Sedona + the Grand Canyon 🌵
When I began my 20’s, I told myself that I would spend each birthday in a different city. I made this promise for two reasons: I wanted to get out of my normal routine and in doing so, making myself feel a little more special by not going through the motions of any ordinary day. Since I also love traveling, even if it’s for a short time, I thought there’s no better way to spend the day then elsewhere. Plus, no one is going to make you feel as celebrated as you truly want to be other than yourself. You know exactly what’s going to fulfill your soul. Whether you’re celebrating the past 365 days or leaving it in relief, investing in yourself & recharging your batteries, or simply enjoying a milestone is worth the planning and treasuring. I’m so grateful to work for a business that believes in that philosophy and enforces it. It makes going on these trips so much easier!
With that in mind, I kicked off 26 in Arizona! 🌵
I chose Sedona because I had never been to this part of the country. The only places out west I had been to is southern California, Denver (briefly), and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The most majestic mountains and the bluest ocean but this girl hadn’t seen 10 feet tall cacti yet. And, most importantly, air with no humidity. What. A. Difference. I also chose there because it seemed like every travel site & blog that I follow were all talking about Sedona. The amazing food, hikes, and spas all tucked within the red rocks. Sold. I packed up 3 of my best gals and we were counting down the days.
*First and foremost as soon as we landed in Phoenix, we drove straight to In-n-Out. Priorities, right?
By: My Dear Love Photo or otherwise known as, my best friend Alyssa Palumbo
I couldn’t imagine driving through the west in anything other than a Jeep. I sure did love our little white 4-door, especially when off-roading, but we’ll get to that. I had a tricky (and frustrating) experience with booking our hotel, the Arabella. I used Expedia to book, with the up-hand of earning points and getting a reduced rate, however Arabella experienced many issues with Expedia cancelling the reservation without contacting the customer. A very long story short, all was figured out and we enjoyed the views from our room and short hiking trail up to a lookout. BIG tip: Call and book through the hotel instead — most of the time they will price match whatever you see on Expedia or any other travel sites!
26 started for me at the golden hour of 4 a.m. Yikes. But all for a good reason. My best friend Abby and I were embarking on hot air ballooning over the red rocks for sunrise. *Highly recommend Red Rock Balloons — super friendly business that explained everything well. They’re a little old school and only take reservations over the phone, but I called 2 weeks in advance and got our spots. We were rounded up in a van with other families with way too tired kids, taken out to a clearing, and watched a handful of men put together this contraption that was about to take us in the air. Good thing I have nerves of steel, right? (except for the Grand Canyon… but we’ll get there). The basket itself fits about 16 people — much larger than I thought. It’s divided up into 4 slots with about 4 people in each slot and our guide in the middle, handling the balloon.
We climbed in and took off. The experience was much like when I went paragliding in Salzburg. It was incredibly calming and peaceful. So quiet and serene as we watched the sky change colors, readying itself for the sun. We dipped down into small canyons and high enough to see past Sedona. We were up in the air for an hour and a half and we soaked in every second. After landing and a short ride, we ended the morning with a mini picnic with muffins, fruit and mimosas. While this all came to a close at 9 a.m., it felt like noon. If you’re not bothered by heights and are up for a good ole fashioned sunrise adventure, you should try hot air ballooning.
Next up was the 9 mile off-roading venture on Schnebly Hill Road. Grabbed some sandwiches and took the very very bumpy thrill ride up through the red rocks. Check it:
By: My Dear Love Photo or otherwise known as, my best friend Alyssa Palumbo
By: My Dear Love Photo or otherwise known as, my best friend Alyssa Palumbo
By: My Dear Love Photo or otherwise known as, my best friend Alyssa Palumbo
The rain moved in the afternoon leading to a much needed nap. Which lead to the most diviiine Italian dinner at Bella Vita. That fettuccine alfredo lulled me to sleep.
Next morning, we grabbed Sedonuts (highly recommend the Red Rock Velvet donuts) and headed north to Flagstaff to grab lunch and then onto the Grand Canyon (south rim). It’s hard to describe a place that exceeds what you envisioned in your head. It’s massive. And terrifying. Bigger than I could’ve imagined. And more beautiful than described to me. My fearless friends charged to the edge of each rock as I was just a few steps behind with more caution than I think I’ve ever had in my life. “One false move, one false move…” kept ringing in my head. But, those moments weren’t always full of fear. I had some incredible minutes to myself to soak in what I could as my friends crept under and on top of rocks to get better views (spoiler: they’re all pretty spectacular no matter).
By: My Dear Love Photo or otherwise known as, my best friend Alyssa Palumbo
We found ourselves tucked into rocks to watch the sunset. Pinks and purples crescendoed in every shade as the canyon’s shadows crept in. It was harmony and speechless and rivaled some of the best sunsets I’ve seen around the world. We piled back in the jeep, grabbed a late dinner with Grand Canyon’s finest: Wendy’s, and drove back to Sedona. The best part of driving during the day is the endless views but night is… difficult. No street lights or fun billboards. Make sure you have great conversationalists in tow and a lively playlist to keep you awake!
Our last full day was solely spent in Sedona with cactus fries at the Cowboy Club, stopping at each little shop, and dinner at Javelina Cantina. Unfortunately, rain kept us from a couple of hikes so be aware the time of year you’re going and always have plan b’s. You can’t go wrong driving around Sedona and getting lost on roads with views on every turn. We ended it all with champagne and a starry night to gaze at. There was no better way to ring in 26!
By: My Dear Love Photo or otherwise known as, my best friend Alyssa Palumbo
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart”
-Confucius
