For my husband’s birthday last year I surprised him with a trip to Arizona. We hadn’t planned on taking a trip but at the last minute I decided we in fact were going somewhere. I planned this trip in about 6 days, call me crazy.

Call me crazier because I did it solo since I wanted it all to be a complete surprise.. and I managed to pull off the best trip we have taken in a while.

Most of the time we opt for beaches when picking a destination but after our trip overseas we both agreed that travel had way more beauty to it than seeing sand. With that in mind we headed for the mountains and I planned this trip with nature in mind.

I was able to keep him surprised, yet prepared by putting together a very vague trip itinerary. It told him a little bit about what we were going to be doing and the weather for the week so appropriate clothes could be packed.

I also held off on giving him this info until the day before we left so I wouldn’t have to fend off questions for too many days.

Each day we were on the trip he got to open an envelope that had the plans ahead for the day.

Let’s Chat

I will always – always – always recommend picking a hotel based on it’s proximity to things you plan to do during your trip. The McCormick Scottsdale was the perfect spot for us. It was 20 minutes from the airport and about an hour away from the furthest thing we had planned. The hour drive hasn’t a huge deal-breaker because we only had to make it once, and for this trip I knew we would have our own car. I calculated the price of ubers vs renting and the rental car won by a landslide. Plus it gave us complete flexibility with our days.

This hotel was also the winner because of its offered amenities. The room I chose was waterfront and overlooked the Camelback Mountains. The McCormick boasts to be the only lakeside resort in Scottsdale. They have their own private beach for guests to enjoy and offer canoes, kayaks, fishing gear, and bikes for guests during their stay.  My husband is an avid golfer and this property ultimately sold me because it markets itself as a resort that is located on a 480 acre golf course within the McCormick Ranch Golf Club.

It was minutes away from downtown Scottsdale which had tons of shops and restaurants. While the McCormick does have 3 restaurants of its own, we didn’t eat at them so I can’t vouch for the taste. But knowing they were there was a plus. We went in December and the property was decorated for Christmas.

On a whim we grabbed a pizza to take back to the room. BEST DECISION EVER.

The Mama Spinato’s Signature was delicious. There was something about the quality of these ingredients that made all the difference. Everything was fresh and real and you could tell it was made in house. The price reflects the product, and is absolutely worth it. Give them a try if you’re in the area- they have multiple locations across Arizona.

Spinato’s was the best thing I ate, but the Best Thing I Drank came from a speakeasy called 36 Below.

When you walk in the building you step into a cute coffee shop that also sells beer! It’s themed like an auto garage.

But when you take the stairs down to the lower level it is an intimate cocktail lounge. Reservations are required because the room only holds about 20-25 people.

You do pay to secure your reservation ($25 pp) but the cost goes towards your tab. Drinks range from about $17-$25 so the reservation cost pays itself with your first drink. 36 Below also offers small snacking plates.

The drink menu changes but when we went we tried:

Eternal Ending

Malfy Rosa Gin, St. George Spiced Pear, Lemon,Peach Alchemist, Jengibre Parajote,Pineapple Amaro, Lemon Meringue Foam

Poseidon’s Message

Matcha infused Cenote Balco, Rayu Mezcal, Pajarote Guayaba, Pineapple, Mango, Lime

Celestial Bliss

Cenote Reposado, Pajarote Ardanese, Vanilla infused Aloe, Orgeat, Trinity Citrus Blend, Tarragon

Fruit of the Vine

Kasama Rum, Campari, Beach Bar Rum, Guava, Pineapple, Elderflower, Lime

Saturday.

Here’s the thing about making plans…

Sometimes they have to change. When we landed it was raining – so the outdoor plans I had for us weren’t ideal. Instead of visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens we took the time to drive around and explore the city. drove through the mountains and looked at houses built right into the sides.

Driving around allowed us to find a hiking trail and by this time the rain had stopped so we hopped out and went up Piestewa Peak. We weren’t prepared for the summit but we did go up as far as we felt safe to get some great views.

Exploring the city also helped us get to Spinato’s and 36 Below.

Sunday.

Our day started before the sun said hello because I had a sunrise hot air balloon trip planned to launch my husbands birthday.

I booked through Rainbow Ryders and we had an amazing experience. They let you be a part of the balloon being inflated and when you land they have a champagne toast. In total we were in the air for about an hour and got to see the sun rise, float over mountains and have a one of a kind birthday morning.

We had lunch in the Kierland Commons area, which is an outdoor mall type area. It has specialty retail shops and a mix of restaurants to choose from.

We had planned on a nice restaurant for a birthday dinner but after such an early morning we called it a day and hung out at the hotel. Exploring all of the amenities it had to offer.

Monday.

We spent our last full day in Arizona on an ATV. This was one of those experiences where you didn’t realize how much danger you could have been in until you looked back on it lol.

I had a blast but there was absolutely no way I could have driven us, or rode with anyone driving *except* my husband. We were miles high in the mountains inches away from the sides. No ropes, no guides, just us and adventure. This is NOT the excursion for your grandma but if you’re the adventurous type I would highly recommend it. We even got to see wild horses and cattle running through the Sonoran Desert.

Long story short, if you like a little thrill and don’t have a fear of heights or rough rides, go for it.

Going back to that unguided part…. We got a little lost, but someone found us before we had been lost long enough to panic. The guy who found us seemed more scared we were lost than we were, ha. Apparently, if you ride the trails long enough you can end up in Mexico! who knew lol. We made it out safely and had a great time but as we looked back at videos and realized what we had done it was shocking to think…. wow I did that.

I would stay for longer. I think that’s always my answer. It seemed like there was so much more I could have done and seen.

I’m such a big planner/researcher that I always find more than I’m able to accomplish and I end up leaving a trip feeling like I missed out on opportunities or experiences.

Arizona was something special. I vacation frequently and I have never felt like I could live in a place I was visiting, but I could see myself calling Arizona home.