We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Wakeman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, what makes you happy? Why?
Travel is what brings me the most joy! My husband Tyler and I love to experience new places together. You can learn so much by traveling. It keeps you open-minded and you can learn so much about, and from, other people! Sharing our travel adventures and helping others explore is also a huge source of happiness for me. I want people to see what our incredible nation has to offer!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love capturing the places we visit in a way that truly shows the beauty and experience of the area. Photography is such a fantastic art because I can show the real, unique, and raw experiences we have. I want people to be excited about travel in our country. Often times when people think about traveling, they think about places such as Paris, Ireland, backpacking through Europe, etc. I want people to see the incredible places we have here in the states, especially in the PNW. Through my photography, I want to show people how incredible travel truly is, in a way that can be inexpensive and accessible to many. I think there is so much culture and new places to discover right here in the U.S.!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
While we are from the PNW with lush green pines, snow-capped mountains, and wild coastlines, we were in awe at the beauty of Arizona! The landscape is just marvelous with the natural cactus, the massive red rocks, and the beautiful, expansive vantage points!

I would start my journey in Phoenix, AZ to enjoy all that the city has to offer! I would use VRBO to stay in one of the most beautiful guest houses we’ve ever been in…the Paradise Valley Village (https://bit.ly/36GbS6u). You get to enjoy the warm Arizona weather from the private poolside, drive to the heart of downtown Phoenix in 20 minutes, and enjoy the peace of the Phoenix Mountains Reserve! While in Phoenix, visiting the Desert Botanical Garden is a must!! Going first thing in the morning will ensure you can enjoy all five of their unique trails before the heat gets too much. For dinner, you have to hit up Joe’s Real BBQ! It’s just outside of Phoenix and is in a great downtown area. After dinner, walk over to The White Rabbit for a blast to the 20s in this super luxuriously decorated speakeasy (be sure to sign up for their emails to receive the password!).
After being in Phoenix, I’d take the 4 hour drive to the Grand Canyon! There is definitely a reason 5 million people visit this incredible national park each year! For a no-frills place right outside the park, we recommend staying in a Williams, AZ, in a mobile park (https://bit.ly/3Nie7xF). It was 30 minutes outside of the park’s entrance, as well as very quiet and clean.

From there, I’d take the 2.5 hour drive to Monument Valley and stay in Goulding’s Lodge! What an epic place to explore! You have to do Valley of the Gods while you’re over there. It’s about an hour away and is breath taking 17-mile drive! When we drove it, we basically had the whole place to ourselves! On the way back to Goulding Lodge, you’ll drive down the iconic Forest Gump Highway! There are pull-off areas so you can soak it all in.

The last place to visit should be Sedona, AZ! We loved the landscape that encompassed the city! While there, a must-do would be Chapel of the Holy Cross. What an absolute gorgeous chapel. Also, what would a visit to Sedona be without stopping to look at the world’s only blue McDonalds!! Those famous yellow arches are pretty in blue to ensure they don’t clash with the red rocks around Sedona. How fun is that??

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My grandfather absolutely loved the outdoors. His appreciation of being in the woods camping, hunting, and hiking got me to love it as well. My parents also love the outdoors, traveling, and being adventurous. They introduced me to travel via camping when I was little and I loved being out of the house ever since!

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Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.