When the daily temperatures in Phoenix become unbearable during the summertime, us locals like to escape the heat and head up north for the day — which is exactly what Scott and I did a few weekends back when we just couldn’t handle the heat anymore! We got up early on a Saturday, grabbed a quick breakfast and then headed out on the road. We had every intention of stopping in Sedona and spending the day venturing around the tiny town, but as we got closer to the exit and saw that it was still going to be 95+, we decided to keep driving and make our way to Flagstaff where it was a cool 85 degrees (sweater weather for us desert rats — 😉 ).
Once we arrived in Flag, we parked in our usual spot near the train tracks and headed to Macy’s for lunch. Scott and I had our favorite — grilled cheese with soup and salad (the best combo at Macy’s — says anyone)! We scored a seat outside and enjoyed our lunch in the shade along the front of the building — enjoying the nice weather and deciding on where to head to next.
After we finished up lunch, we decided to leave the car and make the walk toward downtown Flagstaff to take a look through a few of our favorite shops and grab some coffee. It was such a beautiful day, and Scott and I were both feeling super thankful that we made the last minute decision to hop in the car and head north for the day.
This little alley way is one of my favorites in the city, as it leads right into the cutest shopping area with a darling clothing boutique, sandwich shop, coffee house and tons of other quaint little shops. There’s actually a giant mural just to the left that we usually snap photos in front of when we come through this part of town, but the light streaming in through the alley way was just too pretty to pass up.
After spending some time wandering around downtown, we decided to grab a few iced coffees and hit the road. Our plan was to stop in at Slide Rock on our way back to Phoenix, which we did — but it was so crazy busy there that I barely snapped any photos! If you’ve never been, Slide Rock is a state park between Flagstaff and Sedona, which gets its name from its natural water slide that was formed by the slippery bed of Oak Creek. It’s truly so beautiful there, with its red rocks and rushing water — but man, Saturdays in July are not the time to go down there (now we know, for next time at least). Scott and I did both have a little dip in the water, and he road the slide down the slick path past me as I sat soaking in the sun and trying my hardest not to get sunburned — I didn’t want to look like a cherry red tomato the next day, haha!
Outfit Details:
Madewell Mesa Hat (on sale!)
Madewell Denim Vest (similar!) Target Who What Wear Peplum Top (similar!)
Madewell High-Riser Skinny Jeans
Black Saltwater Sandals
Madewell Transport Tote
As a few storm clouds started to roll in, we packed up our things and started the drive back home. We were both feeling pretty tired from the sun and heat at Slide Rock, so we decided to skip stopping in at Sedona and opted for a quick break at our favorite pie place on our way back into town. It was the perfect day trip and I’m already dreaming of our next one — maybe to Tucson, but it will definitely not be any cooler there, haha! Where’s your favorite place to take a day trip to? Have a great week, sweet friends!
-Chelsea xo