The Camp Swift Session: Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff was different in the best possible way.
This November retreat marked our first event in quite some time where every single attendee was brand new to us. While we always connect online beforehand, gather information, and do everything we can to prepare for both individuals and group dynamics, this time we were all meeting each other for the very first time. Together.
We love that feeling, though. It’s the heart of why we created this travel experience in the first place.
Mirrorball Magic was built to be a space that feels warm, looks beautiful, and exists on an even playing field. Newcomers or veterans, there’s no home-field advantage here. Everyone arrives with a few nerves. Mar and I included. But we show up anyway, with optimism, open arms, and a lot of intention.
Check-in typically starts around 4pm, and that timing is deliberate. It gives us the evening to settle in together, ease the tension that travel brings, and gently transition from “on the move” to “we’re here.” We try to welcome each person ourselves whenever possible. Those first moments matter.
This weekend was special in a way that’s hard to fully put into words.
For a group of people who arrived as strangers, you would’ve thought they were reuniting for an annual retreat. At 4pm, Mar and I waited eagerly in the driveway, watching the clock like a pot that refused to boil. People filtered in as flights landed and plans shifted. Travel never fails to throw a wrench into even the best-laid plans.
And then suddenly, it happened all at once.
One car after another. Hug after hug. Smiles, excitement, and suitcases we happily carried to their rooms. The empty space we had spent months planning slowly filled with laughter. That moment, when a quiet house becomes alive, is one of our favorite parts of these trips.
There are small glimmers that stay with us. Stepping into another room to grab paper towels and hearing laughter echo down the hallway. Strangers becoming friends in real time.
Flagstaff was filled with thoughtful details and shared experiences. Eras-inspired touches were sprinkled throughout the house like confetti, including a hand-built Eras Tour stage that became the heart of our main event: Swift Karaoke.
Complete with costumes and outfit changes, the stage was backed by a fully custom photo collage filled with lyric references, easter eggs, and nods spanning from Debut to The Life of a Showgirl. All twelve eras were celebrated throughout the weekend. Guests were gifted era-themed crewnecks, cozy thermal cups, and thoughtful keepsakes that turned us into a rainbow lineup straight out of a Taylor Swift daydream.
Marissa went above and beyond, designing custom crests for each era and hand-painting them onto banners that filled the space beautifully.
Even our meals were Taylor-coded. Every dish was given a playful name: “re-eh-eh-ed salsa,” “cool chicks noodle soup,” “enchanted to meat you egg bake,” and more. We shared every meal around one large wooden table, anchoring the weekend in warmth, intimacy, and community. It became a place to linger, laugh, and connect.
Activities throughout the weekend included:
- A “life is a song” banner filled with favorite lyrics
- Friendship bracelet making
- Swift Karaoke night
- Lyric-prompted journaling and coloring
- Photo frame decorating
- Pictionary to Burn (an immediate new favorite)
- An Eras Tour movie night
We wore our matching crewnecks, took photos, and soaked in the views Flagstaff gave us. The sunrises and sunsets were unmatched. Despite the cold, the days were bright and sunny, and with the large windows of our lodging, it was easy to enjoy the scenery from every angle.
Karaoke night deserves its own spotlight. There truly was glitter on the floor after the party.
Everyone took turns signing up, singing, performing, and hyping one another up. Some outfits were a dead ringer for the Eras Tour itself. We created an audience space that made it easy to cheer loudly and show up fully for each performer. With microphones, lighting, and a little imagination, it felt like a night out—without ever leaving the house.
It was more than entertainment. It was bonding.
We laughed, scream-sang, cried, and celebrated Michaela, whose birthday fell during the weekend. While we don’t host birthday parties, we do believe in main character moments. Michaela was surprised with a cake and her very own 22 hat, because some moments deserve to be marked.
We took Polaroids. We sang until our voices were hoarse. We journaled in quiet. We played silly games, danced around the house, ate comfort food, and stayed up far too late. We shared our hearts, curled up in cardigans, and cried during goodbye hugs we never could have predicted would feel so heavy.
This weekend was transformative.
The soft moments. The scheduled ones. The unscripted ones. Thirteen strangers, one shared space, and a connection that formed effortlessly.
Literal magic.
Mirrorball Magic.