Taking a girls trip with two of my besties has been a long time coming. Once we started talking about this trip, within days a location was chosen and flights were booked. One of their sisters even jumped in to join us.
This was a first time to Sedona for all of us and we had so many ideas and places to go, see, hike, shop and eat. We traveled in the middle of October and the weather was perfect. Highs in the 70s in the day with sun and clear skies and cool 40s in the evening.
Here is our 4 day itinerary. Make sure to comment if you try any of the spots! Happy traveling!
Day 1:
Fly in early to Phoenix, pickup a rental car before starting your 2 hour scenic drive into Sedona. We made a stop in Anthem to pick up some snacks and water for the room. Then we ate a quick lunch at Frescas before continuing on to Sedona.
Check in : The Wilde Resort Sedona @thewilderesortsedona
- 2250 W State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
We selected a Grove view room. It had easy access to the paths in the center of the outdoor area and the pools. They have fire pits and a labyrinth you can rake, as well as a green space with hammocks and lawn games available.
We unpacked and explored the grounds and then got ready for our dinner reservation at Enchantment Resort. @enchantmentresort. They have 2 restaurants and we opted for Che Ah Chi.
- 525 Boynton Canyon Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336 ·
I will note that many of restaurants require reservations so you should book as early as possible. We had a sunset reservation which gave some gorgeous views before dinner. We ate on the patio and enjoyed the cooler temperatures from what we are used to in Texas. Luckily, I was wearing a sweater dress. Some of the girls were cold so they brought us patio heaters and blankets. They do have indoor seating with view of the canyons if you prefer. The food was great. We were all drooling over the bread they brought us. It was amazing! A perfect first night dinner for the trip.
Day 2:
We woke up and drove down the road to Layla’s Bakery Cafe. @laylasbakerycafe
- 3190 W State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
They offered breakfast items, coffee and teas, pastries and even to-go picnic options for post hike fuel. I’m not a big coffee drinker but I love some chai tea. I ordered an apple pie seasonal chai. Loved it! I also wanted to start off with some protein but the pastries were too good to pass up. I ordered a salmon avocado toast along with an almond pastry to share with the girls. It was all delicious. The sisters on the trip ordered more of the almond pastries to take to their relatives nearby for a visit.
After breakfast we proceeded on to hike the Devil’s Bridge Trailhead via Mescal. We drove to one of the pickup locations (905 Upper Red Rock Loop) for the Sedona shuttle. It was free. This allowed us not to have to search for a parking place close to the trailhead. We also didn’t have to pay for a day pass. We weren’t sure what parking would be like. We arrived to the trailhead just before 11am.
It was excellent weather and there was a steady flow of people on the trail but it wasn’t crowded. I brought a refillable water bottle and filled up right before we began. The water tasted very good. There are also port-o-potty’s available at this point. The hike was a moderate hike just under 4 miles round trip. I enjoy hiking but do not hike regularly so this was a great choice for all of us. It took us a little over 2 hours to hike and take pictures.
We headed back to the Wilde to lounge by the pool with our books and eat some lunch. The pool bar restaurant had yummy drinks and excellent food options. I ordered the Cliffe-Hanger. It was very light and refreshing. I also had the ahi tuna nachos. This may have been my favorite meal of the entire trip!
This would also be a good time to do a spa treatment if you wanted. They offer a wide menu of spa treatments.
For dinner we had late reservations at The Vault Uptown. @thevaultuptown
- 361 Forest Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336
It was a more casual atmosphere which offers great views if you go before sundown. We didn’t get to enjoy those but the food was good and the vibe of the spot was relaxed. I ordered the enormous crouton Caesar salad and enormous they were! A great homemade flavor though and a light meal for me after lots of good food through the day.
We ended our night out by the firepits – laughing and reminiscing.
Day 3
For breakfast and coffee we drove out to Indian Gardens and Market. @indiangardens
- 3951 N State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
They have a beautiful patio area and the drive there had amazing canyon views. Chai again for me and a delicious avocado toast, they also had a huge French toast that I was eyeing. Everything looked great and it was hard to choose.
On our way out we passed some shopping spots so we pulled in to browse around.
I picked up some souvenirs for the kids at home. Rivan loves his stuffies, so I found him a little moose that was super soft. I got honey sticks for Liam and cactus candy for everyone. I also bought a Joshua tree starter seed for Preslyn and Hi-chew for Ella. I also picked up some raw honeycomb and a cute little wooden serving knife that I’m hoping to remember to add to my charcuterie for Thanksgiving.
- The Shops at Pinion Point – 101 N State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336 – @tlaqsedona@sinaguaplaza
The girls wanted to visit a winery while we were there so we visited DA Ranch. @daranch_vineyards
- 1900 N Page Springs Rd, Cornville, AZ 86325
They had live music, a beautiful weeping willow over the pond, great weather and charcuterie boxes and crackers for sale. I chose to do the flight to sample several.
We headed back to the resort to relax for a while. Naps and reading. Perfect balance of go go go and then big chill (as my teens say). We had a reservation for Costa by Madrid which had great reviews but after a full 3 days we opted to go across the street to the local pizza spot Pisa Lisa. @pisa_lisa_az
- 2245 State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
We ordered the margherita and the passionist and both were amazing! Wood-fired taste and small town vibes. Perfect last dinner to close out the trip.
Day 4
We all booked the latest flights home so that we could enjoy every last second of our trip. The sisters had some relatives nearby and just enough time to make a visit. So we packed up and headed to the Coffee Pot for breakfast nearby.
- 2050 W State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336 – @coffee_pot_restaurant
They have a little shop connected so you can browse while you wait. But we didn’t have to wait long. They have lots of indoor and outdoor seating. They are known for their 101 omelettes. I opted for some pancakes, bacon and hashbrowns and fresh squeezed orange juice.
On our way out of town we made our way to see The Chapel of the Holy Cross. We didn’t have time to stop and walk up to it but it was beautiful from the car! @chapelsedona
Next stop was Carefree, AZ for the girls to spend time with their aunts. Me and my friend toured the town while they visited. We found a coffee spot, Carefree Coffee Roasters. They had some yummy cherry cookies and of course Chai! We realized that the largest sundial in the US was nearby so we went to check it out. It was pretty impressive and right on time!
It was time to head toward the airport, plus a quick pit stop to pickup a forgotten jacket along the way. Once we got to Phoenix we were ready for some food so we found a sushi spot, Palma. @palmastateofmind
- 903 N 2nd St., Phoenix, TX 85004
Outdoor seating was lovely, but there were no tables for us. We ate indoors, which was welcomed because it was a little warm. I had not planned for many warm temps as the weather had shifted multiple times before our arrival. My outfit was not compatible with outdoor heat. Make sure to visit the bathrooms at some point. The hallways are beautiful and there is a fun photo op to see.
That concluded our trip. We returned the rental and headed back to Houston with lots of memories and hopes of returning soon.
This is my norm 