My Weekend Getaway to Tempe, Arizona.

Tempe Tourism provided me with compensation in exchange for this post. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own

This past New Year’s Eve, my boyfriend and I attended a wedding in Phoenix, Arizona. We literally flew in for the celebration and left the next day! (Boy, that was a doozy.) As we were only able to spend a minimal amount of time there, and neither of us had spent much time there, we discussed coming back to Arizona at another time to explore more of what the state has to offer, such as its well-known cities like Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, and Tempe.

 As we departed the wedding, we decided that our next trip to Arizona would be to Tempe, which we passed through on our way to the airport (we were so surprised that it is less than 5 miles a way from the Phoenix airport!)

Tempe is home to Arizona State University, and many fun-filled outdoor activities like hiking trails, The Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden , Tempe Town Lake, as well as incredible dining experiences. From candlelight dinners with views over the entire city at Top Of The Rock, located at The Phoenix Marriott Tempe at the Buttes Hotel, or enjoying a refreshing glass of wine and memorable bites at Postino Annex, Tempe emphasizes a laid-back atmosphere while masquerading as a town the never sleeps.

With that in mind, we just made our trip back to Arizona to explore Tempe!

 Find more about Tempe by visiting TempeTourism.com

Our Weekend In Tempe

Close enough to the center of town but far enough from the hustle and bustle of Arizona State University, tucked every so perfectly into the mountain side, Phoenix Marriott Tempe at The Buttes Hotel in Tempe feels like your own little desert oasis. The Buttes creates a sense of calm and relaxation the moment you pull up to their front door, and their valet staff might be the nicest group of people I have ever met! I can’t tell you how many times we just sat and talked to them as we waited for our Ubers.

 

When we first arrived at The Buttes, we were starving from our day of travel. Thus, while checking into our room, first and foremost, we explained to the woman at the front desk that our growling stomachs begged her to suggest a place where we could find a truly delicious meal. She pointed us in the direction of the hotel’s very own Market Cafe  — which was less than 20 steps away from the front desk!  We were sold, from the extensive and enticing menu which included everything from hummus to house-made soft pretzels to a truly delicious fresh Southwest Cobb Salad that had avocado, Pico De Gallo, Black Beans, Roasted Corn, Tortilla Strips, Cotija Cheese, Cilantro Ranch, and even more so when we devoured our food and drinks. (I made little tweaks as I am allergic to dairy, but, still, everything was delicious!)

After lunch, we found this little hiking trail that led us to some funny looking, even dangerously weird cactus!

DISCLAIMER: NEVER GO HIKING IN ARIZONA WHILE WEARING SANDALS!

We made it to the top! That deserved a kiss!

 After our hike, we got into our bathing suits and headed down to the pool area for some relaxation in the sun. There is nothing like peace at hand after being immersed in cactus and hiking.

Saturday, we didn’t have a lot of downtime as we wanted to see more of the sites Tempe had to offer. However, we did take a moment before our couples’ massage at the in-house,Narande Spa, to enjoy the hot tubs nestled into the mountainside. It felt like we were in a hot springs paradise.

Narande Spa

Cute, quaint and tucked in the hotel’s lower level  The Narande Spa at The Buttes was a wonderful experience to share with my love. As our stay at the hotel was the weekend before Valentine’s Day we thought it would be super adorable of us to have a couples massage and the both of us are like tightly wound rubber bands so we thought it would be funny to hear each other’s noises from our aches and pains which actually didn’t happen, the massages were so relaxing and truly a memory we will have forever.

 Desert Botanical Gardens

After our massages, we hit the ground running. Our first stop was Desert Botanical Garden, home to some of the most beautiful and largest Cacti we have ever seen. My boyfriend and I have a weird obsession with and love for cactus, so this was a great experience for us to share!

 

This photo was taken moments before we almost walked into a wedding! Yes, The Botanical Gardens not only have a large collection of Cacti, but also hosts weddings.

Biking Around Tempe Town  Lake

Tempe Town Lake is located in the heart of Tempe and is Arizona’s second- most visited “attraction.” Visiting the lake, I can see why. The cool breeze coming from the water swirls around the laughter of small children playing in the park, along with families with their picnic baskets, friends catching up, couples bike riding and people just wanting to get fresh air. There is also a great little rental shop where you can choose from a variety of outdoor equipment like bikes, paddle boats, paddle boards, boats and more!

As our day in the city of Tempe came to an end, we went back to our hotel to get ready for a romantic dinner for two at Top of the Rock, which serves modern American fare accompanied by breath-taking views of the city.   

Top Of The Rock

I ordered their Artic Char, a fish that I have never tried before, and I was glad I ordered it here, as it was cooked to perfection.  I come from a family of a long line of chefs & published cookbook authors, so I had some experience eating superb food, and this dish held up.  Plus the accompanying rice was like a fluffy cloud, with flavors that just danced on my tongue. Add that to the company and the breathtaking view, and I was in heaven.

I actually kept talking about it the next day when our Uber driver asked us about the restaurant, and there was my opening to talk about the Artic Char!

Mill Avenue

We were also able to spend some time on Mill Avenue, which is the main street in Downtown Tempe and right alongside the Arizona State University campus. I highly suggest walking around there to experience the uniqueness of that area.

Our Goodbye

I do have to say that we had a memorable time visiting Tempe, Arizona and would love to come back to explore the town even more. Filled with life, laughter and fun stops, Tempe Arizona was a trip to remember!