Grand Canyon & Sedona Trip Report
Oct 9th, 2005, 11:20 AM
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Grand Canyon & Sedona Trip Report
I'm a little delayed in writing this one, but my husband and I had such a great time on this vacation, I wanted to take the time to share our experiences with others.
We had originally planned on going to Mobile, Alabama to visit with my mother for the week of September 11th, 2005, but due to the hurricane, my mom thought it best to reschedule. Since my husband and I already had the time off of work, we quick had to put together an impromptu alternate vacation. Since we live in Southern California, we decided a road trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona would be a wonderful substitution.
We set off very early on the morning of September 11th and after one 10 minute pit stop in Needles, CA (and filling up with the most expensive gas ever, grrr) we arrived to the Grand Canyon, 6 hours, 25 minutes later. It was a beautiful drive watching the sun come up, the landscape change over the miles traveled, and the gorgeous yellow fields leading up to the Grand Canyon.
We were luckily able to secure a room at the famous El Tovar Hotel at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, even with our extremely short notice. The website showed the hotel completely booked but I called, and wall-a, success! We had a standard room, which was standard in size, but had a view of the Grand Canyon, which is anything but standard in my opinion! We loved hiking around the canyon and down into it to explore the sights from a different perspective. We stayed only one night here, but we had nearly two days, so it was the perfect amount of time for us.
We dined at the Arizona Room, just down the walk from El Tovar, and also had breakfast with a view at the El Tovar dining room. The Arizona Room was good (nothing fabulous) but you're kind of a captive audience when it comes to places to eat here. The El Tovar restaurant was good, it's a very historic feeling/experience to eat here, and both of our meals were good tasting, but about an hour later my husband was in the room sick from his meal. So, it turned out to be not so good.
On Sept. 12th we headed back out on the road out of the park taking route 64 east to check out some more fascinating views of the Canyon and stopping at the Desert View lookout point. From there we drove down Hwy 89 on our way to Sedona. We stopped in Flagstaff at the Beaver Street Brewery for lunch and some spirits which was super tasty and great service too!
Shortly after, we arrived in Sedona to our hotel, the Amara Creekside Resort. Let me just say, this hotel rocks! I've stayed at numerous 5 star hotels, the Ritz, etc. but this hotel has managed to surpass my experiences there and is now definately one of my favorite all-time hotels. I wouldn't stay anywhere else in my return trips to Sedona. We were able to get a great mid-week deal online and even an extra discount off of that price with our AAA card!
The hotel itself is perfectly located in uptown Sedona, right on the creek (we had fun feeding the ducks there) and right amidst the awesome red rocks. Everyone you encounter there from the gardners to the doormen are so nice and friendly! This hotel has thought of everything. The rooms are awesome in both their comfort and cleanliness. Also, the hotel has a golf cart that will drive you up the hill to town, or a Mercedes that will take you to your dinner destination, complimentary. There is a DVD library in the lobby where you can check out movies to play in the DVD player in your room (again complimentary) and the turndown service with fortune cookies on your pillow just complete the whole experience. Basically, our only complaint is that we had to leave!
We did have a great time in Sedona though. It is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. It was like they took the Grand Canyon and turned it inside-out; the Red Rocks are an unbelieveable experience! We stayed three nights at the Amara, and filled our days with mountain biking around Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte and sightseeing around town, amidst the Red Rocks. If you need any advice on the trails there, the guys at Mountain Bike Heaven are really nice and very helpful.
A couple of places we could recommend for good eats would be the Javelina Cantina for mexican and our absolute favorite was A Pizza Heaven. We love pizza in general, but this pizza was really great! My husband claims the pizza here is in his top 5 all time pizzas. The service was A+ here too!
All in all, we had a fabulous trip! We created some really wonderful memories on our road trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona and felt very blessed for having had the experience to see some of America's most beautiful natural sights! Hope this is helpful for those in search of a great getaway!
We had originally planned on going to Mobile, Alabama to visit with my mother for the week of September 11th, 2005, but due to the hurricane, my mom thought it best to reschedule. Since my husband and I already had the time off of work, we quick had to put together an impromptu alternate vacation. Since we live in Southern California, we decided a road trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona would be a wonderful substitution.
We set off very early on the morning of September 11th and after one 10 minute pit stop in Needles, CA (and filling up with the most expensive gas ever, grrr) we arrived to the Grand Canyon, 6 hours, 25 minutes later. It was a beautiful drive watching the sun come up, the landscape change over the miles traveled, and the gorgeous yellow fields leading up to the Grand Canyon.
We were luckily able to secure a room at the famous El Tovar Hotel at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, even with our extremely short notice. The website showed the hotel completely booked but I called, and wall-a, success! We had a standard room, which was standard in size, but had a view of the Grand Canyon, which is anything but standard in my opinion! We loved hiking around the canyon and down into it to explore the sights from a different perspective. We stayed only one night here, but we had nearly two days, so it was the perfect amount of time for us.
We dined at the Arizona Room, just down the walk from El Tovar, and also had breakfast with a view at the El Tovar dining room. The Arizona Room was good (nothing fabulous) but you're kind of a captive audience when it comes to places to eat here. The El Tovar restaurant was good, it's a very historic feeling/experience to eat here, and both of our meals were good tasting, but about an hour later my husband was in the room sick from his meal. So, it turned out to be not so good.
On Sept. 12th we headed back out on the road out of the park taking route 64 east to check out some more fascinating views of the Canyon and stopping at the Desert View lookout point. From there we drove down Hwy 89 on our way to Sedona. We stopped in Flagstaff at the Beaver Street Brewery for lunch and some spirits which was super tasty and great service too!
Shortly after, we arrived in Sedona to our hotel, the Amara Creekside Resort. Let me just say, this hotel rocks! I've stayed at numerous 5 star hotels, the Ritz, etc. but this hotel has managed to surpass my experiences there and is now definately one of my favorite all-time hotels. I wouldn't stay anywhere else in my return trips to Sedona. We were able to get a great mid-week deal online and even an extra discount off of that price with our AAA card!
The hotel itself is perfectly located in uptown Sedona, right on the creek (we had fun feeding the ducks there) and right amidst the awesome red rocks. Everyone you encounter there from the gardners to the doormen are so nice and friendly! This hotel has thought of everything. The rooms are awesome in both their comfort and cleanliness. Also, the hotel has a golf cart that will drive you up the hill to town, or a Mercedes that will take you to your dinner destination, complimentary. There is a DVD library in the lobby where you can check out movies to play in the DVD player in your room (again complimentary) and the turndown service with fortune cookies on your pillow just complete the whole experience. Basically, our only complaint is that we had to leave!
We did have a great time in Sedona though. It is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. It was like they took the Grand Canyon and turned it inside-out; the Red Rocks are an unbelieveable experience! We stayed three nights at the Amara, and filled our days with mountain biking around Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte and sightseeing around town, amidst the Red Rocks. If you need any advice on the trails there, the guys at Mountain Bike Heaven are really nice and very helpful.
A couple of places we could recommend for good eats would be the Javelina Cantina for mexican and our absolute favorite was A Pizza Heaven. We love pizza in general, but this pizza was really great! My husband claims the pizza here is in his top 5 all time pizzas. The service was A+ here too!
All in all, we had a fabulous trip! We created some really wonderful memories on our road trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona and felt very blessed for having had the experience to see some of America's most beautiful natural sights! Hope this is helpful for those in search of a great getaway!
Oct 9th, 2005, 01:52 PM
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Great trip report. sounds like you did, indeed have a wonderful time.
I have noticed there seem to be quite a few posters who slam Sedona as being nothing but a tacky, overbuilt tourist trap that is not worth visiting. Your trip report should go a long way toward putting those naysayers in their place. I, too, think the red rocks around Sedona make it one of the most beautiful places in this country.
I have noticed there seem to be quite a few posters who slam Sedona as being nothing but a tacky, overbuilt tourist trap that is not worth visiting. Your trip report should go a long way toward putting those naysayers in their place. I, too, think the red rocks around Sedona make it one of the most beautiful places in this country.
Oct 10th, 2005, 10:59 AM
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Corey and Carissa,
thanks for your trip report. We too loved Sedona when we visited last year. We liked Javelina Cantina, but A Pzza Heaven was not open in August 2004 or we unfortunately missed it.
I think we stayed near your hotel in Sedona--at The Orchards. We liked the Orchards quite a bit (especially for an economy hotel), but I would look into the Amara based on your rave.
And the Grand Canyon kind of speaks for itself doesn't it?
thanks for your trip report. We too loved Sedona when we visited last year. We liked Javelina Cantina, but A Pzza Heaven was not open in August 2004 or we unfortunately missed it.
I think we stayed near your hotel in Sedona--at The Orchards. We liked the Orchards quite a bit (especially for an economy hotel), but I would look into the Amara based on your rave.
And the Grand Canyon kind of speaks for itself doesn't it?
Oct 10th, 2005, 11:39 AM
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Great trip report. Thanks for taking the time to post. So many of us are guilty of asking for advice for an upcoming trip but then don't post a report after the trip.
We visited Sedona for the first time in June and had a blast mountain biking. We've always been road bikers as there aren't mountain biking opportunities in our immediate area.
We LOVED biking around Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock. We rented through Mountain Bike Heaven as well and were happy with the bikes and the trail maps they provided. They highlighted trails appropriate for our skill level and gave us hints on specific places where the trail had changed due to rain.
We visited Sedona for the first time in June and had a blast mountain biking. We've always been road bikers as there aren't mountain biking opportunities in our immediate area.
We LOVED biking around Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock. We rented through Mountain Bike Heaven as well and were happy with the bikes and the trail maps they provided. They highlighted trails appropriate for our skill level and gave us hints on specific places where the trail had changed due to rain.
Oct 14th, 2005, 11:03 AM
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Thanks for the report.
Welove Sedona, how could anyone
not love a place with stunning
red rock next to the blazing blue
sky?
(not your coryandcarissa!)
And BTW, its NEVER too late
to write a trip report.
What this site needs more of IMO
are trip reports and less
of the other stuff unrelated
to travel.
THanks again for posting.
Welove Sedona, how could anyone
not love a place with stunning
red rock next to the blazing blue
sky?
(not your coryandcarissa!)
And BTW, its NEVER too late
to write a trip report.
What this site needs more of IMO
are trip reports and less
of the other stuff unrelated
to travel.
THanks again for posting.
Oct 19th, 2005, 06:10 AM
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coryandcarissa - we're thinking of Sedona for a girl's weekend and had recently heard that the town had become tacky, touristy and is dead in the evenings. Did you find this to be the case? What is your opinion of Sedona as a getaway location for 5 40yr old mom's anxious to have some fun?!
Oct 19th, 2005, 10:56 AM
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Hey, redconley,
If you and the girls are going somewhere for the nightlife, don't go to Sedona. Go to the Phoenix area. Sedona is for hiking, biking, jeep or horseback riding, and taking in the wonderful scenery. It is definitely NOT about the town, which is really not worth seeing.
If you and the girls are going somewhere for the nightlife, don't go to Sedona. Go to the Phoenix area. Sedona is for hiking, biking, jeep or horseback riding, and taking in the wonderful scenery. It is definitely NOT about the town, which is really not worth seeing.
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