Bekah was looking for a destination for our anniversary, as we usually travel for our anniversary and use the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate. Usually, the destination is international, last year we went to Panama and the year before that, to Mexico. Obviously, due to COVID-19 that is not a possibility, so we stayed domestic. Bekah was looking for a getaway that had good vibes, and she had been to Sedona before. Granted, that was 15 years ago but I had always wanted to go and Bekah was wanting to go back! So we went to Sedona to celebrate our anniversary. Here is our rundown of where to stay, where to eat, and what to do.
Something interesting to note about Sedona is that it’s considered to be a “vortex”, meaning that it is believed to possess several unusual energy fields in the city and surrounding area. There are four specific vortex spots, and we could feel the energy in the city. That’s what we mean when we say good vibes, you really do feel the energy shift there!
Accomodation
Bekah found Junipine Resort, which is luxurious but in nature. It is about 8 miles outside of Sedona, so the temperature here is lower than in Sedona, like 12-15 degrees lower on average. We are in the mountains, and from our balcony, we have a view of a massive wall of mountains directly in front of us! This place was so charming, the lobby had a s’mores bar, a great on-site restaurant and there is a creek running right behind our resort. Wildlife and locals alike come to this creek (basically river) to cool off. Staying here during Labor Day Weekend was crazy, people were hailing to this resort from all over so it was so great to have these trails in our backyard to explore during off-times.
The whole resort is comprised of cabin-like suites, and ours was a 1-bedroom suite with a balcony and full kitchen. We were able to cook most of our meals at home, which allowed us to focus more on relaxing, and doing things on our own schedule and not always looking for restaurants.
Food
Sedona has great food in general, our resort included. The on-site restaurant is called “The Table.” All of the food is so fresh and delicious!
Whole Foods: I know, an odd thing to mention in a travel post, but I just have to mention this. The Whole Foods here is top-notch! Every piece of produce we bought here, we said “This is the best EVER.” You may not make a trip to Sedona just for the Whole Foods, but if you are here and happen to stop by, be prepared for some great produce!
Cowboy Club and Grille: This place was legit! Our server was definitely a cowboy by day-job, the food was outstanding and gave us the ambiance of being in the Southwest. Bekah had the steak, I had the chili and we opted for an extra helping of cornbread because it was amazing.
Nature
Oak Creek Vista, part of the Coconino National Forest: Located at the top of Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, this is a place you should go. Since this is a National Park, the signage displaying the history is informative and well written. The lookout point shows how 7,000 feet of elevation of rock sediment has been exposed and been formed by natural tendencies (like glaciers and tectonic plate movement), and the signs explain the different sediments and formations. Also, this National Park is sitting right in the crux a fault line, so you can see how the two different sides of the canyon traversed each other and formed to each other over time. Sedona is at the very bottom of the Grand Canyon, and you feel the Grand Canyon energy here! One of our favorite things about Oak Creek Vista was the Native American energy in the form of history and vendors that allowed us to experience the culture and the location even more. There are some great hikes at the top of the canyon, but you are also welcome to drive deeper into the canyon for more hiking.
Slide Rock State Park: a favorite for locals and visitors alike! Each time we drove past on our way to Oak Creek Canyon, the line of cars to find parking and enter the State Park was out the gate with standstill traffic. The state park is known for natural-formed “slides” that allow you to slide from smooth red rocks right into the canyon stream. Sounds fun, but too much traffic this weekend to even consider it!
In Town
Main St. of Sedona, AZ is known for “New Age” shops, spas and art galleries. We did all of those things! If you’re into what Bekah and I like to call the “woo-woo” stuff just like we are, Sedona is the place for you, especially Main St. A major perk of downtown Sedona that we were not expecting was how relatively inexpensive everything is! Here’s a breakdown of some of the highlights.
Namti Day Spa: This spa was awesome! We love spending time at spas when time allows, so Bekah found this place before we even got to Sedona. It is one of the highest-rated spas in the city, so easy to book online, great reviews, and the staff was amazing. During COVID shutdown, the spa took the time to remodel the space, and it felt fresh, clean and relaxing. Sedona is full of day spas, and you won’t have any trouble finding one to decompress. Namti even has retreats so we will definitely be back.
Mystical Bazaar: This is not quite on Main St, but worth the visit. It was relatively close to Namti Spa, so we popped in for a visit, and were blown away! Erin at Mystical Bazaar did our destiny readings, and we both got tarot card readings. Mystical Bazaar also operates as a storefront for collecting gemstones, rocks, energy stones, etc and the selection was HUGE. Bekah mentioned this was the biggest variety of gemstones she had ever seen, and everything was so organized and easy to find. In Mystical Bazaar we also did an aura reading. This was so interesting, because it’s an aura photography service that takes a photo of your face and full body, and then quickly give you a 23-page report analyzing your aura! It was spot on, and cost us $29 each.
Overall, it was so great to be able to have the balance of being in town in Sedona and also being able to escape to our resort in the woods. We binge-watched Alone on Amazon Prime (if you haven’t done this, this is your sign to do so), played lots of cards (unfortunately, Bekah really whooped me in cards), got our meditations in, and slept in every day. On our way back from Sedona, AZ we stopped in Phoenix for lunch with some friends and then flew back to San Diego! That night, we celebrated our anniversary in the San Diego Bay, and it was the best weekend.
Our restaurant San Diego looking beautiful in the background! Such a great dinner!
