State #30, it’s great to finally meet you! After having some Delta credits I needed to burn off, I decided it was time to introduce myself to somewhere new out West. I had only been to California and Nevada on that side of the country, and Arizona immediately struck my interest first. After all, there’s nothing like escaping the 40 degree Fall temperatures in Kentucky when you’ve got 80 degrees of summer still happening in AZ!!

Since I had a few other stops in Arizona during the same trip, I decided that a couple days in Phoenix would suffice. I found it very interesting how this city is split up into so many different suburbs, as each one could easily be given a full day (at the least!) to check out. We ended up hopping to as many ends as we could, all in such a short period of time!!

While Phoenix is large, and I highly recommend spending more than just 24 hours if you can, there are plenty of things that you could squeeze into just a couple days. Note that when I say ‘Phoenix,’ I mean the entire metro area….meaning it could be Scottsdale, Tempe, etc. But, nothing that would be more than 45 minutes away!

– Where to Eat –

Phoenix may not have unique types of food of its own (at least, not from what I could gather,) but there is such a huge variety of awesome restaurants to try! No matter what you’re in the mood for, there’s bound to be a place you can get it here, and it’s going to be top-notch! Here are a couple of my recommendations:

MOCHINUT

When I say that I’ve been searching for Korean corn dogs for literal years… I mean it. I have been so unlucky with find them in my travels, UNTIL coming to Phoenix! You can get them either classic corn dog-style or loaded with mozzarella, and covered in fried potatoes or hot Cheetos crust! They’re a great option if you’re looking for a cheap eat.

And while you’re at it, grab a mochi donut here too! (Yes, now the name makes more sense!) They are so fluffy, and a bit more chewy than your standard donut. You can get them in flavors like chocolate, strawberry and cookies n’ cream… They satisfied my sweet tooth perfectly!

OHSO BREWERY

We came here off of the recommendation of a local, and lemme tell you, it is charming as all heck!! It’s a popular spot to bring your pup, chill outside in the warm weather and sip on a cold brew. Speaking of brews…. theirs are amazing! They’ve got a killer brunch, too. OHSO also offers free valet parking, a good enough reason alone why you should come here!

– Attractions –

Another thing that Phoenix is wonderfully diverse in is their long list of things to do. No matter what you like, there will definitely be something that sparks your interest! Here are a few awesome places that we discovered during our weekend here:

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Y’all… This place is gorgeous. For someone who had never stepped foot in a desert (And I’m not counting the Vegas strip here,) I was completely amazed at how many different type of cacti I was able to see! And not only that, but they have some beautiful art installations as well! This garden is huge, so you could easily spend a couple hours roaming around here.

GOLDFIELD GHOST TOWN

I’m cheating a little bit here because Goldfield is just a wee bit outside of Phoenix (About 40 minutes from Chandler for us,) but it’s SO cool that I couldn’t eliminate this from my list! This charming little ‘wild west’ town has all kinds of fun things to do – A saloon, zip line, gem-mining and horseback riding to name a few!

– Drinks –

It’s hard to choose my favorites out of all the places I experienced in Phoenix, but I have to say, the bars we discovered were really awesome! You won’t just get a delicious cocktail out here, but also some incredible atmosphere.

UNDERTOW

I’ve been to a lot of Tiki bars in my life… but not one like this! For real, this is my favorite one that I’ve EVER been to. You’ve got some crazy tropical drinks, a candlelit room, but also ‘moving’ windows (to make it look like you’re actually hanging out in a ship out on sea!) and little details like the music and decor that make you feel like you’re waiting for the Pirates ride at Disneyland.

FLOOR 13 ROOFTOP BAR

It’s easy to throw a bar onto the rooftop of a skyscraper, but Floor 13 does it right! It’s a fantastic place to relax, enjoy a drink and gaze out at the view of downtown Phoenix. Whether you’re in the mood for beer, wine or a fancy cocktail, they’ll likely have it! They also serve some delicious-looking apps too, if you come hungry.

A weekend in Phoenix sure did allow us to try out a lot of different places, but I’m already itching for more! This city has so much to offer, and that’s for many different tastes. What are you most excited to check out when you visit?