Last weekend was my 3^rd trip to Sedona, AZ.  Every time I leave there, I come away feeling peaceful and inspired.  Their website, visitsedona.com, boasts that Sedona is one of the country’s best places to visit when you are taking a break from everyday life, and I agree.

Accommodations

I left my family behind this time and joined a great group of women.  I highly recommend this. Research shows that friendships make us feel good and are scientifically good for our health.  Hanging out with friends who all enjoy hiking, playing games, laughing, and eating was a great investment.

The seven of us rented a house on the south end of Sedona.  We love renting because we prefer to cook our own food and to have a place to gather after a long day of hiking.  We usually play a few games of dice or cards, enjoy a few cocktails, and always have a few good laughs.

I know there are a lot of great restaurants in Sedona, but we usually eat at home.  The local grocery store is always excited to see us coming.  We usually fill two carts and spend hundreds of dollars.  We are a good mix of cooks, chefs, and cleaners.

A couple of restaurants we have been to are the Coffee Pot Restaurant and the Oak Creek Brewery.  The Coffee Pot Restaurant has over 100 omelets on its menu and has been voted “best breakfast” in Sedona.  The restaurant has a southwestern feel, and the coffee is served in fun coffee cups.  Oak Creek Brewery is a small brewery located in the Tlaquepaque Shopping Center.   It was a perfect stop for a drink and appetizer for tired and thirsty hikers.

Red Rocks

The view driving into Sedona from I-179 is Red Rock buttes and canyon walls, and it is mesmerizing.  My shoulders automatically relax at the site of such beauty.  Especially when the sun is shining!  The red rocks surround Sedona, so you can view them everywhere you drive.

The best part of the rocks is hiking up and around them.  We usually hike four or five different trails when we go.  This year’s temperature was a little cool, at 50 degrees, but it was perfect when the sun was shining.  There are so many trails we could go to Sedona for years and not have to hike the same trails.

There are trails for all levels of experience.  Some are flat, most go uphill and then down again, some you are literally climbing on the side of the hill, and some you feel like you are going straight up!  But, the beauty is you can do whatever you want.  On the Cathedral Rock trail, we decided to skip the part where you go straight up a rock and go around on a different trail that took us another couple of miles.

We hiked Little Horse, Chapel Hill, Cathedral Rock, Doe Mountain, and the Red Rock State Park this year.  According to our fitness trackers, we put on over 23 miles.  We were mad at ourselves that we didn’t realize that and try to tack on 3.2 more to get to a marathon!

Each trail is a little different, but the views are amazing.

Little Horse Trail

Chapel Hill

Cathedral Rock Trail

View from the top of Doe Mountain

Red Rock State Park

The other amazing discovery on these trails is how clean they are.  I found out that many businesses in Sedona donate to the Sedona Trailkeepers, an organization that raises money to preserve natural landscapes.  The Sedona Trailkeepers work in conjunction with the City of Sedona and the US Forest Service.  The Red Rock district is part of the Coconino National Forest.

Spiritual Energy

After hiking, my second favorite part of Sedona is the energy.  The Visit Sedona website says, “Beneath the endless beauty beats a healing heart. Sedona has long been regarded as a place both sacred and powerful. It is a cathedral without walls.”  Sedona is considered to be a vortex.  A vortex is a swirling center of energy that is conducive to healing, meditation, and self-exploration.

Tree twisted from the energy of the vortex.

There are four vortex sites where the energy is more powerful.  We have been to a couple of them, and you can feel your fingers tingle and your heart and mind open.  A wonderful experience.

Sedona is also home to many wellness shops, boutiques selling crystals and other positive energy merchandise, and healers offering spiritual practices.  I have personally seen a Spirit Messenger each time I visited.  I love the connection and believe in spirits and guides’ power.  Now, I know some of you may think this is voodoo, or like my husband says, “I’m sure she looked you up on Facebook,” but when she tells me things that very few people know, I believe!   Besides, just the thought of my mom, grandma, and other relatives who are passed guiding me through life is totally worth it.  I always take something away from the experience.

Have I convinced you to visit Sedona, AZ?

I truly enjoyed taking a break from everyday life to nourish my soul.  This vacation came up at the right time.  Maybe my spirits know what they are doing!

Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller – Ibn Battuta