Arizona: state 23/50
As I’ve written about before, it’s my dream to visit all 50 of the United States. While writing my goals and aspirations for 2020, I decided I would try to go to five new states this year. Then, 2020 happened.
As what I thought would be a two-week quarantine turned quickly into six months and beyond, I realized it might not be safe to travel anywhere this year. After careful planning and research, I decided that with the proper safety precautions, it was worth the risk for a trip to Arizona.
Besides exploring this beautiful state, I would also have the chance to meet my boyfriend’s family and see where he grew up in Tucson. His family had been taking all the appropriate COVID-19 precautions and we did all we could to stay safe on the flight. Socially distanced seating, double masks, sanitizing wipes, and gels galore – it wasn’t as easy as travel normally was, but the promise of being outside, somewhere new was too tempting to pass up.
Cacti crazy
When we first landed in Tucson, it was late, dark, and I was hungry. When I’m hungry, I tend to be pretty useless. My main focus was on the animal style fries and caramelized onion covered burgers promised to me at the In-N-Out drive-thru. We met some of René’s family, ate greasy burgers, and headed for bed.
I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. There, through the window, as the sun was peaking through the dark sky- I saw one for the first time. A cactus! Growing up in New Jersey and living all of my life on the East Coast, I had only seen these desert plants in pictures. Sometimes tiny ones that sat in colorful pots and decorated office space. But never before had I seen a real-life, larger than my body, in the wild, cactus! For the rest of the trip, I was obsessed. As we drove around the city I ranked and rated every cactus I could see. It was amazing to me how much they looked just like I thought they would.
When my boyfriend, René saw how much I loved the cacti, he and his family began talking about Gates Pass, which is a mountain pass located in the city. As we drove through we were surrounded by mountains, blanketed in cacti. As far as the eye could see, it was just a beautiful desert. In all my travels around the country and the globe, I had never seen anything like the desert. I didn’t know what to expect but it was the highlight of my trip. Yes, even compared to all the incredible food I ate. Which for me, is saying a lot. I have a short attention span and am always ready to do something new. But I could have sat there and just looked at nature for hours.
Tacos, tacos, tacos
The best part about our trip to Arizona was the food. Every moment my stomach had just a bit of room, there was another snack to taste. From fast food to authentic Mexican, every bite was delicious.
The first thing we ate on our trip was tacos. Before even making the journey to Tucson, René had told me a magical story. One where people ate tacos and drank ice-cold Mexican soda, the kind with the real sugar, for breakfast. The first morning we woke up, I was eager to experience this myself.
We rode to Tacos Apson, just a small, unassuming building with some cookers in the back across from a local high school. René ordered a few of his favorites and got me a Squirt that came in the sweetest, ’70s green glass bottle. I understood what people talked about when they compared the humid Florida air to the dry heat of the desert sunshine sitting there. We ate a lot of tacos in Arizona, but these were by far the best tacos of the trip. The best tacos I’ve ever had. One of those rare moments that exceeds the silly expectations inside my own head.
A taste of Tucson
Where I’m from in New Jersey, we don’t have a ton of fast food options. If you follow me on Instagram, you’re sure to have seen my McDonald’s obsession via my IG stories. But in Tucson, they have EVERY. THING. All the chains I’ve dreamed of testing, all within a few miles of the house. I tried Dutch Bros, Whataburger, In-N-Out, and more local spots too! It was more fun than I could have imagined, just testing and trying burritos and burgers.
While in Tucson, I had to check out some of the notable spots along with René’s favorites. Mi Nidito seemed to be the spot everyone suggested – even President Bill Clinton visited this Arizona landmark on his trip to the city. After many suggestions, I landed on trying the chicken enchiladas with red sauce and they were delicious! I immediately understood why this place had such a cult following. If you’re planning a trip, make sure you don’t miss out!
Besides savory food, I had to have a sampling of sweets as well. Raspado, a Mexican-style shaved ice took first prize for me. Found at small stands and shops throughout the city, they only cost a few dollars but are packed with fruit flavors and a variety of textures. Mine had a base of vanilla ice cream, topped with shaved ice, peaches, and sweetened condensed milk. They will be one of the things I miss most from Arizona.
The Lisa Frank Factory
A few weeks before our trip, I was scrolling through Tik Tok when I landed on a video about the abandoned Lisa Frank factory. Call it luck or fate, but it was perfect timing to add this rainbow gem to our itinerary.
Back in the ’90s, I was one of those kids that loved Lisa Frank. My mom preferred a more minimalist approach to school supplies, so I rarely had the rainbow unicorn folders I longed for. But to this day, I am such a lover of all things colorful. If the random assortment of kids t-shirts and rainbow sandals I wear could be called a “style,” I think it could be called Lisa Frank inspired for sure.
Although you can’t go inside, it’s an incredible sight to see. The whole building including docking bays and giant shapes are all rainbow. Years since its’ closure, the vivid colors still pop amongst overgrown desert plants.
If you love bright, fun picture spots or are as nostalgic as me, drive over to Lisa Frank Ave. to catch a glimpse of this abandoned factory – a fun piece of Tucson history! (As long as we don’t talk about the working conditions, I guess.)
Visit Arizona
If it’s unclear by now, I highly suggest you visit Arizona. I only went to one city and feel I have so much I want to go back to see – and there’s still the rest of the state to explore! Looking to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon State? Feel free to DM me, or check out the Visit Arizona website!
