Sedona, Arizona

The city of Sedona has a little something for everyone. The surrounding landscape entices hikers to explore its beautiful red rocks and rivers. Its luxurious spas spoil guests while providing some much needed R&R. Its also a spiritual destination for those who believe in the energy of its many vortices. For us, after hiking over 35 miles in the past ten days, we planned a two-day getaway at a resort to rest our legs and recharge.

We took Rte 89A into Sedona. The scenic byway followed Oak Creek through a canyon full of bright fall colors. The road went from lush, dense trees to wide open desert with jagged red rock formations extending out over the town. It was too early for us to check in, so we wandered around the property. The landscaping was perfectly manicured, with large trees providing shade along every path. It backed up to the creek which led us to the resort’s duck beach. We sat in nearby lounge chairs and watched a few kids get overwhelmed by dozens of ducks trying to peck the seed out of their hands. 

Our cabin was amazing. The main room had a cozy fireplace with a private tree-lined terrace. The bathroom was a spa in itself, with an outdoor cedar shower. I dipped my legs in the jetted tub while Dave took a shower outside. We stayed in for the remainder of the day. For dinner we ordered room service, splurging on a few desserts, and watched the Astros play the Dodgers in the World Series. 

The next morning we set out to see the town. Our first stop had to be Slide Rock State Park. David had been looking forward to sliding down its natural water slide the whole trip, but when we got there the river was pretty low, and very cold. We explored the rest of the park, which consisted of an old homestead and apple orchard.

We then headed downtown to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired church built into the adjacent red rocks, and browse the shops along the main drag.

Back at the resort, we grabbed lunch by the creekside. It was such a serene setting, but David and I have trouble just relaxing while on vacation, and were feeling a little restless. We ended up exploring the property some more, and stumbled upon a deck overlooking large red rock mountains. We stayed and watched the sunset before grabbing dinner at the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. Its ivy-covered courtyards were full of art galleries and small cafés. We ended the night by ordering dessert in our cabin and watching the remainder of the World Series.

Sedona was definitely a change of pace for us. We quickly learned that if our days aren’t packed full of hikes and adventures, we just don’t know what to do with ourselves. It was nice to rest our feet, but we were ready to move on to Monument Valley!