May 2023.
Where we celebrated our daughters 30th birthday.
Our Itinerary
Thursday: Fly into Phoenix and crashed at a hotel near the airport.
Friday:
After fueling up on coffee we hit the road for the roughly 2 hour drive to Sedona! Once we arrived we stopped in Sedona to get food and snacks from Whole Foods since our hotel had a kitchenette! We could not check in early as our room wasn't ready so we changed in the parking lot and excitedly set off on our first hike!
Devils Bridge Trail. Parking was full, which we expected so we headed to the Posse Grounds Parking Lot to catch the free shuttle. This trail has two options: the scenic route which adds a few miles to your trip, or a short path down a dusty dirt road. We chose the scenic route and let's just say we added a few (more) extra miles ... but we blame the confusing trail that lacked markers. It's a fairly easy hike until you get close to the bridge then it becomes challenging. It's worth it!
Sweaty and smelly we headed back READY for a shower! We pulled up the Los Abrigados Resort & Spa, and were very pleased. The report was beautiful, very quiet, plenty of amenities (pickleball, mini golf, a pool and hot tub, spa, and more)! The best part, we were located just steps away from the Tlaquepaque Arts & Craft Village.
We freshened up and walked a short distance to dinner at El Rincon, a delicious Mexican restaurant in the village. After dinner, we drove over to the Airport to watch the sunset from the popular lookout. Parking was a few dollars and the lot filled up quickly but we were able to get a spot and walk along the trail to a more private area. BEAUTIFUL views! I would recommend arriving about 45 mins prior to the sun setting so you can walk down an easy path to a less populated lookout.
We earned this margarita!
Saturday
Allan walked to get breakfast at the Creekside Cafe, we recommend the tacos! We then packed up lunch, water, and snacks and headed to the next hike: Seven Sacred Pools! My daughter chose the Soldiers Pass to Brin Mesa loop. We parked at the same lot as the day before but were suggested by a guide working there that we could walk 1 mile through the neighborhood to get to the trailhead quicker, so we took his advice and hit the road. The hiking trail offered breathtaking views, but it presented a few challenging sections and lacked sufficient shade throughout the journey. We survived the hike and headed back to our car. On the way back to town we stopped at the Pink Jeep Tours for our 1.5hr ride.
TIP: Sitting in the very back is the bumpiest seat, avoid that if you get motion sickness.
Finally, we ended the night by freshening up and headed to dinner. We were able to get a table right away at the Hudson. The patio had great sunset views.
Sunday
Our last day in Sedona! After all that hiking we treated ourselves to a spa day at the resort. It was my daughter's first ever massage and she's now hooked. We took advantage of the resort amenities like the sauna and steam room!
We then packed up and headed out for the final hike of the trip, Boynton Canyon. Although this trail was a little farther away from the main part of town, it was still only about a 20-minute drive. We hiked along a narrow path alongside the Enchantment Resort for the first half of the hike. Since the trail was an out-and-back and one of the most popular in Sedona, we had lots of traffic passing by. There is a hidden trail that takes you to the subway cave about halfway through the hike. In order to get to the cave, we had to shimmy our way up a flat rock, but the view was well worth it!
TIP: Once you're at the end of the subway cave (where we are standing in the picture) you can continue and walk along the outside. Look around the right way and you will likely see others!
Needless to say, we were BEAT after the 20+ miles in 3 days! We hit the road and headed to Phoenix for our flight the next day. Overall, Sedona is 10/10 must see.
Quick Tips:
Use the App All Trails and download the trail map before you lose service!
Wear sunscreen and bring plenty of water. My FL daughter that loves the beach got sunburnt on her shoulders.
Take advantage of the free shuttle, click here for more info!
Wear proper hiking shoes.
Use the app or website OpenTable to find and make dinner reservations! Especially if you're visiting on a holiday weekend.
If we had more time:
Check out a vortex!
Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross. We have done this before on a previous trip but were limited on time this time since my daughter wanted to hike, hike, hike!
Explore other hiking trails: Cathedral Rock, Red Rock State Park, Bell Rock, and more!
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