If you missed the intro to this blog series, be sure to check it out here.
Day 5
On our way from Page to Sedona, we stopped at Cameron Trading Post for some shopping. If you plan on buying any souvenirs on your trip, hold out for this stop. It offers authentic goods made by Navajo artisans. Here, I bought several things that, to this day, I adore: a dreamcatcher, mini ceramic pots, a turquoise ring, and (legal) petrified wood. Before hitting the road again, we had a quick lunch at the on-site Grand Canyon Restaurant and tried their infamous Navajo taco.
Driving into Sedona was something special. I wish I could remember what route we took, but we were surrounded by mountainous red rock and lush green soon after a rainstorm. It was quite the greeting. We immediately headed to our hotel, Amara Resort & Spa. I will be the first to admit that it was a total splurge, but splitting a room between four gals who has just hiked for several days straight made it both doable and worth it. If you, too are up for a splurge, I can’t say enough good things about Amara.
Since I was on spring break, I was very much in a “treat yo-self” mindset. Soon after we arrived to the hotel, I headed to the spa for a facial and a massage. Divine! Meanwhile, the girls laid out by the pool and took advantage of the hotel’s nightly complimentary wine tasting. Then, while we were getting ready for a night out, Cabrey surprised us with some room service treats. Cheese, charcuterie, and Veuve?!? Yes, please!
Oh, so about our night out? We quickly learned that Sedona is a pretty sleepy town when it comes to nightlife. There are only two bars in the entire town that are open until 2 am: Olde Sedona Bar & Grill and Mooney’s Irish Pub. Similarly, Ubers are slim to none during that hour – so much so that, by chance, we had the same Uber driver to and from our hotel. You can’t make that sh*t up. Anyway, for this particular night we arbitrarily chose Olde Sedona and ended up having a great time. It’s pretty divey with live music and a fair amount of locals (read: solid people-watching). They also have fried cactus on the menu, and you better believe we tried it. It was surprisingly delish!
Day 6
After our night out, we somehow managed to wake up early enough to partake in one of Amara’s complimentary yoga classes. Then, we headed to breakfast at Creekside Coffee. I definitely recommend this spot. For starters, the food and coffee were yummy. However, most lovely of all was the amazing view of the red rocks that we enjoyed from our outdoor table. Afterward, we took a leisurely walk back to our hotel, stopping in and out of shops. Unfortunately, this is when Lindsay and I (part of the bachelorette party) parted ways with Miller and Cabrey (who had a flight to catch home).
Soon enough, Linds and I met up met up with the bachelorette party at our absolutely stunning Airbnb. Because it was raining pretty badly, we had no choice but to forgo our hike to Devil’s Bridge. Instead, ordered some pizza, had a welcome toast (and then some), and enjoyed stunning views of the red rocks from our balcony.
To be clear, I can’t take credit for any of the planning from this point forward. I also can’t take credit for the adorable itinerary posted below. Emery’s matron of honor, Sasha, flawlessly executed a magical weekend for the gals lucky enough to be a part of it. Still, I can’t not recap the memories.
Day 7
Personally, I didn’t know much about Sedona’s vibe prior to Emery’s bachelorette destination was decided, but it’s a truly unique and beautiful destination that is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and spirit junkies. That’s precisely why our morning with Yogi Blair was so special. Our experience started with sunrise yoga and QiGong at Rachel’s Knoll. Afterward, we took a light hike around the knoll, which incorporated a “chocolate meditation” and an opportunity to “encode crystals.” Sure, there were a lot of spiritual practices happening at once, but when in Rome.
Another thing that I wasn’t familiar with prior to visiting Sedona is its abundance of spiritual vortexes. And, what are those, you ask? They are said to be cross-points in the earth’s grid system, creating “hot spots” of energy where where they intersect. Although controversial, some believe that these areas of heightened energy allow for spiritual healing and psychic enhancement. There are four major vortex sites in Sedona: Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Boynton Canyon. However, there are many lesser-known vortexes as well, Rachel’s Knoll being one of them. I’m grateful to have experienced a spiritual vortex minus the crowds. In fact, I noticed only one other group during our several hours spent at Rachel’s Knoll.
Then, while some of the group explored the renowned Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, the rest of us veered from the itinerary and headed to Mystical Bazaar. Out of the many spiritual shops that I visited while in Sedona, this is one of the most beautiful. And its crystal offerings?!? Don’t get me started. There, we had a group psychic reading with Kiara. Although I’m generally a skeptic of psychics and the like, Kiara has a true gift. Her intuition and ability to read the room was mind-blowing, even several times bringing us to tears. It was an intimate and profoundly emotional experience that I will never forget.
After our reading, we enjoyed an al fresco, Southwestern lunch at Tii Gavo, located on the absolutely stunning Enchantment Resort. This five-star resort is next-level amazing, surrounded by the towering red rock walls of Boynton Canyon. If, like me, staying here is beyond your means, at the very least enjoy a meal here.
Later that night, after taking a few hours to recoup, we headed to dinner at The Hudson, an upscale American eatery with delicious food and cocktails. Remember me mentioning the two nightlife spots in all of Sedona? Well, this night we headed to the bar we didn’t get to check out two nights prior, Mooney’s Irish Pub. Where there is live music, there is an opportunity to get our girl Jaymee on the mic. And, that we did! As always, she killed it. Mooney’s was packed and full of great energy. Naturally, we had an amazing time!
Day 8
We decided to nix breakfast at Creekside Cafe in favor of a morning and afternoon spent at our Airbnb. It was a fun, but lazy morning lounging by the pool. Of course, as the number of Bloody Marys and mimosas increased, so did the antics. I’ll spare those details. ;)
Later that evening, we went on one of Sedona’s infamous Pink Jeep Tours. Sasha chose the Broken Arrow Tour for us, which I loved! This tour gets its name from the 1950 western film, “Broken Arrow,” as many famous westerns were filmed at the locations seen from inside and outside the jeep. Out of all the tours offered, this one is known to provide the most extreme off-roading experience. So, if you go this route (literally and figuratively), be prepared for a wild ride. And, of course, breathtaking views.
We ended our final day in Sedona with a lovely dinner at SaltRock. Known for its Southwestern cuisine, this restaurant is part of Amara Resort & Spa, where I stayed with the road trip gals during our first night in Sedona. If you go here, be sure to get the Sun Devil margarita! It’s made with Astral tequila blanco, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, passion fruit, chipotle, lime, and a spiced salt rim. I still dream about it!
That, my friends, wraps up an incredible experience – both road tripping and celebrating! While I’m continuously in awe of the unique beauty each region of the world has to offer, the state of Arizona is truly something special. I’m forever grateful for my ongoing adventures.
…Next stop, home sweet home!
In Wanderlust We Trust 