new darlings phoenix travel guide
City Guides, Lifestyle, Travel

New Darling’s Phoenix Mini Guide

Phoenix, AZ

We have a brand new city guide from Robert & Christina aka New Darlings of Phoenix, Arizona. Chances are, you’re already following New Darlings (you should be). But if you arenā€™t familiar with them, they’re a super cute couple — possibly the cutest couple on the internet, and I know you’ll adore them. They both have impeccable style, stunning good looks, and there’s so much warmth and love that comes across in every single photo they share. I’ve loved watching them grow and travel and beĀ darling over the years since I first started following them, which feels like forever ago.Ā I even featured them in one of my old weekly roundups! You can fall in love with their blog here and their instagram here. Now, for their Phoenix recommendations on where to stay, eat, shop, and what to do.

Where To Stay:

If youā€™re looking for the Red Rocks, definitely head up to Sedona and stay at Lā€™Auberge. The property is full of cute cabins nestled by the creek, with amazing food and spa services. Plus, itā€™s right in the heart of Sedona so youā€™re close to all the shops and sites. If you find yourself in Phoenix around our neck of the woods, check out the Camby Hotel. Itā€™s modern and pet friendly place close to some great restaurants. Thereā€™s also the Andaz, which we havenā€™t stay at personally but some friends have raved about their room service and spa, so much so that they needed to purchase one of their robes to get the experience at home. šŸ˜‰

Where To Eat:

No visit to Arizona is complete without some tacos! Our new favorite is Taco Chelo. Our friend Aaron Chamberlin is the chef and mastermind behind the place. The local art and fish tacos will not disappoint. If youā€™re in the mood for some Italian food, head on over to Cibo, a 1913 bungalow turned Italian restaurant. The calamari and Genova pizza are weekly staples for us and the patio is so charming with twinkle lights and live music. Welcome Diner is always a comfort food type of place for us. There arenā€™t many diners in AZ, and coming from the east coast, sometimes you just need some fries and a burger ā€” well in our case, the ā€œBumble Beeā€ chicken sandwich. šŸ˜‰ In the mood for something sweet? Are you not full yet? Head over to Welcome Dinerā€™s other venture, Welcome Chicken and Donuts for your sugar fix. Ā Their unique flavors and beautiful donuts get us every time. Weā€™re even guilty of ordering a dozen for deliveryā€¦theyā€™re that good!

Where To Shop:

Arizona is full of so many talented business owners, many of who we are honored to call friends. For some fresh threads check Phoenix General. They have a ton of cute dresses, tops, and shoes and even something for the guys! Looking for linen jumpsuits or some cute baskets for your new plant baby? Head over to Local Nomad. Youā€™ll probably find yourself trying on some of the pretty handmade jewelry too. To complete your look stop into Framed Ewe for some fancy shades. Looking to take a piece of the desert home with you? Donā€™t leave without stopping into the beautiful Camelback Flowershop for a small cacti or stationary. The ladies there are always so sweet and knowledgable. If youā€™re lucky enough you might even catch their Fresh Flower Happy Hour.

What To Do:

Our afternoons are usually spent working from one of our favorite coffee shops…check out Berdenaā€™s for their cappuccinos and waffles – yes, waffles! or Lux, all of their bake goods (they have a ton vegan and gluten free options) and coffee are incredible..oh wait and their Mac ā€™n cheese! Stinkweeds was one of the first places we checked out when moving to AZ, and still one of our favorites for record hunting. After 5 years in Phoenix, the sunsets here are still a novelty to us and we donā€™t see that fading any time soon, so we try to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible! We love to head to Papago Park for an light stroll up to the “hole in the rock” or taking a drive up South Mountain to watch the sunset over the city. Looking for a good hike? Lace up and check out Camelback Mountain.

Thanks for the recommendations, Robert & Christina! Don’t forget to give them a follow on instagram.

p.s. You might also like my essential packing tips and how to travel on a budget.