Girls’ Weekend in Scottsdale + Sedona, Arizona

I’m currently typing this on my first day back sitting at a computer in over a week, and both parts of that sentence feel great to say. Taking a solo trip with close girlfriends is the ideal reset and refresher a mom/main caretaker needs from time to time, and this reunion that happens every other year (thanks to thirty five years of friendship!) was glorious.

Yes, thirty-five years. Brittany, Melissa and I all met in daycare and attended the same dance class back when we were just three-year-olds in Orlando, Florida. We continued to stay friends from elementary school through college, and we have made a conscious effort to reconnect and keep our friendship thriving after we all got married and moved to different cities.

We have seen and done *a lot* together including cruises, traveled to Scottsdale (where Brittany lives) and Pine, the Grand Canyon, hung around New York City (part two), sipped wines around Napa Valley, and enjoyed a stay in Austin, Texas (no blog post but social recaps here and here).

We circled back to Scottsdale this year to stay with Brittany for a few nights before heading up to the main getaway destination in Sedona, Arizona.

It’s not easy to break everything down into brushed over highlights, but here are some worth mentioning that I would one hundred percent do all over again!

Quick Highlights from Scottsdale, AZ

The idea to get back to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area came from the interest in attending the Innings Festival in Tempe. The Friday lineup that included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmy Eat World, 311 and more fit into our schedule the best, so we picked that one and purchased tickets well in advance.

(RHCP tees purchased here and here)

We opted for the General Admission + tickets to ensure we had restrooms to use throughout the night, and it was worth that part … but highly overrated in the price jump on all other accounts.

Also, there were three main stages of performances happening (which we were fully unaware of), so we snagged a killer spot by the centerfield stage to wait for RHCP and missed Jimmy Eat World playing on a side stage by doing so. By the time we realized they were on, we were too far deep in a pool of fans and didn’t want to move and miss our spot for the next show. We kind of dropped the ball there as well.

That said, absolutely all other details and parts of our trip went seamlessly. We had the perfect blend of activities and chill time, and I wouldn’t change a thing about anything other than what I just mentioned above.

(Including our must-stop on the way home at In-N-Out Burger … animal style or bust.)

Backing up to earlier in the day, we kicked off our first morning in Arizona with a quick drive over to Pinnacle Peak Park.

Other places worth a mention include Arizona Frozé, an adorable and very Instagram-worthy frozé bar in Old Town Scottsdale. Each flavor was unique and specifically garnished for pictures. Also, the bathroom is a journey … so make sure to check it out if you ever go!

We had a bougie moment with blow-outs at Hainsworth & Company, and the experience was fantastic with the *best* shampoo and head massage.

And finally, a final brunch goodbye at Snooze in North Scottsdale.

Our nights were mellow outside of the concert, and we enjoyed a quieter catch-up environment at our friend’s house with home-cooked meals, time in their hot tub and too many episodes of the latest season of Love Is Blind to mindlessly unwind and laugh over, respectively.

Staying at Amara Resort & Spa – Sedona, Arizona

Brittany handled our accommodations, as she’s visited the area many times before. She recommended Amara Resort & Spa after a previous stay there, and it was the right choice!

We didn’t spend too much time at the resort, so I can’t vouch for the amenities like the infinity pool, spa or fitness center. These things would be high on my list if we hadn’t already planned all-day activities. I can tell you, however, that the in-house restaurant called SaltRock Kitchen was a hit and popular with sold-out reservations.

We kept things low-key with small bites at the bar for dinner the night we arrived. The tacos, guacamole and Brussels sprouts (ironically enough) were delicious. Known for hand-crafted margaritas, those were a big win as well.

We dined there for breakfast as well out of easiness, and both the omelet and avocado toast were delectable. Overall, the customer service and hotel staff were great and pet-friendly for those who are curious with welcome furry friend callouts by name upon entrance. So cute!

Highlights and Activities in Sedona

Sedona is hands-down one of the most stunning places to see in person. I’ve been fortunate to travel around the country and world, and these red-rock scenes are right up on the top for me.

Sedona is a true desert town (near Flagstaff), and you can see the red rocks, steep canyon walls and pine forests almost everywhere. Some views don’t even look real, and it’s absolutely breathtaking.

There is no chance that my pictures can do the city and views justice, but there are a few notable shots in this post.

Melissa was in charge of planning activities (she’s great at this), and both of our scheduled outings were a 10/10.

• Pink Jeep Tour (Sedona Adventure Tours)

Narrowing down exactly what and where to do what can be overwhelming, so I am glad that I was not in charge of this and have nothing but wonderful things to say about the Sedona Adventure Tours aka Pink Jeep Tours. We did the 2-hour Broken Arrow Trail, and it was a good value for the experience and time spent on the trail.

Prior to getting to Sedona, girls from the salon were talking about how bumpy and scary some of the Pink Jeeps tours can be, so we took some extra time to research the safety reports and reviews. Luckily, our tour was not as scary as it was exciting, and our guide was funny and made it special by taking pictures with fun angles and re-routing the order of the path to keep elements of the trail a surprise.

There was one slightly terrifying moment where we got close to an edge in a roundabout, but the driver had total control and we could tell he does this all day, every day. We also went down several “staircases” and “escalators” as he referenced them, which basically means 45-degree drops down large rock walls — no big deal and lots of “little bumps” were encountered.

Two other couples joined our tour in the Jeep, and we all said “weee” and a lot of other choice words throughout the ride. It was a blast!

• Bliss Arizona (Winery Tours)

Our group has been on several winery tours together throughout the years, and this was one of my all-time favorites.

The transportation and entire day felt more high-end than usual, complete with a luxury vehicle stocked with waters, laser lights and a customizable playlist we controlled. The second stop on our tour included a nice sit-down lunch (versus the typical picnic box style) where we pre-picked our entrees, and the three of us split pizzas, salads and a charcuterie board.

If you’re not into an entire day of tours, here are the wineries we went to with a note on each:

• Alcantara Vineyards wonderful outdoor bar and seating area, don’t miss the tractor photo opportunity on the side entrance
• Cove Mesa Vineyards where we had lunch, also known for fabulous house made chocolate truffles
• D.A. Ranch Estate Vineyards complete with live music, cornhole, a pool table, a picturesque tree swing and dog friends wandering the property
• Javelina Leap Vineyard had a nice outdoor seating area and chill vibe

We quickly found out that there is approximately one Irish pub for “nightlife” in the area, and that dinner reservations book out months in advance at the more popular dining spots. We talked our driver into dropping us off at Hideaway House on the way back to our hotel (versus our original pickup/drop-off spot), and were able to walk in for an early dinner around 5 p.m.

Honestly, that strategy wins because we were full with an incredible view of the red rocks from their balcony and back to our hotel to wind down and watch movie in our room by 8 p.m.

Hiking in Sedona

Hiking in Sedona deserves its own section of this post because it was THE highlight of the trip.

We ate a solid breakfast before checkout out of the resort on Monday morning and Melissa navigated us towards two hiking paths that we could have easily spent hours and hours at.

• Devil’s Kitchen Sinkhole & Seven Sacred Pools

This hike was high on our list going into the trip, and now I know why. It is … so, so stunning.

There is very limited parking, however, so it took a bit of waiting to park in the actual lot, but there is also an option for additional parking about a mile away and walk over.

It was a short hike on the Soldier Pass Trail up to the Devil’s Kitchen Sinkhole.

After we took in the natural beauty and a few photos, we followed the trail around and up to the Seven Sacred Pools. This was incredible.

We read that sometimes the pools are dried up in the hotter months, so just know that if you’re going during that time. Overall, the weather was perfect for a day of hiking with temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to 70s.

• Fay’s Canyon Arch

Second on our list was Fay’s Canyon Arch, and it became the last hike we encountered due to rain drizzles on our way down and … well, a path that was more challenging than we anticipated.

The 1.5 mile loop is described as “moderately challenging” and took us through spots where we needed to use our hands to climb up vertically and butts to scoot down on the way down. I’m okay with this, but it’s definitely not for everyone. The views at the top of the arch made it worth it!

We closed out our trip with a drive over and quick visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, followed by a drive by of the Montezuma Well National Monument. We were tempted to go in and explore, but it was getting late and we were ready to get back to Scottsdale … without the $10/person cover for our short time there.

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As always, our time as a trio went by way too fast!

Since I live in New York, Brittany lives in Scottsdale, and Melissa lives in Orlando, we make a goal to see each other on trips like these at least every other year. We are hoping to make it an annual tradition sooner than later though. 😉

Whenever people ask how we know each other and we tell them that we’ve been friends since the age of three, it is not lost on us how special that really is.

(adorable customized cups purchased here)

I love these girls like sisters and I am forever grateful that our parents helped us create as close of friendships as we did so long ago.

Until next time and the next 3 Musketeers trip!