GETAWAY SERIES // Labor Day Weekend in Phoenix

Another weekend, another getaway! I wanted to get out of town for Labor Day weekend and we decided Phoenix would be the perfect place. Living in San Diego, Phoenix is less than five and a half hours by car and there would be plenty for us to do. So Phoenix it was!

We left early Saturday morning, packing up the car and hitting the road. The drive was what I expected - flat, dry, and hot. There’s not a whole lot between San Diego and Phoenix, besides some small towns and plenty of cactus. We arrived in town around 2:00 and headed to the Desert Botanical Garden. I had visited before four years prior and thought Andrew would enjoy it. The crowds were sparse (thanks to the 102 degree weather) and we freely roamed around. We managed to catch sight of a bunny, some ground squirrels, and plenty of butterflies. We wandered around (and sweated) for an hour and a half before we decided to head to our Airbnb.

We booked a condo just north of downtown Phoenix and it was the perfect space for our long weekend. We were able to unwind for a little bit before driving to Scottsdale for dinner with my aunt and uncle. It was so nice to have some family time and celebrate our engagement, as we haven't been able to properly do that yet! After filling our bellies to the brim with delicious food, we retired to our Airbnb for a restful night’s sleep.

As luck would have it, the Mariners happened to be playing the Diamondbacks while we were in town. So on Sunday, we drove to Chase Field for an afternoon baseball game. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of M’s fans in attendance, and even more surprised when my gramma texted me saying she saw us on TV! We had prime seats on the first base line and had an enjoyable time. The game was a rollercoaster though, finally ending with a dominate 11th inning from the Mariners and a 10-4 win.

After such a long game, we had a relaxing evening at our Airbnb by watching The Fugitive and playing a few rounds of Yahtzee.

Monday morning rolled around and we checked out of our Airbnb and drove over to my aunt and uncle’s house in Peoria. They prepared us a hearty breakfast and an escape from the oppressive heat outside. Overall, it was a fun weekend filled with plenty of activities, relaxation, and sweat. Another successful getaway in the books!