You know those bucket list items that sound great in theory but feel like punishment in reality? That was me… renting a Tesla through Turo for a quick family trip to Tucson. I had high hopes—new experience, eco-friendly, sleek ride, podcast girl in a futuristic car. What could go wrong?

Spoiler: everything.

Memorial Day Monday Morning we prescheduled a Day Trip Turo Rental - I thought TESLA to TUCSON! We showed up for our scheduled pickup and the car wasn’t even ready. Not washed, not fully charged, not even cleaned out. It was giving not “luxury EV experience.”

BUT—let’s talk about why we were going to Tucson in the first place. Thanks to the Culture Pass from the Phoenix Public Library, we scored free admission to the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson.

Nearly 60% of the battery drained just getting from Phoenix to Tucson. And guess who got pulled over in the middle of it? Yep—me. Luckily, the sheriff was more interested in asking, “So do you like the car?” than giving me a ticket. He also question why the Tucson Zoo? We were warned it was “small,” but honestly- more relieved to get out of the ticket and pretty impressed by this “little” zoo.

Atlas loved the elephants. Jose I loved the literal “cool zone” in the kids’ area—fans, misting, shade. It felt like a mirage. And yes, the Tesla charged (barely) in the zoo parking lot. Four hours and $14 later, we got… 4% more battery to take us to our next destination: FOOD.

We found Little Anthony's Diner, a hidden gem with kid-friendly vibes, an old-school arcade, fun decor, and delicious comfort food. It gave us the morale boost and french dip we didn’t know we needed. Next, a little detour to Trail Dust Town—a historic Western-themed ghost town that was (surprise!) closed for Memorial Day. But we had it to ourselves, pretending to be old westerners. As for the Tesla? Still basically dead. We found a janky charger outside a random real estate office and only got a few more percentages in the battery to find a real charger… the Telsa Supercharger. Tucson only has 3 and after joining the line of Teslas and parking for 40 minutes we got a FULL CHARGE and PINK BERRY!

Back to Phoenix we went. Once we were home, we had to recharge to return the car. We parked at the Target Tesla Supercharger near us, where Atlas got to “drive” (aka push all the buttons, make fart sounds, and summon Santa mode).

We dropped off the rental (which now felt like a very expensive lemon) and I got back into my trusty gas-powered Nissan Rogue. And that’s when it hit me—I LEFT MY OWALA BOTTLE IN THE TESLA! Dont make me go back!

But Tucson? We'll be back!

XoXo

Britt

Tucson, AZ is just a short drive from Phoenix, but completely another world. For Sun Devil’s it is almost forbidden territory, but for desert dwellers it is a hidden gem. Quick day trips to Tucson was the usual agenda for us, but this time Jose and I wanted to take a mini vacay and extend out trip in the dirty T.

I quickly started looking up AirBnB.com for our trip. I didn’t want us to stay in a hotel with hundreds of other people seeking privacy. Browsing through most of the AirBnBs I avoided any couch crashing opportunities because we wanted a space of our own. Then we found The Desert Studio and I fell in love.

tucson airbnb travel https://www.findingarizonapodcast.com/finding-az-engagement/

This well designed space was the first thing that caught my eye. Upon our arrival, every expectation was met. This space felt particularly warm and full of love. Maybe it was the blush colored linens and art but it was a photographer’s and instagrammers dream. So of course we spent some time capturing the best elements of the space.

First, the location of the house was prime! Located in the lovely Highland Vista Cinco Via neighborhood in Tucson, it was a 25 drive from our book club meeting near Marana (see previous post on the Book Club we joined), but less than a 10 minute drive to the Uof A campus and Historic Fourth Ave. The space a had a private entrance and everytime we pulled into the driveway it felt like we were coming home.

Second, a space must serve purpose. The studio is well equipped with many amenities. (Mini -refrigerator, microwave, Keurig coffee maker, TV, and Wifi.) But our favorite use of the space was the record player. It was set with classic albums to enhance the experience. There is no better sound than a needle hitting the record and hearing that crackling spin.

Lastly, bring on the accessories! Need a good selfie mirror?. Want to relive eighth grade English class browsing J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye? Dreamed of taking a photo in a Peacock wicker chair? Continuing the idea of functionality and purpose, each decoration enhanced the everyday experiences of conversation, reading and or sharing a meal at the quaint table for 2.

If you are headed to Tucson, AZ you have to book this place! Looking to get out of town and experience a true AirBnB then reach out to Lauren And Kyle at The Desert Studio.

Safe Travels.

XoXo

Britt