Jerome is one of my favorite towns to visit; with its eclectic feel, artistic shops, and all around beautiful scenery, it is without a doubt an exciting place to explore. Located atop the Cleopatra Hill (5,200 feet) between Prescott and Flagstaff, this old mining town is filled with personality and character. Tired of the same old dinner and movie gig, my boyfriend Tauren and I decided Jerome would make a fun day date. Being that it is only two hours from Tempe, it definitely made for a perfect place to explore for the day.

We started our day off eating breakfast at Snooze A.M. Eatery. Located adjacent to the Arizona State University Tempe Campus, Snooze is a must eat spot around here. Putting their own flare on American breakfast classics there is something for anyone and everyone. Being that Tauren is a vegetarian and I am a meat lover; we both chose dishes that left us more than satisfied, and our bellies full. I went with the Corned Beef Hash, and Tauren went with the Tofu Scramble with a pancake on the side. We both genuinely enjoyed every bite!

After breakfast it was time to head out on the open road. I’ve always loved a good road trip and this one was no exception. The tall trees, green grass, and mountains made for an easy, enjoyable ride.

Once we made it to Jerome, we noticed a huge building on the corner of the street as we entered the downtown area.  The sign read, Art Studios Galleries. Both of us being art fans made it impossible for us not to take a peek inside. Once we walked into the building we started talking to a local artist who said the building used to be an old high school. And now, each room is rented out to local artists as personal studios. Each studio had such an individual identity associated with it, and it was truly inspiring.  As we finished up looking at the studios, we made our way to the larger building, known as “the science building.” When we walked in we soon realized that this was the art gallery.  The artist responsible for these paintings just so happened to be there.  He was kind enough to give us a tour of his personal studio along with a demo on how to make an Etching. It was an awesome experience to be able to witness the artist’s painting process first hand.

Once we finished exploring the art gallery, we wasted no time and went straight to the Haunted Hamburger for lunch. This restaurant was recommended to us by the local artist we met at the art studio. Not only did this restaurant offer some of the best views of Jerome, the food was also amazing.  Known for their hamburgers and sandwiches, the Haunted Hamburger exceeded all our expectations with its homey feel, outstanding view, fantastic service and delicious menu choices. One detail in particular that I appreciated was the hamburger bar. I mean, who doesn’t love dressing their own hamburger?

Afterwards, we decided to walk off our lunch and explore some of the local shops. The streets of Jerome have a very friendly vibe about them. Everyone is outside, music is playing from local pubs, and every door is open. One shop that caught our eye in particular was Nellie Bly.  If you ask me, pictures don’t do this shop justice.  As soon as you walk in you see an array of kaleidoscopes made up of all shapes, lights, colors and sizes. With mirrored walls and reflective gold plating, the store emanates spunk.

After spending a couple hours walking around, enjoying the cool breeze and simplicity of this small town, we decided it was time to head back to the Phoenix metro valley.

Once we started making our way back into Tempe, our stomachs didn’t let us forget what time it was. Dinner time was upon us and we couldn’t think of a better place to wind down than Postinos Annex in Downtown Tempe.  Postinos is a great place to gather for great conversation and even better food. Bruschetta is always on the menu at Postinos, and for a good reason.  It’s a perfect combination of fresh ingredients.  After splitting a Bruschetta board, we then delved into a Chicken Mozzarella Panini.  The coolness of the outside breeze mixed in with the chill atmosphere made for a perfect ending to a perfect day.

View our road trip on Google Maps to get a better idea of our route and how long it took from destination to destination.