i went on a virtual press trip to tempe, arizona

Because of the pandemic, I haven’t been anywhere since the beginning of March. As a travel writer, this is a bit of a shock to the system.

I’ve – surprisingly – been invited on a few press trips over the past few weeks, which I immediately turned down because I can’t even imagine getting on a plane or sleeping in a hotel right now. I do miss the idea of travel, though, and was intrigued when Wanderful (an amazing group for women travelers) invited me on a virtual press trip to Tempe, Arizona.

I wasn’t sure how this would work but I was excited to give it a try. I’ve spent a lot of time in Arizona – Phoenix, Scottsdale, Peoria, Tucson, Sedona – but have somehow missed Tempe.

About a dozen of us participated in the Zoom trip (including my friend, Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski), and it was such a nice group, I’d be happy to travel in real life with them.

Our hosts, Tempe Tourism Director of Communications Toni Smith, and Content Strategist Rachel Semik, were so enthusiastic, it was impossible not to get caught up in  their genuine love for their city.

They started by showing us a video of Tempe and talking about some of its top sights, including Papago Park and Tempe Town Lake. Yes, there’s a lake in the middle of the city! They told us about the wide variety of restaurants and, most interesting and unexpected to me, the prevalence of art.

I had no idea that Arizona State University (ASU) has an auditorium designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a Skyspace designed by James Turrell and its own art museum and gallery. Or that beautiful murals are an important part of Tempe’s landscape. This is something I’d like to explore in person.

We got to meet some Tempe residents who are doing some pretty cool things, starting with Zach Fowle of Four Peaks Brewing Company. He had sent us each a sample box of beers before the trip so we could taste them as he took us on a tour of the brewery, explaining the process and sharing the history of the 100 year old site.

We then met artist Jayarr Steiner, who blew us away with his passion and talent. The man, who creates public art that has become the selfie center of Tempe and the stuff of Instagram, is a force to be reckoned with. His “You Are Amazing” message (top photo) is so important and it’s resonated with everyone who comes in contact with it. In fact, Jayarr even gives away mini coloring books to kids (and those who are kids at heart). He showed us his studio and took us outside to see his work, and now I can’t wait to meet Jayarr and take a photo with his art one of these days.

Our last stop on the tour was the new Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown, where Jennifer Worthley-Gasca, Director of Sales, took us through some of the public spaces, including the gorgeous lobby filled with artwork, including cairns, which are traditionally trail markers. Here, they’re taken to a whole new level. We also got to meet the chef of Alter Ego, their signature restaurant. The hotel is located right across the street from ASU, and you can borrow a complimentary bike to ride around campus or do some shopping on Mill Avenue.

I have to say this virtual tour was so much more “real” than I thought it would be. There were many moments I genuinely felt like I was in Tempe – minus the hundred plus degree heat. It was the first time since the pandemic started that I let myself remember what travel felt like and how much I love it.

I hope other tourism boards will follow Tempe’s lead and put together virtual press trips of their own (and invite me, please!). Maybe they can even expand this idea beyond the press for people who are missing travel.

When I left the Zoom, I felt like I had really been away. It was definitely a highlight of the past four months.

Kudos to Toni and Rachel for creating a fantastic experience. I hope that sometime next year I’ll be able to actually meet them in Tempe and taste that delicious-looking dish I kept hoping the chef at Alter Ego could just push through my laptop screen.