This past week I went on a girls trips to Phoenix, Arizona with my mom and sister. It was our first time out of state since February. We took the summer off from traveling because of COVID, but with places and college tours opening back up this fall, we packed our bags and went for it.

We landed in Phoenix Tuesday morning. Everything about flying was pretty typical, with the exception of the mask mandate. We flew Sun Country and the flight was full. There were no empty spaces in the row for distancing. Masks were required the entire flight, though you were able to drink and eat if you brought something on board.

In the afternoon we went to lunch in Scottsdale with my great aunt Chris and uncle Ken. They live in the area and it was so fun to see them. They are so sweet! We ate Mexican food at Blanco Tacos and Tequila and grabbed dessert for later from the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM (my favorite place ever).

Tuesday evening we went to Hole-in-the-Rock in Papago Park. It’s an easy quick hike to the rock formation and is also close to the botanical garden and zoo. The views are great at sunset. The sun goes down and the city lights come alive. If you’re ever in the area, definitely check it out.

Wednesday we attended Hillsong College USA’s preview day. We toured the church and college campus, went to chapel, and got to sit in on a class. My sister and I are both considering going to the college in Australia so we wanted to see what it was like and the closest tour was in AZ!

After visiting the college we drove up South Mountain for our final west coast sunset. The park and preserve is over 16,000 acres and the drive up Summit Road to the top for the scenic views is a 5.5 mile long incredible adrenaline-pumping experience. The road is narrow and the drop offs are steep. It’s safe to say my soul left my body as we navigated the Jeep back down during the night.

I live for expansive city skylines. We flew home Thursday morning and had a fun, quick trip!

TIPS FOR TRAVELING DURING COVID

• Bring multiple clean face masks
• Hand sanitizer!
• Pack wipes to clean your spaces (especially on the plane)
• The flights don’t offer food or drinks so be sure to pack snacks or buy some at the airport before boarding