One of the greatest things about living in California is being close to such diverse landscapes that are just a hop, skip and—in the case of Sedona—a short flight away.
If you’ve heard of Sedona, then you know that it’s considered a sacred place, one revered by New Age thinkers and lambasted by skeptics. The former believe the town has a unique cosmic energy, a certain electromagnetic force that stirs up something in most people—if you’re open to it. I am open to it, so when I visited Sedona on a recent trip, I was all ears…and eyes…and heart.
I may not have had any earth-shattering realizations or resolved latent emotional issues, but Sedona did make an impression on me. There’s a different brand of silence and stillness there, and it forces you to be a little extra introspective. My mind chilled out and meditating all of a sudden seemed less like a challenge. The place just lends itself to looking inward.
Self-fulfilling prophecy or not, the place undoubtedly makes for a dynamite getaway.
Along with other journalists on assignment, we spent most of our time at the resort—in sprawling luxury cottages with two TVs, three different showers and a fireplace—and got a taste of all the cool stuff Sedona is famous for, like spa treatments, hiking and those famous Pink Jeep tours.
Here are some scenes from my trip:
Room service breakfast on my patio. I mean, that view!
Many a wedding vow have been said at this spot at the hotel overlooking the Red Rocks.
The hotel transformed this gazebo into a charming and romantic nook for two.
L’Auberge’s Veranda restaurant sits right by Oak Creek and makes for a really lovely lunch by the water.
On the Hiline Trail in Yavapai Point, our guide, Jason, showed us just how useful nature around us can be. Along the way we saw juniper (an antibacterial), manzanita (a breath freshener) and mollen (both a painkiller and toilet paper). As he aptly put it, “Nature always provides.” We also saw this trail; no relation to Eminem.
The spa at L’Auberge just introduced a L’Apothecary program, where guests can make their own scrubs using ingredients native to Sedona. I thought it’d be overpriced, but I think $20-30 for 2 oz. and 8 oz. respectively is fair for the really fun DIY experience. The spa also offers a unique treatment called Feet in the Creek, where you dip your feet ankle-deep into the cold creek and get a reflexology treatment as well as a head, neck and shoulder massage. Bad weather canceled my appointment, but the other gals in the group said it was calming, refreshing and one of the most unique spa treatments they had ever had.
You’ll see these pink jeeps all over town. Pink Jeep Tours hosts off-road expeditions through the Red Rock region (and other Southwestern cities), and if you’re OK with a very bumpy ride, you must sign up for one of their tours. I’m still amazed that we went up and down some of that nearly vertical terrain. Good, adrenaline-pumping fun.
Steak fajitas and a prickly pear margarita (the local specialty) at Taos Cantina in downtown Sedona.
The much-photographed Cathedral Rock (in the background) is the site of one of Sedona’s four famous vortexes. If you find yourself in one of these, you’re said to feel an indescribable energy. We didn’t go inside, which was a bummer, but I’m certainly going next time.
Tlaquepaque is a quaint shopping area modeled after Guadalajara, Mexico. It’s probably the most promising place to shop in Sedona but still seemed super touristy and commercial.
Eating at the L’Auberge restaurant was one of the best dining experience of my life, thanks in large part to the skill of executive chef Rochelle Daniel. There’s a lot to love about eating here. Not only is a woman leading a kitchen, which is such a rarity, but she’s under 30, too! Then there’s the hyper-local ingredients. Before dinner we went foraging and ate strawberries, garlic flowers and more straight from the garden. In the dish above she created an amazing vegetarian spin on her salmon mousse appetizer, which combined goat cheese mousse with a malt cracker and almond brittle. It was one of the most unique, most exciting dishes I’ve had in a long, long time. And the whole rest of the meal, including the tortellini and chamomile pavlova, spoke to the same quality. Their restaurant is a must, must, must if you can swing it.
Ah, the silence.
Disclaimer: My hotel, transportation, meals, and activities were free as part of a press trip. All opinions are my own.
I had never seen/heard of those Pink Jeep tours until I went to the Grand Canyon this summer. Kind of wish I had signed up! Sedona looks beautiful, definitely a place I’d want to check out.
I want to go back to the Grand Canyon! I went when I was 3 and, of course, remember absolutely nothing.
Whoa, that’s a stunning backdrop. I’m not one for adventure driven trips, but I would love to try the jeep tour and traipse around the area. It looks so welcoming. How was the temperature in the area? Hot? Sticky?
When we were there in early October, it was a perfect warmth during the day (70s) and cool at night (50s-60s). The summer can be very rainy in Sedona.