17 Feb Please The Palate Pick of the Week: A Girls’ Weekend in Sedona

When four friends, who met through wine writing, decide to plan a trip, one would assume it would be to a wine region. And, for our first two girls’ trips, that is what we did. We went to Mendocino the first year and then Valle de Guadalupe the second year. But for this third trip, we wanted to meet somewhere we could relax and have fun that was not centered around wine and we found just that in Sedona, Arizona. That is why A Girls’ Weekend in Sedona is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

The plan was to meet in Sedona on Thursday. Two of us flew into Phoenix, rented a car, and drove two hours in rain, which then converted to snow. The other two were flying into Flagstaff. Due to the snow, they were delayed and then had to spend the night in Flagstaff as the roads to Sedona were closed. But by Friday morning we were all together for our weekend. It was a weekend of friendship, relaxation, games, wine (of course), food, exploration, and laughter. It was a perfect weekend, mostly for the company, but also for where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate.

WHERE TO STAY IN SEDONA

We booked our rooms at the Amara Resort and Spa, which is designed as a tree lodge. The hotel had everything we needed: spacious, comfortable rooms, SaltRock Southwest Kitchen, a full -service spa & fitness center, and a zero-edge infinity pool and hot tub. To top it all off, the hotel has beautiful views of the Red Rocks. But what really sealed the deal was the service. From the moment we arrived until we left, the service was impeccable. Everyone was friendly and accommodating and we felt at home.

SaltRock Southwest Kitchen is casual restaurant, offering a modern take on traditional Southwest fare utilizing local Verde Valley ingredients. We enjoyed breakfast at SaltRock Southwest Kitchen each morning and enjoyed dinner there one of our nights. We worked out in the small fitness room and we relaxed with spa treatments.

We played games in the lobby and we sat by the fire pits outside as we sipped wine that we had brought with us.

WHERE TO EAT IN SEDONA

We had three nights in Sedona so we had the opportunity to enjoy three different restaurants. In addition to SaltRock Southwest Kitchen at the Amara Resort, we at at two local restaurants, Elote Cafe and Mariposa. Both restaurants were on every list and in every article we read about where to eat in Sedona.

Elote Cafe is an award-winning modern Mexican & Southwestern restaurant owned by Chef Jeff Smedstad. The menu is inspired by chef’s 20-plus years of travel across Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla and his native Arizona and features seasonal, locally-grown ingredients. The food was absolutely delicious and it is completely understandable why this restaurant is considered one of the best in Arizona.

Mariposa is owned by Chef Lisa Dahl, one of the country’s leading female chefs and restaurateurs and a pioneer in the culinary scene in Sedona, Arizona. Mariposa is one of six restaurants in Northern Arizona’s red rock country owned by Dahl. The name Mariposa, which is the Spanish name for butterflies, is a metaphor representing spiritual rebirth and change. Mariposa Restaurant, with its Latin-inspired cuisine, was a transformation from her Italian roots as a chef.

VISIT THE GRAND CANYON

With snow on the ground, hiking in Sedona was not an option. Instead, we did a day trip to the Grand Canyon with Arizona Scenic Tours. Arizona Scenic Tours was founded Steve Gerhart who grew up in Arizona and has been traveling through the state for the last 30 years. Familiar with all that the valley had to offer, he started offering tours. Today Arizona Scenic Tours offers numerous day tours, including tours of Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Tucson, and Metro Phoenix, as well as an Arizona Wildlife Tour, Tombstone Tour, Boyce Thompson Arboretum Tour, Apache Trail Tour, Grand Canyon Tour, and more. All of these “one-of-a-kind Arizona experiences” include pick up and drop-off from Phoenix and other areas.

We were picked up in Sedona and drove two hours to the Grand Canyon. The last time I was there was in the heat of the summer. This time there was snow on the ground and it was utterly stunning. Every view was postcard perfect.

We also stopped for lunch at the El Tovar Hotel, also known simply as El Tovar, which was opened in 1905. Situated directly on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, we were able to continue to enjoy the views as we ate our lunch.

Our three days in Sedona was a perfect location for our girls’ weekend. I cannot wait to see where we decide to go next year for our 4th Annual Girls Weekend Trip!