We've been lucky enough to visit the Grand Canyon two years ago, a trip that I will never forget, for many reasons.
This weekend, we headed to the beautiful area of Sedona. I'm sure you've heard about it, everyone seems to know about the red rocks that make this city one of the most known on Earth.
We're just a short drive away, and we've been here for 5 years but have never made it out there, so yesterday as a sort of late birthday present for me, we headed out there to spend the day.
Our first stop was at the Visitor Center....and this is the first view of the rocks
It was Smokie's Birthday, so the kids got to take a picture with this well known bear :)
Now is where I tell you that, if you re military or know a military family, please be sure to let them know that they can get park annual passes for free. They are good for most major parks in the USA. We didn't even know until we got there, but we now have a free one which is going to come in handy :)
Driving up to the creek....notice how red the dirt is too?
Such a peaceful setting
Nice cold water, so we had to get our feet in there.....we're starved for water around here LOL
Just how hot is it in Arizona?
We decided to do a little trail. BIG BIG BIG mistake. Folks, it's hot out there, like really hot as you can see above, and I honestly thought I was going to have a conniption of sorts. I wanted to cry at one point LOL
It's just absolutely stunning out there
Holy Church on the rock....
Thankfully big dark storm clouds started moving in
This was taken from Airport Road, great view of the city
I could have taken pictures all day long, every mountain was just as beautiful as the next
We ended the trip at Tlaquepaque, a huge shopping/dining area that is built in the image of a Mexican Villa. It is STUNNING inside, oh my word, I could have stayed in there forever.
If you're ever in the area, you HAVE to visit this place, you just have to :)
I'm ending with this picture because Curt and I thought it was so neat how all the stores, had these red bowls of water outside for people's pets :)
Oh wow! After seeing your pictures, I really want to go there. Maybe in the winter months, when it's not so hot!
ReplyDeleteWe were there in July ... beautiful
ReplyDeleteAmazing! You perfectly captured the scenery.It's really a breathtaking!
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So beautiful! My family always tells this story about how they took me here when I was about three and that I amazed a store clerk by being able to say "Tlaquepaque". I have no memory of it though because I was so young. Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteI was there in November of 1997 visiting two sets of cousins (one in Prescott and one in Sun City West), and decided to move there.
ReplyDeleteI moved from Beaverton, Oregon to Tempe, Arizona in May 1998 (I moved back to Beaverton, Oregon in August 1998). I have to say I loved Sedona, and all the other places my friend and I went to (I went to Tempe about 6 weeks before I moved to find a place, we found a place the first day, and spent the rest of the time eating authentic HOT HOT HOT Mexican food, drinking margaritas, and sightseeing). We had a blast, and your post brought back a lot of great memories.
I don't know that I would have stayed in Arizona even if things had been different (difficult job, no friends, long commute, THE FLIPPING HEAT!!, and my family members all abandoned Arizona for Oregon shortly after I moved there) but I'd love to go back sometime.
What a feast for the eyes!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a great time, even if the heat was baaaad.
I'm in Chandler. If you get a chance, take a long road trip up to Lake Powell (if you haven't already) and drive through the Navajo Indian Reservation and beyond to Zion in Utah. It's a surreal experience. A really great inexpensive family trip is to Zion national Park...hike the Narrows, which is a canyon that you hike, but you're wading through water knee to chest deep. Such a great way to cool off. It was 100 degrees when I went, but the water was sooo cool.
ReplyDeleteSuch an amazing place and love the thoughtfulness of the shop owners for the pets!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place! That's countryside I've never experienced before!
ReplyDeleteCute pic of the kids!
Blessings,
Tammy
It always makes me laugh that constantly Mari comments before me and it's always the same comment I was going to make- so ditto to what Mari said :)
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