For my 30th birthday, I headed to Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona where Alex and I met up with two other couples who are long-time besties of mine. The trip started out with missed flights and added stress that we were hoping would not set the tone for the entirety of the trip, and good news - it didn't!
We'd gone to the Scottsdale and Phoenix area one other time about a year prior for the vow renewal of our dear friends Nikki and Brandon, who just so happened to join us on this trip, too. They may just be the reason we love the area and the desert landscape.
We stayed at an AirBNB relatively close to Old Town Scottsdale in Tempe, AZ. The house we chose was so charming, was centrally located, had plenty of space, was beautifully decorated, had lots of amenities, and was altogether perfect. I'd book here again! I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but there was also a hot tub and a putting green in the backyard. The kitchen had plenty of glassware, and there were three other bedrooms that I didn't take pictures of.
Day 1
Hash Kitchen is an entire brunch experience, often complete with a DJ spinning tunes while you eat, and is home of the original build your own bloody mary bar. I highly recommend an order of the Billionaire’s bacon. Their mimosa flights are always fun to order, especially since you can add a cotton candy glitter bomb for an extra cost (worth it). When I was there last April, I also ordered a cereal shot flight, which was so much fun. I definitely shared them though! A visit to Hash Kitchen is a must if you’re a big fan of brunch. If you’re there on a weekend, be prepared to wait a while for your table, but you can head into the bar and order a drink to enjoy while you wait.
Hash Kitchen has several different locations, but the one closest to the airport is located at 4315 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018.
For our first night there, I made a reservation at SkyTop, an outdoor cocktail lounge at ADERO Scottsdale Resort, around the time the sun would be setting. I absolutely loved our time here—the drinks were amazing, and the views were even better. Most of all, I finally got to catch up with friends I’d been dying to hang out with in person with craft cocktails and small bites, a lot of my favorite things in one experience. Eventually, a DJ came out, too, and played some pretty great music. I think I tried three of the cocktails, and every single one of them was delicious, but I especially loved the Lunar Eclipse. Their cocktails are cleverly named with all things relating to the sky, i.e., “Desert Sky,” “Moon Dust,” and “The Milky Way,” just to name a few others.
SkyTop is currently closed but will be reopening on October 6, 2022 with a new gastropub-style menu. Their typical hours are Friday & Saturday from 6 PM - 10 PM. Their Instagram feed is really beautiful, so I’ve linked their Insta below, too.
SkyTop at ADERO is located at 13225 N Eagle Ridge Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85268.
After our visit to SkyTop, we headed over to Beverly on Main, another upscale, classy AF cocktail lounge considered “Scottsdale’s Best Kept Secret.” We went to Beverly on Main the first time we went to Scottsdale the previous April and knew we wanted to include another visit in our itinerary. It is such a fun place with awesome service, delicious food, and exceptional cocktails. We split a few shareables, which were all so delicious. We ordered the Little Devils, Cornholio, and Truffle Fries. My favorite was by far the Cornholio. Their cocktails are all hilariously named, and you have to check out their “Classic AF Cocktails,” “Signature Cocktails,” and “Flexin’ Cocktails” menus—even if it’s just to read through all of the names. You’ll find a nod or two to Gossip Girl within these menus. I had the “Trending So Hard” and an espresso martini.
Beverly on Main is open from 4 PM - 2 AM every day, and I highly recommend making a reservation if you’re visiting on the weekend, which you can do directly from their website!
The Beverly on Main is located at 7018 E Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
Day 2
We began our second day with a very, very early wake up to head to Rainbow Ryders for a sunrise hot air balloon ride. I cannot even tell you how magical this morning was. I loved it so much that I wrote an entire blog post on this experience alone, which is linked below!
Rainbow Ryders is located at 715 E Covey Ln #100, Phoenix, AZ 85024.
After our early morning activity, we headed back to the AirBNB to get some more sleep before venturing out for the rest of the day. We had a brunch reservation at Gertrude’s--the restaurant at the Desert Botanical Garden. Out of everywhere we visited on this trip, I was least impressed with Gertrude’s. It has a lot of potential, and I definitely didn’t do a great job ordering. I would not recommend ordering the Mojave Mojito. Three of us got this, and not one of us liked it! It was overly syrupy when it had the potential to be flavorful and refreshing. I later ordered the Sangria Slush, which was good and was actually refreshing.
I don’t see what I ordered food-wise on the menu anymore, so it may have been a seasonal item. I got some kind of cold shrimp salad, and the lettuce ratio was so off. I liked the salad, but there was way too much lettuce compared to literally all of the other ingredients. Alex got the Sonoran Pulled Pork Sandwich. I had a few bites of his, and it was so much better than my salad! The Ricotta Donut Holes & Sauce were also really yummy.
I’d go back here, but I would order different menu items for sure. We sat on the patio, which was sweltering. We sat off to one side of the patio, and the fans didn’t really reach us. They also desperately need misters out here. Hopefully they’ve fixed that! You can make a reservation here on OpenTable if you wish to give it a try! It’s a cool spot aside from my comments above.
Gertrude's is located in the Desert Botanical Garden (1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008).
It was so hot, so a few people went back to the AirBNB after brunch for naps or a swim, but Darryl, Alex, and I decided to explore some of the gardens. Alex and I really enjoy visiting botanical gardens, and this one was so unique because of the desert landscape. We also just so happened to visit during their “Chihuly in the Desert” exhibit, which is unfortunately no longer up.
We had to pay a little bit more than their regular general admission due to the exhibit, but I am so glad we visited while the exhibit was running because some of my favorite pictures are because of the glass blown art found throughout. Vegetation-wise, we all really loved the Adeniums (desert roses).
I highly recommend bringing some water with you on your visit, as well as a hat and sunnies. I’d definitely wear some sunscreen and comfy walking shoes, too. My outfit was pretty perfect for the heat!
The gardens are open from 7 AM to 8 PM every day. If you’re a member, exclusive member entry only is offered at 6 AM on Sundays and Wednesdays. You can check out their website for garden closures, including holiday hours. General Admission costs $24.95-$29.95, or $14.95-$16.95 for youth 3 - 17 years old. It is free for children under 3 and for members. It is also free for active military personnel with valid government ID—general admission only.
The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008.
We went back to the AirBNB after the gardens to shower and get ready for a night out at Century Grand. We ordered pizza from Barro’s, so we could get a good base before a night of imbibing. If you’re craving pizza while you’re in Scottsdale, this is the place to get it from. It’s award winning for a reason! Shoutout to Nikki for this rec.
Our Saturday night was so much fun due to three back-to-back reservations at conceptual speakeasies in Century Grand. We started by taking a 90-minute train ride through the Colorado Rockies on a replica Pullman train, had a nautical adventure, and ended with a visit to a New Orleans apothecary-inspired cocktail bar.
Century Grand is located at 3626 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018. The following three establishments are located inside of the Century Grand building (Platform 18, UnderTow, and Grey Hen RX).
~Notes: There is no food or dining at any of the bars within this building, which is why we opted to order pizza beforehand.
You need an official government-issued ID to be let into the establishment. If you’ve got a temporary license for some reason, do not attempt to go here unless you have a Passport that you can show them because of Arizona's liquor law! It's also 21+.
All bookings for these bars are limited to 90 minutes each. You will pre-pay $23/person per reservation, which is non-refundable, but the deposits go toward your final bill.
Parties of 6 or more will be subject to 22% automatic gratuity on the final bill.
They do advise to think twice about visiting here if you are prone to seizures, claustrophobic, or sensitive to lights and noise. These are truly conceptual experiences, and as such, special effects are to be expected.~
We started at Platform 18, which was my favorite. It really felt like you were on a train traveling through the Colorado Rockies. We were seated at the bar since we had a party of 6. You will receive a small chapter book that tells a story and includes the cocktail menu. We received a small complimentary glass of champagne when we were seated as a palette cleanser.
Our bartender here was named Nicole, and she was so helpful with cocktail recommendations. This was essential since the cocktail menu includes over 45 options, which can be overwhelming, especially when you’re on a time limit.
Reservations are HIGHLY recommended as only 36 guests can be seated inside this train car.
UnderTow is the nautical adventure taking you on another 90-minute experience. You’ll really feel like you’re on Captain John Mallory’s Clipper ship. Tyler was our bartender here! The cocktail menu here changes, and you can find “menus of past” on their website. We were there during Chapter 7, and my favorite was the “Ill-Fated Souls.”
Another UnderTow location is opening on October 11, 2022 at 3150 E. Ray Road, Suite 184, Gilbert, AZ.
Last but not least was Grey Hen RX—the New Orleans apothecary-inspired bar. Being from New Orleans, this was in the running for my favorite. I really loved our bartender Freddy, our drinks were delicious, and everyone was just having a great time. Lauren and I really couldn’t decide what we wanted to order and ended up splitting a few drinks so we could try more of the cocktails, but it looks like they’ve changed this whole menu since we visited!
Day 3
We didn't plan an early morning on Sunday since we woke up so early on Saturday. My boyfriend did decide to book a tee time at TPC Scottsdale on this morning, so Darryl woke up early to drive him there. On Darryl's way back to the AirBNB, the rental van got a flat tire. He made it back safely, and we called National's Roadside Assistance number to see what we needed to do. I was SO impressed and am hesitant to ever book with another car rental company again. They sent a tow truck, they texted me a link for an uber to bring me back to the airport to get a new rental vehicle, and they let me choose whatever car I wanted that was available as a replacement (all at no extra cost to me)!
TPC Scottsdale -- I didn’t go to the golf course, so these are my boyfriend’s pictures from his morning!
We spent Sunday and a lot of Monday exploring Old Town Scottsdale because I was very interested in the Scottsdale Wine Trail. Once we got the rental car situation sorted out, Darryl, Nikki, Brandon, and I headed that way. Our first stop wad Berdena’s, where I got an amazing Lavender latte. We also met someone from Lafayette that worked there and was so kind. We had a great conversation with him. LOVED this place!
Berdena's is located at 7051 E 5th Ave., Suite I, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
We were just walking around when Nikki and I decided we really wanted to go into Rolling Rack Boutique. Some of the clothes on their rack outside the store caught our eye, and we were so glad we went in! Their clothes are so cute, the staff is so kind, and we took some of the cuuuutest pictures! Come to find out, I really love neon signs. I highly recommend stepping into this boutique. I actually bought a dress I am hoping to wear for a special occasion.
Rolling Rack Boutique is located at 7084 E 5th Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
I am not upset that we worked the Scottsdale Wine Trail into our itinerary. We didn’t need reservations at any of these places, we got to do a bunch of wine tastings, it left some room for spontaneity, and it was just an all around good time. You can download the Scottsdale Wine Trail Map from their website. At any of the participating locations, you can purchase a wine trail passport for $5 (recommend doing this). Not only is it a good travel memento, but if you have the passport, you will get $2.00 off of a wine tasting at each place, as well as a fun stamp in your passport!
Note: Aridus Wine Company doesn’t participate in the wine trail anymore from what we were told.
1. Our first stop was Salvatore Vineyards. We each did a wine tasting here, and we hung out for a bit planning out the rest of our day. Alex wasn’t with us yet since he was still playing golf, so he met up with us later in the day. Lauren had a work conference to get to and flew out on Sunday, so at first our group was Darryl, Nikki, Brandon, and me.
The tasting room for Salvatore Vineyards is located at 7064 E 5th Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
2. Next, we headed over to LDV Winery, which ended up being my favorite tasting room that we visited. No one else was in there when we first arrived, and the wonderful human working and I engaged in enticing conversation about hiking in Arizona, as well as the LDV vineyard and their grapes & wines. Not only did I find the building and interior to be super cute, but the employee there really made our experience. The wine was great, too! At LDV, I opted to do their Light Wines flight, which consisted of a 2018 Sky Island Viognier, 2015 Sky Island Grenache, and 2016 Grenache.
The tasting room for LDV Winery is located at 7134 E Stetson Dr., B110, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
3. I really loved LDV, but Merkin was. . . the most interesting? Don’t google what a merkin is, unless you really want to know; then, by all means! Our server Derek was so entertaining and fun. You could tell he really loved his job and meeting new people.
We were pretty hungry by the time we got to Merkin, so we had to get some food. The. Food. Here. Is. Wonderful. We got the Burrata, Skillet Cheese Dip, and Native Hummus. I really liked that we just ordered a few things from the Gardens section of their menu and shared. With how fresh everything was… just get some food here. Alex linked up with us while we were at Merkin Vineyards for the rest of the day!
The tasting room for Merkin Vineyards is located at 7133 E Stetson Dr., Suite 105, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
4. By the time we got to Carlson Creek, I was pretty wined out, but we still went for the experience and to check it off the list. I just had Alex pick out a glass of wine for me to have while we were here.
We’d walked by Arizona Stronghold, and it appeared to be closed for a private event, so we agreed to visit on Monday if we had time/were back in the area.
The tasting room for Carlson Creek is located at 4142 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
We finished our night out at Diego Pops, a restaurant Nikki had spoken highly of that serves tacos + tequila. We had to wait for a little while before we got a table, but I ordered a drink from the bar while we waited. The “Tropic Like Its Hot Margarita” was especially delicious. For food, we split some guacamole and ceviche, & I got an Al Pastor Taco. I didn’t have any complaints about this place. We had a great time!
Diego Pops has happy hour daily from 3 PM - 6 PM, and your dining experience will be limited to 2 hours to accommodate other visitors.
Diego Pops is located at 4338 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
Day 4
Monday morning started with brunch, too! Surprised? Me neither. We went to Old Town Scottsdale again….. can you tell how much I liked this area? Our brunch spot on this morning was Schmooze, which is considered “Scottsdale’s Best Hidden Gem.” Their patio is really cozy and welcoming, so we sat outside. I got the Chicken Focaccia Sandwich with fries and a mimosa. I also got one of their Schmooze Signature Lattes, which I highly recommend checking out if you’re a latte lover like myself. I was very happy with my choice—Tiramisu (white chocolate & vanilla syrup). This was a great first stop to fuel up for the day on both food and caffeine.
Notes: Schmooze does not take reservations, but you can book the space for private events. Monday through Friday, they are open from 7:30 AM to 3 PM, and on Saturdays and Sundays, they are open from 8 AM to 3 PM. Schmooze uses ToastTab where you order and pay from your phone, and a server will bring your order out to you.
Schmooze is located at 4222 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
We’d just eaten, but I really wanted to go to The Herb Box, even if it was just for a cocktail or two. We saw some food coming out while we were hanging around, and I definitely could have eaten here. We sat on the patio, and I enjoyed a refreshing Melon Mule.
The Herb Box is located at 7051 E 5th Ave., Suite J, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
There are a couple of really cute shops/boutiques around Old Town Scottsdale. Nikki and I popped into On Next Sunday, and I bought these cute sunnies that I now wear all the time!
On Next Sunday is located at 7051 E 5th Ave., Suite D, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
5. We passed by Arizona Stronghold, our fifth and last stop for the Scottsdale Wine Trail, and it was open! We went in and basically had the place to ourselves for a while. We had so much fun here! The wine was so good, the snacks were great, and I got a free glass of port since we chatted with the employee and told him we were celebrating my 30th birthday and were heading home the following day.
The Tasting Room does have seasonal hours, so check their website to make sure they’ll be open when you’re planning to visit. Reservations are required for 8 or more guests, and they also have a Tasting Room in Old Town Cottonwood!
The tasting room for Arizona Stronghold in Scottsdale is located at 4225 N Marshall Way, Suite #2, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
We decided to spend our last night in downtown Phoenix, and our first stop was Pigtails Downtown. Pigtails is a craft cocktail bar and a locally owned speakeasy.
You will walk into what appears to be an ordinary seafood bar, but you’ll notice a door with a neon sign above it that reads “Cocktails.” Walk through the door, and you’ll find yourself inside of a dimly lit bar. If you order any seafood from their menu, it actually comes from the seafood bar in the front! Really neat, fun spot.
Pigtails does not take reservations and accepts walk-ins only. Their hours are 4 PM - 12 AM on Mondays through Thursdays, 4 PM - 2 AM on Fridays, 2 PM - 2 AM on Saturdays, and 2 PM - 10 PM on Sundays. If you’re there from 4 PM - 6 PM on any given day, you’ll catch their happy hour, which features a few $10 drinks and some discounted food items!
Pigtails is located at 1 E Washington St., #128, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
Our next spot was Châm Pang Lanes for a drink before we headed over to Palma for our dinner reservation. I’d describe this spot as a champagne lounge and chic bowling alley. They do have cocktails, liquor, beer and wine, and they have food available. The lanes are small, and the balls and pins are miniature compared to a true bowling lane! P.S. Their cocktails are so much fun!
We loved Châm Pang Lanes so much that we went back after dinner to see if we’d be able to bowl. We got to, and we had a BLAST. This was an extremely fun way to end our trip.
They’ve only been open since March of this year, so go check ‘em out and show them some serious love! The bowling lanes are $15/person per hour, and are available on a first come, first serve basis. They also have pool tables that you can rent for $10/hour, also on a first come, first serve basis.
Châm Pang Lanes is located along Roosevelt Row in Downtown Phoenix at 903 N 2nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004.
We headed over to Palma for dinner for our 7:45 PM reservation. Palma and Châm Pang Lanes are actually sister concepts, and there’s a hallway that connects the two establishments. Palma also opened in March of this year. We sat inside, and unfortunately, their AC wasn’t working too well, but our server was cool as a cucumber and tried to make our experience as wonderful as possible despite how hot we were. Once we got some drinks and our food, we were a lot happier. I highly recommend ordering sushi here. Darryl & I split two rolls—the Lion King Maki and the Spanish Fly Maki. The Lion King Maki roll was seriously the best sushi roll I have ever, ever tried. I liked the Spanish Fly Maki roll, too, but it was a little too spicy for my taste. Other food items I tried that were super yummy included Popcorn Chicken, Thai Curry Fries (the chili mayo was *chef’s kiss*), Marinated Cucumber, and Chicken Strips. I suspect all of the food here is delicious. I know I had the Lychee Lowdown and at least one other cocktail. You’ll feel like you’re in the tropics & among the palm trees at this spot, and their drinks and decor are a reflection of that.
Palma has a lot of lounge-type seating around fire pits. If this isn’t your thing, you may want to specify you’d like an actual table when making your reservation. You can make reservations for Palma on OpenTable.
There is also a mezcal and tequila bar that opened in March along Roosevelt Row called Ghost Donkey, which is a Mexican-inspired speakeasy. We didn’t check this spot out, but you may want to if you’re visiting Châm Pang Lanes and Palma!
Palma is located at 903 N 2nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004.
Day 5
Our flights were a little bit later in the afternoon on Tuesday, so we started the day with what else? Brunch! We went to Prep & Pastry, which I swear, was the best brunch I can remember in a long, long time. I absolutely loved the interior, and my food was incredible. I got the Monte Cristo with a White Rose Latte for my morning fuel. Both were exceptional.
Nikki & I also did the Build Your Own traditional mimosas, which is a bottle of bubbles + 3 of their mimosa bases. We tried The Cure (blueberry + lemon), Prickly Pear (maya’s prickly pear tea), and Madras (mango, desert pear, + orange), if I remember correctly.
Highly, highly, highly recommend a visit to Prep & Pastry for brunch!
Prep & Pastry is located at 7025 E Via Soleri Dr., #175, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
Before Darryl, Alex, and I headed to the airport, we made one last stop at Hole-In-The-Rock at Papago Park, which is nestled in between the zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden and is only minutes from downtown. In May, it’s pretty hot already, and it’s definitely too hot to hike in the middle of the day unless you’ve got a lot of water and are doing a short hike. The Hole-In-The-Rock trail is classified as easy and is a very short 0.2 mi with only 200 feet of elevation change. The trail wraps around Hole-In-The-Rock Butte. It’s a pretty neat, unusual landscape and was worth the pit stop!
The Hole-In-The-Rock Trailhead at Papago Park is located at 625 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008.
Another fun thing you can do in Arizona is rent Polaris Slingshots to drive around town for a few hours!
Goodbye, Arizona! I miss you already.
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