A recap of a recent girls’ trip to Sedona with my lifelong best friends. This was our second time visiting together, this time with new activities and to-dos.
There’s something really special about friendships that span decades!
It’s a unique kind of bond where you knew each other in completely different stages – before awkward school pictures, before careers, before marriage and motherhood and responsibilities piled high, and before life really *hits* you. No matter how much time passes between visits, you somehow pick right back up where you left off … and those are the best relationships and ones I keep closer than ever now.
Brittany, Melissa and I have known each other since before preschool. (Yes, really!) One now lives in Scottsdale, the other in Orlando, and I’m in Brooklyn – so our time together doesn’t happen nearly as often as we’d like. But every couple of years, we carve out intentional time for a girls’ trip. The rules are: No kids. No non-negotiable schedules. No rushing. Just uninterrupted time to relax, adventure a little bit, and reset together.
I’m not going to lie, it feels magical every time. And I’m really looking forward to seeing them again (with all of our kiddos!) this summer in Florida.
First, let’s back up and highlight this trip because it deserves a spot on the blog to look back on and also act as formal recommendations for itinerary add-ons on your next trip to the area.
I can’t take credit for much planning. That’s not typically my role, as Melissa is a master travel planner and Brittany swoops in with suggestions, too. I tend to be able to commit later on since Scott’s work and travel schedule is so spontaneous, but it all works out. We all have our strengths, and maybe mine is to make sure that we document all of the memories. *check*
Two years ago, we took a similar trip to Sedona, Arizona together and absolutely fell in love with it. The red rocks, the peaceful energy, the hiking, the slower pace … it was exactly what our souls needed. So this year, we decided to do it all over again with few new adventures and my birthday celebration mixed into the mix, too.
Here are the higlights!
Sedona Bound & Wolf Sanctuary
After landing in Phoenix almost simultaneously on a Wednesday evening, we reunited in the airport pickup lane with hugs, conversation and on our way to an early bed time. We spent plenty of time easing into vacation mode by taking in the backyard pool views and birds before heading out for Sedona the next morning! (Is this 40?)
The drive from Scottsdale to Sedona never gets old. The second those red rock views appear, it feels like you can physically exhale and I feel like I’m in a totally different universe than where I started in New York City. (This is the best feeling when it involves quiet environments and the outdoors!)
A big highlight of the trip was visiting Sedona Wolf Sanctuary on our drive up. It was such a unique experience and felt very fitting for Sedona: peaceful, grounding, and connected to nature in a way that’s hard to describe unless you experience it yourself.
The sanctuary was founded 25 years ago, and all of the wolves are rescues from homes or people who once tried to keep them as pets and ultimately surrendered them. They have a capacity of six wolves in three different enclosures, and all are well loved and cared for.
Our tour was supposed to be two hours long, but it ended up being close to three with extra stories and time in between each space. The wolves interact on their own terms, and only come over to get pet if they feel like it. Each experience is definitely led by interest.
The sanctuary is located on spiritual grounds and sacred land, and our visit ended with a guided walk around the Medicine Wheel – a circle of stones that is divided into four quadrants, each tied to a direction and unique color that marks. The directions represent elements of nature and seasons of life.
The staff are very knowledgeable about the wolves, and it is obvious that they care deeply for each one who lives there. We got to spend a lot of time with the leader of the pack, who is considered to be an elder at thirteen years old, and because of this requires less space to run around and a bath and blowout twice a year for grooming. Isn’t she the cutest?!
The experience at the sanctuary is something I highly recommend if you’re near the area and want something cool and unique to do.
As you can imagine, getting to and from the sanctuary wasn’t the easiest on the gravel-lined roads in our friend’s Tesla (lol), so we continued our drive with caution and stopped to recharge the battery while we recharged on some bubbles and a charcuterie board while we waited. It was fantastic.
We checked into the Marriott Element Sedona, located in Sedona Vista Village, and set right back out for a quick hike nearby at Bell Rock before the sunset.
It’s really hard to capture the beauty of the red rocks in photos and words, so I’m not going to even try. The views are absolutely breathtaking, and I can’t encourage you to go see the mountains in Sedona for yourself if you’ve never gotten the chance to!
Knowing we had many hikes in store for the future, we cut this one short, drove back to the hotel and found a gem of a restaurant called Butterfly Burger to grab a gourmet burger and catch up for longer than we planned to.
A Surprise Pivot & Hiking to Oak Canyon Creek
Friday morning started different than planned, as what was on the schedule did not happen due to a flat tire/extreme low tire pressure in all tires. It was most likely the gravel roads versus Tesla the day before, as we joked about. And then it happened, haha.
Our plan was to get an early start out to West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead (about 45 minutes away), then Slide Rock State Park. Instead, we carefully transported to the nearest auto shop to replace the tires and be on our way to something else. Luckily, that process only took a total of two hours, and we made the best of our waiting time by taking an Uber to a nearby state park called Dead Horse for some hiking there. It was quite an adventure, but turned out to be a great pivot, nonetheless.
We didn’t have West Fork Trail as an option anymore, but we weren’t too far from Cathedral Rock and stumbled into a trail over that way. We did a quick loop in, around and out, then kept moving onto another destination.
Our last stop before getting back to the hotel was a part of Oak Creek Canyon called Crescent Moon Recreation Area (also known as Crescent Moon Ranch). We weren’t sure we found the ideal setting from photos until we kept hiking to the water and realized we had to cross it to find the actual hang area.
There were a lot of groups and families there, laying out in the sun, swimming in the creek and having a great time. The water was FREEZING, and the rocks were very slippery to walk across to get here, but it was well worth the views and brief cool off in hot temperatures.
At that point we were more than ready for lunch, so we hiked back to the car and drove back towards the hotel area. We walked right across the parking lot to Pisa Lisa and split a wonderful wood-fired pizza, salad and mimosas to regroup. It was delicious!
We wandered into a crystal store on our walk back and I couldn’t believe the prices of some of the bigger pieces. I don’t personally collect any, but I know this is totally the vibe for others and I won’t yuck your yum. You do you, boo.
They’re very pretty and peaceful to look at. Very Sedona.
It was difficult to pick a spot for dinner, but we went with reservations at Shorebird for their known patio views. This picture was taken from the opposite direction inside, as we waited for our table with a round of really great cocktails, but trust me when I say that the views are ideal.
The food was notable, too!
We had a chill night after back at the hotel and geared up for another fun day on Saturday.
Horseback Riding, a Winery and Birthday Dinner
The weekend turned into my 41st birthday, and I woke up feeling incredibly loved and thankful. The girls did such a great job planning the day out that started with horseback riding and time to hang at a winery post-ride, which happens to be the location of one of our stops last time called Alcantara! It was awesome.
For full transparency, I’ve become more nervous with horseback riding as I’ve gotten older. I don’t know why. I think it’s because I’m fully aware that horses are wild animals that they can decide to do pretty much whatever they want at any time. And they’re pretty fast and strong.
So … yeah, I might not be the most relaxed on excursions like this, but I try my best.
Of course, Brittany and I got two of the horses who stopped to eat every two seconds, which we were directed to discourage and redirect. That required a lot of manpower, and then her horse nipped another one in the butt. Needless to say, it was a time.
Melissa stayed back and waited for us at the winery (due to a back injury), and while I envied her at times, I did finally unwind enough to enjoy the opportunity and nature trail. (My weary smile might suggest otherwise, ha.)
It’s important to note that my nervousness during the ride was only because I’m in my own head about it. If you’re looking for a good horseback riding experience, this staff was great.
That said, I was more than ready for a good glass of wine and bite to eat at the winery after that. You can’t really go wrong with a flight of different smaller glasses, which is exactly what we did last time and I ended up bringing a bottle of the Chardonnay home with me.
I truly loved our time outside in beautiful weather and live music in the background. I met another girl who was celebrating her birthday, and we chatted for a bit after her husband took this group photo for us. He knew what he was doing.
Scott surprised us with a round of drinks, a nice bottle of champagne and dessert at dinner and this beautiful bouquet that was waiting for me upon our return to the hotel. That was super sweet and thoughtful.
We had plenty of time to hang and get ready for dinner, which the location was planned months ahead of time and kept a secret from me. The girls made reservations at Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, a high-end dining spot with dreamy views and vibes.
This is what you see from the parking lot and also from a lot of the tables inside of the main dining room. So, so stunning!
After snacking a bit that day and not coming with the fullest of appetites, we decided to split a few appetizers and one large entrée from the specials menu – some kind of short rib ragu and it was amazing. We finished off with three pre-ordered desserts (thanks Scott!), and called it a night.
They sure do know how to make a girl feel loved and appreciated on her birthday. *sigh*
I felt so very celebrated and loved. Between the views, the laughter, the conversations, and being surrounded by people who have known me almost my entire life, it was one of those birthdays I know I’ll hold onto forever.
Spa Day in Phoenix
As if the birthday couldn’t get better, there was one more highlight planned on the itinerary back in Scottsdale/Phoenix before flying back home the following morning. But first, In-N-Out burgers because you *have to* while on the west coast. Animal style, obviously.
We originally planned a final hike on our way back, but opted to just take our time and ease into the recovery day planned for us at the Global Ambassador Hotel with another friend who lives near the area that I was happy to see (Hi Sunny!). We booked massages in the afternoon and made sure to check in a few hours early to enjoy the included amenities like the hot tubs, saunas, and lounge areas filled with all. the. snacks. while we waited.
I normally say that I need a vacation from the vacation, but this one included that extra time to fully rejuvenate at the end. Thank you endlessly for this decision and priceless gift, Brittany!
It was the best.
Another thing to note on our way to the airport the next day … a stop at La La Land for a latte. It was really good, but the real draw and reason for the busy line out the door at all times is the aesthetics. I get it. Very cute.
As we get older, I think friendships require more intentionality than ever before.
There are kids and careers and responsibilities and different states and different schedules with a million reasons to let time slip away. But this trip reminded me how important it is to keep showing up for the people who have walked through every version of your life with you. And to keep making that time a priority.
I know I don’t check in on the blog as much as I used to, but I’m so glad it’s here for highlights like this and I hope that it helps anyone who has been thinking of traveling to Sedona, Arizona.
Definitely do it.
Thank you for reading today! I can’t wait for the next adventure and to share more soon.
xo, Heather
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What a beautiful way to celebrate a birthday! I love how this trip was about more than just visiting a destination—it was about reconnecting with lifelong friends and creating memories together. Sedona looks absolutely magical
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