
Winter in the desert PT1
Follow along as we spend one of the most interesting winters in the desert of Arizona
Welcome back to another chapter of the Sweets Van Life adventure! If you’ve been following our journey so far, we just want to say thank you. We hope it’s been as exciting for you as it has been for us! If you caught our last post, you know we were searching for a warm winter retreat, and what better place to escape the cold than the desert? Arizona, with its year-round warmth, felt like the perfect choice. We also decided to slow our travels to save money since we were spending quite a bit (and, let’s be honest, racking up some debt). So, we figured it was time for Jill to pick up a job, and we’d settle down somewhere for a few months to take a breather.
After a quick pit stop in Tennessee, Jill began her job search in northern Arizona. We’d heard from fellow travelers and nomads that Sedona was a major hotspot for people living the van life. It sounded perfect, so we headed west. Of course, with 1,800 miles between East Tennessee and our destination, we made a few memorable stops along the way. One standout was Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo, Texas. If you haven’t visited, you need to—it was easily one of the most epic “office views” we’ve ever had! Locals often call it the second-best canyon after the Grand Canyon, and we could see why. While in the area, we also stopped at Cadillac Ranch off I-40, where cars are half-buried in the ground and covered in spray paint. It’s by far one of the craziest roadside attractions we’ve ever encountered!
From there, it was a long haul through wide-open spaces and endless miles until we arrived in Prescott, Arizona (pronounced “Preskitt”), an hour south of Sedona. We chose Prescott because it seemed like a cool spot for Jill to find seasonal work. The downtown area had a charming Old West vibe, and the town boasted stunning lakes surrounded by dramatic rock formations. Plus, with its higher elevation, we thought we might even catch a little snow in the desert. However, a big challenge was the lack of free camping nearby. The spots we did find were either hard to access or down roads we weren’t comfortable driving the van on. After a lot of back and forth, we decided to head straight to Sedona, especially since it had several hikes we were dying to try.
Our first impression of Sedona? Absolutely breathtaking. The contrast of red rocks, golden desert sand, and the evergreen juniper trees was surreal. Winter temperatures hovered in the 40s and 50s, which was perfect for us. Sedona also had its perks—being more touristy than Prescott meant better job opportunities for Jill, and the abundance of fellow nomads made it feel like we were part of a community. With plenty of hiking trails and campsites to choose from, we knew Sedona was the right place to settle for a while.
While Jill was still hunting for the perfect job, we decided to explore the area like tourists. Our first stop? An adorable donut and coffee shop called Sedonuts! How clever is that name? We couldn’t resist. I ordered an apple fritter the size of my head, and let me tell you—it tasted even better than it looked! We then tackled Sedona’s most popular hike: Devil’s Bridge. At just 4 miles round trip, dog-friendly, and with minimal elevation gain, this hike is a favorite for many. And the views at the end? Absolutely jaw-dropping. Now, we’re not huge fans of crowded hikes (Jill especially loves her solitude), so we figured the best time to go was before sunrise—what my dad would call “the crack of dawn.”
In winter, that wasn’t too early, but the 4 a.m. alarm still felt brutal. We groggily got ready, had a quick snack, and hit the trail by 5 a.m. It was freezing and pitch black, but with our trusty headlamps and flashlight, we could see just enough. Looking back, I’m glad we hiked in the dark because my fear of heights didn’t kick in—I couldn’t see how far up we were climbing! When we reached the bridge, we had about 30 minutes until sunrise and spent the time huddled together to stay warm. Soon enough, we saw headlamps approaching—proof that you can never truly avoid the crowds. Despite sharing the sunrise with a few others, it was a peaceful experience… until Bear, our dog, decided the drone someone brought was a threat and started barking like crazy!
The first couple of months in the desert were an amazing experience. We stayed warm, had plenty of adventures, and connected with a vibrant community of people living in their vans, RVs, and buses. But even in van life, you can only play tourist for so long. Jill eventually found a job doing something she loves (just behind being a cat/dog mom and being a nomad): working as a barista! Funny enough, she landed a job at Sedonuts—the very place we’d gotten those massive donuts! For anyone curious about what it’s like working a regular job while living in a van, it’s surprisingly similar to “normal life.” The main difference is that instead of returning to the same house or apartment every night, you scout out a new campsite. Some days it’s fun and exciting; other days, it’s a challenge. For us, it was 50/50—but at the end of the day, the freedom to move wherever and whenever we wanted made it all worth it.
Thank you for coming along on our journey! If you’re enjoying these stories, stay tuned because next week we’ll share what may be the craziest and most unique experience we’ve ever had living in a van. Don’t forget to follow Jill on Instagram and TikTok at @jillsweet97 and @bugandbear.travel for more updates!
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