[Trip Report] Florence, AZ, May 2023
We try to visit the desert when it’s less desert-y. Every time we’ve gone to Las Vegas, we’ve gone in winter - when it’s a little overcast, very mild, and maybe even a little rainy. When we visited Ryan’s mom in Arizona for the first time ever this May, peak desert was making its way to the area: temps were in the high 90s and the weather was nothing but sunny. Everyone says the secret to keeping cool is having access to a pool, where you use the power of evaporative cooling (plus sunscreen, lots of sunscreen) to ignore the worst parts of summer. If you live in Ryan’s mom’s community year-round, you’re rewarded with a quiet, peaceful neighborhood in the height of summer. The migratory residents of Florence had already left by the time we arrived to visit.
Here is our trip report from Florence, Arizona. We spent most of our time with family on this trip, but we also did a lot of sightseeing. You can see all of the photos from this trip here. Enjoy!
Day 0
We left Seattle in the middle of the afternoon, with ample time for our favorite travel ritual of a light lunch and a drink at the airport. We landed in the evening, and Ryan’s mom and stepdad picked us up from the airport. We stopped for ice and tequila on the way home, and about as soon as we put our stuff down, the party started and the rest of the evening was spent snacking and drinking on the back patio. Everyone seemed to have a recent story about a snake or a scorpion!
Day 1
The next day was Mother’s Day, so our plan was to celebrate with family at Ryan’s mom’s sister’s place. Before that, we took a golf cart tour around the neighborhood, fed the local wildlife (prairie dogs and javelinas, but we only saw the prairie dogs), and stopped for a drink at the neighborhood restaurant. The family celebration was a hoot, with dogs and kids and sun and fun, and we had oysters rockefeller, homemade tacos, and tasty drinks by the pool.
Day 2
We spent the next day in full sightseeing mode. We drove through winding mountain roads to visit the Goldfield Ghost Town, a tourist trap (no offense!) built around a gold mining ghost town. It’s surrounded by the picturesque Superstition Mountains, and there are lots of different activities to enjoy in the mini town. We opted for the mine tour in between souvenir shopping, where a knowledgeable guide took 10 minutes to lead us through part of an abandoned mine. If you go on the tour, have your questions ready - it felt like the way to get the most out of the tour was by asking the guide as many questions as possible.
After we hit our limit in Goldfield, we went to the also-picturesque Tortilla Flat for a little more sightseeing, shopping, and a pick-me-up. The saloon was covered wall-to-wall in dollar bills (I guess there’s always money in the banana stand!). We enjoyed some tall drinks and greasy snacks in the air conditioning.
It took us a while to wind our way back around lakes and mountains to San Tan Flat, a bar and grill for 2nd Amendment enthusiasts. Outdoor eating spaces in AZ often have misters to keep everyone cool, and the misters were cranking here! We enjoyed steaks and baked potatoes as the sun set.
Day 3
On the last day, we went to the much-hyped and close-by Queen Creek Olive Mill. We sampled the oils and bought gifts for ourselves and our families, and enjoyed a little prickly pear sorbetto, cannolo, and charcuterie. We’d come back for a facility tour or just for a snack and a drink!
We left in the middle of the afternoon, with just a little time for a snack before we left. We arrived home without incident, and our cats were happy to see us!