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Girls’ Weekend Getaway in Beautiful Sedona, Arizona

By The Girl Next Door is BlackPosted on 10/02/201407/27/20156 Comments6min read45 views
With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black

7 min read

Back in June, I headed to Sedona, Arizona with two of my friends from Los Angeles for a girls’ weekend. The first time our trio traveled together, we spent a whirlwind 10 days in Brazil in 2010. We were overdue for a reunion trip. On the agenda: sun, no worries and making memories. Arizona in June? You crazy? The weather actually wasn’t too bad – hot, but not unbearably so. I feel sun-starved in San Francisco sometimes, so I soak up opportunities in the sun like a cat lazing in a bay window.

With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
Iguazu Falls in Brazil, 2010

K___ and L___ drove from Los Angeles to Phoenix, picked me up at the airport and we drove to Scottsdale to stay for the night before heading to Sedona the next morning. We planned to drop by Amy’s Baking Company, made infamous thanks to an episode of Kitchen Nightmares – the only one I’ve ever seen – due to their crazified antics.

Unfortunately, when we dropped by the next morning, we found out they don’t open until noon. We peered inside, me wary of being too close to the insanity. I feared Amy or Samy might pop up out of nowhere and berate us for daring to approach their precious restaurant. We snapped a pic, L____ checked us in on Facebook for posterity, and off we went toward Sedona.

With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
They put the “cus(s)” in customer service.

The drive to Sedona alone is worth the trip. Massive red rocks in all directions, imposing yet awe-inspiring, a postcard come to life and magnified to penetrate all the senses. Even the air felt different. Cleaner. Calmer. We stayed at The Orchard Inn, nestled in the center of town, with a pool facing a panoramic view of red rocks.

With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
The pink jeep in front of us is from Pink Jeep Tours”. They’re hard to miss around town.

A LITTLE EXPLORATION AND SOME UGLY AMERICANS

Once we settled in, we walked the handful of yards to the main drag to explore the town. L___ voiced her disappointment at the amount of tourism-focused storefronts. Up and down the drag businesses beckoned to visitors, with promises of authenticity and pleasure: jeep tours, turquoise jewelry, Native American-inspired goods and psychic healing, among others. This isn’t where the locals hang out.

Cowboy Cowgirl Cutout Sedona
Tourists
shopping frog Sedona
Local art
shopping sedona
Local art
Ammo TShirt Sedona Shopping
I snuck this photo, that’s why it’s blurry
shoppnig sedona
Sedona Shop
sedona shopping
A little bit of everything
Shopping Sedona Precious Moments
With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
Montezuma Castle, a 2o-room “high rise” carved into the rock.

As it’s located in the Southwestern US, Arizona has a rich Native American history. We “hiked” a short half-mile path to see the ruins of the Sinagua people, Montezuma Castle. The stature of the surrounding mountains gave the illusion of a sunken path, the tall trees whose branches canopied above, and the air, quiet (at first) except for the sounds of our breath and the low hum of ordinary animal activity,  created the sense of seclusion and peace. Mother Nature encircled us in a bear hug.

Trailing behind us was a group I referred to as “The Ugly Americans.” If you were to look at a checklist of “Ugly American” behaviors, they’d score at least 90%. Imagine being in the still of a quiet valley, surrounded by rocks older than we can truly conceive, near the protected ruins of an ancient people and you hear the loud flapping of flip flops, the smacking of lips, the swishing of thighs rubbing against khaki and cries of  “Hey, look at THAT!” “Moooom, I’m bored!” They may or may not have been slurping on Slurpees. I may have imagined that into the scene during my stereotyping. I’m sure they were lovely people, but they sure knew how to spoil a moment.

Arizona Sycamore Sedona
Arizona Sycamore Tree
Honanki Heritage Site
Montezuma Castle
Friends in Sedona Honanki
Me and L___

DO YOU FEEL ANYTHING?

Sedona is apparently teeming with energy vortexes. We visited the disappointingly named “Airport Vortex.” I expected to encounter whirls of dusts spiraling in the air, maybe with a Tasmanian Devil or two babbling incoherently as it’s tossed about. Some people claim to experience a greater sense of uplifting calm, intense relaxation, spiritual enlightenment, seeing Jesus and Buddha apparate, holding hands and bestow many blessings on you or some such other (OK, I made that last bit up). Sadly, none of that happened. My friends and I kept asking each other, “Do you feel anything?” “Do you feel different?” “No!” “Nothing.” “Um…noooo.” Lack of visits from Jesus/Buddha notwithstanding, the Vortex visit proved it’s worth in the spectacular views alone.

Bell Rock
Bell Rock
sunset sedona
Airport vortex
friends selfie Sedona
MetaSelfie!
black girl Sedona Arizona
Is this the face of someone who saw Jesus/Buddha?
sedona vortex arizona
Airport Vortex
Sedona vortex red rock
We weren’t the only ones seeking enlightenment.
girls in Sedona red rock
Me and the girls
Beautiful red rock
Beautiful red rock

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES AND A LITTLE SNORTING

The next day after enjoying a bare-bones, but importantly, free, continental breakfast at our hotel, we made our way to Cottonwood, Arizona for horseback riding with Cowboy Way Adventures. Can horseback riding be a spiritual experience? Because I think I shared a moment with my horse, Vidalia – though our initial meeting didn’t go as smoothly as I would have expected.

With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
I didn’t even have to use a stool to get up there!

The one and only other time I’d been on a horse was over 10 years ago when my body was more resilient and I had fewer fears. I mounted Vidalia with some trepidation. I startled each time she shifted her weight. “Why does she keep moving like that? C’mon girl stay still for me!”

L___ snickered and teased, “Are you scared of the horse?”

“No! I’m not scared,” I protested. “The older I get, the closer I am to death and therefore the more aware I become of my mortality! Besides, uh, you have heard of Christopher Reeve, right?” She shook her head at me with amusement.

Once my jitters subsided, I got into the groove of things. Chris, a bonafide cowboy if ever I saw one, and a shoo-in to win a Sam Elliott lookalike contest, along with Jen, his younger partner, who looked as though she could have been on Hey Dude,  led us on a 2-hour trail which the horses knew well. Much like any group of friends and family, the horses had their favorites of their stable. Chris warned me that my horse would likely try to stay behind the horse being ridden by a little boy who was there with his parents.

Vidalia was a sweet horse. I gradually relaxed as I realized we were in this ride together. She trusted me to be a kind human who’d pet her, treat her gently and let her tail behind her BFF. I trusted her not to up and jump and go horse-crazy and trample me. Once I accepted our partnership in living, I really enjoyed the rest of the tranquil trail. I took in my surroundings: the arid, still, desert heat; listened for rattlesnakes I never saw; marveled at the massive expanse of cactus and we even spotted a jackrabbit. Everything looked straight out of a Wile E. Coyote cartoon.

horseback riding Sedona
Three horses and three ladies
horseback riding sedona
Horseback riding is a lot of fun
horseback riding sedona
K__’s horse followed mine most of the ride.
horseback riding sedona
Our attempt to take a selfie with the horse didn’t turn out so well, so someone took this one for us.
horseback riding sedona
Showing Vidalia some love
horseback riding sedona
K____ and her horse got along smashingly.
With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
With the sweet Vidalia

After our horseback ride, we’d scheduled a massage and I am so glad we did, because sitting on a horse for two hours hurts your butt more than doing 1000 squats followed by 1000 lunges and 3000 burpees. It can’t have looked good to watch us walk.

Generally, I don’t go for massages. I’ll do it to play along when my friends want to “go get massages, mani/pedis” and all that, but I am not really into having random strangers rub all over my mostly naked body. The masseuse will be like, “Wow, you’re really tense! Why don’t you try to relax a little.” Um, your hand is dangerously close to my boob, an appendage I don’t just go around showing people willy nilly, and you want me to chill? Yeah, OK.

Maybe it was the heat, the ride through the dusty desert, the release of all my exhaustion from stress at work, but it was the most relaxing massage I have ever had. I fell asleep. I woke myself up with a snort! I’d heard of such things happening to other people, but it was a first for me.

HERE PIGGY PIGGY

Our last morning in Sedona, we lounged around the pool for a bit, trading stories and enjoying the last bit of calm before heading back to our lives.

With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
The obligatory poolside foot shot

As San Francisco has its heart sculptures placed across the city, Sedona has its javelina sculptures dotted across town. It became somewhat of a game (for me, at least) to see if we’d stumble upon more javelinas. Having only found a handful of the ones in existence the previous days, my friends indulged me and we found a park with retired sculptures!

With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
The javelina that started me on my quest for others. Though it looks like a pig, it’s actually not a pig. Who would have thought?

 

javelinas sedona arizona
Javelinas on parade – these are not on display due to fading, peeling paint and other imperfections.
javelina sculpture arizona sedona
You’re supposed to rub a javelina’s nose for good luck.
javelina sculpture sedona
You’re supposed to rub a javelina’s nose for good luck.
With it's backdrop of stunning red rocks, mysterious energy vortexes and gobs of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, Sedona, Arizona is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. | The Girl Next Door is Black
Javelinas on parade

GOODBYE RED ROCKS, YOU’VE BEEN GRAND

We closed out the trip with souvenir shopping, a few more photo opps and a Southwestern lunch.

I couldn’t have asked for a better, more relaxing and memory-making trip with two of my favorite people.

About those vortexes and the enlightenment? The javelinas whose noses I rubbed for luck? A few days after I returned from Sedona, I got laid off from my job.  So, there’s that. At least I got a chance to relax before it happened!

—

Check out my friend L___’s take on our trip at Recipe for Fab!

*Credit for some photos goes to my friends L__ and K___. Thank you!

A few more photos…

margaritas sedona arizona
Magarita time!
sedona arizona red rock
Sedona Arizona red rock
the haunted hamburger jerome arizona
The Haunted Hamburger
haunted hamburger jerome arizona
Waiting to be seated at The Haunted Hamburger
jerome cactus arizona
Jerome, AZ
oak creek pub sedona arizona
We visited the Oak Creek Pub, a local microbrewery.
cactus sedona arizona
Look at all the cacti.

 

Related articles
  • A Photo Essay: Sedona, Arizona
  • Throwback Thursday: Sedona 2009
  • Majestic Sedona, Take Two
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6 Comments
  • theegetawaygal
    October 13, 2014

    Keisha I am so sorry to hear about your job and hope you find something new and exciting soon! I adore girlfriend getaways, they are very special. Sedona looks like a great place for one despite the earlier comment about the food not being very good. I’m still going to add it to my Arizona Pinterest board for future reference.

    Reply
    • The Girl Next Door is Black
      October 13, 2014

      Thank you so much. I see getting laid off as a positive thing for me. I’m excited to see what’s next.

      Sedona is wonderful! While the food is unremarkable, it’s perfectly fine, so not to worry on that front.

      Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

      Reply
  • andreathompson2
    October 9, 2014

    I LOVE Sedona and horribly I just moved from Scottsdale to Dallas. I have a second home in Sedona and another house there which is a rental property. Sedona is magical. However, I don’t know if you noticed, the food sucks. It’s such a tourist town that restaurantuers know 98% of the patrons will never be back so standards seriously slip. Did you find that to be true? I’m so happy you guys had fun! Laid off!?! What are you going to do now??

    Reply
    • The Girl Next Door is Black
      October 10, 2014

      I didn’t get to see much of Scottsdale, but I’ve heard good things. A home in Sedona, how nice! I did notice that about the food. Usually the food is a highlight of a trip; not the case here. Haha. Hence the one food pic!

      I’ve got some things in the works. I’ll write about them at some point. 🙂

      Reply
  • cielorasca
    October 3, 2014

    That was such a great getaway! I didn’t realize it at the time, but we sure packed in a lot of adventures that weekend.
    Thanks for sharing the memories. 🙂

    Reply
    • The Girl Next Door is Black
      October 4, 2014

      We are really good at maximizing our time on trips! Writing this post made me smile; the trip was so much fun!

      Reply

About

I'm Keisha ("Kee-shuh", not to be confused with Ke$ha). I am a (later) thirty-something, non-mommy, non-wife, who lives in San Francisco, California New York and has lots of opinions on lots of things.

On The Girl Next Door is Black you'll find content on everything from race, culture, gender, and other socio-cultural issues, to travel, pop culture, and tales from my daily life.

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