This was my first time in a dessert in my adult life. Flying into Phoenix was surprisingly beautiful. In my mind when I think dessert I think harsh, hot, and desolate. But Phoenix from the sky was beautiful. The city took me by surprise! After flying over what looked like farmland, the city started with neighborhoods laid out in grid patterns and no real discernible center. The mountains and hills, even right next to the airport, we surprising! They stood proudly in every direction, red and dusty earth formations that were stunningly beautiful.
Once we landed and got settled, we went to explore the botanical garden. They’re open 8am-8pm, a great place to walk around anytime of day! It was a nice first introduction to the desert. Walking through the well laid out paths with a glass of wine helped begin to change my opinion of this desolate place to a (still harsh) but also vibrate living landscape full of life. I also didn’t realize just how many different cacti there were.
Day two we went to Sedona. It was a lovely drive through scenic landscape up I-17. On the way there’s a few places to stop and take a break. We opted for Rock Springs Cafe, a little pie shop in a town dating back to the times of wagons and the Wild West. They’re famous for pies so of course we couldn’t pass up a couple of slices!
There’s also Montezuma castle, apartment-like dwellings almost 1000 years old. Although the “castle” has nothing to do with the Aztec emperor for who they are named, they do show how the ancestors of the Hopi and Yavapai tribes lived. For me the visit was a lesson in Native American culture. Seeing these structures so high in the cliff face remind me of the ingenuity of a resilient people.
Once we got to Sedona we opted for the Fay Canyon hike. It took us through a valley forge with spectacular views of red rocks on either side. Once at the trail end, we climbed a few boulders to see over the trees for an amazing sunrise view. The trail was a very easy, mostly flat, there and back. Great option for kids, or beginner hikers.
After Fay Canyon we drove to Airport Loop Trail. There are a few parking spaces by the trail head but, if there isn’t one when you go, there is a large parking lot about half a mile up the hill where you can pay $3 to park. This trail is more moderate than most we’ve been on, but it also passes by some of the most iconic structures in Sedona including cathedral rock. The hike begins pretty rocky, somewhat steep, and narrow, right beside a cliff. It is manageable but could be dangerous for smaller children. After about a mile of that it widens and becomes easier. We took the loop counter clockwise but if you wanted to avoid the steeper more dangerous areas you can cross the road from the main trail head and start the loop clockwise and turn back before it becomes overwhelming. The trail was also neat because we saw several flights take off and land while walking the 3.5 mile loop.
After this hike we decided on lunch at Mesa Cafe which is right beside the runway of the Sedona airport. It was great to enjoy a meal with spectacular views and see small planes take off and land, which my son loved.
Back in Phoenix, we discovered a great taco place, taco chiwas. The food was excellent and seemed pretty authentic. Side note: prior to our trip we listening to a podcast who recommended this great taco bar which has a name similar to chiwas. But later when we re-listened to the podcast we discovered it was actually a different place. Oh well, hard to find a bad taco place in Phoenix.
The next day we decided to stay around Phoenix. We traveled to South Mountain and took the Kiwanis trail. Please be careful with parking in Phoenix. Even if there are dozens are cars parked at the side of the road it doesn’t mean it is a good place to park. We parked, along with at least 20 cars, on the side of the road and even thought there were no signs stating it was a no parking zone, ended up with a $100 ticket! We are grateful it was only a ticket and not a tow but it still put a damper on the end of our hike.
Our last full day in Arizona we couldn’t help but return to Sedona. It truly is a remarkable place. When we arrived we were lucky enough to see a beautiful hot air balloon landing. Riding in one has been a dream of mine forever, but with our one year old in tow, it just wasn’t possible this time. We were able to see one land and that was the next best thing!
The one we saw belonged to Red Rock Balloons and the cost was $225 per person for an hour/ hour and a half long ride. Everyone exiting the balloon seemed to have a great time and said it was totally worth the cost! Maybe next time we visit we will be able to take a ride.
Overall we had a delightful trip visiting a place I knew very little about. I would caution anyone who goes to bring a lot of sunscreen, dress in layers, and research your hikes on alltrails.
What I want my son to remember when he visits:
Fresh (dry) air, the ability to sleep anywhere, and being flexible! N was a trooper and slept in his hiking backpack for almost all of his naps. He did great adjusting to the time zone and sleeping on a hotel floor (our hotel could not provide a crib because of COVID protocols). I couldn’t have asked for an easier trip with our little one year old.