When my sister asked me if I wanted to take a quick trip to Arizona to visit our family, I was not prepared for all the driving we would do. There was four of us in our truck with little room in the back to get comfortable. We chose to drive so that we would be able to see the scenery along the way. From Iowa, that is a very long drive. Especially when you decide to see the state of Arizona from bottom to top in one day. One long, exhausting day that turned out to be awe-inspiring.
Day one in Arizona was spent visiting with family in Tempe. Day two was when the real adventure began. Waking up early in the morning to get a head start, we drove from Tempe to Tucson to visit with more family. Fortunately, we had just enough time to drive west to Saguaro National Park to see some of the largest Saguaro cactus we had ever seen. These large cacti tower over the people like skyscrapers. The park can get rather hot in the summer, so I am happy we were there in April. For more information on this spectacular park: http://www.saguaronationalpark.com/
After the morning was about over, we knew we needed to get headed north to see the Grand Canyon. However, we had to find a Harley Davidson shop somewhere on the way. We chose to stop in Sedona, Arizona since it seemed to be pretty close to the Grand Canyon. I always thought Sedona was a spa location. I really didn’t know what it had to offer. If you haven’t been there, this is a must-see location. There was a race going on that night it took a bit of time to get through the town. This was a town like Sante Fe, New Mexico with an eclectic mixture of artistry and so many shops to visit. Yes, it is a great destination for spas also. For more information: https://visitsedona.com/
Last stop before we found a place to stay for the night was the Grand Canyon. Now by the time we left Sedona it was 5:00pm. That’s really pushing the time limit to get to the Grand Canyon, but since we were near there, well, we just had to see it. I really wanted to see Horse Shoe Bend but that was just a bit too far to get there in the daylight. We were able to visit the “Desert View” that has the watchtower. Unfortunately, upon our arrival the watchtower was closed but we were able to see a dusk view of the vast canyon and river. For more information: https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
I know it seems crazy to take such a fast excursion through Arizona but it was all the time we had. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I was able to spend quality time with family and visit some of the most magnificent places on earth. This trip allowed all of us check off a few bucket list items while quickly learning the history of these areas. Sometimes words just can’t describe what you are seeing or feeling. I am still admiring the memories and always will.
Until next time….
Adventures of a Traveling Sales Woman 
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