What a Butte

We were amazed by the stunning beauty all around us as we drove into Sedona. The 360º views of the red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls, and pine forests surround this charming, artsy and spiritual town. We had brunch at the Creekside Restaurant in the heart of the art district. After brunch, we walked across the street to Tlaquepaque Village, an internationally acclaimed art, culture, and specialty shopping destination. We strolled through the village admiring the art galleries and picked up a few hand-crafted souvenirs.

We visited all the famous sites in Sedona, from the beautiful red rocks and famous peaks to the Chapel of the Holy Cross built right into the mountain. We enjoyed our visit to Sedona and will never forget its natural, mystic beauty!

Mining their Own Business

The next day we took a day trip to the once-booming copper-mining town of Jerome - now known as the creepiest ghost town in Arizona. Jerome is nestled a mile up on the side of Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley with spectacular views of the Red Rocks of Sedona. Not sure about creepy, but you could definitely feel the miners’ presence with many of the buildings as they were in the early-mid 1900s. The town’s two main streets were flush with vintage and artisan shops, art galleries, and eclectic eateries. We were so excited to explore this little town; we missed the parking signs, a $25 mistake :) We ate lunch at the current hot spot in town - The Haunted Burger. Fred enjoyed a haunted mushroom burger (hold the ghost), and I had a veggie wrap - both were hauntingly delicious!

Wine Down

Our last stop on our day trip was at the Oak Creek Winery, a family-owned boutique winery in Cornville, Arizona. We shared two flights of wine, one red, one white. Our favorite was their Sangiovese, also their best-selling wine.

Enjoying our wine flights at Oak Creek Winery

Back to Tempe

We returned to Tempe for Paige’s 18th birthday 🎂. We had dinner at a funky little restaurant near her campus and had a great time celebrating our brand new adult! Where does the time go? I remember when Paige was running around in pigtails like it was yesterday, and now she is officially all grown up. We are so proud of the strong, talented, and beautiful young lady she has become; we are beyond blessed to be her parents 👨‍👩‍👧.

Fred and I decided to climb ASU’s “A” Mountain (officially named Hayden Butte) the following day. Located adjacent to the ASU campus, it is a popular hiking destination for locals and tourists alike. While it is not a long hike (1 mile to the top), is it an EXTREMELY STEEP hike. A combo of pavement, dirt, rock, and stairs, this short but rigorous hike will get your heart rate going for sure! We were rewarded at the top with panoramic views of Tempe, ASU, and the surrounding areas. While biking back to our coach, we endured not just one but two impressive rain downpours (aka monsoons). It was a warm rain and actually felt refreshing after our sprint hike up that mountain!

next stop:

Parker, Arizona

Sedona, AZ [and Tempe]

next stop:

Playing in Parker

Speak of the [Sun] Devil