Perfect day for a road trip from Tempe to Sedona . After 2 days of business meetings , we were off to explore . The 2.5 hour drive with some patches of traffic which was anticipated due to Memorial 3 day weekend did not dampen our excitement from anticipation of seeing Sedona .

I. Slide Rock was the first stop . Slide Rock State Park has made the Travel Channel’s list of “10 Top Swimming Holes in the United States.” Sedona’s red rocks is the “ultimate water slide.” And has been named in one of the “Top Secret Swimming Holes” .

The crisp, clear and cool water with spa like smooth pebbles that are clearly visible from the surface , the surrounding rugged layers of red rocks , towering trees and desert scenery are a sight to behold . It’s a place to make life long memories. So beautiful in fact, that many movies including classic John Wayne movies were filmed there. There are even three hiking trails in the surrounding area to frolic before you jump off in the cool water! The uniqueness of this place offers the fun of a water park but all nature made .

Been there years ago and the feel of the crisp clear water kept calling . This time I’m so glad to heed the call and here we are back to the same spot . And we just know we will surely be back again soon.

The ceremonial jump from the cliff to the deep spot of the river is always an experience. After that the plan was to go ride the slide . Going for a slide where the grooves of the natural rock and the gushing of the water pushing you down could be intimidating. It was unforgettable the first time so I’m back to relive the experience.

It took me a while to study the grooves again and the proper position before I muster the courage to slide away and so off I went. It was thrilling , refreshing and satisfying.

Some reminders, the park closes at 6pm but they want the public out of the river by 5pm so arrive early . Also, the rocks could be slippery so water shoes are a must.

2. Sacred elements . Energy healing . Salt room . Crystals. Psychics . Beneath the endless beauty is also a site long been regarded as a place both sacred and healing . The world wide reputation of its mysterious cosmic forces is prevalent. This powerful energy are said to emanate from the red rocks. Visitors Center handout – What is a Vortex?

The Sedona vortices “are thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration.”!People swear they feel more inspired and enlightened after visiting a vortex. There are wellness shops, energy healing places scattered throughout the town. Some Sedona’s spas boast of Native American-inspired treatments using indigenous materials like red rock clay and local plants. To learn more visit at http://www.sedonaspiritual.com.

Our trip was packed and we didn’t get to explore that aspect of Sedona though I just realized as I’m I typing this that we were at the Cathedral hike trail which is said to be one of the vortices . Pretty cool!

3. Hikers delight .

Due to popularity of the Cathedral hike trail , parking is not allowed nearby . A shuttle is offered to take hikers to and from designated pick up drop off parking area . There’s a shuttle every 15-20 minutes . When we got to the pick-up area we barely missed the cut off to get in the shuttle . My group was bummed out to miss the cut off and the thought of waiting for the next shuttle under the heat sent sighs of subtle dismay . Instantly, I knew there’s always a reason for things . So yes, we couldn’t ride the shuttle right away due to load capacity but I knew we were meant to do other things at that particular time. . And sure enough few steps from the shuttle drop off place was an ascending pathway with metal rails . We followed the path and it led us to the top and there it was the “Church of the Red Rock”.

The door to the church was locked . It was Sunday , I thought it would be good to do a “visita iglesia” at least visit a church while there . Good thing an elderly man knocked and the door was opened for him and we were also invited to come inside . The parish rep toured us to this gorgeous church with floor to ceiling glass that gave the panoramic view of the canyons all throughout . We were also given access to this door that led us to the balcony with the view of the cliffs and the red Rocky Mountain . Our jaws dropped with the unexpected treat of this aerial view . We also met the friendly spouse of the choir pianist . He briefly told us the story of how him and his wife came from San Antonio Texas and on the way to see the Grand Canyon they were surprised to capture the glorious grandeur of Sedona . They loved it so much that they decided to leave Texas and made Sedona their home for over 50 years? He said he was once the chairman of the trail patrol. He shared that there are 400 hiking trails across Sedona .

So we didn’t get in the shuttle immediately but we got a lot more during the wait to the next shuttle. It totally re-affirmed my belief that situations happen for a higher good and in this case we got an immaculate view of the rockies and met wonderful people. Win!

Lesson 1 . Sometimes life takes an unexpected “wrong turn” in the right direction .

Affirm that “out of this, only good will come”

On the way up we rested and played some tic tac toe using rocks .

Lesson 2 have fun, enjoy each moment

The cathedral hike trial was quite exhausting due to elevation . The boulders seem easy from a far but quite challenging. It’s more of a rock climb at some point versus a hike . The view every step of the way is just awe inspiring. While moving ahead it’s also good to look at how far you’ve climbed .

Lesson 3 : Look back , relish the moment , admire the steps that led you to where you are and appreciate how far you’ve come . Sometimes the “joy is in the journey not the destination “

On the way up , the climb was getting steeper and felt dizzy from the height .As the climb got more intense , I decided to head back 3/4 of the way to the top .

Lesson 4 ok to pick your battle . It’s ok to say “next time , but not now”. I already got my “high” from the climb (literally and figuratively) and I was ok not to go all the way up . Know when to say enough. And be ok with it .

4, Treat for Foodies . Had a craving for wood fired pizza. On the main highway saw a random pizza place . “Lisa Pisa” Italian place . Their wood fired pizza , gelato and golden beet with goat cheese were a knock out. We got white sauce Portobello mushrooms with truffle oil pizza and another 14 inch Pesto Chicken thin crust pizza . Both were really yummy! So glad to have stopped over before heading to the next site . Totally got my “fix” from the craving .

For dinner, we didn’t have restaurant reservation so we ended up hopping to few other restaurants and the line was a bit much . Moral of the story, make sure you call for reservation ahead of time .

As we drove around, we stumbled into this joint called “Sound bite grill “. They were able to sit us right away . And yay! There was live music and the food we ordered were 2 thumbs up across the board . The fresh romaine greens , heart hemp avocado salad , grilled swordfish with garlic mashed potato and ginger sesame sauce , angus burger with pretzel bun and patty burger as big as a child’s face, trio taco with fresh mahi mahi were mouth watering. They also gave generous servings all throughout.

Lesson 4 Abundance mentality . This restaurant had generous servings . In the inn where we stayed the food was open for anyone to grab as much, round the clock it seems . Coffee , muffins , oatmeal, apples , oranges were available in the area by receptions area . The shuttle driver offered free water . The shuttle to and from hiking trails were free .

Sedona seem to get the concept right . Abundance given is returned several folds .

The other thing I admired was the people were nice and warm ..

Lesson 5 Kindness is beautiful . Our servers in our hotel , Jordan and Angelique, plus the front desk etc were extra nice . As a matter of fact, i impromptu asked them to apply for a position in our Arizona office.

5. Next stop . The Chapel of the Holy Cross welcomes several million Pilgrims and tourists every year. It is a place of great beauty and serenity. Stories of miracles are plenty after visiting the church . It’s an experience to be in the church, the art work, the surreal out of this world view of the majestic distinct canyons that make Sedona a must place to visit ,make up this soul refreshing vibe .

6. Final stop. Montezuma Castle National Monument protects an architectural ruin dating back AD 1100 to 1425.

This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a recess of towering limestone cliff is astonishing and full of mystery. If one stretched their imagination, the place shows a peek of the settlers’ ingenuity just by marveling the artifacts left behind from jewelries , baskets , tools for hunting and pottery to name a few .

It’s a monument dedicated to preserve the Native American culture . While there , we also explored the geology , wildlife and plants . We also had to pause to let a snake around 36 inches lazily cross our path.

As we drove back home , we were all exhausted with this pack long weekend, but grateful .

Lesson 6 Always be grateful. How enchanting to be given the sightings of the canyons , rugged rock formation , flowering cactus and the undeniable energetic forces of this part of the world . Remember “When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
– Emmanuel Dagher

America, the beautiful. And so they say, but this part of the states truly speaks to that phrase.

This travel has given us so much joy and appreciation of the beauty of nature. Each travel enriches us and reminds us that we live in a generous universe and beauty abounds .