We’re back from our babymoon in Scottsdale, Arizona, and to be honest, I wish we could do it all over again!  Our 5ish day/4 night stay went far too quickly for my liking.  But we accomplished what we set out to do and that was to relax and spend uninterrupted time together.

In true MIS travel post fashion, I’m going to break down our trip by where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate.  If you’re in the process of planning a babymoon/trip to Scottsdale, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  More than happy to answer any questions you may have!

Before we delve into the details of our trip, I want to clarify what a babymoon is (to us anyways) and why we chose Scottsdale. 

Vishnu and I are really enjoy travelling together, and I must say we’re pretty good at it because we never want to come home!  However, a babymoon is classified as a whole different kind of trip altogether.  Our last vacation before baby (even though the baby was very much with us as Vishnu reminded me).  And to us, the whole point of our babymoon was to relax and spend time together in a way that we really can’t at home.

We chose Scottsdale because Spain was not an option at this point.  Just kidding…kind of!  When we first started discussing a babymoon (right after our trip to Hawaii), I mentioned I would love to go to Spain.  I figured we should go big or go home.  Vishnu disagreed, especially after seeing how tired I could get while travelling.  He wanted us to go on a trip where relaxation was the centerpiece and not being on our feet all day running around from city to city.  After a bit of back and forth, I agreed and threw out the idea of Scottsdale.  The weather would be great, we both love Arizona, and the resorts are made for relaxing and treating yourself.  Vishnu agreed and started planning our trip.  And that is how we ended up in Scottsdale, Arizona!

Where we stayed

We stayed at the Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia in Paradise Valley.  Our friends Erin and Shahan stayed here a few years ago and raved about their experience.  After pricing out a few different options, Vishnu ultimately decided on the Omni.  We even got a buy three nights get one free deal with a $150 resort credit.  While it definitely wasn’t cheap by any means, I don’t feel like we broke the bank on this one either.

The Omni has everything you would want/need – beautiful guest rooms, a family-friendly pool + an adults only pool, an absolutely gorgeous spa with all the services you could imagine, a few onsite restaurants serving truly delicious food, a fully equipped gym, and stunning views of Camelback.  Plus, it’s a quick Lyft ride from Phoenix International Airport.

We would highly recommend the Omni resort to anyone visiting Scottsdale.  In fact, after posting a picture on Instagram, I learned that a few of my friends have in fact stayed here (and loved their experienced!).

What we did

We napped!  Vishnu and I aren’t big nappers, but there was something about being on vacation with virtually zero plans that made the afternoon nap that much more fun and desirable.  And again, what would a relaxing vacation be without a nap or two or three?!

We spent the afternoon at the pool.  I wish we could have done more of this, but the weather turned on us a little.  People said it was super hot (in the 100s) the week before we arrived, and we saw that it’s supposed to be in the upper 80s and 90s after we left.  But the few days we spent in Scottsdale were a little cooler than usual and not necessarily pool friendly.  Oh well, at least it didn’t rain!  I did very much enjoy the one afternoon we got to lounge poolside!

We got a couples’ massage at the spa, and it was glorious!  I obviously went with the expectant mother option while Vishnu got a regular massage.  You should’ve seen us afterwards.  We were the most relaxed we’ve been in months!  I can totally see why this particular spa receives such high accolades – the facilities were clean and beautiful and the massage therapists truly knew what they were doing.  If money and time weren’t issues, I would totally make massages a weekly thing!

We walked around Old Town Scottsdale after lunch one afternoon.  It reminded me of an old western movie.  So many quaint shops selling everything from jewelry to wooden furniture to cowboy boots.  If you’re in the area, definitely spend some time strolling the streets, but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to visit this part of town.

We worked out three times…because why not!

We visited Tucson.  As some of you may recall, I lived in Tucson for eight months after graduating from business school.  In fact, it’s where MIS was conceived!

My aunt, uncle, and cousin live in Phoenix, and we originally planned to grab dinner with them on Sunday night.  But when my aunt suggested taking a day trip to Tucson, Vishnu and I happily agreed.  In fact, it was nice to break up our unplanned days with a little bit of sightseeing action.  While in Tucson, we visited the Pima Air & Space Museum and Mount Lemmon.  We also ate the most delicious Mexican meal at Guadalajara Grille, an old favorite of mine!  In fact, Vishnu said it was the best Mexican meal he’s ever had!

What we wanted to do but didn’t

 It may sound a little crazy at almost eight months pregnant, but Vishnu and I wanted to go on a couple of easy hikes while in Scottsdale.  He even found a few close ones to the resort.  But for one reason or another, it just didn’t happen.  Looking back, it’s probably a good thing because my legs (and lungs!) have started to tire out more and more quickly as the days go by.  Better safe than sorry!

Where we ate

Centro (at the Omni) – We ate here for lunch and really enjoyed our meal.  There’s a great selection of various appetizers, salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches.

Prado (at the Omni) – We ate breakfast here three of the four mornings and really enjoyed the food.  The menu includes all kind of egg dishes, as well as some lighter fare options such as a fruit and yogurt parfait, oatmeal, etc.

Crave (at the Omni) – We stopped here after a morning workout and got a couple of fresh-pressed juices (both of which were delicious).  This little café also offers coffee, baked goods, gelato, and other smaller meals.

Flower Child – We had dinner at this ‘healthy meets tasty’ restaurant and loved the salads we chose as well as the vegan cookie we picked up as a treat.  While it’s not super fancy by any means, you won’t leave this place feeling heavy or overly full.

Postino Wine Café – We had dinner at this cute little café type restaurant and really loved the food we tried.  According to a friend of Vishnu’s who went to medical school in the area, Postino’s is known for its bruschetta (so many different kinds to choose from), so that’s what we opted for along with a bowl of assorted olives as an appetizer and a chocolate bouchon dessert with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.  Yum!

The Mission – We had lunch here on our last full day, and I’m so glad we did because the food (especially the table side guacamole) was some of the most flavorful of the trip.  Our mini tacos (butternut squash for me and pork + pineapple for Vishnu), while small, packed a powerful punch.

Zinburger – This was our last dinner outing of the trip!  After going back and forth, we decided burgers just sounded like the best idea!  My veggie burger was one of the better ones I’ve had in a while, and Vishnu said his burger was perfectly cooked and seasoned.  I only wish we saved room for one of their epic shakes…the chocolate hazelnut had my name written all over it!

Overall, this was one of the best vacations we’ve taken to date.  It wasn’t extravagant by any means, but it provided us with lots of time to connect, be more mindful with each other, relax, and just be.  And hopefully it’s just what we needed to gear up for our big upcoming move.  Oh and our upcoming baby!!! 🙂