Last October we checked off another vacation destination off of our bucket list…Arizona. We were simply blown away by the indescribable beauty of the area we visited. Since neither of us had been previously, we tried to plan a trip to explore more than one destination. We began our vacation in Sedona, then on to the Grand Canyon and ended in Phoenix. Here is a round up of our unforgettable adventure:
Sedona
We flew into Phoenix, got our rental and drove about two hours to Sedona. The drive was quite breathtaking for us New Englanders seeing all the cacti and red rocks. Our hotel was located in this kind of down town looking area with shops and restaurants and amazing views in every direction. Be forewarned, Sedona is a sleepy town. Being from the east coast we are ready to get up and go so we were surprised by how late the shops opened. One thing is for sure, the people we met and spoke with in Sedona were amazingly hospitable. Since we were only there for three nights, we tried to cram as much into our visit as possible.
We stayed at the Amara Kimpton Resort and Spa http://www.amararesort.com which has an incredible view especially at sunset. Our room was not spectacular (cleanliness wise) but it did have a porch that overlooked Oak Creek which was a nice place to sit and relax. The dining/bar area of the hotel was impressive with the views, food and specialty drinks which made up for our impression of the room.
Our first day we decided to explore the area and save the hiking trails for the next day. We spent the morning walking around the “down town” area, got breakfast and checked out the shops (that were open at that time). We then decided to get the car and drive around to other spots. Our first stop was at the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The church was built into the landscape with a huge cross rising from the rock. It really is a great place to visit no matter your religious belief. The architecture, the red rocks and the views of the surrounding area are inspiring.
After we left the chapel, we stopped at the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village which had been recommended to us by one of our clients as a must see and they did not steer us wrong. It truly is a charming village with stucco buildings, water fountains, big shady trees, bright colored tiles, art sculptures and little nooks that lead to different art galleries, shops and restaurants. To be honest, we had a great afternoon there. We stopped for lunch at a French restaurant that had outdoor seating and a delicious lighter fare lunch menu. And the best part of our visit was we found a painting at one of the art galleries (appropriately titled Arizona) that we had framed when we got home and hung in our living room to remind us of our visit.
Our second day we decided to go check out some of the trails in the area. We strapped on our hiking boots, stopped by the Chamber Official Visitor Center for our parking pass and drove out to get on the trails. A side note about the visitor center, they not only supply the parking passes, but they are excellent at advice on which trails to hit, parking, directions, etc… http://visitsedona.com. We found that parking was a challenge at some of the trails but once you get out there and start your hike you will not be disappointed by the views.
The following day we wrapped up our Sedona visit by souvenir shopping for family and friends and got out on the road for our drive to the Grand Canyon. Again the drive was stunning. We started out in a dense forested area that just kept us climbing uphill to (we think the sign said) 5700 feet in elevation. We stopped at the Oak Creek Vista which is an overlook with parking and paved trails (and again views that cannot be described). We continued on through Flagstaff which was a more bustling area. And then as we got closer to the Grand Canyon we drove through this crazy flat area that you can see for miles.
Grand Canyon
El Tovar was recommended to us by family as their choice at the Grand Canyon, so we decided to give it a try http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/el-tovar-hotel/. Reservations fill quickly and our entire trip was actually planned around the two nights that we could get a room there. We had also been warned that there were not a lot of dining options along the south rim, so we made reservations for both nights at their dining room (again this fills up quickly) and decided to play it by ear if we found something different during our stay.
Firstly, we have to say that El Tovar is like a museum. It was completed in 1905 and it has maintained its earlier character and charm. The room was small although we were prepared for this prior to the trip so we were not disappointed. However, since it is such an old hotel the walls are thin and we could hear conversations in the room adjacent to ours (this part we were not prepared for and unfortunately had one guest next door who was not neighborly and quite loud).
The dining room is like taking a step back in time. All the waitstaff wore uniforms that were a nod to the age of the hotel and they were extremely attentive. The food was delicious and the portions were large so we did not partake in the table of desserts that were on display as you walked in. And as we had been advised, it turned out to be the best dining option along the rim, thus we did eat there both nights.
The most unforgettable part of our stay at the south rim was the wildlife. Elk came right up to the hotel and actually slept on the lawn right outside the main entrance and did not seem to mind the people milling around. There were also some amazing birds that we spotted there and had to look up because we had never seen them before.
The El Tovar’s side entrance opens up directly out to the Canyon. There are a couple of trails close by but we opted to stay on the rim trail as one of us is not a fan of heights so that proved to be challenging enough. Next to El Tovar is the Hopi House which is modeled after a pueblo dwelling and is a gift shop ranging from work from local artists to your average souvenir pieces. A little ways down the rim trail is the Lookout Studio which is a stone building built right on the edge of the Canyon and it too is a gift shop similar to the Hopi House.
After our two nights at El Tovar we checked out and started the drive to Phoenix for our last night in Arizona. Again an impressive drive, the red rocks, the decline in elevation, the cacti was nothing short of exquisite. The only down fall of the drive was as we got closer to Phoenix the traffic increased and took a little longer than we had anticipated.
Phoenix
We only had one night in Phoenix so we decided to splurge and stay at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa http://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/arizona/royal-palms-resort-and-spa. Hands down this resort is on our top 10 places to stay and we would go back for a longer visit in a heartbeat. The service at the resort was spectacular, from the valet, to the front desk, the bellhop, the restaurant, bar, room service…all awesome! The resort has multiple buildings that are connected by these winding paths full of trees and flowers and water fountains. There is seating everywhere – around the fountains and in little hide away nooks off of the path. You have a great view of Camel Mountain that lights up at sunset in the most spectacular reddish hue. The resort gives you a very calming and relaxing feeling which was welcoming after a busy week of hiking and site seeing.
They have a restaurant onsite called T Cooks that served us the most delicious meal (by far the best dinner we had our entire trip)! We were seated at the outdoor patio that had a fireplace on one side and candles all around making a romantic setting. After dinner we went to the Mix Up Bar that was a quaint small bar with additional seating at tables. Excellent specialty drinks, live music and of course the World Series was on the television (unfortunately that night was the one game the Red Sox lost).
We ended the evening by sitting under the stars by the fire with cocktails on our private terrace. The next morning we ordered breakfast in our room and soaked up as much of the warmth and sunshine on that terrace as we possibly could. We were tempted to postpone our flight home for another night there…we didn’t want to leave!!!
We cannot emphasize how much beauty we encountered during our visit to Arizona. If you are thinking of a trip to the Grand Canyon state we hope that we have inspired you.
D & C
Mt. Esty Manor 