Favorite Staycations in Tucson

If you're from Phoenix you know Tucson is approximately two hours away and about 3 degree's cooler making it worth the trek south. 

Since I just did a write up on the best places to stay in Phoenix, I thought I should share my favorites for Tucson getaways as well. 

J.W. Marriott at Starr Pass in Tucson is probably my favorite and we go every summer, we love the lazy river and the view of the cacti from every room in the resort.  It quite literally appears as a mirage in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.  And while we don't golf, there is a an epic course on the grounds if you're into that sort of thing.  But were here for the cocktails and the pool, but mostly the cocktails. 

Arizona Inn is one of the oldest resorts in Tucson. The Arizona Inn has been family owned and operated since its creation in 1930 by Isabella Greenway, Arizona's first congresswoman and lifelong friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.  It's full of history in all the breezeways and lobbies, however the rooms feel modern and refreshing enough it's clear that diligent restoration and upkeep are a major reason this resort is in the pristine condition that it is and the touch of history keeps it charming and interesting.

Loews Ventana Canyon because it's tucked into the deep Saguaros of Sabino Canyon and have the largest tubs I've ever seen in a resort before.  We once stayed there as a family and fit all the kiddos and parents in our swimsuits in one.  They're probably too big for that now, but I bet we'd all still fit.  I just love the views, the pools and the koi ponds leading up to the resort. 

What are your favorite Tucson resorts? 

We've stayed at a few AirBNBs there too and we're always looking for more to explore.  So seriously, let me know your favorites.

Our favorite staycations in Phoenix

Over the past 10 years we've enjoyed a few staycations here in Phoenix, and I finally sat down and put them all together in a list of our favorites and why. 

In no particular order, the Found:RE.  We stayed here for father's Day a few years ago and we loved the layout of the rooms and bathroom.  The whole main lobby and everywhere throughout has original artwork so it's like staying in an industrial art gallery with fluffy clean sheets. Above is our view from the room and to the right is a peek at our room after a night of netflix.  You can see how the bed is positioned in the middle of the room facing the outlooking window.  There's a desk behind the headboard and restroom is located in that frosted glass box behind the bed.

They had delicious Bloody Marys poolside on special and there was an herb garden lining the pool which I forgot to photograph.

The kids joined us to swim later in the day after our annual parent's night out.  Dinner at Match was wonderful and it's nice staying somewhere with a good restaurant so you don't have to go out unless you want to.

Another favorite is The J.W. Marriott at Desert Ridge.  We have been staying here for years thanks to my mom's time share, where one week at their canyon villas costs the same as one night in the main resort and you get access to all the same amenities, hello lazy river. 

They literally have the best poolside prickly pear margarita in town.  come at me.

Plus they have smaller family pools near the villas if you don't want to take the shuttle to the main facility. All the smaller family pools also have drinks and snack huts on site so you're not sacrificing the convenience of resort life at the smaller pools, just more intimate and less guilt when your kids are splashing and swimming.  Plus when the kids were super small we spent a lot of time in the 1.5 deep kid pool they have.

Canyon Villas at JW Marriott Desert Ridge also has an herb and veggie garden! so cool to see resorts putting their water use resources to growing food!

We also love the Clarendon pool and cabanas for day use.  And they have king beds starting at $95 a night making it one of the most affordable boutique hotels in Phoenix.  Located downtown, it's close enough to the arts districts, business if you're visiting for work, amazing restaurants and a Mexican cantina inside the hotel; Tranquilo. The kiddos and I love lounging in their poolside cabanas especially with a margarita and elote in hand.

If you follow us at Bitches Food Club you know how much we love Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix. The reason I love Palomar is because it's in a popular area with restaurants and bars nearby but also has a distinguished restaurant and bar within the hotel itself. We love Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails (liquor wall pictured above) inside the Palomar. Like, LOVE love it. And they just started serving Brunch on the weekends! They also serve the best seasonal drinks and decadent pub food featuring a fusion of Southern cookin’ with flavorful Southwest spice. In addition to Blue Hound, Palomar also has a third story pool overlooking downtown Phoenix with Lustre Rooftop Bar giving you a great expansive view of downtown Phoenix.

We've stayed at Mountain Shadows (above + side) for our past two anniversaries because of their local resident fee free staycation rate and great views of Camelback Mountain.  They also host weekly free yoga on Thursdays and have Sabering on Friday evenings at sunset.  We love the resort for their bathtubs, art, and cabanas.  They also have Hearth '61 on site for your dining needs. 

I also highly suggest the Royal Palms Resort and Spa if you're looking for something extremely romantic.  We stayed here on our wedding night over 10 years ago and a few anniversaries since then as well.  The pool isn't anything overwhelming, so it's not crowded with summer parties, but it's a nice area to read a book and cool off.  The restaurant here is what brings the crowds.  T. Cook’s serves hand-selected ingredients prepared in simple, yet sumptuous, dishes. Their selection often feature bold Mediterranean flavors, additional regional influences from Northern Italy, Greece, and Spain. 

And last but certainly not least the Hotel Valley Ho for it's retro mid-century modern vibes and giant bathtub in the middle of the room! I honestly book hotels heavily weighted by their bathtub presence.  The Valley Ho features a giant tub in the room with a blue overhead mood light.  It's definitely one of the more fun hotels in the valley technically in Scottsdale.  It's close enough to Old Town shops and restaurants but it too features a notable restaurant within it's facility as well.  ZuZu is probably most well known for their Show Stopper Milkshakes but also has the best french fries around town.   

Did I miss any of your favorites? Where do you stay when staying in Phoenix-ish? 

A Day in Tucson with my Bestie

I am so lucky to have the friends and family around me that I do.  Like, incredibly and inexplicably grateful for their love and support.  But some of my closest friends and family are miles away.  One in particular lives 864 miles away and I rarely see her.  But we make an effort to catch up when one is in town or nearby, in this specific instance, she was about 100 miles away so I obviously hopped in the car and headed down to Tucson.

While we were there we stopped in at the University of Arizona School of Art where we met, she's my creative counterpart and thanks to group assignments that we both actively participated in, TYVM, we became very good friends.  Family dinner nights and afternoons just running errands together.  Even after I moved back to Phoenix after graduation I would come down once a month to work as an art coordinator at BICAS and stay with her.

Anyway, all the classrooms were locked but we wandered the halls of our former youth and documented the experience.  As we walked around we realized that it's actually been ten years since I graduated from U of A!  but walking around it felt as comfortable as it did yesterday.  Time is weird.

alumni.

a new shade structure in front of the School of Architecture.  We napped under. 

we stopped in for drinks to meet a previous professor at Sky Bar, a classic 4th ave bar.  I ordered the Queen’s Own; made with gin, lemon, lavender-earl grey simple syrup, with a raw sugar and rose petal rim. and while I don't love drinks in martini glasses (I'm an on the rocks kind of girl) I would suggest this one, if you find yourself there. 

after drinks we dined at Cafe Poca Cosa, where I had actually never been.  They change the menu twice daily with the servers presenting the entree options table side off a large hand held chalkboard. i was so overwhelmed with my options i simply requested the vegetarian tamale. 

keep in mind if you go there nothing will be the same and each time you'll have the opportunity to try something new, & they do not accept any special requests or modifications. 

the next morning we decided to get coffee at Exo Roasters, another new place that didn't exist when we were there.  

lemon Polenta Cake with a bite missing.  

cappuccino in hand.

 i took a sip of my iced vanilla latte with almond milk before documenting, sorry. 

 i had to order these breakfast tacos.  Nopal + eggs + fermented onions.  

we walked around a bit after, before I headed back to Phoenix, next time I'm down there I will definitely be getting some colorful candles and tarot cards from this Celestial Rites boutique on 4th Ave, if you know of any other local shops with crystals and herbs will you please share them with me in the comments below or email me here.  I would like to support local businesses when crafting.