Vacations Blog

My husband and I are constantly on the lookout for weekend day trip ideas. Our weekends are spent filled with the awareness of all the useful things that we’re supposed to be doing around the house, yet we are severely lacking the willpower to do those things. One Saturday afternoon not too long ago, our desperate escape from the horror of chores took us in the direction of Scottsdale, and the Arts District.

The Old Town area of Scottsdale is a treat for window shopping enthusiasts, and a mecca for Southwestern oriented artwork and decor. Parking can sometimes be a challenge, though it’s easier during the day than at night, when Those Who Wish To See and Be Seen come out to play.

Art galleries mingle seamlessly with souvenir stores and restaurants. Every Thursday the art galleries host an evening Art Walk from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., displaying their artwork and crafts along the walkways and sidewalks. Come for the art, stay for the free wine!

It’s easy to spend hours looking through the hundreds of shops in the area. My husband and I broke up the day with regular stops for refreshment, first at the Rusty Spur Saloon:

Then at the Sugar Bowl:

There is absolutely no way to forget that you are in the heart of the Southwest.

Nothing says Arizona like a good old fashioned cow skull:

Scottsdale is family and pet friendly – though they discourage pets coming into the stores and restaurants themselves. To get there from Loop 101, exit on Indian School Road and travel west to Scottsdale Road. If you’re taking the 202, exit on Scottsdale Road and travel north to arrive in the Old Town area. The heart of the Arts district is on Scottsdale Road and Fifth Avenue.

The Old Town area of Scottsdale – just like the rest of the city – is an excellent place to spend very little money and enjoy the sites; alternately, you can spend a WHOLE LOT of money and indulge in some truly unique arts and crafts.

The red, sandstone buttes of Sedona are picture perfect.

There’s no escaping the overwhelming awe one experiences during a visit to Sedona, Arizona. The majestic red sandstone buttes in contrast with a vast blue sky combined with the mystical aura of the region have been a place of wonder since the days of the Wild West.

Take in the tranquility of Sedona's landscape in a private, creek side cottage.

Today, the cowboys and Indians of the past have been replaced by throngs of tourists eager to experience one of Mother Nature’s most remarkable landscapes. Whether enjoying an exhilarating off-road adventure, exploring many of the area’s hot Vortex spots, shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts in its abundant gift shops and art galleries, or tasting the unique flavors of its many dining options, Sedona has everything necessary for an exciting family vacation.

There are many places to stay during a Sedona vacation, ranging from the small, no-frills motel to the luxury resort and spa. One of our family’s favorites is the quaint L’Auberge De Sedona Resort. Nestled at the bottom of a cliff and situated on the banks of Oak Creek, guests are invited to stay in The Lodge, The Creek House or in a one or two-bedroom private cottage. The cottages, in particular, offer an opportunity for guests to truly experience the natural beauty of the region from their private front porches.

Restaurant on Oak Creek offers an incredible fine dining experience.

L’Auberge De Sedona is also home to one of our favorite restaurants, the famous Restaurant on Oak Creek. Hugely popular with visitors and locals alike, the restaurant offers an unparallel outdoor dining experience along the trickling creek side. Its seasonal menu of French-inspired American cuisine is an outstanding epicurean treat and its vintage wine selection is superb. Wine Spectator has awarded the restaurant a “Best of Award of Excellence” for 14 years in a row. It’s a “can’t miss” during a Sedona vacation.

Tlaquepaque Village

A great place to find a variety of dining and shopping options is the nearby Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village‎. It’s always on our list of places to visit. Resembling an authentic Mexican village, Tlaquepaque is an epicenter for the Sedona experience, with eclectic live entertainment, artisans and flavors all in one beautiful, natural setting. If you love Mexican food, a “must try” is El Rincon. Their food is influenced by the Navajo and is “muy delicioso.”

Tlaquepaque is also a great starting point for an off road tour of the area’s majestic landscape. Sedona Off Road Adventures offers Hummer and Jeep tours at the Village as well as from The Adventure Store located in the Uptown Mall. Many tour options are available and the vehicles can accommodate groups of up to 12 at a time and always offer an adrenaline-filled trip. Off road tours are very popular, so reservations are encouraged. Also, don’t forget your camera as the panoramic views are absolutely breathtaking. You’ll want to capture the experience.

Get up close and personal with the Sedona landscape with an exhilirating jeep tour.

Sedona Off Road Adventures, as well as other tour operators, also offer wilderness horseback tours as well as mountain bikes rentals for the extreme outdoor enthusiasts.

While in Sedona, you can also hike the rugged terrain in search of the area’s many purported spiritual Vortices (Vortexes). Sedona has been labeled as a spiritual center for many generations, because power emanates from vortexes producing some of the most remarkable energy on the planet. This energy is the reason why Sedona is home to a lot of people that are “on the path” of spiritual growth. It is also the reason that a large New Age community and tourism industry has sprung up in the Sedona area, bringing with it a variety of spiritual practices and alternative healing modalities. Sedona is now often referred to as a spiritual Disneyland. Popular Vortex spots include Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Schnebly Hill. Maps of these locations can be found at all of Sedona’s New Age shops.

If you do decide to hoof it into the Sedona wilderness, as always, please take proper precautions, like packing plenty of water, a map and a cell phone. You wouldn’t want to become a permanent part of the landscape.

Finally, if the weather’s warm and you need to cool off, take the family over to the famous Slide Rock State Park. There the Oak Creek has transformed the red rocks into a natural, slippery water chute. You can take a ride down the chutes, sunbath, wade or swim in the cool waters. It’s a blast.

Getting To Sedona

Sedona is located approximately 115 miles north of Phoenix. Take Interstate 17 north to Highway 179 west. Travel time is just under two hours. Flagstaff is about 30 miles north of Sedona. The best, and most scenic route to take from there is Highway 89A south. The route will take approximately 45 minutes. And it’s a 288-mile, nearly five hour drive from Las Vegas.

The city also has a small airport (SEZ) accommodating private aircraft and offering charter flight, scenic air tours as well as car and jeep rentals.

Photos courtesy of the City of Sedona, L’Auberge De Sedona, Tlaquepaque Village and Sedona Off Road Adventures.

Cascade Waterfall - Giles County, Virginia

I don’t know if it’s those old black and white images or maybe it’s that dueling banjo song in Deliverance. Either way you rarely hear anyone say, “Hey, let’s go vacation in the Heart of Appalachia!” I think that’s a shame because the area is full of history, tradition, music and art. The winding back roads and mountain views are breathtaking. It’s probably one of the most beautiful areas in Virginia. I haven’t told my husband yet, but we are going for a visit during spring break.

Here are a few places I’ve added to our must see list. I plan to round it out with enough arts and craft type stops to keep me happy but not enough to end up divorced. If you’ve been to any of these or have other suggestions let me know.

Pocahontas Coal Mine – Tazewell, Virginia

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real piece of coal much less a full-blown coal mine. The guide at the Pocahontas coal mine will give a tour of a former working coal mine and explain the history and significance of coal in the development of our country. That’s good stuff to know. And yes, I’m planning to tell the kids the mine isn’t open in the winter so Santa can get coal for stocking.

Tours of Mine and Educational Room
$7.00-Adults
$4.50-Children 6-12
Museum Free
Open April – September

Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park – Tazewell, Virginia

The Crab Orchard Museum and Pioneer Park is a little piece of carefully preserved history starting with a 570 million year old snail fossil, moving on to a cabin built in 1802, throwing in some historical farm buildings, and finishing up with a 1917 Model T Ford and an old-time gas pump. This is one stop history shopping. They also maintain a working farm with heirloom and back bred seeds of the same variety that was cultivated 150 or more years ago. It sounds like a fun way to spend the day. The Fiddlers Convention in July might be worth a trip.  But then again, there’s that fear of divorce thing.

Adult (full tour): $4
Adult-Senior/AAA/Time Traveler: $3
Adult (Gallery OR Park Only): $2
Children 7-12 (full tour): $2
Children 7-12 (Gallery OR Park Only): $1
Children under 6 – FREE

Open Memorial Day – Labor Day

White Rocks in Cumberland Gap National Park

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

The Cumberland Gap National Historic Park is located in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. I think this would be an excellent park to add to your list of National parks.  It has seventy miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, and fascinating limestone caves and structures. We’ll probably check out Gap Cave and maybe Hensley’s Settlement. Or we might just spend the day hiking and taking photographs.

No entrance fee for park

Gap Cave Tour
Adult $8
Children 5-12 $4
Hensley’s Settlement
Adults- $10
Children under the age of 12 – $5

I haven’t decided if we’ll continue on to Tennessee or Kentucky. Maybe turn back towards North Carolina. If we had a little longer I’d head to Memphis. Then again, Memphis would be more fun in May – without the kids.

Photo Credits : White Rocks from the National Park Service.  A cascade of thanks to Daniel Farrell for the gorgeous waterfall picture.