This trip to Sedona was my yearly birthday trip, but weeks earlier. Italy and Greece was supposed to be planned for my 40th, but due to COVID-19, even as I sit here and type, traveling to Europe still has not been lifted.
Despite COVID-19, I needed this trip because I was exhausted from everything: the pandemic, working day and night (literally) between my full time job and freelance work, some work drama, attending online training seminars, getting certifications, dealing with turning 40 and finally, dealing with the protesting and rioting that was happening around our great nation. Usually I am pretty good at handling everything, but I was sad. I can’t remember that last time I felt this down. Watching my hometown of Minneapolis burn to the ground from rioters was what did it in for me.
This trip to Sedona was not supposed to happen…at least not at this time of the year. But when you look at domestic tourism website after tourism website trying to see what state allows what, it was a final decision that it must be Arizona. Because of COVID-19, most of the national monuments were closed but other essentials such as restaurants and other tourism areas such as state parks were open.
I can say traveling during COVID-19 was definitely interesting. I am not going to talk about travel prices like I usually do for this specific trip because it was mostly cheap because of, again, COVID-19. Once things return to normal I can discuss the average price.
It was a good thing I went because they say that you find energy, peace and love in Sedona and I can happily say I did. I retuned to LA a lot less stressed out and happier.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Day 1 – Wednesday, June 3
As usual, I had an early flight out of LAX. Going to LAX is very much different than what I’m used to: less traffic, fewer people and social distancing markings all over the floors. My airline also left the gate right on time and I ended up having the whole row to myself!
Once we landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and I got my bag, I had to wait for a rental car shuttle to come and pick a long line of passengers up. The rental shuttle place was waaaaaaay on the other side of town and they only allowed 10 people per bus. There were also ropes near the front of the bus to practice social distancing. It was also very, very hot and dry air.
I got my economy car from Budget and the guy upgraded me to a Nissan Rogue SUV at no extra cost (remember my constant luck with Budget that I have talked about in many of my posts?). A short while later, I was on the road for a 2 hour trip north to Sedona.
I stopped at a gas station along the way to get some water and a snack – again, it was hot and 100 degrees! I snapped a photo of the statewide emergency curfew sign due to the protesting, which was 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Luckily for me, I like to go back to the place I stay at earlier when I travel, so it worked out just fine.
On the way in, I stopped by a town called Camp Verde to see two national monuments: Montezuma Castle, an 800-year-old castle embedded into rock, and and Montezuma Well, a limestone sinkhole detached from the castle. Here’s the problem: I really couldn’t tell if things were really opened or closed, even though Arizona was mostly open to tourism. Final verdict: both are currently closed.
Next I drove a back scenic road and headed to Sedona. My first stop entering the town was Red Rock State Park ($7), where I got to view Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. I took different routes as well to get different views of the rocks. You can also check out the video on my Instagram page!
Next I went to Oak Creek Brewery and Grill for a light dinner and a beer. I ordered myself a Fory-Niner Lager ($8), which was very refreshing considering how hot it was, a half size of an Orchard Harvest Chicken Salad ($7) and breaded Wicked Pickles ($8) served with ranch. It was simple tasting, not too heavy and light.
Something I need to say quickly: Sedona has a HUGE art community everywhere you look. From Navajo Rugs and jewelry to sculptures and wall art, it’s at every corner you turn. I highly suggest stopping into one or more of these shops and seeing what these amazing artists have created! Below are some sculptures at the Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village.
It’s also a very big meditation/healing community: there are also a ton of psychic, tarot card and palm readers along with meditation, pilates and yoga instructors. They say that the vortex, according to Visit Sedona, “are thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration. These are places where the earth seems especially alive with energy. Many people feel inspired, recharged or uplifted after visiting a vortex.” I felt recharged and uplifted for sure, but not enough to receive a reading.
My last trip for the evening before I headed to my Airbnb was Chapel of the Holy Cross (free), a Chapel settled into red rock since 1956. My dad had told me when he and my mom visited 10 years ago that he felt my deceased grandmother’s presence at the chapel, felt more energized and smelled her perfume (remember what I said about the vortex?). I did not have that same experience at that exact spot, LOL! The tiny Chapel was half closed off due to COVID-19 and we were allowed inside to light a candle near the main entrance. I also got some more scenic photos of the red rocks. You can also check out the video on my Instagram page!
At the Airbnb, I took a quick shower (I had to do an extra nightly body wash due to the heat) and crashed at 8pm. The view below is from the patio of where I was staying (Chimney Rock).
Day 2 – Thursday, June 4
The night before I had texted a long time college friend, who lives in Sedona, to see if she could meet up for a bite to eat. She couldn’t, but told me about a place to check out called Pumphouse Station. After looking at their menu, I decided to go there for breakfast before I began my long trek to Flagstaff for the day. You order at a counter and then wait for your meal. I got a Lavender Latte ($6) and a half order of a Smoked Salmon Benedict with Berries and Grapes ($12). Go here, best breakfast I had while I was in town! I also loved the atmosphere because its cozy and are settled into the trees on the patio.
Onto Flagstaff! I headed north and took the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic route through the Coconino National Forest and stopped at Midgley Bridge to snap a photo of the overlook. I made a note to come back on Saturday to do the trek on the 2-mile Huckaby Trail. There is VERY limited parking BTW, so the earlier you can get there, the better (note: the hike never happened, but I made up for it at another location)!
Next I made my way to Slide Rock State Park ($20 entry free), where you can slide down the water in Oak Creek Canyon on the red rock. This is a site that never happened. By the time I passed it at 10am, the lot was already full. The ranger even motioned for me to keep going. More on this a bit later. Up ahead, I snapped a photo of tourists wading in another part of the creek.
My first stop in the Flagstaff area was a national monument that was OPEN called Sunset Crater Volcano (free), a cinder cone that erupted in 1064 AD! It was a very pretty sight to see the ash and then lava rock on the other side. It’s definitely worth the drive to see.
Next I headed along the road to another national monument called Wupatki, a Native American archaeological site. Final verdict: my map told me it was open, but it was closed once I arrived. I later learned from my Airbnb lady that the Navajo Nation has suffered a lot because of COVID-19 (I think I had read that prior in the news, but it went over my head when I was driving).
I kept going along the road because it was going to loop onto the main highway to go back to Flagstaff and I snapped a photo of the Citadel Pueblo, which was also closed off but I got a photo of it from the main road, and a shot of Humphrey’s Peak (Mount Graham) with snow on the caps.
So I wanted to go to a place that had a ski lift open for the summer called Arizona Snowbowl. That was closed after checking online. Then I thought about going to Mount Elden but the hike would’ve been to long and strenuous. At that point, it was 99 degrees.
My last stop in Flagstaff was downtown so I could get a refreshing Kolsh ($5) at the Flagstaff Brewing Company.
Around the corner I got a Large Banana Foster and Lemoncello Gelato ($5) to cool down with at the Sweet Shoppe Candy Store.
I also took some photos of the awesome artwork I saw downtown and of City Hall.
So I started heading back towards Sedona. Remember I mentioned earlier I had more information about Slide Rock State Park? I was hoping I would have luck and get in this time. Nope! I drove by at 3:15pm and there were a ton of cop cars that were blocking the entrance along with a line of cars going up the hill. What the hell?! I later learned from a couple of shop owners back in Sedona that the cops have been there because a) people aren’t social distancing and b) people aren’t driving correctly where they should go. One of the owners also told me a lot of teenagers come up from Phoenix when its hot to swim all day. It was mayhem.
I made my way to Uptown Sedona to do some shopping. I got my mom a gift (I can’t type what it is in case she reads it, but they’re small, shiny and pretty) while I bought myself a small, authentic red rock souvenir that piled on top of one another. There was also a ton of cool sculptures around this area.
My final stop of the day was the Airport Mesa Overlook with views of Coffee Pot Rock, Thunder Mountain and Chimney Rock. It was a perfect way to end the evening. You can also check out the video on my Instagram page!
Dinner time! A shop owner, who is a picky eater, had told me that the best place to in Sedona was an Italian restaurant called Gerardo’s Italian Kitchen. Coincidentally, it was right across the street from my Airbnb, so it worked out perfectly! I ordered a glass of Riesling ($9) and Cavatelli Primavera ($19) with chicken and fresh vegetables. It was delicious but I could only eat half of it because again, it was so hot out that at this point my appetite was shot.
Day 3 – Friday, June 5
I started my morning by heading over to Creekside Restaurant for breakfast. I sat on the patio and took in the surreal view of the red rocks. I ordered the Lemon Ricotta French Toast ($13) with maple smoked bacon and a cup of coffee ($3). The french toast was a bread pudding french toast and it tasted very yummy mixed with the maple syrup and tangy lemon ricotta.
Then I decided to take a road called Dry Creek Road, which swung around the north side of Sedona for a view of the red rocks and to the gold course and other trails. Suddenly, my soft, paved road turned into a rough and rocky gravel road. OMG, I was so happy I had an SUV! It was rock and rough most of the drive, but I managed to get back out to the highway and head towards my first destination for the day.
My first stop was up the Mingus Mountain, part of the Prescott National Forest, to a town called Jerome, which dates back to 1876. It’s also the first town I have ever seen that’s built into the mountainside and is known as a “ghost town.” I highly suggest visiting Jerome because it is very unique, along with all of the old historic buildings.
My first stop was the Historic Park, where I took in the views from above. I didn’t stop inside the museum because I was fighting daylight, but it was still worth the drive over.
I then headed over to the Gold King Mine and Ghost Town (free) to look at some vintage transportation, mining equipment, historic buildings, a Stamp Mill that was used for crushing the ore, a working sawmill and Blacksmith shop with gold panning, and a souvenir gift shop.
I kept driving south through the mountain and stopped at a viewpoint.
I kept making my way south into Prescott Valley to Fain Park (free). The community park allows fishing, hiking and even has a small waterfall on the other side of the lake. There were even some antique artifacts and a stamp mill. It was very cute and quaint! You can also check out the video on my Instagram page!
I then made my way to the City of Prescott to Willow Lake Park ($3 entry fee) to take in the breeze from the cool water and observe the rock formations. It was just relaxing to sit at the edge of the dock for a bit. It helped relieve some of the stress and anxiety I had been feeling.
My last stop in Prescott was downtown, where I hit up the Prescott Brewing Company. I forgot to take photos of this, I’m so sorry guys! But I ended up having the Lodgepole Light ($5, a cream ale beer, it smelled like pancakes!), a shot of Apple Pie Moonshine ($5, Everclear was the base, amazingly I felt fine!) and a cup of Tomato Mushroom Soup ($4). The soup was very hearty and flavorful. I also stopped at local shop where I bought my mom another gift along with a stone butterfly magnet for myself.
On my way out, I stopped and took a photo of the courthouse pathway that had a timeline of the history of Prescott. It was pretty neat!
It took me about 1 1/2 hours to get back to Sedona, where I stopped at my final place of the night, Sedona Beer Company in Uptown. This was the first brewery where I had a flight sampler ($10): Hazy Honey Oat Lager (my favorite out of the three), Horchata Beer (Agua Fresca beer with vanilla and cinnamon) and Peppermint Porter (which tasted just like a peppermint patty). This whole trip I had mostly light beers and white wines because it was just so damn hot out! Anything too dark as a full glass just didn’t seem appealing.
Back at my Airbnb I finished my leftovers from Gerardo’s the night before. Like I said, because it was too hot, I had a very hard time finishing a full meal anywhere I went.
Day 4 – Saturday, June 6
This was the most active day (for my body) on the trip and I was going to take a Jeep tour.
I started out by hitting up Local Juicery for an Acai Bowl ($14) with unsweetened açaí blended with banana, blueberries, almond butter, coconut butter, almond mylk, hemp seeds and honey, topped with gluten-free granola, berries, almond butter and honey. It was amazing, fruity and very healthy but made me teeth purple, LOL! I had to go back to the Airbnb nearby and brush my teeth again!
Next I headed towards the Amitabha Stupa Peace Park (free), which was also coincidentally not too far away from my Airbnb. The Peace Park was created as a spiritual destination for people of all faiths for prayer, meditation and peace. There was even a spot to sign a guest book and write a prayer. It was really neat to see the Buddha statue and the Temples.
Next I headed to Uptown Sedona to go on the 2-hour Arizona Safari Jeep Tour of the Mogollon Rim ($59), a 120-year-old wagon trail at 7,000 feet above elevation with views of Snoopy Rock, Merry-Go-Round Rock (whre we stopped off at to take photos), Munds Mountain, Mitten Ridge, and Wilson Mountain. This was a VERY bumpy road with tons of large rock (we were practically climbing up it) for about 15 minutes. On the tour, the guide said that the saying amongst locals is “God created the Grand Canyon, but lives in Sedona” because the Grand Canyon constantly looks the same, but Sedona is constantly changing. You can also check out the video on my Instagram page!
After the tour I needed a drink…BADLY. A local woman that was sitting next to me on the tour suggested I try the Prickly Pear Margarita at a place called Javelina Cantina ($11). It tasted citrusy and slightly sweet, I highly recommend it! I also was given complimentary chips n salsa.
From the far south end of town, I made my way back to the scenic route to a picnic and swimming spot called Grasshopper Point. Remember how I couldn’t get into Slide Rock State Park? Grasshopper Point was the second best place to go, about 6 miles south of it. I had to wait in a fee line ($9) for about 30 minutes (traffic was also backed up on the main road) but I finally got in! This spot takes cash or check only BTW.
So I get out of the SUV and start down the trail. Keep in mind I didn’t have my tennis shoes on at this point. I get through the trail towards to the base of Oak Creek Canyon and there are huge rocks galore that I had to climb over to get to the swimming area! I must’ve grabbed onto so many people as I made my way over, it took me about 10 minutes and it wasn’t that far. Once I got to my spot, I enjoyed watching some teens climb the red rock cliff and jump into the creek. You can also check out the video on my Instagram page!
Afterwards I headed back to my Airbnb, I needed a shower badly from all of the dust and dirt! Then I headed over to Vino di Sedona, a wine and tapas bar near my Airbnb, for my “last meal” of the trip. I had a glass of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and a Charcuterie plate ($44) while I chatted with some Arizonans.
Later at my Airbnb, I sat on the patio and gazed at the stars. They say Sedona is the best place to view the stars because the sky is very clear. Sometimes you can even see the Milky Way! I literally felt like I was in a planetarium, it was amazing. I tried taking a photo below (failed), LOL. I wanted to do the Sedona Stargazing Tour but unfortunately, due to COVID-19, all tours were cancelled through August.
Day 5 – Sunday, June 7
I had a flight at 4:50pm out of Phoenix Sky Harbor and left my Airbnb before 11am. A few days prior I had gotten this notification from American Airlines asking if I wanted to switch to another flight with fewer seats due to the flight I was on being busy (COVID-19) at no extra fee. I decided not to switch due to the fact that I was driving 2 hours south back to the airport. This is a very common message airlines are doing these days, so be prepared to possibly receive one if you are traveling anywhere soon!
Below is the lasting image and message I will have of Sedona. It was hanging on the wall of my Airbnb bedroom and I love the meaning behind it. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
I hope you all get to visit this majestic place someday! 🙂
