It’s been nearly a year since I’ve updated this blog and I have grad school and its aftermath to thank for that. I graduated in August, passed boards in October, took the holidays to unwind, and ultimately landed my dream job in the beginning of this month. Life was golden…until the reality of COVID-19 sunk in.

While the topic of COVID-19 is enough to warrant a blog post of its own – hell, many blog posts of its own – that’s not why I am here. If there is any silver lining to this pandemic, it’s that it has forced many of us to take a long, hard look at our lives and re-evaluate what truly matters to us. With that being said, in an effort to focus on the good (human connection, travel, the great outdoors) and engage in soul-boosting activities that I often don’t prioritize (writing, photography, reading), I’ve found my way back to blogging.

Now, after giving some personal milestones and COVID-19 the recognition they deserve, I’m ready to recap two incredible trips that were sprinkled amongst the madness of the past year or so. First up, Arizona!

Back in May 2019, my BFF Emery threw her bachelorette party in Sedona. Since the long weekend was in between semesters for me, I decided to extend my trip to a little over a week and explore the beautiful state with some girlfriends. Arizona is home to three national parks and many other natural wonders, and that was exactly what I was craving at the time. Long story incredibly short, we drove a total of 1,178 miles and had the adventure of a lifetime.

Here’s a sneak peak of what we did:

PHL to TUS
↓
Saguaro National Park
(Day 1)
Duration: 1 day, 1 night
Shelter: hotel
↓
4.5 hour drive
↓
Petrified Forest National Park
(Day 2)
Duration: 1 day, 1 night
Shelter: hotel
↓
3 hour drive
↓
Grand Canyon National Park
(Day 3)
Duration: 1 day, 1 night
Shelter: glamping
↓
2.5 hour drive
↓
Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend
(Day 4)
Duration: 1 day, 1 night
Shelter: hotel
↓
4 hour drive
↓
Sedona
(Days 5-8)
Duration: 4 days, 4 nights
Shelter: resort, Airbnb
↓
2 hour drive
↓
PHX to PHL
(Day 9)

Stay tuned for details about each stop of our trip! Xo.