After having a packed 24 hours in Austin, I was on the road again, this time to Scottsdale, AZ. This drive was about 14 hours so I decided to split it up in two days. After looking at a map, I decided that El Paso, TX was the place to stop for the night. While the drive was quite long, it was beautiful. Heading out of Austin and deeper into Texas, I noticed a change in scenery. The roads were long, and there were beautiful rock formations and hills in the distance. When I finally made it into El Paso, I quickly checked into my hotel room and went to bed. When I woke up I was ready for the next long drive… all the way into Phoenix.

The landscape REALLY started to change on this drive. The hills got larger and more red, and eventually they turned into gigantic mountains. I drove into New Mexico and finally into Arizona. After a few stops to take photos and grab lunch, I made it into Phoneix with about an hour to spare before I picked up my friend Patricia from the airport. We then drove into Scottsdale (which is a small part of town) and we had a light dinner at Daily Dose (http://www.dailydosegrill.com/). After dinner, we drove into Flagstaff which was about 2 hours from Phoneix. The roads winded and it was very dark, I recommend trying to make the drive while there is still light out of you decide to make that journey!

6 THINGS TO DO IN THE GRAND CANYON AREA:

1. Get a tour of Antelope Canyon – On our first full day in the Navajo area, we decided to check out Antelope Canyon. There are two types; upper and lower. We went to the lower part where you need to climb down and into the canyon (underground) to explore. You can only go with a tour and we went with Antelope Canyon Tours for $28. The tour lasted about an hour, but it was plenty of time to see the smooth and tall formation that is Antelope Canyon. Trekking through red sand and watching the light pour into the canyon from underground was unlike anything I had ever seen. The rocks were smooth and the tour guides pointed out the formations they made (such as the Indian Chief). I highly recommend checking out this canyon, located about 2 hours north of Flagstaff.
2. Visit Horeshoe Bend and have lunch – After Patricia and I checked out Antelope Canyon, we decided to hit a grocery store and pack a lunch. Once we did that, we headed to Horseshoe Bend which is a large rock structure with a U shape and the Colorado River running through it. It is about ¾ of a mile to get to the edge for a perfect view. Once you get there, you can see down a mile or so, and you can see the water and perfect formation. There are several spots to take some great photos and relax .Patricia and I did just that. We enjoyed the view and enjoyed some champagne, cheers-ing to the beautiful world in which we live.
3. Reserve Your Spot to see the Wave – The wave is another smooth rock formation found 4 hours northwest of Flagstaff. It looks like large waves of rock. It is a very popular attraction which requires a permit to even be on the formation itself. If you are planning a trip well in advance, you can request a permit for your visit (4 months in advance required). However, if you are making a last minute trip, you can enter the lottery. There are two types of lotteries, online and in person. The Bureau of Land Management website makes if very clear that the in person lottery increases your chances to visit the wave. You must show up around 8:30am in order to enter the lottery and once the passes are gone, you have to wait until the next day to go. Patricia, Giannina and I really wanted to go but unfortunately it did not fit in our schedule (and we did not have this trip planned 4 months in advance). Check out the cool picture below, it seems like a site worth checking out! Google “The Wave” Arizona for some cool pics.
4. Hike the Grand Canyon – The Grand Canyon is gigantic and has numerous areas to it. Being the adventurous women that we are, my friends and I decided on the most difficult hike – an 7.5 mile trek down the canyon and back up. Sadly, the only person smart enough in the group of have legitimate hiking boots in our group was Patricia (lesson learned!), so Giannina and I did the entire hike in our converses. The way down was not bad, although the way up was less than ideal. After several stops for great photos, the total hike on the way down was 2 hours. It was breathtaking, as you walked down and the sky started to clear. The sunlight hit the canyon in the most beautiful ways, showing the reds, greens and browns vividly. Although nothing will capture the beauty of the canyon like the eye, I attempted to take some great photos with my camera. I highly recommend hiking the Grand Canyon. There were great spots for photos, and to have a nice lunch, plus we met a lot of other hikers along the way.
5. Meteor Crater – My friends and I stayed in Flagstaff the entire time we were in Arizona because every hotel near the Grand Canyon was sold out and Flagstaff wasn’t too far a drive from everything. We had half of Memorial Day left before Giannina got on her plane back to Miami and before Patricia and I had our hike to Telluride. We googled “Things to do in Flagstaff” and the meteor crater popped up. We decided to make our way out there. Located 40 minutes from Flagstaff, this meteor crater hit the earth about 50,000 years ago. We did a quick (and free) walking tour (covered in the $18 entrance fee). We took some great pictures, learned a little about geology and walked through the museum. Overall a very different type of activity, and definitely worth the money!
6. Explore Flagstaff and/or Sedona – Due to the fact that my friends and I were in this town, it gave us an opportunity to explore and eat in it. We had some awesome Thai (http://www.ewathai.com/), some delicious Mexican (that Guy Fieri ate too – http://www.salsabravaflagstaff.com/), and lastly a quick and healthy over the counter restaurant called Mix (http://mixflagstaff.com/). The town was small, but it had a quaint downtown area with some shops and restaurants. Although we did not have the opportunity to visit, we heard several things about Sedona from other travelers. Apparently Sedona is a very spiritual town with great energy. The next time I am in Arizona I plan on heading out to Sedona.

Overall, Arizona was awesome and hiking these canyons and exploring these areas were great. I definitely wish we had more than a few days. Thank you Patricia and Giannina for finding flights from Miami to come out with me. I would not have had as good of a time without the two of you!

Stay tuned for my next post on my new favorite state, Colorado.