Unlocking Sedona, Arizona! We’re sharing our itinerary of where to stay, hike, eat, and what to see, do, and experience!
Friends, this is for you if you need a mini-vacay with all the excitement of going somewhere completely different without traveling overseas. Enlist a friend, pack your bags, and prepare for the most incredible adventure ever!
From Hartford to Sedona…
With ease! We flew Breeze Airlines and we were pleasantly surprised. Although a budget airline, it was comfortable and clean and got us to Phoenix direct. Flying out of Bradley International (Hartford) is our new favorite thing!
We picked up our rental car at the airport (again, very easy; you take a tram to the car rental center) and then we were off!
To see views like this ⬇
We highly suggest playing Coldplay’s new album Moon Music as you approach Sedona – each corner you round will have you gasping!
So much 😍
“Sedona is a cathedral without walls. It is Stonehenge not yet assembled.”
Thanks, Wikipedia, that’s beautifully said!
Sedona is a city in the Verde Valley region with just over 10,000 residents and more than 3 million visitors a year. We went in early October and it was perfect for weather (nice and hot!) and crowds (there weren’t any!).
It’s a new age-y hub with an abundance of vortexes, crystals, natural wonders, good food & great shopping. What’s not to love?
Before you get on the trails – visit The Hike House
📍431 AZ-179 Suite #B1
Sedona offers so many incredible mesas and buttes to hike it can be hard to choose which ones to do! We’ll list some we did below and highly recommend stopping by The Hike House (on the main drag) before you head out on your hikes. Based on what you’re wishing for, they’re happy to match you up with suggestions. They also offer guided hikes.
Our requests: sunrise & sunset hikes, and off the beaten path where the locals go!
Sunset view at Doe Mountain
If it’s extra hot when you go, sunrise and sunset hikes are the way. Not to mention the complete wonder you’ll feel when you see the sun dip or come up from behind those red rocks…this is golden hour on another level!
Sunrise at Airport Mesa Loop
On our first morning in Sedona, we got up bright and early to “do” the famous Airport Mesa Loop. Wow. We felt connected to the earth in a deeply ancestral way – is it a vortex, is it energy…we don’t know, but it was unforgettable.
This easy/moderate hike should have taken us 1 hour, but OMG, the views at every corner, the cacti, the rocks…we couldn’t stop taking pictures (just ask us if you want to see 10k pics of cacti, we were obsessed).
Local Juicery
📍3150 W State Rte 89A #5
Thanks to a friend, we discovered Local Juicery – a fantastic spot for a pre or post-hike healthy & heavenly treat! It was so good we went twice and tried their smoothies and bowls. Mwah!
Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
📍336 AZ-179
In between hikes, there’s so much to do in Sedona. Combining art, shopping, and dining, we wandered around Tlaquepague Arts & Shopping Village which looks like a beautiful Mexican village that could have been around for centuries. It’s filled with galleries, local artwork, restaurants, winding cobblestone paths, and courtyards with fountains.
We had sandwiches & a celebratory cocktail outside at René and people watched (we heard accents from all over the globe!). Cheers to seeing new things!
Sedona Wolf Sanctuary
📍Reay Road, Camp Verde
Ever been kissed by a wolf? Our visit to Sedona Wolf Sanctuary is hands down on our list of best adventures ever!
Their website welcomes you to “experience the healing power of ancient medicine wheels & wolf magic.” And that’s exactly what we did. O.M.G.
The drive to this spiritually infused wolf sanctuary (started by Healingwolf, a local sha-woman) just added to the adventure of it all. It’s off the beaten path in Camp Verde, about 30 minutes out of Sedona.
The healing power of animal medicine – verified!
The wolves decide who they interact with! Oh, and we howled with them and they decided to join in. Sheer magic.
A huge thank you to the current stewards and operators, Cynthia and Xavier.
Red Rock State Park
📍4050 Red Rock Loop Road
We stopped by Red Rock State Park (where there are signs to watch out for rattlesnakes & tarantulas!) for a quick 1-mile hike on the House of Apache Fires. No snakes or spiders were spotted. Phew.
Mariposa
📍700 W Arizona 89a
Lisa Dahl is a world-renowned chef and restaurateur in Sedona, with 6 multi-award-winning restaurants in the area, each of them unique & gorgeous! We went to 3 of her restaurants during our stay and were completely blown away by each one. Annnnd, we got to meet the indomitable, Lisa Dahl herself, twice! She’s an inspirational BOSS (we were woman-crushing hard), and we can’t wait to do an interview with her in the future.
Mariposa is her Latin-inspired, stunning restaurant perched atop a hillside with glorious views of the surrounding red rocks.
Rebirthing Breathwork Ceremony with Alo Moniz
📍Caswell Drive – Book here
With a fair bit of nervous anticipation, we signed up for a Rebirthing Breathwork Ceremony with mystic/artist/practitioner, Alo Moniz (past CT resident and friend of Lora’s!). You’ll be hard-pressed to meet a more instantly warm, welcoming, caring man. Alo talked about our intentions and walked us through the journey we were about to embark on.
We lay down in his safe, sacred nest and used the power of the breath & musical energy waves to get things flowing – and off we went on our self-exploration. Another energy-moving, heart-opening, wonderful experience we’ll never forget!
Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Chapel of the Holy Cross
Three more popular places for you to discover if you have time! We recommend using AllTrails when you go on any of these walks as the signs are good, but AllTrails is great and keeps you on track.
Oh, and as every sign and person in Sedona will remind you, bring & drink lots of water!
Stay @ The Wilde Resort & Spa
📍2250 W State Rte 89A
The Wilde Resort & Spa was the perfect home base for us in Sedona. It’s an Instagrammer’s dream, located in the heart of it all, with every amenity two bloggers could ever dream of, including; a labyrinth, a restaurant/bar, pool, luxurious Wilde Haven spa, a massive crystal in the Zen courtyard with fire pits, beautiful rooms/views, and so much more.
Shop! Stock up on sacred things at SALT | PINE
📍60 W Cortez Drive
Make sure you leave time to do some shopping while you’re in Sedona. There are ample crystal/wellness boutiques to choose from but Salt | Pine stood out for us. The boutique is sun (and energy) filled with so many crystals crying out to us to bring them home. We resisted and bought beautiful earrings by Greywind Design Co. We love a souvenir we can wear!
Dahl & Di Luca
📍321 AZ-89A
Chef Lisa Dahl is devoted to excellence and it shows in the number of awards she has won, the way her staff adore her, and in the high quality/flavorful dishes she serves.
Dahl & Di Luca is a fine Italian dining option (located across the street from The Wilde). The dinner/wine & service we received was off the charts. We had arancini, Caprese d’amore, Tortellini primavera, and their infamous Melanzane parmagiana. Chef’s kiss indeed!
Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
📍2650 Pueblo Drive
The Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park was built by a Buddhist organization for people of all faiths as a place for prayer, meditation, and peace. We had a meaningful wander around this 14-acre oasis; a refuge “away from it all” in the middle of Sedona.
Butterfly Burger
📍6657 AZ-179 Ste B1
Last but not least in our Lisa Dahl restaurant bingo card, Butterfly Burger – a couture burger lounge with creative sides, craft beer & cocktails, and of course, a show-stopping aesthetic. We had the Italian Stallion and a double helping of homemade pickles.
Until next time, Sedona! You have well and truly left your mark on us.
Unlocking Sedona is a partially sponsored post