Our venue is an easy 30 minutes away from the heart of Downtown Phoenix! Downtown is home to the Arizona Diamondbacks, trendy breweries, farmers markets, and a multitude of city life food and drinks. A couple of our favorites: iL Bosco Pizza, Taco Chelo, The Compass Restaurant for dessert Fun places to explore: The Pemberton and Little Rituals for exotic environments and menus, Copper Blues for live music and karaoke.
Go to Diego Pops for some of the best tacos and margaritas, and right down the street stop at Three Beans Cafe for crafty espresso martinis, or Jenni's ice cream for that sweet tooth craving! Explore the heart of Old Town to enjoy the historic western stores, Scottsdale Shops, walk along the canal, or a quick drink at a local bar! If you're in the mood for luxury Arizona shopping, Fashion Square Mall is right down the street!
For a short but effective hike and quick city views, take a walk up "A" mountain! You'll climb a paved incline, and we recommend climbing the last section of stairs to the very top for the best view. Close by you'll see Tempe Town lake where you can rent donut boats, paddle boats, scooters, or take a scenic stroll. Tempe Marketplace is an open-air shopping center with great options to eat and shop, and if you're in the mood for a drink or nightlife LowKey Piano Bar is one of our favorite places for some fun music! Visit downtown Chandler for local eats and drinks!
In the Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons, you can take a breezy afternoon stroll through the open-air shops and gourmet restaurants, or if you're in a competitive mood, play a round of arcade style putt putt at Puttshack!
For a breezy walk with outdoor views, take a stroll through Papago Park, walk up to "Hole in the Rock" (see the valley from a new point of view), or visit the Desert Botanical Garden. The Butcher Jones Hiking Trailhead and Saguaro Lake offers beautiful views of the mountains and lake! For slightly medium-longer hikes with views over the whole city, hike the South Mountain ridge line or the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Float down the Salt River for a lazy river day with wild horses! If you're not up for hiking, The Scott Resort has pool day pass for a relaxing day in the sun.
About 10 minutes past our wedding venue, you'll reach the town of Apache Junction. This is a great spot to visit if you're in the mood for 1800's Arizona history, adventure, and fun! Visit the Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, a reconstructed 1890s town including gold-mine tours, old west gunfights, history museum, saloon, and fudge (Ricky's favorite: chocolate... he's a man of simple, classic taste :) Mariah's favorite: Vanilla Salted Caramel and Prickly Pear). If you continue driving about 30 minutes down the road, you'll reach the Tortilla Flats. This is the last surviving stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail, and originally home to prospectors who searched for gold in the Superstition Mountains in the mid-to-late 1800s. If you're in the mood for a beautiful, scenic drive, the saloon and mercantile are a quick, fun stop. The saloon and country store are suspected to have an estimate of over $500,000 worth of one dollar bills stapled to the walls!
Sedona: About an hour and a half - two hour drive from Phoenix, see the beautiful Red Rock mountains, Bell Rock hike, Birthing cave hike, and historic downtown. Stop in and get a glass of wine from our favorite winery, DA Ranch. Flagstaff: About two hours from Phoenix, if you're wanting the more nature-esque side of Arizona with pine trees and a cabin feel. Explore Flagstaff for the cozy but fun downtown diners, trails/lookout points, and shops. Grand Canyon: About a three hour drive from Phoenix, but if you have the time, so worth it! Prescott: About an hour and a half away from Phoenix. Visit here for the wild west experience of Arizona, historic downtown, and take a walk around or rent a kayak on Watson lake. Grab a drink from our favorite speakeasy, The Point.