Last week, I had the chance to escape the Florida heat, only to be greeted by the Arizona heat! Thanks to a courtesy stay at Hilton’s Scottsdale Links Resort, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Naturally, I brought along my daughter and niece, two of my favorite travel companions. We turned this into a girls’ trip full of laughs, adventures, beautiful views, and a few well-earned cocktails.
As soon as we landed in Scottsdale, we kicked things off with brunch at The Broken Yolk Café. Their mimosa flight set the tone for the trip, bubbly, colorful, and full of flavor. Later that day, we gave in to the girls’ cravings for In-N-Out Burger, a must for West Coast newbies, then headed to Old Town Scottsdale. We ended our first day at The Montauk with drinks and that carefree vacation feeling you wish you could bottle up.
We took it slow on day two, woke up late, and went to our Hilton presentation, which was one of the conditions for the promotional stay. For lunch, we dined at Toro Restaurant, with great food, gorgeous views, and a relaxed atmosphere.
We hit the road to Sedona, one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever visited. Lunch at Enchantment Resort felt like dining in the middle of a postcard.
Then we explored Slide Rock Park, where the natural water slides gave us a little thrill and a lot of laughs.
Later that evening, we drove to Phoenix for dinner at The Nook Italian Kitchen and wrapped up the night with a visit to the rooftop at The Global Ambassador, taking in iconic city views under the stars.
One visit wasn’t enough, so we drove back to Sedona. This time, we visited the stunning Chapel of the Holy Cross, a peaceful sanctuary built into the red rocks. Then we enjoyed drinks at Mesa Grill. A quick heads-up: the roads leading to Slide Rock and Mesa Grill are not for the faint of heart, especially if heights make you nervous. But the views? Unmatched.
On our final day, we had one last must-try experience—a ride in a self-driving Waymo car. It was smooth, surreal, and honestly, a little thrilling. If Waymo ever comes to Tampa, we’ll be ready for round two!
What We Missed & What We Gained
We didn’t make it to Antelope Canyon. The Arizona heat and our full days caught up with us. But that just means one thing: we’ll be back.
I am still single, but far from lonely. I’m still navigating life, the hurts, and the struggles, but I’m also learning to heal, to grow, and to embrace every moment. This trip to Arizona reminded me that joy can be found in new memories, unexpected adventures, and the simple beauty of life. I’m choosing to keep pushing forward and to keep celebrating the little things that make this journey worthwhile.
With love,
Marjie