail and it was fairly easy and very pretty. There is a long scenic round which is about 6 mile round trip or a more direct route (far less scenic) that is 4 miles round trip. We took the long way there and short route back (about 5 miles). There is a gorgeous lookout point at the top with great views for photos. There is a more steep climb to the top where the actual bridge is if you want to get photos on the bridge. They only let 1 person/group on the bridge at a time for solo/group shots . If you’re willing to wait 1-2 hours for the individual shot on the actual bridge, I recommend it as the shots look awesome. We weren’t willing to wait but did get some great shots close to the bridge of us that came out great. Advice: Go as early as possible if you want photos on the bridge to avoid the crowds/line to get the shots.
Cathedral Rock : 1-8 miles depending on which trail you take. We did the long, 8 mile hike, around Cathedral Rock on trails Slim Shady, Hiline & Templeton (there are shorter 1 and 6 mile options as well). It took us about 4 hours to complete the loop. Some parts of the hike were like a leisurely walk with great views and some parts of the trail, I needed my hands to help pull myself up. I would say it’s overall easy/moderate but the heat & length are also a factor, so bring plenty of snacks & water for fuel. Be careful of the bikers in some of the more steep spots - most bikers know to look but just be careful ! You can opt for the quick 1.2 mile trail directly to Cathedral Rock if you prefer that.
Drinks:
Mariposa : Mariposa is reservations only and would not let us in, however, have heard great things for sunset cocktails & apps. Beautiful restaurant and grounds with incredible views, especially for sunsets! They were at lower capacity with strict rules due to COVID - I don’t believe it is always reservation only by plan ahead!
L'Auberge : This was another highly recommended place for dinner/cocktails in Sedona however, as it is a hotel, no outside guests were allowed in their restaurant during COVID. The ambiance, cocktails and food are supposed to be incredible! So bummed we weren’t able to check out L’Auberge!
Grand Canyon & Flagstaff: A lot of people do day trips from Sedona to the Grand Canyon & Flag Staff if you’re interested! Flagstaff is less than 1 hour away and The Grand Canyon about 2 hours.
* ♡ = a favorite
♡♡ = a must do