Generally I am not a person who likes to go back to places (there is so much to see) but in the case of Sedona after the one day we spent there I wanted to go back with either my Mom or Dad. So when Mom reached out and said she wanted to trade in her timeshare so we could spend a week together I picked Sedona. Extra bonus was that Mom had never been there and that is really saying something since she is an avid traveler and have legitimately been all over the world.
For me driving to Phoenix would be about the same time as flying I chose to rent a car and drive. The nice thing was once out of LA the drive was pretty mellow and I met up with Mom in Phoenix in the evening. We spent one night in a hotel near the airport and then in the morning we headed out. The drive north was really pretty and we stopped at a Ranger station as soon as we hit the red rock area.
Since it was a little early to check in when we hit Sedona we stopped at an art show and I saw the most amazing pottery. The potters were very kind sharing tips and the glazes they used and this started a week of me dragging my poor Mom through every pottery store in the area. The art in the area is really beautiful and very inspiring. Miles (shown below) was incredibly nice in particular and his pottery was absolutely amazing. If you are interested you can check out his work here.
After lunch we headed to the hotel in the hopes of an early check in and a very nice Desk person found us a room. We were both pretty tired at this point and although we didn’t get a room with a view we did get on that face the courtyard that was absolutely beautiful. Los Abrigados Resort and Spa is an absolutely beautiful hotel in the older section of Sedona. It is built around an old irrigation system created in the late 1800’s and there are gardens and water everywhere. Plus a huge pool, very nice spa, and lots of activities. Really really nice.
Unfortunately it was still a little hot some days so we tried to get out early and sty in the shade as much as we could. One day we went to the spa (Mom had a facial and I got a massage) and we walked to the beautiful mall that as right next store. The mall was build around some gorgeous courtyards but unfortunately the prices were on the high side for me still is was fun walking around.
Unfortunately on Tuesday there was a fire in the Cochino Forest and for the next couple of days the smoke smell was pretty intense and the air quality was not great. So we decided to explore the surrounding area and visited a great Casino and Cottonwood which we both loved. The historic downtown of Cottonwood had some amazing shops AND the prices were actually affordable. This was my favorite day. We even went to one of my favorites, Big Bear Diner, which Mom had never even heard of let along eaten at and I had some awesome pot roast. The next day we drove to Flagstaff and we ate at one of Mom’s favorite places Lone Star Steak House. Sometimes you just want food you know and love.
All three towns were really great but there was even more to see in Sedona. There is Uptown Sedona which has shops on two floors along with lots of standalone shops as well and a small mall. Everywhere we went Mom tried to see if she could get a drop in haircut but we didn’t have much luck. Mom likes to get her haircut in new places but wants the experience to be sort of serendipitous. On the last day we literally stopped in one last place and the owner had an opening. She doesn’t usually work on Saturdays but was just finished with a favored client and took Mom in. It’s nice that now Mom has one more haircut to add to her list!
Not only is Sedona know for its art but also for it’s mysticism. There are tons of shop devoted to spiritualism and we went into one and got our Chakra’s read. Suffice it to say my Chakra energy is really depleted, but it was fun to do and I bought Lee a special worry stone I thought might help him. When in Rome as they say….
Overall for me at least the food was hit and miss but we did splurge and have a beautiful view at Mariposa. This restaurant hands down has the best views of any restaurant I have ever been in and the architecture is beautiful. The food was hit and miss (loved the yucca fries didn’t like my tacos but the desert made for it as the prickly pear cheesecake was as delicious as it was beautiful.
The single best thing about Sedona though is its very special church. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is built into the cliffs of red rock and is the single most beautiful church I have ever seen. I couldn’t wait to show it to Mom and although the climb is a little steep she really enjoyed it.
It was lovely spending time with my Mom and it was great really getting to explore the area in depth. If you ever stay here I absolutely recommend Los Abrigados and The Mariposa and of course everyone should see this church at least once.
We very much appreciate your support of our blog.
Camper Chronicles 