We have a very special group of friends. We love doing life together so much, we all built our homes in the same neighborhood. Some of us are related, a few are business partners, and all of us are lifelong friends. Three of us turn the Big 4-0 this year so we wanted to plan something extra fun!

I blank-searched Google Flights to determine where to travel based on airfare pricing. When we narrowed down a week that fit each of our schedules, we let Google do the rest. Arizona was the perfect spot, especially for visiting in April. The temps were 60s late at night and 80s during the day. Heaven.

I found the absolute most beautiful Airbnb in North Scottsdale. It fit us 5 couples perfectly and had so much outdoor entertainment, we really didn't even have to leave the house. 10/10

Our first stop was lunch at the Montauk in Scottsdale. We ordered a bunch of apps to share - which were all delicious: House Potato Chips + Dip; Tuna Tartare Guacamole; Burrata; Crispy Chicken Sliders; and the Deviled Eggs. I ordered the Crispy Fish Tacos for my meal and thoroughly loved every bite.

After we dropped our bags, we headed east to Fort McDowell Adventures to take a horseback trail ride through the desert. I can't even describe how memorable and amazing this was. Our butts were sore for days after, but well worth it!! Our guides were hilarious and knowledgeable, real cowboys. They took us on a beautiful path around the Reservation. 10/10

We headed back to the house to grill steaks, play some minigolf and chill in the hot tub for the rest of the evening. We're off to a great start!

Day 2

Camelback Mountain is not surprisingly one of Phoenix's best hikes and most popular attractions. We hiked our way up while taking in all 360° jaw-dropping views. Out of the 10 of us, only 4 made it to the top! It became extremely difficult terrain and we started dropping like flies to just sit and enjoy the view. The entire experience took about 3-4 hours from start to finish.

After the hike, we went back to the house to shower and get ready for dinner at Diego Pops. We ordered their Chips + Salsa, plus the Guac and Street Corn Queso for the table. The queso was to die for. I ordered the Braised Green Chili Chicken Tacos for dinner. Incredible food!

Day 3

After a homemade breakfast taco buffet at the house, we made the 2 hour trek to Sedona. We rented a 12-15 person caravan and that was the best way to travel for our group.

Kayaking down the Verde River was one of the funnest and disastrous memories we'll take away from this trip. We did the Water to Wine excursion, which was so cool. The weather was a perfect 60ish° while we enjoyed the 1.5 hour trip down the river. We did end up losing 3 of our guys to the riv. The rapids and rocks took them down one by one. It was hilarious and tragic at the same time. 10/10 (well, most of us would agree…)

On the property, there is a lovely winery with apps and flatbread pizza. We spent the afternoon sipping on a flight and enjoying the bluffs.

On the way back to Scottsdale, we drove through the city of Jerome. It's dubbed the Largest Ghost Town in America. It's a super old copper mining town that according to the locals has some crazy stories of tragic mining accidents from the late 1800s. Driving around the mountain was a nerve-racking drop-off to say the least, but the views were stunning - if you’d dare to look.

My husband's favorite band is Tool, and Maynard James Keenan happens to have a winery in Jerome, so we stopped by the shop and shared a flight there. Happy accidents are the best.

After such a long day in the car, we decided to cook up some leftover steaks and make a big platter of steak tacos and hang out at the house.

Day 4

This was the most relaxing day; our last full day. We had a slow morning with coffee around the pool and dreaming up new dreams together.

We then headed to Hash Kitchen for brunch. This place is what all brunch places dream of becoming. The food was so creative and DELICIOUS. The bloody bar was incredible with 50 toppings to choose from! They also have a mimosa flight with glitter and cotton candy - so fun! Everyone took a bite of everything. Best food yet. 10/10

Long story short: we only had our house for 3/4 nights so we had to get another house. That house was a total disaster. Rotten salmon in the fridge, every surface needed cleaning, bed sheets didn't look clean.... So we ditched that place (thankfully got our money back!) and stayed at the Canopy by Hilton Hotel in Tempe. It was comfortable, clean and a great location. We were right by ASU so the area was loaded with restaurants, bars and a lively nightlife.

We saw a bunch of Bird scooters on the side of the road so we jumped on them for a sunset cruise around town. I can't recommend electric scooters enough to anyone and everyone! Such a blast! 10/10

So incredibly blessed to have these amazing adventures!

We’ll be back, Scottsdale!!