07/28/2026
Did you survive the 117° heat in the Valley this weekend❓🥵
Phoenix officially broke another daily temperature record, and after spending all week working outdoors in this Arizona heat, my husband decided there was no way we were spending our weekend stuck inside.
So… we packed up and headed north. 🚗🌲
Our adventure took us through some of Arizona’s most beautiful places:
📍 Happy Jack
📍 Mormon Lake
📍 Lake Mary
📍 Strawberry
📍 The Lodge at 5600
📍 Water Wheel Falls
📍 Tonto National Forest
📍 Bush Highway
📍 Saguaro Lake & the Salt River
Happy Jack welcomed us with towering pine trees, cooler temperatures, dramatic storm clouds, rolling thunder, and a refreshing afternoon rain. It was exactly the reset we needed after a week of triple-digit temperatures.
We stopped by Mormon Lake, only to discover it completely dry! Thankfully, a local friend pointed us toward Lake Mary, where families were fishing, floating the water, and enjoying a peaceful afternoon along the shoreline.
The next morning we explored the charming town of Strawberry, enjoyed a delicious breakfast at The Lodge at 5600, made a quick (and necessary 😉) kettle corn stop, and continued on to Water Wheel Falls in the beautiful Tonto National Forest. The recent rain made the water a little muddy, but the scenery was absolutely worth the hike.
On our drive home along Bush Highway, we were reminded once again why we love calling Arizona home. The towering saguaros, rugged mountains, sparkling views of Saguaro Lake, and the winding Salt River made for the perfect ending to an incredible weekend.
One of the things I love most about living in Arizona is that within just a couple of hours, you can leave behind the desert heat and find forests, lakes, waterfalls, and mountain air.
As your local REALTOR®, I love sharing not only real estate, but also the amazing places that make Arizona such a special place to live.
Have you been to any of these spots?
I’d love to hear about your favorite Arizona getaway in the
comments! 🌵❤️