Sensuous, serene Sedona. It’s a deep-desert retreat unlike any other, a place where you can lose and find yourself in the same instant. Locals like to say, “God created the Grand Canyon, but He lives in Sedona.”
Hop US Airways Express up from Phoenix. It’s a short flight. Then rent a car for the 50-minute drive to Sedona. Alternately, head north from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport by car. That drive takes two hours. Either way, it’s a bit out of the way. But then that’s the beauty of it.
While posh resorts and up-scale pursuits proliferate, the best stuff is free – or can be had for a song.
Venture into the vortex: For hundreds of years Native Americans have considered Sedona sacred – a place drawing into its center all that surrounds it. Vortices, so the theory goes, possess highly concentrated energy – energy conducive to prayer, meditation and healing. You don’t have to believe in the metaphysical mechanics to see that something’s at work here – even if it’s just Mother Nature’s grandeur.
The closest vortex to town is Airport Mesa, in the city’s uptown section. It’s still a site for Native American ceremonies. Adjoining the Village of Oak Creek you can recognize the area easily by its bell shape. Head that way, take some sunscreen and plenty of water. Leave your iPod behind.
Seek out Oak Creek Canyon: That water park back home will never again measure up after slide down a natural water chute at Slide Rock State Park. Located in Oak Creek Canyon the entry fee is $10 per vehicle. That covers up to four adults. Head’s up: Slide Rock fills up fast. Get there early in the morning. The park opens at 8:00 a.m. through April 30.
There’s more to Oak Creek Canyon than water chutes. This spectacular 16-mile gorge is suffused with streams and waterfalls. Hiking, camping and fishing are exceptional. No need to get out of the car to enjoy. Rand McNally named Oak Creek Canyon one of the eight most scenic drives in the country.
Take the Sedona Trolley: Perhaps the tamest way to take this all in is via the Sedona Trolley. Try the Sedona Highlights Tour, which visits the south side of town. It passes through the Talaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, stopping at the breath-taking Chapel of the Holy Cross. Fares are reasonable: $12 for adults, and half that for children 12 and under.
Revel in Wineries: Water is the elixir of life in the desert. Nothing comes close. Take along plenty wherever you go. But leave room for the fruit of deep desert vines. Vineyards abound out here and most of them have tasting rooms. Oak Creek Vineyards and Winery in Cornville offers four tastes for a flat $5.00. Page Vineyards and Cellars, also in Cornville, specializes in complex Rhone Style wines. Cornville’s Javelina Leap Vineyard and Winery nestles on the slopes of a volcanic mountain overlooking the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, and Arizona Stronghold Tasting Room is in the center of historic Cottonwood.
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Story by Jerry Chandler
Photo by Krikit ?
