Sometimes a trip feels charmed — every spontaneous decision ends up being the right one, every meal is delicious, every stranger you talk to is friendly and helpful. That’s how Sedona was. By the end of the four-night trip Sam and I took, I was completely relaxed, saying things like, “We’ll get there when we get there” and “Let’s just see what happens” (these are not things I normally say.)
When to go
We went in early March, which is considered the beginning of the season — and there was already a lot of traffic on the main drag and hikers on the popular trails. According to the locals I talked to, you should avoid April through October if you’re looking for peace and quiet. November through March are colder but far more tranquil.
What to do
Mainly: Hike! I was a little nervous that Sam and I (who are indoor cats) wouldn’t have enough to do, but that wasn’t the case at all. The hiking was so incredible that we happily did it every day.
Here are the ones we tried, but I get the sense there are no bad hikes in Sedona…
Airport Loop Trail: This 3.5-mile hike was a few feet from our hotel (a perk of staying at Sunset Chateau). The views were stunning.
Devil’s Bridge via Mescal: A 3.9-mile out-and-back with a ton of visual variety (creeks, rocks, vistas, etc.) This is one of the most popular Sedona hikes because of the eponymous Devil’s Bridge, a cool rock arch that’s become a photo opp. A woman in the parking lot recommended the Mescal Loop if we wanted to evade the crowds. Regardless: Unless you’re getting to the trailhead before 7 AM, park in Sedona’s downtown and take the free shuttle. It runs every 30 minutes.
West Fork of Oak Creek Trail: This 6.5-miler winds its way along a canyon creek. You have to cross the water 10+ times, so bring good shoes. The scenery is gorgeous (are you sensing a theme?) And when you’re done, Indian Gardens Cafe is a few minutes away.
Where to stay
Sunset Chateau: I booked this B&B after reading rave reviews on Reddit (where else) and thought it was good value for money (we stayed in a 600-square-foot suite for ~$300 a night.) There’s a hot tub and pool — every time we used them, we were the only people — and plenty of places around the property to sit and read. Plus, every suite has its own patio/balcony with a big couch to lounge on. Complimentary breakfast, although after the first underwhelming morning, we opted to go off-property to eat. Each suite has its own kitchenette, so on night one after a long travel day, we got groceries at nearby Natural Grocers and cooked dinner ourselves.
What to eat
Breakfast/lunch:
Indian Gardens: Casual/no reservations. When we walked in, the scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafted over us, and I immediately knew we’d have a good meal. Sam got the bacon and brie sandwich, while I ordered the roasted broccoli salad with lentils, pepitas, and curried tahini dressing. Both were fantastic: satiating, bright, and well-balanced. Sam finished with a cookie and rated it an 8.5 out of 10. We stuck with hot tea, but both the coffee and wine/beer list looked appealing. If the weather’s nice, take your food to the lovely garden out back.
Senor Bobs: Casual/no reservations. Go here after a hike (Airport Loop is right up the road.) The food — loaded hot dogs, burgers, and fries — will stick to your ribs. We shared a play on the Arizona classic Sonoran dog: a hot dog topped with Pico de Gallo, jalapeños, refried beans, aioli, and crumbled bacon. It was fantastic.
Local Juicery: Casual/no reservations. Sam had the Açaí bowl (impressively, they were able to make it totally nut-free, including the granola) while I got the avocado toast. Both were beautifully plated and a welcome interlude between hot dogs and barbecue.
Dinner:
Up the Creek: Call ahead to reserve a creek-side table (we saw hummingbirds, ducks, robins, and more) or walk in and sit at the bar with the locals. The portions were large yet not overwhelming, and the wine list was extremely comprehensive (although we didn’t partake). The service was attentive but not warm. I recommend ordering the brussels sprouts and grilled artichoke appetizers.
Elote: Reservations required (they book 60 days out.) Our delightful Uber driver recommended we order “everything with corn in it,” which is exactly what we did: elote, of course, the perfect balance of creamy and spicy piled precariously on homemade tortilla chips; a Caesar-ish salad with fried cotija cheese, corn kernels, and radish, which Sam declared one of the best he’d ever had; smoked pork cheeks on a corn cake (my personal favorite); and to finish, a cornbread cake with caramel and vanilla agave ice cream. We also loved their roasted pineapple mezcal cocktail — I normally don’t like mezcal, but this was delicious.
Drink:
There are several wineries near Sedona, if that’s your thing. We went to Javelina Leap before Up the Creek and had a lovely time playing cornhole in their sprawling (and at the time, near-empty) outside area. We didn’t visit Oak Creek, which is right next door — but we did hear lots of laughter and happy sounds floating over.
Where to shop
Because of our hotel’s location, we never ventured into the touristy area of Sedona, although we did drive through a few times and it looked cute. If you want a classic shopping experience, I heard the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village is the place to go: It’s an outdoor market (modeled after a Mexican village) with fifty-plus art galleries, shops, and restaurants.
On one rainy afternoon, Sam and I went to:
Goodwill: We both scored here; I got a Woolrich sweater and a beautiful cotton blouse, and Sam found a bunch of cool t-shirts. Well-organized selection and not too crowded.
Kealyn's Kloset: A consignment store in the same mall as Goodwill that’s fairly curated. Some of the prices seemed high ($25 for a Chico’s shirt) but I did end up buying corduroy Theory pants for $12.
SWHM: I was pleasantly surprised to find Ciao Lucia and Mate at this small boutique. It’s right next door to Local Juicery (I felt pegged, lol) and sells Goop-ish clothing, cosmetics, and cookbooks/knickknacks.
If you’ve been to Sedona, where did you go and love? If you haven’t, is it on your list?
And ICYMI…
The most popular link from Monday’s Links We Sent Our Friends was ResortPass, which I hope to make ample use of this summer, and the maxi dress Aliza also hopes to make ample use of this summer.
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This sounds like the perfect March break from the Midwest.
Okay, Sedona is now on my short list.