Upper Falls, Yellowstone National Park

I’ve been thinking about the lessons I’ve learned while traveling throughout the United States during my adult life. In this article I offer the first three, in what will probably become a series of observations that I have collected along the way. Some of them are more helpful than others. None of them are particularly profound.

One – I never, EVER need as much as I’ve packed. I have yet to master the art of light packing, because I have yet to even try mastering the art of light packing. I find comfort in lugging around at least half of the clothing I posses, even coughing up overweight fees at the counter. Fifty pounds of clothing is A LOT OF CLOTHING. What’s even more ridiculous is the fact that I always do laundry while on a vacation that lasts for more than a few days. I freely admit to washing and re-wearing clothes, while leaving a huge amount of unworn clothing untouched in the suitcase for the entire trip. Clearly, there is something wrong with me. Maybe I’ll buy a smaller suitcase and force myself to pack only what will fit in it.

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I prefer a road trip to a plane trip any day. I realize that, living in Chandler Arizona as I do, road trips to destinations on the East Coast are a bit more ambitious than the amount of vacation time that I have available. But there are plenty of weekend trips that can be made in the comfort and convenience of my very own vehicle, with Arizona as the jumping-off point. We’ve refined road tripping to an art form. And now, gentle readers, I am going to divulge my secret destinations to you.

They’re really not all that secretive.

A view from Highway 25 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Chandler Arizona to Santa Fe New Mexico: 8 hrs 16 min, 473 miles

An eight-hour-and-change drive is an easy jaunt for us – especially when we’ve been known to drive for sixteen hours straight to get to a particular destination. Santa Fe is a lovely destination for a long weekend. I have my eye on a luxurious stay at the Bishop’s Lodge Resort and Spa, doing some shopping and dining in the historic downtown area, and maybe get in some skiing if we happen to visit in the winter.

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The Dr. AJ Chandler Park in Downtown Chandler, directly across from the San Marcos Resort.

I’ve been living in Chandler Arizona for about sixteen years. Most of the time when my husband and I are looking for a romantic weekend, we venture outside of our home town. However, there are some great lodging, dining, and entertainment options within just a few miles of our house that, when combined with an overnight stay, make for a romantic weekend without traveling all that far.

The Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort is located in historic downtown Chandler. The hotel was built in 1912, is on the National Register of Historic places, and recently underwent a $4 million dollar renovation. The resort itself features an 18-hole golf course, tennis, and swimming. AJ’s Cafe features award-winning dining and the resort’s famous buffet – folks come from miles around for the Prime Rib buffet on Saturday nights. Or you can stroll along the sidewalks of the downtown area and partake of several options from casual to fine dining, then window shop among the stores and galleries. Downtown Chandler is enjoying a boom in economic development, and the San Marcos is an anchor for the town square. Events regularly held in the downtown area include classic car shows, farmers markets, movie nights, art shows, and food festivals.

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Prickly Pear Cactus

My husband and I are spending the entire weekend celebrating Valentine’s Day. My husband isn’t what I would call overly romantic, but this year a few things caught his eye, and before I knew it he had an entire weekend of activities planned. Far be it for me to not take advantage of his warm and fuzzy mood!

Saturday:

We will partake of breakfast at The Farmhouse Restaurant in Gilbert. I’ve been wanting to check this place out for ages, I hear they’ve got incredible Belgian waffles, and my husband is an aficionado of biscuits and gravy.

In Queen Creek, the Peach Blossom Celebration at Schnepff Farms is open the weekends of February 10th-13th, 17th-20th, and 24th-27th. Admission is free! I’ve seen cherry orchards and apple orchards, but I’ve never seen a peach orchard in full blossom. It seems like it’s been AGES since I’ve had a really great peach – the produce in the grocery stores always seem to be mealy and dry.

We’ll be wrapping up the day with dinner at The Melting Pot in Ahwatukee. Nothing spells romance like raw meat on sticks and boiling oil. I may skip dinner and go straight to dessert, though. You can’t go wrong with chunks of cake dipped in melted chocolate.

Sunday:

After indulging in breakfast in bed, we’re taking a drive up to the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior. This weekend features their annual flower exhibit. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12.

We’ll partake of dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Lo Cascio’s in Tempe. They have, hands-down, the best chicken marsala I’ve ever had. And the tiramisu is heavenly.

I’m one lucky, lucky girl.

Photo Credit: “I Heart Prickly Pear Cacti” by Andrew Atzert on Flickr Creative Commons.