Sedona, Arizona is a town of just 10,000 residents with breathtaking landscapes and rich spiritual energy. Whether you’re drawn to the magic of nature, intrigued by meditation and crystal healing, or simply seeking a scenic escape, Sedona has something for everyone.
The first thing you do when you arrive at Sky Rock Sedona is they have you close your eyes and pull a rock from a basket. The rocks have little mantras on them, to help you set your intention and help you feel connected to the rocky Sedona landscape. Ironically, mine said “breathe”, a sign of things to come.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I don’t know how to relax. When I travel it’s typically “go go go” back to back experiences, and it’s not different at home. I am just not good at breathing, sitting still, calm introspection or meditation. In fact, I usually avoid it at all costs, filling up every moment of my life with business and non-stop activities. It can be a little stressful, but I honestly don’t know how to be any other way.
In the past month, I’ve been on two cruises, covered a music festival in Nashville and photographed Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl in New Orleans before heading out to Sedona. Every minute was planned out, everything was loud, energetic and distracting with no time to think. When I left for the airport, exhausted, I thought to myself, “I need to learn to slow down and breathe”.
Day 1- Views At The Sky Rock Sedona
I was still in my typical mindset when I arrived at the Sky Rock Sedona – goal oriented, ready to get started, ready to work, maybe a little impatient. But when I picked out that rock, and it told me to “breathe”, I did take a pause. And a breath.
At 5pm, there was a welcome reception at Bar ‘WooWoo’ (yes that is the actual name) at the hotel, with a gong ceremony, a beautiful view, and a fantastic Mexcal Moonrise signature cocktail. After a few minutes of focus and relaxation, we dove right into nature, taking a sunset hike right out the door of the hotel at the Adobe Jack trailhead for some breathtaking colors on the rocks for photographs.
We headed out for dinner at 7, and ended up at Stagecoach Roadhouse, about a ten-minute walk from Sky Rock. It has an upscale saloon vibe, with a mechanical bull and everything for Saturday night when they roll out the dance floor and stay open late.
I started off with a Prickly Pear Margarita – if you don’t know, Prickly Pear is actually a fruit that blooms on a cactus. It was refreshing & delicious. We had some apps – the spinach and artichoke dip was insanely delicious. We also tried out the country cornbread and honey butter. Soooo good. Then we had the Loaded Gun board of house smoked meats, which was fabulous. I couldn’t turn down dessert, so I went with the carrot cake – delicious- with a mango gelato.
Day 2 – Sunrise Yoga, Shopping and Vortex Hunting
I went back to the hotel for a great night of sleep – exhausted from a long day of travel, a hike and rich food. The next morning, I woke up early to meet up for Sunrise Yoga with Yolanda from Aumbase Sedona.
To be honest, I was not really looking forward to the yoga – I knew it would be objectively “good” and “relaxing” for me to do, to attempt to meditate, and I knew it would at the very least include beautiful views. I cannot overstate how bad I am at relaxation and how many failed attempts at yoga I have experienced. However, moving through the poses at my own pace, at my own level, with Yolanda as a guide, surrounded by nature, I definitely felt something shift in me.
She finished the session with a drum healing sound, which I have never experienced before, and it was deeply relaxing. Something about doing yoga up on the rocks in this breathtaking setting, the sounds, actually breathing, and moving my body changed my whole perspective. I would honestly sign up for sunrise yoga with Yolanda every day.
After yoga, we went out with Pete the Vortex Guy – Pete Sanders, a longtime Sedona resident of 43 years, MIT honors grad, and popular author of vortex and spiritual material. He took us out on the Airport Mesa trail and explained the concept of the famous Sedona vortexes, how the landscape creates the special energy, and how to tap into it for yourself.
I learned a lot on this walk – about vortexes, about the limbic brain, about how the altitude and shape of the rocks, and the colors around us create and set our mood and energy. Red and orange are stimulating colors – it’s an awakening color, and it’s everywhere here. Then the open blue sky can give a sense of freedom, liberation, even safety and calm. And the shrubs and trees are green all year long, adding to the positive energy, a sort of ever-present hopefulness.
Taking the time to notice these things, to gaze on the rocks, the sky – it did create a sense of peace, maybe an awakening. Airport Mesa is what’s known as an “upflow” vortex, with high rising peaks and uplifting energy that draw the eye upward
We learned about how important it is to have a purpose when searching for the vortex and about the Soul Shift Technique that you can do anywhere in the world to tap into the vortexes and calm yourself down. I will obviously be using this method a lot in the future to calm myself and tap back into the Sedona vibrations.
After the hike, we took the Sedona Shuttle, which is an inexpensive public transit option for getting around Sedona. During peak season, finding a Lyft or Uber can be challenging. The most convenient way to navigate Sedona is by using the local shuttle. Similar to rideshare apps, you can request a ride through the shuttle’s app for easy transportation. It added to the relaxation element of the whole trip to walk and take shuttles and not have to worry about driving and navigating a new city.
We took the shuttle to Rascal Modern American for lunch where we started out with some firecracker shrimp and followed it up with a tasty Wagyu Burger & Fries. I’m not much of a fry gal, but these are top notch, maybe the best I have ever tasted to be honest. I guess spring is carrot cake season, because that was dessert again and super delicious. The restaurant has an eclectic laid back vibe where you can get great food and even design inspirations. I was in love with their wallpaper and mid-century design elements.
Following lunch, we walked on over to Rovang Ceramics, which was super cute. Learned how to throw pottery on the wheel with a demonstration & then we made some little southwestern souvenirs with red clay.
After our ceramics lesson with Alex Rovang, we took a courtesy shuttle from the hotel for a walking tour of Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village, the “Art & Soul” of Sedona. It’s so cute. Tlaquepaque means “the best of everything” and it’s built around the existing sycamore trees and modeled after a traditional Mexican Village. There’s tons of beautiful little shops, galleries and restaurants – plenty of places to buy crystals.
Crystals are another thing that I had never really explored or learned about so I stopped into the Natural Wonders store upstairs in Tlaquepaque Village and checked out several crystals. I felt drawn to several of the natural elements and bought a few to take on my journey. My stones of choice were Moss Agate, used to promote balance and stability. It can also help enhance concentration and peaceful temperament. I also picked up Smoky Quartz which helps cope with stress.
Dinner was at a restaurant in Tlaquepaque Village, at a Mexican restaurant called El Rincon. I had yet another Prickly Pear Margarita – so refreshing! The tacos and quesadillas were amazing, so flavorful and the sopapilla dessert was sublime.
Day 3- Voluntourism with Volunteer Sedona And Learning about Arizona Wines
Breakfast at the hotel this morning – then the Sedona Shuttle Connect out to the Oak Creek watershed out by the Tlaquepaque Arts center for some volunteering. Through Volunteer Sedona & the Verde Valley, we were connected to the Oak Creek Watershed Council to clean up trash along the creek bed. There’s a great recreation area back there with public access called Slide Rock State park.
Our group collected 75 pounds of trash – and I learned that anyone who wants to can come steward – just bring your trash bag and pole on any travel adventure. It is so important to give back and help keep the places we visit beautiful. I was also surprised how good the early morning activity felt to clear my head and get moving before a full day of Sedona sightseeing. I have done small volunteer activities on vacation before but found this to be the perfect and easy way to participate in something good for the community. I am also going to make a concerted effort to seek out more volunteer activities on my future travels.
After being out in the cold morning air, we warmed up at Freeform Coffee. I had a delicious chai latte while I dried off before heading back to the hotel.
So, my mind was blown a bit today. Apparently, Arizona has its own Verde Valley AVA – American Viticultural Area, with over 30 wineries! For lunch we took a tour from the hotel with Zeus M Tours out to Page Spring Cellars, one of the local wineries that has a great selection of food for lunch and fantastic wines.
I was really hungry from the morning activities in town, and the fig & prosciutto pizza really hit the spot. The scenery was gorgeous, overlooking the water and vines.
Dinner on day 3 was sensational – my favorite meal of the whole trip. We went to Mole, which is a contemporary Mexican restaurant, and I had my mind blown by the flavors. The mango margarita was juicy and bright, and while I’ve had a lot of elotes in my life, the Roasted Beef Bone Marrow Elote was the best I’ve ever tasted. Maybe my favorite bite from Sedona altogether.
After the elote, I had the Skirt Steak Tampiqueno, which was so tender and so full of flavor. For dessert, house made to order churros- stuffed with goat’s milk caramelo, served with whipped cream & vanilla bean ice cream. 10/10 and do recommend.
Day 4- Nature Hikes And Authentic Mexican Bites
Another hotel breakfast before heading out at 8 a.m. to Cathedral Rock for a hike. We used the Sedona Shuttle Connect & the Trailhead shuttle to get there. There are over 200 trails in Sedona, all of them special and with their own unique energies and vistas. Parking can be a challenge, so get to popular spots early, head out on trails near your hotel, or take the Sedona Shuttle.
At Cathedral Rock, I get to experience the vortex energies again and really dive into the gorgeous Sedona landscape. Some of the hikes in Sedona can be overwhelming to some travelers but Cathedral Rock is a nice hike for all skill levels. You can go all the way up to the top or take multiple hikes around the rock to see beautiful views from all angles.
After the hike, we took the shuttle to a little restaurant called Tamaliza for table service authentic Mexican food. The restaurant is so small and quaint, with adorable decor and amazing tacos. The horchata is the best I’ve ever had, great for a post hike pick-me-up.
Once we wrapped up lunch, it was time to head over to Tucson for my next event. During my time in Sedona, I was definitely able to relax and connect with nature in a way that I hadn’t experienced before. I would highly recommend Sedona for any traveler who wants to slow down and escape their hectic day to day lifestyle and take a few days to learn to breathe again.
Sedona offers endless opportunities for exploration, with breathtaking views in every direction. Towering red rock formations and distant mountains create a stunning backdrop wherever you go. No matter how you choose to spend your time, the serene beauty of this place is always present.