Wed May 23
10:09pm – Land in Albuquerque
Hotel: Isleta Resort & Casino (11000 Broadway Blvd Se, Albuquerque NM, 87105, United States)
Thurs May 24
6am – HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE!
- Rainbow Ryders – www.rainbowryders.com (5601 Eagle Rock Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM)
- Awesome hot air balloon ride watching the sunrise over Albuquerque with a champagne toast and snacks afterwards
Hang in Albuquerque
- Brunch: Grove Cafe & Market
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-grove-cafe-and-market-albuquerque
- Super homey, great brunch/comfort food
- Walk around Old Town Albuquerque
- Lunch: Seasons Rotisserie & Grill
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/seasons-rotisserie-and-grill-albuquerque
- Great food, probably would be better for dinner
Drive to Las Cruces/White Sands (3.5 hours from Albuquerque)
- Stopped by Elephant Butte Lake on the way
- Got our car stuck in the sand and had to get pulled out by a kind stranger
- Went for a quick dip in the freezing cold lake
- Drove through town of Truth or Consequences, named after a radio show
- Bought groceries in Las Cruces before heading to campground
Aguirre Spring Campground
https://www.blm.gov/visit/aguirre-spring-campground
Fri May 25
9am – Wait in line to get White Sands camping permit when visitor center opens
- Only 10 camping permits given out per day, we got in line at 8:30am and there were already 3 groups ahead of us
Pine Tree Trail Hike, Aguirre Springs
White Sands National Monument
- Tried to hike Alkali Flat Trail (5 mile loop trail), but it was way too hot (over 100F)
- Camp!!!
Sat May 26
Saguaro National Park (5 hours from White Sands)
- Hiked Hugh Norris Trail
- https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/hugh-norris-trail
Sleep ideally on Mount Lemmon at Spencer Campground
Fallback sleeping option is Catalina Campground
Ended up going to a trampoline park and staying in Tucson (Residence Inn)
Dinner: Agustin Kitchen
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/agustin-kitchen-tucson-3
- Delicious food, oysters, interesting cocktails, a super cute/hip courtyard, and a kumquat tree!
Sun May 27
Tonto National Forest/Superstition Mountains (3.5 hours from Tucson)
- Wave Cave Trail
- https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/wave-cave-trail
- Short 3-mile hike up to a really cool cave!
- Salt River Tubing
- 3-hour long tubing down Salt River with lots of interesting characters and wild horses!
- Wind Cave Trail to watch the sunset
Drive to Scottsdale
- Dinner: In-N-Out
- Hotel: JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
- Super cute little casitas, awesome pool, and really pretty resort with mountains all around
Mon May 28
Hang out in Scottsdale/Phoenix
- Lunch: Arcadia Farms
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/arcadia-farms-cafe-scottsdale-2
- Super homey, really nice waiters, and a cute little courtyard out back with little sparrows
- The chicken and mushroom crepes were great, and ice tea, desserts were delicious
- Cartel Coffee Labs
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/cartel-coffee-lab-scottsdale
- Super hip coffee shop in Scottsdale with lots of young tech-y folk camped out/working
- Dinner: Citizen Public House
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/citizen-public-house-scottsdale
- Sat outside on a very lovely evening, great cocktails, and the best scallops I’ve ever had!
10:28pm – Flight home 🙁