Arizona

There are summer days in Arizona when a hot lunch sounds like a terrible idea. That is exactly when a giant cold sub starts looking like the smartest meal around….

Arizona is not done with 2026 yet. In fact, some of the biggest weekends of the year are still waiting on the calendar. I always like this part of the…

I’m a bit of a burger snob. There, I said it. I’ve traveled far and wide in search of the ultimate beef-and-bun combo, often getting disappointed by places trying way…

My doctor always tells me to watch my cholesterol, but honestly, some weekends call for an emergency rebellion. Craving a culinary escape, I decided to dive headfirst into a local…

My idea of a great summer weekend in Arizona usually involves air conditioning, a cold drink, and zero physical exertion. But by the time late August rolls around, cabin fever…

Sunday is officially renamed “Indulgence Day” at my house, and the holy grail of our weekly food coma pilgrimage is this spot. Away in Bellevue, Washington, a family-owned buffet is…

I usually know a buffet has me in trouble before I even pick up a plate. That happened fast at this Arizona spot. From the outside, it looks like the…

My GPS told me I had arrived at my destination, but my eyes told me I was about to get into a duel at high noon. There I stood, staring…

Some of the best restaurants hide in plain sight, and this little Middle Eastern spot in Glendale is proof. From the outside it looks quiet and easy to miss, but…

I have a dangerous habit around yarn stores. I walk in telling myself I only need one thing, then somehow leave mentally committed to three new projects. Arizona makes that…

I once watched a visitor try to order directions to Canyon de Chelly and turn three simple syllables into a five-car pileup. Arizona has a way of stacking Spanish, O’odham,…

I got to a Flagstaff, Arizona, on a cool morning when the pine air still smelled like rain from the night before. What waited for me at this trail was…

In the pine country near Young, Arizona, this creek is one of those places that makes you forget the desert heat exists. I first found it during a late August…

The first time I walked onto the grass at Salt River Fields and saw twenty balloons puffing orange light into the October dark, I forgot I was holding a candy…

I’ll admit it. I have a slight problem when it comes to fried chicken. So, when I heard a legendary Southern fast-food joint was finally setting up shop right here…

If your idea of a good weekend involves dodging loud RV generators and neighbors playing terrible music, you are reading the wrong list. Seriously, finding actual quiet space these days…

Getting lost in the desert usually ends in disaster, or at least a desperate search for air conditioning, but stumbling upon the right roadside treasure makes all that wandering totally…

The first thing I heard when I stepped onto the boardwalk at Frontier Town was the hollow knock of my own boots against sun-bleached planks. Built in the 1960s at…

My favorite grocery stores are the ones where I have to stop and ask, “What exactly is this?” Phoenix, Arizona has plenty of markets that reward that kind of curiosity….

I nearly drove past the turnoff the first time, distracted by saguaros standing at attention along U.S. Highway 93. Then the road dropped into a canyon, and there it was:…

Driving straight past the ultimate pitstop while exploring the wonders of Arizona ought to be classified as a misdemeanor. Travelers get so hypnotized by the horizon that they completely overlook…

Turns out, time travel is entirely possible, and it surprisingly tastes like chocolate, vanilla, and way too many toppings. Back in 1958, somebody had the brilliant idea to open a…

I have a weakness for Arizona places that make everyday life feel very far away. Put me on a dusty trail, add a horse, and serve dinner under a wide…

Plant shopping always starts innocently for me. I tell myself I am only looking, which is usually the first lie of the afternoon. Arizona garden centers have a special advantage…

Brunch has a funny way of turning an ordinary morning into an event. Add Arizona sunshine, a packed patio, and a plate worth slowing down for, and suddenly breakfast feels…

Some family outings sound simple on paper and somehow turn into the days everyone remembers. That is exactly why places like this work so well. Arizona may be known for…

Picture this: you walk into a hobby store in Tempe, Arizona, and suddenly two hours have vanished without you even noticing. That is exactly what happens here. My wife thinks…

Confession: I am not a “hot weather” person. So when a friend dragged me out to explore a famous outdoor wildlife park in Arizona, I packed three water bottles and…

I have a soft spot for towns where you tuck the car into one parking spot and then forget about it for hours. In Arizona, a handful of places let…

September is that weird month where I desperately want fall weather, but my thermometer laughs in my face. So, I did what any sane foodie does: I went on a…

There are few things I love more than the phrase “all you can eat.” Add in the warm, comforting aromas of garlic naan, butter chicken, and spices that make your…

Let’s be honest, by the time August rolls around here, my car’s steering wheel feels like a skillet and I’m about 99% convinced I’m melting into my driveway. Summer has…

I’m a sucker for weird roadside attractions, but I didn’t expect to find my new happy place hidden inside a plant nursery. Picture this: you’re sweating under the bright Arizona…

When people think of the desert, rolling green apple orchards probably don’t come to mind. Honestly, I used to be right there with them, picturing nothing but cacti, scorching sun,…

My GPS usually leads me to coffee shops or hiking trails, but last weekend, it directed me straight to fabric heaven. I’d heard whispers about a massive warehouse in Arizona…

I’m terrible at keeping secrets. But I’m about to break my own rule because I simply can’t gatekeep this slice of mountain heaven any longer. Last winter, while everyone else…

My friends always ask how my apartment manages to look so effortlessly chic on a budget that barely qualifies as a budget. The secret? I am an unapologetic thrift store…

I’ll be honest with you. My couch and I have a pretty deep, loving relationship. So when my friend suggested we climb a massive 300-step desert staircase in Arizona, I…

I’m the kind of traveler who actively roots for the underdog. Fancy resorts and crowded beaches? Hard pass. Give me a creaky wooden floor, a crackling campfire, and a town…

I’ll never forget the weekend I packed up my battered cooler, tied my favorite neon-pink floatie to the roof rack, and headed out for what I assumed would be a…

I used to think I knew good Mexican food. Then I moved to Arizona, gained ten pounds in my first month, and realized I was a mere amateur. Seriously, finding…

Arizona has a reputation for long highways and even longer drives, but I keep finding towns where the car can nap in a parking spot all afternoon. I am talking…

A good steak can make me forgive quite a lot, including a long drive, an empty stretch of highway, and the moment when my navigation makes me wonder if I…

My neighbors probably think I’m losing it. Every weekend, I stand in my yard staring at empty patches of dirt, sighing like a tragic poet longing for shade. If you’re…

I learned a hard lesson last August: never challenge a desert tomato to a staring contest. You will lose, and it will probably judge you. But seriously, finding truly great…

Arizona has a talent for hiding practical things inside places that look far too peaceful to be working. This park is a perfect example. You can hear water moving, find…

Keeping a beautiful little town secret was probably easier before everyone carried a camera and a map in their pocket. Arizona has learned that lesson more than once. This community…

My friends stage interventions whenever I mention the word “omakase.” They claim I have a problem, but I call it dedication. Living in Arizona means trading ocean breezes for brutal…

Arizona is very good at hiding green surprises in places that look far too dry to support them. That is what makes this trail so memorable. I started out expecting…

Grocery shopping has become the kind of errand where I check the receipt twice and wonder when a bag of basics started feeling like a major purchase. That is why…