Sedona is majestic, other worldly and just plain beautiful. I can guarantee that if you’ve never been, then you’ve never seen anything like it. The city is set right in the middle of these incredible red rock formations which afford you 360 degree views from almost anywhere. Even sitting and having a handcrafted latte’ at Creekside Coffee, you are looking out of the window at absolute beauty. Being a coffee lover, this was one of our favorite spots to sit and relax. The boys loved the hot chocolate and the barista took extra care not to make it too hot. Classy.
Since we’ve been out on our journey, we’ve done lots of hiking. It is our absolute favorite thing to do as a family. And hiking in Sedona is second to none. In fact, our favorite hike to date is taking the Broken Arrow Trail up to Chicken Point. The trail is easy to moderate and enjoyable for adults but also doable even for 3 and 5 year old boys. It always amazes me what these kids can do when you just let them. There are so many variations on the way up and the elevation change is not extreme, but fun. But who doesn’t love a trail with a big payoff at the end. Chicken Point boasts incredible views of the red rocks. It’s quiet and serene. We packed a little something to eat and sat there for quite a while just enjoying the quiet, enveloped in red rocks as the mid-afternoon sun shown down from the southwest. It was amazing.
One of the things I love about Sedona is that you are still in the Verde Valley area of Arizona. For me, I could spend significant amounts of time visiting this area and never get bored. The Verde Valley boasts amazing hiking and wilderness, great small communities and a rich Native American history that is really fun to explore. We got to visit the V Bar V Heritage Site which is the largest known and most well preserve petroglyph site in the world. If you are a student archeologist studying petroglyphs anywhere in the world, you know about this place and you make it a goal to come here. These markings are not just art, but for the native people were their lifeline to seasons, harvests and maps of the region. And the markings showing the timing of each solstice throughout the year are still 100% accurate. It is quite impressive.
Our best food experience was at Elote Cafe’. On Yelp, they have 4.5/5 stars out of over 1500 reviews for a reason. This place is awesome! The location is certainly unassuming, and that’s just how we like it. If you are in the mood, try a tequila flight. The guy next to me seemed to really enjoy it. For me? Beer flights, yes. Tequila flights? I’ll leave that to the titans of imbibing the agave. The food is incredible. I had the Smoked Brisket Enchiladas. Yes! And I will be back to try the Buffalo Mole Poblano.
If you have never been to Sedona, put it on your bucket list. It is an absolute must visit. Here’s a short list of the things we really enjoyed on our visit.
- latte’s at Creekside Coffee
- hike the Broken Arrow Trail to Chicken Point
- shop and gaze at local art at the Tlaquepaque Arts Village
- have a meal and great beers at Oak Creek Brewery & Grill in Tlaquepaque
- hike the Bell Rock Trail
- visit the V Bar V Heritage Site to see ancient petroglyphs
- visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross for a time of contemplation and beautiful views
- splurge and eat an amazing meal at Elote Cafe’
Rancho Sedona RV Park – REVIEW (4.9/5) stars
You’re thinking, what? A near perfect score! Yes, a near perfect score. And only not a perfect score because we didn’t use any of the amenities like bathrooms or laundry, but I can only imagine that they are more than sufficient and clean. This park is right in the middle of Sedona at the Tlaquepaque Arts Village. Normally, I would not be in favor of staying right in the middle of town. But for Sedona, it’s right where you want to be.
It’s not cheap and they have no weekly or monthly rates as far as I am aware. But if you want to stay at one of the best parks in the US, then here’s your chance. My favorite thing about the park is how it is completely canopied by tall, beautiful trees. And they keep the grounds immaculate. You’ll see grounds keepers out and about all day, everyday. So while you are indeed right in the middle of it all, you feel like you are in a very secluded area. Also, the park sits right on a creek that you are able to visit and it’s a great spot to relax with a camp chair with the sound of the creek rushing over the rock bed.
Wifi was adequate. Spots were spacious. Data on AT&T was adequate and on LTE. Full hookups were fantastic. There is nothing more to say really, other than, stay here!
Awesome pics Gary. I noticed on two pics, when everyone was wearing caps you weren’t and on another they weren’t and you were! 🙂
Thanks for sharing.