Western Adventure Part Two
I recently went on my first trip out west! The highlight of the trip was hiking the Grand Canyon! You can read about that here:
After the Grand Canyon adventure, we immediately drove to Las Vegas where we had reservations at the MGM. We made a quick stop at Walmart to pick up some groceries and then arrived at the hotel. We felt very out of place pulling up to the valet in our dirty hiking clothes and backpacks! They assured us they’ve seen it all!
These accommodations were definitely a step up from The Phantom Ranch at the Grand Canyon! We checked in, showered and unpacked. The next day we slept in a little and then went to chill by one of the pools. After relaxing for a little while, we got ready and our first stop was the iconic Las Vegas sign! It’s a little ways off from the main strip so we drive to it. We were surprised to find there was a man taking peoples photos and keeping the area clear. He did this for free but accepted donations. I really liked that because I didn’t have to worry about fighting the crowd to get my picture lol! There was an organized line. We got our obligatory photo and then headed back.
We set out for the strip and the first thing we came to was the NYNY hotel and casino. We rode the roller coaster and looked around. We continued making our way down with stops at Bally’s for Twiligh
When we got to Hurricane, we had a UTV tour booked. We signed our waivers, strapped in and hit the dunes. We drove our own UTV and followed the guide through rocky hills and sand dunes. It was very fun and a little frightening! We made it back safely, and headed to our hotel. After checking in, we went to a local cafe for dinner. The staff was very friendly and the food was very good!
The next morning we headed to Zion National park. Our feet were not in the best condition so sadly we weren’t able to do the famous Angel’s Landing hike. Also, many of the trails were closed along with a road inside the park that connects you to other trails. We did a few short hikes. The park was beautiful but very crowded! Hot and tired, we retreated to our hotel. We took a quick dip in the hot tub and then picked up dinner from a pizza wagon, yes a pizza wagon ( highly recommend if you ever visit - the pizza is fresh and cooked in a wood stove) and took it to the local park to eat. The weather was wonderful!
The next morning, we began our journey back to Phoenix with a few stops along the way. Our first stop was the Instagram famous, Horseshoe Bend. It’s a landmark that you have to walk about 15 minutes along a sand path. It was also pretty crowded and you now have to pay for parking as they are putting some amenities in. I’d say it’s worth it! The view is beautiful and it makes for beautiful pictures!
Then we stopped at a Native American stand on the side of the road where my mom purchased some jewelry. We made our way to Scottsdale, just outside of Phoenix. We checked in to our final hotel and headed to Tempe for an Earth Day clean up even hosted by Square Organics. It was really fun to participate in this and meet some other people who want to take care of our earth! Then, we ventured around Old Town Scottsdale which was super cute! We ended up having ice cream for dinner and I’m not complaining!
We packed up and got ready to come home the next morning. We drove our rental car back to the airport, took the shuttle and waited for our flight. It was a pretty easy to navigate and the flight home felt quick.
However, the fun didn’t stop there.
These accommodations were definitely a step up from The Phantom Ranch at the Grand Canyon! We checked in, showered and unpacked. The next day we slept in a little and then went to chill by one of the pools. After relaxing for a little while, we got ready and our first stop was the iconic Las Vegas sign! It’s a little ways off from the main strip so we drive to it. We were surprised to find there was a man taking peoples photos and keeping the area clear. He did this for free but accepted donations. I really liked that because I didn’t have to worry about fighting the crowd to get my picture lol! There was an organized line. We got our obligatory photo and then headed back.
We left the next morning to head to Hurricane, Utah. We stopped at the Hoover Dam on the way and really wasn’t that thrilled about it.
When we got to Hurricane, we had a UTV tour booked. We signed our waivers, strapped in and hit the dunes. We drove our own UTV and followed the guide through rocky hills and sand dunes. It was very fun and a little frightening! We made it back safely, and headed to our hotel. After checking in, we went to a local cafe for dinner. The staff was very friendly and the food was very good!
The next morning we headed to Zion National park. Our feet were not in the best condition so sadly we weren’t able to do the famous Angel’s Landing hike. Also, many of the trails were closed along with a road inside the park that connects you to other trails. We did a few short hikes. The park was beautiful but very crowded! Hot and tired, we retreated to our hotel. We took a quick dip in the hot tub and then picked up dinner from a pizza wagon, yes a pizza wagon ( highly recommend if you ever visit - the pizza is fresh and cooked in a wood stove) and took it to the local park to eat. The weather was wonderful!
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| Horseshoe Bend |
The next morning, we began our journey back to Phoenix with a few stops along the way. Our first stop was the Instagram famous, Horseshoe Bend. It’s a landmark that you have to walk about 15 minutes along a sand path. It was also pretty crowded and you now have to pay for parking as they are putting some amenities in. I’d say it’s worth it! The view is beautiful and it makes for beautiful pictures!
Then we stopped at a Native American stand on the side of the road where my mom purchased some jewelry. We made our way to Scottsdale, just outside of Phoenix. We checked in to our final hotel and headed to Tempe for an Earth Day clean up even hosted by Square Organics. It was really fun to participate in this and meet some other people who want to take care of our earth! Then, we ventured around Old Town Scottsdale which was super cute! We ended up having ice cream for dinner and I’m not complaining!
I had more fun than I even expected on this adventure and I really loved Arizona! I’m already trying to decide where to go next!
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