The Land of AZ

Never having been anywhere desert-y before, Phoenix pretty much offered a photo at every turn for me. I paired it down (cringe) to a nice easy 75 for good ol' Facebook, but I'll try to rein it in even more here. Wouldn't want you exhausting that scrolling finger, now.

I'd highly recommend The Legacy if you're headed in a Phoenix-y direction. It's further out of town than the well known resorts, making it a place with all the amenities at less of the cost. The boys - both avid golfers - swore up and down it was the nicest course they'd ever played (including the others they hit in the Phoenix area). The spa services were excellent, and in fact my skin still feels amazing almost a week out from the mud wrap.

In need of a fancy dinner? J&G Steakhouse in Scottsdale is absolutely world class. Housed on the immense and jaw-dropping-even-in-the-dark grounds of The Phoenician resort, our celebratory "you're engaged!" dinner is one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Ever. Like... ever.

And entertainment? We stuck pretty close to our plans of golf for the boys, pool for the girls, but we did take a day morning trip to Goldfield in nearby Apache Junction. A mining town founded in 1893, it's a total tourist trap, but loads of cheesy fun in a really, really gorgeous location. We did everything from touring the bordello to making our own wanted poster to eating lunch outside at the saloon to a live country crooner. Go!

Under twenty photos: Pretty good, right? ...Just humor me.

Happy travels - Hug a cactus for me if you head that way!