Anniversary Getaway: Sedona & The Grand Canyon

 

The past two months have been a whirlwind. From settling into Arizona, trying to get out and enjoy nature as much as possible before the unbearable heat waves rolled in, some crappy health issues, celebrating five years of marriage, multiple work trips, and preparing for one of the BIGGEST, MOST EXCITING developments in our lives yet (I’m drinking wine as I write this, to be clear). It’s been a trying, but incredibly exciting time. Filled with highs and lows.

Thankful I’ve had this guy for the last five years to ride all these bumps together. No one else I’d rather walk through life or dangle my feet off cliffs with.

 

We celebrated five years of marriage over Memorial Day weekend with the most incredible getaway. Planned last minute and mostly on the fly, we both agreed on our drive home it was one of our best adventures yet. I’m not even really sure where to begin. I want to just shove all the photos in everyone’s face and exclaim “LOVE AND NATURE IS AMAZING!”

Let me first back up to the weeks prior to this get away. Stay with me.

Being authentic, but not oversharing has always been a delicate balance for me when it comes to social media. I want to share the amazing things I experience and the love I have for people in my life, especially through this blog, but I also want to keep it real. I want to be honest and raw when I’m able. My curated Instagram feed is such a small, inaccurate portrayal of my life. But, I also believe in my privacy and the fact that many of the “bad things” are for me only. Whether I’m angry at  my husband one day or detest my job another is not something I want to announce to the world.

With that said, I had been dealing with some rough stuff the last couple of months. I mention it only because there have been some really rough days that weren’t shared all over social media or this blog. There were moments prior to this getaway I thought our anniversary trip would be ruined.

The fact that this was one of the most perfect trips we’ve ever had is a testament to our love and marriage. It’s a testament to the kindness and grace of my husband, and the optimism I’ve learned to embrace during rough periods in life. I am overwhelmed with gratitude as I reflect on this trip.

Now to the fun part.

 

Accommodations

We used Airbnb for this trip since hotels in Sedona are fairly expensive. This was our first Airbnb that was just a private room/bath and not the whole house. Coincidentally, this was one of our favorite Airbnbs yet! The hosts were the BEST. Welcoming and full of advice and tips on Sedona and the surrounding area, but still gave us all the privacy we needed. Our host, Kate, made the most phenomenal breakfasts each morning. Homemade burritos and quiches with pressed juices and parfaits for the first course with coffee just how we liked it (she remembered after we shared our preferred coffee the first day, and had it ready as we walked into the kitchen each morning).

She even gifted us an amazing dessert and bottle of champagne when she found out it was our anniversary. Their home is a hand built log cabin with mountain views on their backdeck where we enjoyed our breakfasts and the hottub in the evenings. A short drive from restaurants, downtown Sedona, and all the outdoor opportunities. Definitely recommend.

 

Travel 

We drove 5 hours to Sedona from our home in Southern Arizona, and then 2 additional hours to the Grand Canyon the day we went there. For anyone interested in visiting from out of state, it’s an easy drive from Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. 1.5-2 hours max.

 

Where to Eat

Ranked from our favorite to least favorite:

1. Mariposa (Read the secret below to get into this always booked hot spot!)
2. The Grill at ShadowRock
3. Page Springs Winery
4. Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen
5. HP Cafe

 

The Grand Canyon 

For our actual Anniversary, we made the two hour drive north to the Grand Canyon. Words truly can’t do it justice. As we approached the canyon from the South Rim Visitor Center’s parking lot, our jaws dropped. A couple already at the overlook as we walked up chuckled at our expressions and said they’d had the same reaction moments before. It seems otherworldly. Like your staring at another planet or a painting. We spent the majority of the day making the drive around the South Rim, stopping at overlooks and taking little hikes to explore it from different angles.

We kept the day pretty tame, but still had an amazing time. We shared many moments of solitude just staring at earth’s work of art spread out before us. I hope we have the opportunity to go back one day and do something a bit more adventurous; an overnight backpacking trip to the bottom of the canyon or a white water rafting trip.

 

 

Sedona: Things to See/DO

After our first day at the Grand Canyon, we spent the next day and a half exploring Sedona. We had an ATV tour lined up through Arizona ATV Adventures, then checked out the Page Springs winery, and finished with dinner at the amazing Mariposa (more on that below). Our final day we did a short hike to a vortex and then did some scenic driving through Red Rock Country.

The ATV Tour was a lot of fun and led to some beautiful views, but we both agreed afterwards this is geared to a more beginner level rider. I grew up on ATV’s (rural Minnesota) and The Mr. has driven them quite a few times as well. There were stretches where we were both pretty bored at the speed/terrain. If you have some experience with an ATV, I’d recommend just renting your own and asking for trail guides.

 

The Page Springs Winery was a hidden gem just a short drive away from our Airbnb hosts’ home. We did a full tasting, ordered a full glass of each of our favorites, and then explored the grounds. The winery had vineyards and patios, including the one show below overlooking a river. A lovely afternoon well spent.

 

Finally we went back to town and managed to secure seats at Mariposa (a restaurant that was fully booked for two straight weeks). Our Uber driver the night of our anniversary, who coincidentally doubled as a retired marriage counselor, told us the trick is to ask for bar seating and to snag a table at the edge of the bar. They’ll still serve you food and you can catch glimpses of the gorgeous setting sun hitting the red rocks. Both of the views below are from right outside the restaurant’s doors.

Also the food and drinks were SO GOOD. I chose a vegetarian stuffed pepper because I’d indulged a bit too much on a tapas plate at the winery a couple hours earlier, and I still ate nearly every bite. Don’t even get me started on that mango puree margarita.

 

On our last morning, we decided to do a short hike to one of Sedona’s famous Vortexes. What is a vortex? A vortex, by definition, is a mass of water or air that spins around an unseen axis. The vortexes of Sedona are believed to be swirling centers of energy emanating from the earth’s surface. Many people consider Sedona’s vortexes spiritual places of energy ideal for prayer, meditation, and healing. The twisting of the Juniper trees at these sacred locations is thought to be caused by the vortexes.

 

 

Since I first moved to Alaska and my outdoorsy husband started taking me on hikes, I’ve found myself far more in tune with my spirituality in nature than I ever have in a church. I was eager for that feeling on this particular hike. The Mr. immediately began climbing one we reached the vortex (his way of enjoying nature ;)) and I just wandered in silence. Taking in the sweeping views and trying to be present in the nature that surrounded me. I found the vortex strikingly beautiful. Every plant. Every angle of the sun hitting the red rocks. Every time I turned a corner navigating around these towering rock structures.

Our earth is truly magic.

 

We finished our time in Sedona with a drive to a few view points near Red Rock State Park, and then started the trip home.

I think what made this trip so special for me is despite having been dealt an unlucky hand the week leading up to this trip, we chose to be joyful the entire weekend and refused to let uncertainties or negative circumstances effect the trip. I was in awe of how much fun I had. Even the hours worth of road tripping with my husband while he played old Western music and yelled the lyrics at the top of his lungs makes me smile (in the moment and now).

 

“You’ve got to be willing to accept what life hands to you with grace and determination. You must be able to handle what ever it is that may come your way, for life itself cannot be controlled, while your reaction to it can.”

— Nicole Addison

As always, thanks for reading,

P.S. The BIG, EXCITING news will be coming next Sunday 🙂