Christina’s Journey Journal

Category: Sedona

  • May & June: Red Rocks, Caribbean Blues, and World Cup Dreams😎🩵🇨🇼

    May & June: Red Rocks, Caribbean Blues, and World Cup Dreams😎🩵🇨🇼

    Some weekends are made for catching up on chores…not!
    Mother’s Day weekend took me to one of my favorite places on Earth🌎…Sedona, Arizona. There’s just something magical about those red rock landscapes that keeps calling me back. We mixed in a few favorites with some new discoveries…hiking Cathedral Rock and then Oak Creek Canyon, a new trail that didn’t disappoint. Spending Mother’s Day with one of my boys, making memories on the trail, is something I’ll never take for granted.

    Cathedral Rock🧡
    Oak Creek Canyon🌳🌲

    Before I had a chance to unpack, Memorial Day weekend took us to the amazing island of Curaçao. Crystal-clear water, warm Caribbean sunshine, and island life…there are certainly worse ways to spend a long weekend. It was just enough time to recharge before jumping back into reality.

    Queen Emma Bridge in Curacao
    A beautiful Curacao sunset 🌅

    Then came another quick getaway, this time to Kansas City for something completely different: cheering on Curaçao in their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance. Wearing yellow and blue, surrounded by passionate fans, and watching a country of just over 158,000 people take the world stage was something special. The final score almost became secondary. It was about believing, celebrating, and being part of history.

    Fútbol ready in Kansas City!
    Curacao 🇨🇼 vs Ecuador 🇪🇨
    Final 0-0
    (Curaçao’s 1st World Cup point!)
    The Blue Wave 💙🌊💛
    Cheering on Curaçao’s goalie, Eloy Room, who shut the door on Ecuador.

    Looking back, May and June weren’t about long vacations. They were about saying “yes” to weekends that became memories. Sometimes the best adventures don’t require weeks away. All you need is a free weekend, a boarding pass, and a “just go” attitude!

  • Sedona from the Sky 🧡☀️🧡

    Sedona from the Sky 🧡☀️🧡

    I had the best Thanksgiving weekend 🦃 which included the adventure of flying with my son from Falcon Field in Phoenix, AZ to Sedona, AZ. The red rocks from the air were stunning and landing on a mesa was surreal!🧡 Breakfast at the delicious Mesa Grill 🍳, a hike on the airport vortex, and then back in the air! Sedona is one of my favorite places. I have seen Sedona from a hot air balloon and it’s such an elevated experience from a plane!

    My son, the Pilot!
    Ready to take off 🛫
    Going through the check list
    Cruisin’ at 9,000 feet!
    Hiking on the airport vortex.
    Views from the ground aren’t too bad either 😉
  • A Mother’s Day Adventure in Sedona, Arizona

    A Mother’s Day Adventure in Sedona, Arizona

    This is my 4th time visiting the beckoning red rocks of Sedona and if I can help it, it won’t be my last. There are few places where I could actually live vs visit…Sedona ranks right up at the top of the list.

    Sedona has 4 vortexes—energy sources concentrated in specific areas that impact spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. Although not proven scientifically, there are several sites around the world that also claim vortex status— the Great Pyramid in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Stonehenge, Bali, Uluru/Ayers Rock in Australia to name some of the more popular ones. Whether you believe it or not, it’s a magical town, where buildings must blend into their background, the food is top notch, hikes are unforgettable, and the red rocks take your breath away.

    This Mother’s Day, I had the opportunity to meet both of my sons in Phoenix (one already lives there) and we drove two hours to Sedona. While we didn’t have a lot of time, we got some of our favorites in. And, most importantly, we spent time together. It couldn’t have been a more perfect weekend.🧡

    We stayed in a place that was new for us—The Wilde Resort & Spa. I would highly recommend it. Wonderful grounds with hammocks, cornhole, fire pits, swimming pool with bar, hot tubs, an onsite spa (Victoria got out the hiking knots!), and restaurant. I will definitely stay there again.

    I really wanted to eat at Elote Cafe when we arrived but reservations book up months in advance. Luckily, they had a cancellation when I called and we kicked off the weekend at one of the best restaurants in town. Don’t forget to get the Elote Dip!

    Hiking to Devil’s Bridge—moderate hike about 4 miles out and back. We started from Mescal.
    Devil’s Bridge
    Airport Loop hike – one of the vortexes is at the Airport Mesa. The other 3 can be felt at Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Bell Rock.

    We stopped for lunch at Mesa Grill —the airport’s restaurant (make reservations!). This is one of our very favorites…the table side guacamole 🥑 is some of the best I have ever had at a restaurant

    Admiring the planes that land/take off on top of the mesa

    Here are a few pictures from when I have been in Sedona previously…

    Floating over the Red Rocks in 2022 – such a perfect place for a hot air balloon ride
    Subway hike
    Subway Cave
    Bell Rock
    Cathedral Rock