Andy and I were lucky enough to spend this past weekend in hot hot Arizona. It was the perfect escape from the polar vortex of Chicago. This is our second vacation together, and luckily we both have the same idea of what a vacation should be: lots of doing, but still enough time to hang by the pool!
There is this app called ‘Best Road Trip Ever’ where you can enter in your location and find cool local attractions, historic places, and restaurants! We found these abandoned domes of Casa Grande from there, pretty cool but also look like they could be featured in a scene on Breaking Bad.
The weather was gorgeous the whole time we were in Arizona, 70’s and sunny. We went around and saw downtown Scottsdale, which was full of cute shops and lots of free samples (my fav)! If you’re ever in the area, make sure you check out retro ice cream shoppe called The Sugar Bowl. Of course we had to stop in and share a scoop of caramel praline ice cream and a black coffee. The sugar from the ice cream makes the coffee taste fantastic.
After we strolled through downtown, we went to a place called ‘Hole in the Rock’. It was a short climb to the top (which I did in sandals, poor shoe choice on my end). When we reached the top there was a fantastic view of Phoenix perfectly framed by the rock!
Next stop: Tempe. Tempe is the home of Arizona State University. It was a pretty cute college town, the streets were lined with bars and small shops. Andy and I stopped in and had a beer at World of Beers (how could we not). They had so many beers on tap, and even more in bottles, needless to say, it was fantastic.
(this is half of the bottled beer selection)
The next day we spent climbing 3,670 ft to the summit of Picacho Peak. It took about 2 hours, and a lot of heavy breathing to reach the top, but it was worth it. The view was perfect without a cloud in the sky. Andy and I always like to do something active on vacation (last time we did a kayak tour of the black waters in Charleston, SC). Going to state parks is the perfect inexpensive way to spend the day in another city. 
Last stop: CASINO! I just turned 21, so this was my first time trying my luck. And I came out winning $75! Not too shabby for only playing penny slots, maybe it was beginners luck. This pic was before my big win.
Now it’s time to go back to the windy city. Goodbye sunshine, tank tops, and bare feet. At least I have my sunburn to keep me warm.
Yours Truly -- 