Relax, Rekindle and Rock’n Roll in Arizona

“I’ll be out front with the car running” — to some, that might sound like the final instructions of a get-away driver to a burglar.  In reality, however, it was the final instruction from my husband on picking me up at work, to race to the airport to catch our plane.  With all the precision of a well organized heist, we were off to begin our kid-less, long weekend get-away. 

We have always stated that a vacation begins when the car leaves the driveway.  So if you get snarled in traffic, or flights are delayed, or you realize you left your credit card at the restaurant where you took grandma to lunch while going over the pages of babysitting instructions, remind yourself that you are on vacation and remain calm.

We were off to Phoenix for my husband to run in the P.F. Chang’s, Rock ‘n Roll Arizona. Part of the Rock ‘n Roll running series, this race serves as a qualifier for other marathons, including Boston.  Since neither of us had ever been to Arizona, let alone Phoenix, and the race took place over a long holiday weekend, it was the perfect opportunity to relax, rekindle and rock ‘n roll.

Using PlanetEye Traveler – Phoenix for the majority of our research, discovering the surrounding area and creating our weekend itinerary, we had very high expectations for our trip.  Heather and her wonderful city, Phoenix, did not disappoint.

On our itinerary was a trip to the Desert Botanical Garden (map). The Garden offers over 50,000 arid-land plants from deserts of the world.  We anticipated spending about an hour here, because after all, if you see one cactus you have seen them all, right?  Wrong!

Divided into five themed trails or areas such as desert living, desert wildflowers, and conservation, we found the gardens to be very interesting and enjoyable and a great exposure to the Sonora Desert. It was only after several hours of hiking, and when my stomach began growling like an approaching  javelina, that we departed.

Be sure to save time for the gift shop if you need to bring home some unique souvenirs.  The quality of the merchandise and the prices here were the best.  My favorite was an ornament made from cactus wood.

The Desert Botanical Garden is located within the urban Papago Park , which offers hiking trails, picnic spots and is also home to The Phoenix Zoo. We made a note to ourselves that this would be a great spot to return on a family vacation.

Mill Avenue District (map),  a historic downtown section of  Tempe, was our next stop.   This lively area offers unique shopping, dining and drinking establishments,  just blocks from the campus of Arizona State University.  Being located near the campus definitely added to the edgy feel of this area, with a mix of familiar chains and local spots like Cactus Sports, Hippie Gypsy, and Sucker Punch Sally’s.

The patio of  The Tavern on Mill was the site of a late afternoon lunch and we enjoy grilled steak and grilled fish tacos.  This is one of the only establishments to offer Sunday breakfast buffet and create your own Bloody Mary bar.  Our waiter advised that they are always quite busy, especially during football season.

If you had asked me before this trip, what Phoenix landmark has been visited by every U.S. President since Herbert Hoover, I wouldn’t have known.  If you had given me the hint that Carol Lombard and Clark Gable, Ronald and Nancy Reagan had honeymooned here, still nothing.  Even telling me that Irving Berlin had written many songs while basking poolside, including “White Christmas”, I still would not have guessed the Arizona Biltmore (map).

Celebrating it’s 8oth anniversary, this Frank Lloyd Wright influenced hotel was originally built by Chicago chewing gum magnate, William Wrigley. Strolling around the grounds and through the lobby, the Wright influence is obvious, and there is a dark and dramatic atmosphere, described on their official website as an “undeniable mystique”.

Although a much anticipated day trip to Sedona, including a Red Rock/Pink Jeep Tour had to be cut short due to a mix of rain and snow, there is always the next vacation.  Looking back on it now, perhaps we were thieves.  We had, after all, stolen away for a perfect weekend in Phoenix.

Photo Selection:  J Ingersoll