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25 Best Things to Do in Phoenix AZ (My Honest Take After Living Here)

25 Best Things to Do in Phoenix AZ (My Honest Take After Living Here)

by daniellenfairbanks | Sep 10, 2025 | Arizona, Arizona Destinations

25 Best Things to Do in Phoenix AZ (My Honest Take After Living Here) Looking for the best things to do in Phoenix, Arizona? Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or planning a longer trip, Phoenix offers everything from scenic desert hikes and unique attractions to...
20 Best Hikes in Arizona: Sedona, Phoenix & Beyond (Local Picks)

20 Best Hikes in Arizona: Sedona, Phoenix & Beyond (Local Picks)

by daniellenfairbanks | Sep 6, 2025 | Arizona, Arizona Hikes & Outdoor Adventures

20 Best Hikes in Arizona: Sedona, Phoenix & Beyond (Local Picks) Arizona, the Grand Canyon State, is a hiker’s paradise. Known for its breathtaking desert landscapes, towering red rock formations, and pine-covered mountains, the state offers an incredible...
Best Hiking Carriers for Dogs — Tried & Tested by a Dog Mom on the Trail

Best Hiking Carriers for Dogs — Tried & Tested by a Dog Mom on the Trail

by daniellenfairbanks | Aug 23, 2025 | Arizona, Colorado, Outdoorsy Gear

Best Hiking Carriers for Dogs — Tried & Tested by a Dog Mom on the Trail Hiking with your dog sounds like a dream—until they get tired halfway up the trail, refuse to move, or you start worrying about heat and rough terrain. I’ve been there, and it’s exactly why...
10 Best Coffee Shops in Gilbert AZ (Cozy, Local & Worth the Drive)

10 Best Coffee Shops in Gilbert AZ (Cozy, Local & Worth the Drive)

by daniellenfairbanks | Aug 11, 2025 | Arizona, Arizona Food, Stays, & Experiences, Coffee, Phoenix

10 Best Coffee Shops in Gilbert AZ (Cozy, Local & Worth the Drive) If you also love cute coffee shops to hang out, meet with friends, or work, you’re in the right spot! My name is Danielle Fairbanks, and I’ve been living in the Phoenix area for over a...
Hot Air Balloon Tour Phoenix: A Review

Hot Air Balloon Tour Phoenix: A Review

by daniellenfairbanks | Aug 8, 2025 | Arizona, Arizona Food, Stays, & Experiences, Phoenix, Scottsdale

Hot Air Balloon Tour Phoenix: A Review While the city offers countless attractions on the ground, nothing compares to the serene and spectacular experience of a hot air balloon tour. Imagine floating effortlessly above the Sonoran Desert as the sun paints the sky with...
18 Best Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ (Beyond the Resorts)

18 Best Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ (Beyond the Resorts)

by daniellenfairbanks | Jul 17, 2025 | Arizona, Arizona Destinations, Phoenix, Scottsdale

18 Best Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ (Beyond the Resorts) Scottsdale, Arizona – the name often conjures images of luxurious resorts, championship golf courses, and vibrant nightlife. And sure, it does have all of that. But as a local who’s called this desert...
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no wild horses this morning, but the hubby caught no wild horses this morning, but the hubby caught a bass 🎣

📍coon bluff recreation area, salt river

share your morning views in a photo in the comments 👇🏼
most people drive right through 📍tusayan on their most people drive right through 📍tusayan on their way to the grand canyon—but this little town deserves a spot on your itinerary too 👀🌲 #ad 

located just outside the south entrance of grand canyon national park (1 mile!!), @townoftusayanaz makes the perfect home base for exploring the canyon

things to do in tusayan:
🥾 hike (greenway trail, arizona trail, etc)
🚲 bike the greenway trail all the way to the canyon
🚁unique tours like helicopters, off-road vehicles, horseback riding, etc
☕️ eat (from morning coffee to breakfast, lunch, & dinner)
🛌 stay (the best way to see the grand canyon at sunrise or sunset is to stay overnight in tusayan!)

save this for your next grand canyon trip—and tell me: have you ever stopped in tusayan?

PS- the grand canyon is OPEN despite recent circumstances. in park lodging is closed overnight currently and water is limited, but tusayan’s lodging is OPEN & water is available! 

#exploretusayan #experiencegrandcanyon
how to take a timelapse on your iphone 🏜️👇🏼 perfe how to take a timelapse on your iphone 🏜️👇🏼

perfect for sunrise or sunset with the sun crossing the horizon, or for moonrise (next full moon sept 26)

step 1: (optional) use the app @photopills and their augmented reality feature to know where the sun/moon will cross the horizon so you get it in frame

step 2: set up your tripod (comment 📲 for the one i use!)

step 3: open your camera & turn it to timelapse

step 4: press start and LEAVE IT for at least 10-15 minutes (im always bad at this but when you think you’re done, leave it for another 5-10 minutes!

step 5: use the Edits app to speed it up to your desired effect & you’re done!
one of the most underrated fall hikes in arizona 🍂 one of the most underrated fall hikes in arizona 🍂🥾

see spring trail is a short, peaceful hike beneath the mogollon rim that blows up with fall colors! i only knew about it myself 2 years ago! details:

📍 see spring trail #185
🥾 about 2-2.5 miles round trip
🌲 shaded forest trail
💧 natural spring and creek views 
🐕 dog-friendly, but keep dogs leashed
🍁 fall colors typically peak from late october into early november depending on the year

make a full day of it by grabbing coffee at common grounds or noley’s in payson ☕️, driving along the mogollon rim, stopping at woods canyon lake, or you can also stop in christopher creek for lunch before heading home 🌲

save this one for an easy arizona fall day trip from phoenix 🍁

comment 🥾 for my hike guide!

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