Mom’s Trip to Sedona
I’d long wondered what the hype of Sedona was all about. But honestly, I was so excited for an adults-only weekend trip with my girlfriend, that I was only mildly concerned about location. The focus was uninterrupted time to do whatever we pleased for a solid 72 hours. And although I’m sure we would have had a blast if we hadn’t made it any further than the airport (which almost happened as we were busily catching up and not paying attention to any of the boarding announcements), I’m glad we made that flight to Sedona. It did not disappoint. Here are the highlights:
Book everything early! – we began booking an April trip in January. Although I knew early spring in Sedona is peak season, I was still surprised how tough it was to get reservations. We were aiming for a middle-of-the road accommodation; nice, but not so nice that we’d want to spend the whole trip in our room. We ended up staying at Sedona Pines Resort, which is a series of mini-cabin-like structures that are comfortable, but not luxurious. The pros: clean, comfortable, conveniently located about 10 minutes outside downtown Sedona without traffic, family-friendly (i.e. and since we had no family, we enjoyed the quiet after 10pm), nice pool/hot tub, very friendly reception and a DVD rental in the main office that made for some fun chick-flick nights over a bottle of wine. The cons: the one-bedroom “queen” bed would have been a tight fit for two. I happily slept on the pull-out couch. Outside of downtown, which again, was a pro and a con. To summarize Sedona Pines: it felt mildly like a comfortable, friendly summer camp for families and retired couples. For two tired moms, we were very happy.
Pick a side! – I found it tricky to understand the layout of Sedona before going. I knew from the map it branches in 3 directions from the center of town and choosing a side can feel like picking your favorite child. Although distances between places are seemingly short, intense traffic piles up quickly around the city-center roundabout. Our accommodation was on the main road (SR 89A) coming from Phoenix. Our time in Sedona was short, but here are my quick observations:
SR 89A (west of Sedona City Center) – the side of town where we stayed and most explored. We could have spent our entire time on this side of town and been happy: hikes, restaurants, Whole Foods + least traffic issues because you do not have to navigate downtown Sedona (which is also convenient if you need to drive back to Phoenix).
SR 89A (east of Sedona City Center) – “Uptown Sedona” – best walkability for nightlife and souvenir shopping. We didn’t have time to explore any hiking on this side of town but want to return for the famed “Slick Rock”.
SR 179 – Some of the most famous Sedona red-rock highlights (Castle Rock etc.) and the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. Luckily there is a shuttle near downtown to bus you to the main tourist attractions. We were unable to find parking without taking the bus.
Get out of your comfort zone because why not??? People flock to Sedona for all kinds of reasons. Incredible hiking, restaurants, wine, wellness, crystals, and energy vortexes. To each their own. We wanted to focus most of our time on hiking, but also wanted to explore some other facet of what Sedona had to offer. We chose Vortex Yoga Hiking, which turned out to be the perfect thing to do on our first day because it 1) oriented us to our surroundings, 2) included an informative and beautiful hike with the knowledgeable Yogi Blair, 3) got our bodies moving with yoga and Qui Dong as we looked out at the stunning Sedona landscape, and 4) ended with homemade plant-based chocolate that we savored in a walking meditation. Bonus: the other members of our group were two mom friends who met almost a decade ago when their kids were infants, but still manage to prioritize mom-trips together each year. #momgoals!
Do NOT hit the snooze button – Sedona is where I learned about Influencers in the Wild. They are a breed, and they are out in full force at all the major tourist attractions in Sedona. 500 selfies at Devil’s Arch? Check. Taking self-timed couples photos balancing in the splits on each other’s backs (you had to be there to see it, and it was impressive)? Check. Look, Sedona is popular for a reason. If you don’t mind fighting crowds, then take a leisurely pace at your own risk. If you’re hoping for a few quiet moments to enjoy geographical wonders without a selfie-stick, get up at 5am. That’s just the way it is.
Our hiking itinerary:
Day 1 (Evening):
Little Horse Trail – the Castle Rock lot was full at sunset (no surprise), but this was a nice close-by alternative. We were still getting our bearings but had fun winding around the trail system and finding a perch for sunset.
Day 2:
Boynton Pass Road (Vortex Yoga Sedona) – This would not have been on my radar if not for yoga. By the time we started yoga (9am) trails were filling up. We had this off-the-beaten path option to ourselves. It offered some great panoramas of the area without another soul in site.
Doe Mountain – recommended by Yogi Blaire, this was a great option for sunset. We’d learned the previous day that Castle Rock sunset was tricky to coordinate and would be packed. We passed perhaps 10 other hikers on the way up to this beautiful outlook.
Day 3:
Boynton Canyon Trail: Subway Cave – one of the popular ones we did not want to miss. We began our hike at 6am. Parking was already filling up. By the time we reached the cave it was quite busy (probably 30 + other people), but everyone respectfully gave each other turns taking the famed Subway photo.
Deadman’s Pass & Mescal Trail Junction to: Birthing Cave – As you descend from the Subway Cave, you have the option to veer off towards the Birthing Cave. I was surprised there were only a handful of other groups making this trek. Beautiful cacti, flowers and a random javelina accompanied our journey. The ascent to the Birthing Cave was very steep, but worth the view in my opinion.
Castle Rock – mid-afternoon, we easily found parking in the park-and-ride and took the quick bus ride to Sedona’s most famous rock. The rock is unequivocally beautiful and feels like a rite of passage in Sedona travel, but the journey was packed, which may or may not have accounted for my lack of feeling the presence of a Vortex. I felt like this was worth doing, but expectations must be kept in check.
Day 3:
Devil’s Arch – we debated whether it would be worth checking out yet another extremely popular Sedona landmark with the risk of intense crowds but decided to go for it. We were on the trail by 5:30am, and again, parking was already quite filled. Luckily at this early hour, Jeeps to the trailhead are not running, so you quietly walk down the dark jeep path in relative solitude (regular vehicles are not allowed). This is a beautiful hike and I’m so glad we went for it. By the time we reached the arch at 6:26am, the line for a Devil’s Arch photo was only about 5 people long (by the time we left an hour later there were about 40 people in line with a solid stream of hikers right behind). During our trip other hikers told us they stood in line for 2.5 hours for a photo on Devil’s Arch.
Food – book reservations in advance! If not, you’ll be sifting through a lot of options that cater to tourists (high price tag, so-so food, long lines). I tried to get reservations at the most recommended spots almost a month in advance and they were booked (Mariposa, Elote, etc.)
Local Juicery – “Superfood” buzz words abound and prices to match, but I’m a sucker for this kind of spot. Cold press juices, bowls, tasty waffle creations, and yoga pants galore. This is the kind of place I expected to find in Sedona, and I visited several times during our short stay. (Locations in Sedona and Flagstaff.)
Chocola Tree Organic Eatery - Funky vegetarian/vegan/organic fare. Great spot for lunch, especially the large garden area in the back. Fresh with lots of options. Delicious truffles for dessert too!
The Secret Garden Café (next to Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village) – this place was buzzing during the noon hour, but the line moved fast. Huge portions, variety for all diets, and a great location.
Hideaway House – due to lack of planning, we had a hard time finding a spot to eat on our first night. Pizza to the rescue! This popular spot near the Sedona City Center whipped up tasty (vegan and non-vegan) pizzas that we happily ate with a bottle of wine back at our room.
89Agave Cantina – so-so food, fun atmosphere, the margaritas didn’t disappoint. Since we (again) didn’t have a dinner reservation, this place sufficed.
Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill (wanted to go but couldn’t get a reservation). We stopped to try our luck for a walk-in (failed) and to take photos on the lovely grounds. Next time we will plan!
Bottom Line: Sedona was the perfect spot for a girl’s getaway. Because of the crowds, I’m glad I did not try to take young kids (we probably would have spent most of the time at the resort pool). I was so happy to have a travel companion who wanted to explore at the same pace (active mornings, relaxing evenings), and most of all, it was so good to get away!
