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Admittedly, Sedona wasn’t really on my radar. Whenever coming across pictures of Arizona, I’d begin to sweat. The American Southwest seemed like a vast desert with cacti, tumbleweeds, and the O.K. Corral. But when the area was mentioned for our next girl’s trip, I gave it another look and realized, there must be something really special about this place.
The words “healing” and “calming” kept popping up in my research, along with beautiful red rock vistas that I had previously associated more with Southern Utah, having been to Moab the year before. So, at the urging of my fellow adventurers, the quest began to find the perfect lodging near town, while coordinating flights from 4 different states for our epic gal’s trip.
Our schedules finally aligned and we were able to nail down the end of April for our travel dates. This time of year also seemed perfect to hopefully avoid the summer heat, but that is what everyone else tries to do as well so be prepared for peak prices if you try to go between March and May.
By sheer luck, all of our local airports had nonstop flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and we found departures that actually landed within a couple hours of each other. Sky Harbor is a really nice airport where you can easily entertain yourself during long wait times. Phoenix hosts so many huge events each year like the Super Bowl, PGA Tour, and a ton of conventions which make it a very tourist friendly place to access. They know what they're doing and how to handle lots of traffic.
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Now, here is one of the major points I must make- Once all of your party arrives, you need to know that you’re still minimally 90 minutes from Sedona. But what a neat drive it is, the unique and ever changing landscape immediately enchanted us.
We opted to rent a car but also learned there is a great shuttle service that departs multiple times of day to get you to or from Phoenix. One of my gals needed to leave a day before everyone else for work and she ended up using Groome Transportation. The company is very professional, safe, clean, and reasonable, if that makes your trip easier. You can get by in Sedona surprisingly well without your own vehicle. There are plenty of shuttles and Ubers. Actually, a few hikes are only accessible by local shuttle so plan accordingly.
During our journey from Phoenix, we happened upon the coolest bar/restaurant just off the interstate. The Roadrunner Restaurant & Saloon in New River, Arizona will entertain you with an awesome atmosphere, bull riding, live music, good food, and there’s even a coffee shop. Our lunch visit really set the tone for the area and made us smile as we headed on down the road.
While getting to know a new place, if possible, we prefer to be within walking distance to restaurants and the main part of a town. Uptown Sedona and West Sedona seemed to have the most going on as far as restaurants and shopping. We settled on a lovely Airbnb complete with southwestern decor that perfectly reflected the surrounding area. This was the perfect lodging option for us so we could have a kitchen and feel the comforts of home, not to mention it never hurts to have more than one bathroom to share.
We could walk an easy 2 blocks to Elote Cafe (get reservations) just off the main street of Uptown Sedona where we enjoyed craft cocktails and carefully curated local dishes. Oaxaca Restaurant was another favorite where we tried grilled Arizona cactus and margaritas amongst stunning scenery.
The food options, neat boutiques, and red rock views were certainly plentiful in every direction. My personal favorite shop was Sedona Swirl Pottery with the sweetest, most talented owners who make beautiful treasures that we had to bring home to commemorate our time. We also loved spending an afternoon exploring the lush grounds and cobblestone alleyways of Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. A renowned market experience full of art galleries, demonstrations, unique stores, and many restaurants.
No girl's trip would be complete without a spa day so we spent an afternoon of relaxation at Los Abrigados Resort and Spa located beside Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. Everyone enjoyed massages and then soaked up some sunshine by the resort pool which was included as a day pass.
Turn’s out, Sedona really will heal your soul, literally and figuratively. We kept hearing about these “vortexes” and could’t quite grasp what in the world we were about to encounter. Apparently, a vortex is a place where the earth seems especially alive with energy. Somehow the red/orange rocks and green vegetation create stimulating, healing, and inspirational effects. Well, all that is absolutely true! We certainly felt the positive vibes, almost to the point of becoming emotional. The beauty and overwhelming expanse makes you feel small in a good way, while leading us into deep conversations and much appreciation for the ability to explore this treasure together.
The only two hikes we had time for were Cathedral Mountain and Airport Mesa Trail, both having their own healing vortex and stunning vistas. Airport Mesa is mostly flat and Cathedral Mountain is not very lengthy but it is steep! So bear that in mind. There are many more hiking opportunities that I can't wait to come back and explore!
On our last day in Sedona, we cleaned up and checked out of the Airbnb around 10am with plenty of time to fit in another sightseeing opportunity. The consensus was to head over to Montezuma Castle National Monument, 25 miles south of Sedona and conveniently on our way back to Phoenix. A prehistoric cliff dwelling, dating back to 1050 AD which boggles the mind with the sheer ingenuity of what we'd consider an apartment complex. Only accessible by ladders, the structure was "safely" hidden within the limestone to protect from heat, floods and enemies. Today, you cannot make the climb due to preservation purposes but one still gets the poignance from a distance. The visitor's center is full of history and information, along with a nice gift shop. I'd wager it's well worth a stop to further enrich everyone's appreciation of the past.
As we got back in the rental car continuing on to Phoenix, each of us agreed and marveled at our feelings of fulfillment, contentment, and wonder that we'd just experienced. The serene atmosphere of this beautiful landscape most certainly is healing and relaxing.
I absolutely would not change a thing about my time in Sedona (except to stay longer next trip), there is truly something for everyone and I cannot wait to return!
