There’s no girls’ trip like a getaway to Sedona. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery and loads of recreation, Sedona isn’t just a place it’s an experience. It’s complete with leisure and sports activities, art, history, culture, spas and fabulous food. Here, time stands still and something inside you quiets and becomes more centered. You can go from complete Zen to complete nutty over the fabulous shopping, or even feel like Superwoman as you tackle some outdoor hiking! So, grab your girlfriends and get ready to indulge in the western paradise of Sedona, Arizona!
Driving into Sedona is one of the most breathtaking moments of the vacation. Just as you take the exit down to this beautiful town, the astonishing red rock formations are sure to capture your attention. No matter what time of day you arrive, it’s always a spectacle. I bet you don’t even make it to your hotel without stopping to capture some quick pics for the photo album!
These rock formations were created millions of years ago. Once, Sedona was completely under water and the remains of the living water creatures provided the foundation of the rocks. Later, when the Colorado Plateau uplifted and formed the Grand Canyon, disruptions and cracks were formed in the earth in Sedona. Water streamed through these crevices and eroded the rocks, causing what we see today as the beautiful rock formations. The red coloring comes from the iron oxide that was deposited into the sandstone from water that carried dissolved iron. Now that we’ve completed our science lesson for today, we’ll continue on with our fabulous trip to Sedona!
Well, you’ve made it past the stunning scenery and now you need a place to stay. During my visit, I stayed at two amazing facilities: L’Auberge de Sedona and Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa.
L'Auberge de Sedona is an upscale, warm, inviting and extremely hospitable place to stay. Reminiscent of an elegant European cottage, they offer 21 lodge guest rooms and one and two-bedroom cottages. The cottages are perfect for a pack of traveling women. It offers privacy for your group and they are even equipped with fireplaces! Just think of roasting marshmallows inside the cabin! If you think the rooms are spectacular, then you’ll definitely be impressed with the grounds. Just footsteps away from your room or cottage you’ll relax to the sounds of a peaceful creek nestled within a forest backdrop. They have chairs settled outside so you can enjoy your morning tea with the girls or you can head over to the restaurant that’s located on the banks of the stream. This isn’t just any restaurant, it’s a 4 diamond rated establishment that has had the honors of achieving the Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” for the past 15 years! The only thing more impressive than the restaurant menu is the menu at the spa! Doesn’t a vitality wrap sound delightful? I think a deep blue lavender embrace or a verbena citrus shiatsu fusion sounds very deserving. Wait, it gets better! The staff has superior attention to detail and are eager to assist you with any questions or arrangements you may need to make (Like your cowgirl outings and shopping excursions or maybe your daring helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon). The only problem with staying here is that you’ll never want to leave!
If spa is your middle name then the hip Sedona Rouge Spa & Hotel is where you’ll want to stay. Not only is it home to a world-class spa, but the Sedona Rouge Spa & Hotel also offers the best in accommodations and amenities. The rooms are elegant and upscale with fireplaces and flat screen televisions. The sharp, bright red décor amongst the backdrop of elegant dark wood gives it a rich and classy look. In the bathroom, you’ll find a showerhead that hangs from the ceiling to give you the feel of showering in the rain! Equipped with all the luxuries you can imagine, they haven’t missed a single detail. You’ll even find Turkish bath towels and Kashmereä Robes and you’ll be sleeping atop a Simmons mattress.
They have an entirely separate building for their spa treatments and services which also houses their 6 spa guest rooms and their upscale spa suite. Here, they put the “ahhh” in spa and make it almost mindless to order exactly what you want. They custom fit your spa experience by a brief interview to determine both what you want and what you need (if only everything were that easy). The spa consultant will analyze your skin, your stress and talk with you about what your expectations are in your spa experience. They charge a flat fee for massage and facials depending on the amount of time desired (60 or 90 minute sessions) and they customize it to fit your needs and wants. So, no matter whether you want a deep tissue or Swedish massage or maybe a little aromatherapy the price is the same. I really loved this idea and I think you will as well. Other unique services you can expect on their menu are body treatments, Reflexology, Energy Balancing Sessions, Guided Visualizations, Astrology consultations and the list is endless. This spa doesn’t stop after your treatment is over; continue with your relaxation in their Tranquility Lounge and Zen Garden or bask in the sun outside in the Jacuzzi. After the spa, fill up on some wonderful gourmet cuisine at Reds Restaurant & Bar and later enjoy a cocktail and the surrounding scenery on their rooftop terrace.
Now that you’re settled into your hotels, it’s time to explore the town! Start by scheduling a tour.
Sedona Red Rock Jeep Tours has a collection of tours that fit almost anything that you and your gal pals are up for. They have everything from horseback rides and cowboy cookouts to archaeological tours and vortex tours. What is a vortex you ask? It is believed that they are swirling centers of spiritual energy that comes from the Earth. Sedona has four of vortex locations and some consider these vortexes to have healing powers.
Another fantastic tour we participated in was the Great Ventures Tour of the Grand Canyon. We climbed aboard their bus (that picked us up directly from the hotel) and set out on our western journey. We had a brief stop on the Navajo Reservation, in which I treated myself to some hand made turquoise earrings and other Native American jewels, then boarded the bus and headed to the Grand Canyon. Nothing is more awe inspiring than seeing the Grand Canyon in all it’s glory. There were stops at different lookouts and we even did a brief hike on our own. After lunch, we strapped into an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of flying above the canyon in a helicopter! What a thrill… and a laugh! This tour company was professional in every aspect, from the luxury tour bus, to the knowledgeable tour guide this was a tour I’ll never forget. Other tours this company offers are white water rafting trips on the Colorado River and trips to the new Grand Canyon Skywalk on the Hualapai Reservation.
With all these activities and explorations to be done, you never want to start your day off without a hearty breakfast and the best place to check out is the Coffee Pot Restaurant. Offering as many as 101 different omelets it’s no wonder this place has been frequented by many Hollywood stars and is favored by the locals.
For dinner how does rattlesnake appetizers sound to you? They actually weren’t bad, in fact, even a little tasty; however, if rattlesnake isn’t one of your choice meals, you can still enjoy some real cowgirl dining at the Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits. It was established in 1946 and continues to be a popular hangout for cowboys (and girls), movie actors, and celebrities, as they are well known for their hearty steak and rib meals.
Shopping is amongst the many things we enjoy doing on our girls’ trips and Sedona was no different. There were a plethora of little outdoor shopping plazas that sold gorgeous Indian jewelry and keepsakes, including the Kachina Hopi dolls. The famous Navajo rugs were in every size, color and pattern. Magnificent artwork was around every corner and is worth strolling through to find the perfect fit for your home décor. If you’re searching for a bargain, head out to the Oak Creek Factory Outlets which houses stores like Nike, Jones NY Sport, Nine West, Gap and many more. Looking for a unique and relaxing shopping experience? You’ll have no problem finding one-of-a-kind items at Tlaquepaque Arts &Crafts Village. It will be easy to make an afternoon of shopping here. Filled with galleries, restaurants and gift stores I’m sure you and the girls will find everything your looking for!
With all that we accomplished on this girlfriends getaway, there was still so much more we wanted to do. That’s what a great visit does; leaves you wanting more! Next time, we hope to look down on the rock formations from a hot air balloon ride, enjoy an afternoon train ride through the desert mountains, go white water rafting, hit the vineyards and maybe some fishing, too. No matter what we decide to do, one thing we know for sure is that we are definitely coming back!
For more information about visiting Sedona check out:
www.visitsedona.com
