Spring Break 2022 - Arizona

I decided that I really wanted us to go to Arizona for Spring Break which means Austin thought it would be a good idea to put me in charge. I have a newfound respect for all that goes into planning a trip. We started our trip out by flying into Phoenix. We immediately went to a Diamondbacks game. Luckily for us MLB got it together before our trip. The weather could not have been better.

We checked into our hotel in Scottsdale which was absolute perfection. We stayed at the Westin Kierland Resort We relaxed, swam, played basketball and ping pong before we headed to a Suns Game. As you can imagine this was the highlight of Campbell’s trip. We were a little disappointed that some of the starters weren’t playing because of the upcoming playoffs but we had a great time. Sidenote, we saw both the Warriors and the Suns play this year and now they are playing against each other in the NBA Finals.

The next day we were up and ready to hit the road to head the Grand Canyon but not without enjoying the beautiful weather and gorgeous property. 

We left picture perfect weather and woke up in the Grand Canyon to snow! We had only planned one day at the Grand Canyon so we had to regroup. We went ahead with our ATV ride as scheduled and had our helicopter ride that afternoon. 

Our last stop was Sedona and it did not disappoint. Austin and I agreed we would like to go back and spend a week in Sedona. It was just so charming with great restaurants and an adorable downtown. Our first night we ate Mesa Grill. It was located just outside of the Sedona airport. The next morning we were up and ready for the Pink Jeep Tour. We did the Broken Arrow Trail and it was such a fun experience. I had heard this was a must do in Sedona and I have to agree. We were able to access quite a few places that we wouldn't have been able to access without a jeep and most likely a guide. 

We had lunch downtown at El Guavo 89 and we had heard that Black Cow had the best ice cream and Campbell agreed! 

Dinner at The Vault

Our last full day we hiked Fay Canyon Trail then hit up the Pump House for lunch before heading back to Phoenix to catch our flight. 

We decided that Spring Break trips should from now on be relaxing and we can use the summer break for adventuring. We LOVED Arizona, specifically Sedona and can't wait to go back! 

St John Girls Edition

 I never really thought this trip for our 40^th birthdays would come together but somehow it did. We decided on beautiful St John and it couldn’t have been more perfect for our group. We flew out bright and early out of Charleston. We landed at the St Thomas airport and had Yogi pick us up at the airport to catch the Cruz Bay Ferry. We had our rental unit provisioned by Landlubber and I couldn’t recommend them enough. We also had an arrival meal delivered from Christy’s of St John and it was AMAZING. The last thing we wanted to do after a day of travel was to have to worry about dinner. We stayed at the Grande Bay Resort and it was quick walk from the ferry. It was in the heart of everything which was perfect for our group. We called it at early night after an early wake up call and a long travel day.

Saturday we were up bright and early ready to hit the first beach. We chose Maho and it did not disappoint. We had prearranged a taxi for our beach days with Starfish Taxi and Ron was an absolute delight. We spent most of the day relaxing and even spotted some turtles while out snorkeling. I am so glad I decided to bring along our go pro. I had a rather close encounter with a turtle and tried to move out of the way. We had some tasty pain killers (always) from the food trucks which did not disappoint. 

For dinner we headed to Morgan’s Mango which was a big hit with our group. I had the surf and turf with filet and lobster, and it was out of this world. The key lime pie was also a big hit with our group. After spending all day in the sun we were ready to head back to our condo.

Sunday was our boat day. A couple of us went and grabbed breakfast at Cruz Bay Landing. We headed down to the dock and got a glimpse into our future with a group of 6 older ladies on vacation. We used Love City Excursions which is the same company we used on our last trip and our captain Ben was a gem. We snorkeled in Christmas Cove and Ben showed the ladies around the island. We had lunch at Lime Out (obviously) and we were able to grab a float to eat. We had a few more stops and headed back to the dock. We all agreed it was the best day. We had a late dinner at Lovango Rum Bar. I think Captain Ben sold our group on the pizzas and the kale Caesar salad which was divine.

Monday was another beach day and we hit up Trunk Bay. It’s obvious why it is consistently named one of the top beaches in the world.  It was another beautiful day spent relaxing and snorkeling. We had some awesome drinks from the beach bar and called it a day. For dinner we hit up Banana Deck. They are known for their Ribeye, so I obviously had to give it a try and highly recommend. 

Our last day we decided on Cinnamon Bay. It certainly has a different vibe with its campground and deer walking the property. We relaxed, I snorkeled and hit up the gift shop. We decided we would head to Longboard for an early dinner and shopping. Everyone raved about their poke bowls, I was more excited about my painkiller. We tried to hit up St John Scoops but it was unfortunately closed. We settled on Irie Pops for ice cream and called it a night.

Wednesday was a long day of travel and we had quite a few woes but we make it home safely. We had heard that customs was a nightmare but I’m guessing traveling mid-week helped with that. After a few travel woes we made it home safely. What a fun relaxing trip with the best of friends, until next time St John!