24 Hours in Sedona: Where to Eat, Stay, and Hike
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Morning Activities
In the morning, you might want to lounge on the deck with some complimentary coffee or tea from your room, or head to the lobby for complimentary scones or muffins. Feeding the ducks is a daily morning ritual at the resort, and you are welcome to join in. Yoga or jogging might be how you start your day. When I am in Sedona, I want to get out to the red rocks, so I chose to go on a hike.
I had stopped at The Hike House (discussion above) the afternoon before, so I knew where I was going. I was starting out early, but I didn’t have a great deal of time, so I chose a relatively easy hike on Soldier Pass Trail. The trail dips and then climbs to the Devils Kitchen sinkhole, then goes to the Seven Sacred Pools (yes, there was water in them when I hiked there) about another ¼ mile. I don’t know why or by whom they are so-named; as far as I can tell they are simply a geological occurrence. They were probably unexpected watering holes for ancient peoples in the area. I stopped here, relaxed and enjoyed the views for a short time, and then turned around, making the total hike just over a mile. That is the easy part of the hike, suitable for nonhikers like myself, kids and dogs. If you keep hiking past the Seven Sacred Pools the hike would be rated moderate, as you’ll head to some steeper inclines to see more great views. The trail becomes increasingly steep and rocky and levels out on top of Brins Mesa, about two miles in.
L’Apothecary at L’Auberge
After the hike and a bit of cleaning up, my next stop was L’Apothecary at the Spa at L’Auberge, where you can design your own body care products from healing botanicals, herbs and flowers. Think of it as a combination of shopping and chemistry lab! I chose to create a Clear Mind Scrub. All the ingredients are provided, and the spa staff assists. The recipe for my scrub included organic cane sugar, dried rosemary leaves, hulled cardamom, sage and safflower/sunflower oil. There is a relaxing and satisfying impact to the exercise. When I was finished, I had a personal scrub for exfoliating. After one use and just a few seconds, my skin was amazingly soft and smooth! At L’Apothecary you can make just one item, or, for example, you can arrange to have your bridal party or other guests join you. Men welcome!
Shopping and Lunch
A visit to Sedona wouldn’t be complete without some shopping or gallery hopping. Sedona has art galleries for every taste and wallet. If you are short on time, and short on patience driving back and forth on Hwy 179 and 89A, your best bet is Tlaquepaque. That’s pronounced: tuh-lock’-uh-pock’-ee. More fun to say than to type, it has been a focal point for Sedona visitors for more than 35 years. Tlaquepaque is on SR 179 on the left side as you go around the roundabout that crosses over the Oak Creek Bridge, before you get to 89A. The closest thing to a mall in this part of Sedona, it is a lovely village of shops, galleries with art, jewelry and clothing, and a few restaurants. Walk around cobblestone streets, adorned with fountains and flowers. According to the website, this shopping village is “…fashioned after a traditional Mexican village,” and the name means the "best of everything.” People looking for an upscale and traditional dining experience outside of their resort often come here to René. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to dine here tonight, because my 24 hours is almost up! My favorite store at Tlaquepaque is Environmental Realists, one of the original shops at Tlaquepaque, where the work of over 120 craftspeople and artisans is represented.
Not unlike the Thursday evening Scottsdale art walk, quite a few galleries in Sedona open their doors on the first Friday of every month and invite guests to visit, and enjoy their exhibitions, some with music, entertainment or refreshments.
After browsing at Tlaquepaque, I stopped in across the street at the Javelina Cantina for an early casual lunch. Tilapia Fajitas? Sounded good to me, and they did not disappoint. I couldn’t finish that huge portion but I couldn’t take the leftovers and leave them in the car, because my next stop would take a few hours.
A Pink Jeep Tour and Uptown Sedona
The last item on my 24-hour agenda was a Pink Jeep Tour. Reservations in advance are highly encouraged, especially during peak seasons March (Spring Break) and October. Find a parking spot either on 89A in Uptown Sedona or get off the beaten path a block or two and find a public lot. They are free. I have taken Pink Jeep Tours several times, my favorite being the Broken Arrow, which is their signature tour. On this trip, however, I really wanted to get a better understanding of the spiritual side of Sedona, and I was booked on the Sedona Vortex Tour. For 2-1/2 hours your guide will tell you about and show you Sedona’s the areas of magnetic fields and why so many people feel a different energy in Sedona. You may or may not feel it yourself!
After the tour I walked down the main street and stopped in one or two shops. I admit that I am not especially interested in Arizona souvenirs since I live in Arizona, but if you are, you’ll find many here. You’ll also notice an incredible number of sidewalk cafes and shops with edible treats. You won’t go hungry! My favorites stops Uptown? Touchstone Gallery, simply because I love rocks, minerals, gems and fossils, and Whiskers Barkery where I purchased some all natural treats for my dog.
24 Hours and Done
It’s been just one day, and my mini vacation in Sedona is done. It’s time to head back to the Valley of the Sun. It was a busy weekend, but a perfect combination of outdoor activities, fine dining, shopping and becoming more knowledgeable about my energy.
If you can only spend one night in Sedona, this itinerary may work for you. Alternatively, you might have more interest in shopping than hiking, or more inclined to work on your Chakra than on making cocktails. My intention was to give you an example of how you might spend your time.
A word about kids. There are always many families in Sedona, but this is not an amusement park kind of town. Activities for children are minimal. This may be your first and best opportunity to raise kids that love to hike. Of course, you can find movie theaters in West Sedona, or you can travel to nearby communities to find other child-oriented entertainment.
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