Hey friends! This is the second part of our road trip in Arizona and more. If you missed the first part (Phoenix!) you can go check it out!

We left Phoenix passing through Tempe, Arizona State University, Scottsdale and the Fashion Square Mall. Then, we made our way to Sedona, Arizona.

 

About Sedona

In case you have never heard of this city, Sedona is a mystical place, as well as a small town surrounded by red sandstone formations, and most importantly a perfect place to hike and go on the hunt for positive energies.

When I say mystical, I really mean it. In fact, actual vortexes of energy are believed to be located in the Sedona area. These vortexes are supposed to foster healing and meditation – you can learn more about that here.

Other than that, even if you do not believe in spiritual vortexes and positive energies, Sedona remains a geological and natural wonder, with its red rock mountains, its hikes, blue skies, flora, fauna and so much more.

 

Staying in Sedona

In Sedona, we stayed at resort called Sedona Pines Resort. Don’t expect anything fancy or all-inclusive-resort-like. The place mirrors the vibe of the town, therefore the area is pretty silent and puts you in a rather introspective mood. The lodging is similar to staying in a bungalow. They all look like this:

Besides that, the area is super relaxing and it features a pool and a Jacuzzi, which were ideal after a long day of hiking.

 

Hiking in Sedona

The Chapel of the Holy Cross Sedona

I’ve seen a lot of churches growing up. Like, tons. Being raised in Italy, that’s pretty much all you see around you. And even when you visit other cities, especially in Europe, there is always a big church of some sort that is a must-see monument. So, I’ve seen my fair share of churches. But the Chapel of the Holy Cross, that was something unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

This church is literally built into the red mountains of Sedona. Yup. The interiors are also absolutely crazy, with a giant golden Jesus on a giant golden cross.

Bell Rock

The three main vortexes that are supposedly located in Sedona are believed to be in three spots: Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock and by Airport Mesa. Since we wanted to see what the hype was about, Bell Rock was our first hike.

The weather was great, and so was the hike. Both factors made for amazing views and pictures.

However, we didn’t find any vortexes. Maybe next time? We did find these cool little rock sculptures, though.

Cathedral rock

Our second hike that afternoon was Cathedral Rock. The weather had changed since Bell Rock: it was now cloudy, which made the air cooler, but also made our hike a wet one – never a good thing if you’re hiking up flat-surfaced, slippery rocks!

The hike itself was also a lot harder than the first one, and the further up we went, the more it turned into a rock climb! We used our feet, hands and knees to go up. It was hard, but worth it.

Once we were done, we had to slide on our butt down the rocks to come down the mountain. That’s when you know the hike was a good one.

Vortex Hunting at Airport Mesa

The hike at Cathedral rock left us hungry for vortexes, because we couldn’t feel energies there either. So we tried our left spot at Airport Mesa. Sorry to say, no magic energies there either. But I have to say: the whole town just feels kind of, I don’t know, supernatural?

 

Food in Sedona

First of all, let me tell you: if you’ve never been to Sedona, just know that it’s a small town. Much smaller than I thought it was going to be. Therefore, your choices are relatively limited and restaurants close early. Plan accordingly!

Picazzo’s

Now my Italian readers will understand that the name of this restaurant kind of made us giggle when we first checked it out, but the place in itself wasn’t bad at all. Picazzo’s was the only open restaurant in all of Sedona when we went out to dinner at 9pm on our first night. Therefore, it basically saved us from starving. I can respect that.

Their pizza wasn’t the best we’ve ever had – nothing compared to Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix – but it did the job.

I got the mac and cheese instead, and it was surprisingly really good! Overall, much better than starvation. The staff was super friendly, too, and didn’t kill us when we came in right before closing. I’d consider that a plus.

Mariposa

On our second night in Sedona, we went to a beautiful fine dining restaurant called Mariposa.

Oddly enough, our server turned out to be Italian! Matteo provided us with outstanding service and precious advice on food and wine. Of course, this fine dining experience came at a price – a costly price. However, the food was amazing. I had a great steak and some incredible lobster mashed potatoes – I never want to eat regular mashed potatoes anymore! And that Malbec… some of the finest wine I’ve ever had.

McDonald’s

Honorable mention to McDonald’s. I know what you’re thinking: why would I go to McDonald’s during my time in Sedona, Arizona? Aren’t I supposed to immerse myself in positive energies? Well, first of all, McDonald’s French fries are arguably one of the most positive energies known to mankind. Secondly, this McDonald’s is actually super special. In fact, the McDonald’s in Sedona is the only McDonald’s in the world that doesn’t have those oh-so-familiar golden arches: it has blue/green arches to blend in with the rest of the natural landscape. The city of Sedona thought that the regular branding colors would be too aggressive and wouldn’t fit well with the surroundings. Kudos to McDonald’s for being so open to branding exceptions!

And that, my friends, is all I have on Sedona. Have you ever been there? Did you love it? Did you find vortexes? Let me know in the comments!