Having never been to Sedona or Grand Canyon, my wife decided it would be fun to travel to Arizona during the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday. She found inexpensive airline tickets on Southwest Airlines from San Jose to Phoenix, Flight #1984, departing at 7:35 p.m. from San Jose and arriving in Phoenix at 10:25 p.m.
She looked into several hotels and resorts and finally settled on the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. At first, I booked a convertible for our rental car, but after checking the weather (and finding it rainy and cold), I decided to rebook an intermediate rental with Alamo. I prefer to use Turo to rent cars, but we would arrive late on Wednesday evening (and I did not want any surprises).
Our initial plan was to hike around Sedona and then visit the Grand Canyon (on a hopefully sunny day).
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Because of multiple storms, our Southwest Airlines Flight #1984 from San Jose to Phoenix was delayed by one hour. I ordered UberX around 6:30 p.m., but arriving at the San Jose airport took us longer than expected (probably due to the late Thanksgiving departures and arrivals). We departed San Jose at 8:30 p.m., landing in Phoenix at around 11:20 p.m. (Mountain Time). The flight was pretty uneventful on the Boeing 737-700. Upon deplaning, we boarded the Rental Car bus, which took another 20 minutes to transport us to the rental car terminal.
I got in line at the Alamo booth since I reserved an intermediate Alamo Rental through Costco Travel (it was much cheaper than other rental companies, at $270.31 for 5 days). As many customers were ahead of me, I decided to try the self-check-in Alamo booths. The first booth I tried timed out for some reason, so I returned to the back of the Alamo service line. However, another customer was successful with one Alamo self-check-in machine, and I decided to try again. Fortunately, I was successful this time and could print the rental voucher.
Inna and I rode the escalator to a lower floor, where Alamo car rentals were parked. An Alamo employee directed me to a section of cars I could choose. After considering a Hyundai Elantra and a Nissan Sentra SV, we settled on a blue Nissan Sentra SV. This newer Nissan Sentra had Apple CarPlay installed, which I found very useful for playing music and using Google Maps to direct me to the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock.
The drive from Phoenix to Sedona was pretty easy, as the roads were mostly empty (and highly smooth compared to California roads). We arrived at the Hilton Sedona at 2:08 a.m., parked our car, and checked into room #3010 (on the 3rd floor). I set the alarm on my iPhone 11 to 7:00 a.m. (but this turned out to be too early!)
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Happy Thanksgiving!
After waking up at around 8:00 a.m., I showered and dressed. Inna and I decided to eat breakfast at our Hilton Sedona's Shadowrock Tap + Table, as we were unsure whether cafes would be open during the Thanksgiving holiday. (Most restaurants are closed during Thanksgiving Day.)
I ordered a custom 3-egg Omelet with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, ham, and Swiss cheese. Inna selected the Salmon Avocado Toast, which she enjoyed. The entrees were delicious but took some time to prepare. I was anxious to finish breakfast, as I feared the rain in the weather forecast. The waiting staff was very polite and attentive.
After breakfast, we decided to hike Bell Rock. On the way there, we stopped at the Ranger Station to purchase our hiking passes (usually required in Arizona), but they were not needed during Thanksgiving.
We arrived at the southern end of the Bell Rock parking lot, parked our car, and began our hike. We expected a short hike, so we did not bother to bring out water bottles. However, we did wear our rain gear, which came in handy on multiple occasions when heavy rain interrupted our hike.
Inna was trying to find the elusive Vortexes that are known to exist here, though I never felt anything unusual. The hike was much longer than expected, with spectacular views of Bell Rock and surrounding hoodoos. It took us about 3 hours to walk around the entire Bell Rock trail.
We were even lucky enough to see a rainbow break through the rain.
It was a fantastic hike! Our only disappointment was that Alex could not join us and enjoy the stunning beauty. Although rain and strong wind interrupted our hike on occasion, it was never for too long.
Here is the recording of the Bell Rock hike, courtesy of Strava:
After the hike, we ate a light lunch at the Creekside Coffee and Bakery in Sedona. This was a very quaint cafe with beautiful overlooks of surrounding hoodoos.
I ordered Lebanese Toast (with hummus on top), while Inna selected the highly recommended quiche. We also shared a delicious Cranberry Scone.
She looked into several hotels and resorts and finally settled on the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. At first, I booked a convertible for our rental car, but after checking the weather (and finding it rainy and cold), I decided to rebook an intermediate rental with Alamo. I prefer to use Turo to rent cars, but we would arrive late on Wednesday evening (and I did not want any surprises).
Our initial plan was to hike around Sedona and then visit the Grand Canyon (on a hopefully sunny day).
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Because of multiple storms, our Southwest Airlines Flight #1984 from San Jose to Phoenix was delayed by one hour. I ordered UberX around 6:30 p.m., but arriving at the San Jose airport took us longer than expected (probably due to the late Thanksgiving departures and arrivals). We departed San Jose at 8:30 p.m., landing in Phoenix at around 11:20 p.m. (Mountain Time). The flight was pretty uneventful on the Boeing 737-700. Upon deplaning, we boarded the Rental Car bus, which took another 20 minutes to transport us to the rental car terminal.
I got in line at the Alamo booth since I reserved an intermediate Alamo Rental through Costco Travel (it was much cheaper than other rental companies, at $270.31 for 5 days). As many customers were ahead of me, I decided to try the self-check-in Alamo booths. The first booth I tried timed out for some reason, so I returned to the back of the Alamo service line. However, another customer was successful with one Alamo self-check-in machine, and I decided to try again. Fortunately, I was successful this time and could print the rental voucher.
Inna and I rode the escalator to a lower floor, where Alamo car rentals were parked. An Alamo employee directed me to a section of cars I could choose. After considering a Hyundai Elantra and a Nissan Sentra SV, we settled on a blue Nissan Sentra SV. This newer Nissan Sentra had Apple CarPlay installed, which I found very useful for playing music and using Google Maps to direct me to the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock.
The drive from Phoenix to Sedona was pretty easy, as the roads were mostly empty (and highly smooth compared to California roads). We arrived at the Hilton Sedona at 2:08 a.m., parked our car, and checked into room #3010 (on the 3rd floor). I set the alarm on my iPhone 11 to 7:00 a.m. (but this turned out to be too early!)
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Happy Thanksgiving!
After waking up at around 8:00 a.m., I showered and dressed. Inna and I decided to eat breakfast at our Hilton Sedona's Shadowrock Tap + Table, as we were unsure whether cafes would be open during the Thanksgiving holiday. (Most restaurants are closed during Thanksgiving Day.)
I ordered a custom 3-egg Omelet with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, ham, and Swiss cheese. Inna selected the Salmon Avocado Toast, which she enjoyed. The entrees were delicious but took some time to prepare. I was anxious to finish breakfast, as I feared the rain in the weather forecast. The waiting staff was very polite and attentive.
After breakfast, we decided to hike Bell Rock. On the way there, we stopped at the Ranger Station to purchase our hiking passes (usually required in Arizona), but they were not needed during Thanksgiving.
We arrived at the southern end of the Bell Rock parking lot, parked our car, and began our hike. We expected a short hike, so we did not bother to bring out water bottles. However, we did wear our rain gear, which came in handy on multiple occasions when heavy rain interrupted our hike.
Inna was trying to find the elusive Vortexes that are known to exist here, though I never felt anything unusual. The hike was much longer than expected, with spectacular views of Bell Rock and surrounding hoodoos. It took us about 3 hours to walk around the entire Bell Rock trail.
We were even lucky enough to see a rainbow break through the rain.
It was a fantastic hike! Our only disappointment was that Alex could not join us and enjoy the stunning beauty. Although rain and strong wind interrupted our hike on occasion, it was never for too long.
Here is the recording of the Bell Rock hike, courtesy of Strava:
After the hike, we ate a light lunch at the Creekside Coffee and Bakery in Sedona. This was a very quaint cafe with beautiful overlooks of surrounding hoodoos.
I ordered Lebanese Toast (with hummus on top), while Inna selected the highly recommended quiche. We also shared a delicious Cranberry Scone.
Inna was curious about the famous Chapel of the Holy Cross, built into the hoodoos of Arizona. We decided to stop there first before proceeding to the next hike.
When we drove up to the Chapel, we parked far away, so we hiked uphill for 15 minutes (instead of driving up closer). It turned out that there were multiple parking lots. There is a beautiful hoodoo of "Madonna and Child" nearby.
The Chapel has a unique architecture and blends well into the surrounding landscape.
It's not as grand as some other churches but is tastefully designed and furnished. The views from the Chapel are outstanding, and we took lots of photos.
With some daylight left, we decided to attempt another Templeton Trail hike near Cathedral Rock. It was a relatively short but scenic hike that started uphill to Cathedral Rock and continued around the base.
A few hikers climbed upwards to Cathedral Rock, but Inna was too tired to try it. Our Templeton Trail was also very scenic, with many beautiful views.
We finished right around sunset (5:00 p.m.), and then much heavier rain started. We were lucky to have avoided most of the predicted rainfall.
Here are the details of the Templeton trail, courtesy of Strava:
After the hike, we returned to our Hilton Sedona at Bell Rock Resort for rest and relaxation. We thought about swimming in the lap pool, but it was raining heavily, so we decided against it. Earlier in the day, we made dinner reservations at Cucina Rustica for our Thanksgiving Dinner. We were unsure which restaurants were open and wanted to eat somewhere delightful.
Cucina Rustica was a five-minute walk from Hilton Sedona, and we were quickly seated at our table.
The staff was extremely polite, and we quickly ordered our Prix Fixe Thanksgiving dinner, which consisted of the following selections:
- Organic Garnet Ham Bisque with Creme Fraiche
- Insalata Exotica (Greens, Pears, Pecans, Gorgonzola)
- Mary's Free-Range Wood Roasted Turkey Breast with herb stuffing, lemon-zested mashed potatoes, baby peas, sauteed mushrooms, creamed truffle onions, slivered almonds, and pomegranate-orange-cranberry relish.
- Pumpkin swirl cheesecake on Gingersnap crust with Pepita Brittle
- Butter Pecan Torte with Vanilla Bean Gelato
The pomegranate-orange-cranberry relish was unique (I am used to Cranberry sauce). The entire restaurant was beautifully decorated, and Inna and I enjoyed eating there.
Friday, November 29, 2019
I am dreaming of a white Thanksgiving! Waking up in the morning to Sedona, we discover that our resort is fully covered with freshly fallen snow!
The temperature was 34 Fahrenheit, and still snowing with occasional snow flurries.
Although we wanted to wake up early, we were still tired from yesterday's activities. We finally got up at 8:30 a.m., showered, and dressed. Since we wanted to try eating breakfast at a different restaurant, I selected Miley's Cafe, within walking distance.
When we started walking, we quickly realized that we should have driven, as there were large pockets of deep water and melting snow. Inna was wearing her sneakers and trying to avoid getting them wet. We finally arrived at Miley's and sat down at a table. Miley's was quite busy, with most tables taken.
For breakfast, I ordered the Denver Omelet (bell peppers, onions, cheese, ham) with hash browns and English muffins, while Inna selected the Canyon Omelet (bacon, cheese, avocado) with hash browns. Both of the omelets were of average quality, nothing special. In fact, I preferred the 3-egg omelet from the Shadowrock Tap+Table in the Hilton Sedona. On a positive note, the service was quick and friendly, with frequent refills of water and coffee. The overall cost was also about $10 cheaper than Shadowrock.
As it was still snowing, we decided to visit the famous Montezuma Castle National Monument, after 30 minutes south of Sedona. As we drove southerly, all remnants of snow disappeared, and we were greeted by a typical Arizona desert landscape with some traces of rain. We quickly arrived at Montezuma Castle and parked our car.
The actual dwellings of the Sinagua people (pre-Columbian culture, 1100-1424 A.D.) were unique, with multiple floors carved in the rock (though without windows). The main structure consisted of 5 stories and 20 rooms. There was little to see, and we quickly walked around the area.
From here, we decided to drive to Sedona for a coffee and a snack at our favorite Creekside Coffee and Bakery. On the way there, we stopped to take a few photos of the Bell Rock, now covered with freshly fallen snow. Visibility was marginal, with clouds, rain, and occasional snow flurries.
After arriving at Creekside Coffee, we ordered our usual drinks. I selected a mocha with dark chocolate cocoa, but the Creekside barista made the regular one instead. I did enjoy the cranberry scone, while Inna tried the lemon bar.
Inna wanted to explore the galleries in the nearby Tlaquepaque Square, so she departed for a stroll. At the same time, I read my Kindle Paperwhite and watched a few tennis videos on my iPhone.
About an hour later, she called me, requesting that I join her in the Tlaquepaque square, as she found many beautiful decorations, shops, and galleries that she wanted me to see. I drove my Nissan Sentra SV rental over and reunited with her at one of the galleries.
Although there were many beautiful art objects to admire, we especially enjoyed the Holiday decorations and the multiple statues.
After strolling around, we decided to sample some Chai at the Chai Spot.
Inna ordered the traditional Cardomon Chai made with milk, while I selected the Coconut Rose chai made with coconut.
We enjoyed the chai, but it took a long time to make (and it was pretty chilly outside on the balcony). While drinking chai, we discussed where to eat dinner and were intrigued by the highly-rated Mexican Elote Cafe. Unlike most high-end restaurants, Elote does not accept dinner reservations and has frequent 1-2 hour waits (as reported on Yelp.com). Since we could not make any other reservations (we tried Creekside American Bistro for dinner, but it was all booked), we decided to drive to Elote early and eat dinner there. Unfortunately, Elote's management decided to stay closed due to the winter storm.
Consequently, we returned to our Hilton Sedona at Bell Rock and decided to enjoy the Happy Hour at the ShadowRock Tap + Table.
While watching some college football games, Inna drank the $5 Margarita Special, while I sipped an Earl Grey tea with lemon and honey while nibbling on pretzels. Inna enjoyed her deviled eggs appetizer, too. However, a bit later, she experienced stomach discomfort and was unsure whether it was caused by her Margarita or Deviled Eggs.
Since we successfully made dinner reservations at the nearby Cucina Rustica, we decided to eat dinner there at 7:30 p.m.
When we arrived around 7:30 p.m., we were quickly seated at our table and handed the menus. Our waiter was courteous and well-versed in the menu items and daily specials. I selected the Soup of the Day (Zuppa), Organic Garnet Ham Bisque with Creme Fraiche. Inna decided to try the Burrata appetizer. While waiting for the appetizers, we brought freshly baked Italian rolls (delicious and hard to resist).
Inna selected the Halibut special for the main entrees while I ordered the Classico Bolognese (Linguini pasta with Florentine meat sauce). My linguini was prepared exceptionally well, but Inna's Halibut did not enchant her with exquisite flavor. Fish needs to be very fresh to be truly delicious.
For dessert, we selected the Budino to share among us. It's a sweet Italian pudding known for its light but filling texture.
The Cucina Rustica version consisted of Organic Apples, Currants, Dark Chocolate with Rosemary Caramel Sauce, and Vanilla Bean Gelato. The Budino was genuinely delicious and a delight to savor.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
In the morning, I awoke at around 8:30 a.m. and took a shower. Since we planned lots of hiking, we decided to eat a quick breakfast in our Hilton's Shadowrock Tap + Table. Instead of ordering specialty breakfast items, we decided to try the breakfast buffet.
I selected scrambled eggs, bagels, and a slice of pumpkin pie, while Inna also tried scrambled eggs and a few veggies. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the breakfast. It was better than I expected.
After breakfast, we quickly dressed and drove to the Mezcal Parking lot to hike to the famous Devil's Bridge. We planned to complete two hikes: Devil's Bridge and Boynton Canyon Trail. We first stopped by our nearby Ranger station to purchase the $5.00 parking pass and inquire about the hikes. The ranger said that the Devil's Bridge hike gets quite crowded and to do it first. As a result, we decided to start our day hiking at the Mezcal parking lot (to avoid large crowds).
We followed hiking signs for the Devil's Bridge from the Mezcal parking lot. It took us about 2.5 miles to reach the Devil Bridge, and the entire roundtrip hike required 2 hours and 45 minutes. The hike was quite scenic but extremely crowded in places. It almost felt like being in Disneyland.
The actual Devil's Bridge is quite scenic but was covered in freshly fallen snow and ice. Inna did not want me to walk on the bridge, as she judged it unsafe in its current condition.
However, I proceeded to walk on it anyway, and she took a few photos. The climb to the bridge was harrowing, with very little to grab onto and nothing to prevent one from falling off.
Here are my Strava statistics for the Devil's Bridge hike:
After seeing the bridge, we returned to the Mezcal parking lot and drove back to Sedona for lunch. Since our phone's internet was not working well, we ate lunch at Creekside Coffee. I ordered the usual Lebanese toast with hummus, while Inna selected the quiche special.
I also selected the small apple pie for dessert with a mocha for me (and a latte for Inna). The lunch was delicious, and we rested a bit before shopping in downtown Sedona.
Inna was interested in all the New Age shops, so I waited in the Creekside Coffee while she explored.
We did stop by the local Cream and Cake Couture, where we tried some local ice cream flavors: Bourbon Chocolate Truffle and Salted Caramel. I enjoyed the Bourbon Truffle flavor as I found Salted Caramel too sweet.
As it was getting dark, we drove to Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout. The parking lot was quite full, and there was mud everywhere. Both Inna and I muddied our shoes quite effectively! On a positive note, the views of surrounding hoodoos were outstanding. After taking a few photos, we returned to Hilton Sedona for rest, relaxation, and spa? After cleaning our muddy boots, we grabbed our swimwear and headed to the pool and spa.
Even though it was pretty cold outside, I swam 8 laps in the 25-foot-long swimming pool (heated to 81 degrees Fahrenheit). I still found the water too hard for enjoyment. After my swim, I returned to the men's locker room to enjoy the steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi. The steam room was quite hot, and I spent 15 minutes there, enjoying the hot steam. The sauna was lukewarm, so I skipped it altogether (as I prefer a sweltering sauna). After a shower and some rest, Inna and I returned to our Hilton Sedona room and dressed for our 8:15 p.m. dinner at Dahl and Di Luca Ristorante.
The Dahl and Di Luca Ristorante are owned by the same chefs who also operate the Cucina Rustica restaurant (where we ate the day before), and we found the menu quite similar. We liked the decor in Cucina Rustica better, but Dahl and Di Luca had live music - piano and double bass playing slow songs.
For an appetizer, Inna ordered the Burrata appetizer, while I selected the soup of the day: Organic Garnet Ham Bisque with Creme Fraiche.
I ordered the Classico Bolognese (Linguini pasta with Florentine meat sauce) for an entree. My linguini was prepared exceptionally well and was delicious, as expected. Inna selected the Vitello Boticelli (Veal Scallopini with Shrimp). She really liked the soft, tender Veal and the medium-sized shrimp.
For dessert, we selected the Budino to share among us. It's a sweet Italian pudding known for its light but filling texture. The Dahl and Di Luca version consisted of Organic Apples, Currants, Dark Chocolate with Rosemary Caramel Sauce, and Vanilla Bean Gelato. The Budino was genuinely delicious and a delight to savor.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
After waking up around 8:00 a.m., we decided to eat breakfast at Creekside Coffee and head to our designated Boynton Canyon Trail.
At Creekside Coffee, we ordered a black cacao mocha for me and a latte for Inna. We also shared an avocado toast, a quiche, and a cranberry scone. It was a delicious start to our morning in Sedona.
The parking lot was mostly empty when we arrived at the Boynton Canyon Trailhead. We started our hike on Boynton Trail, switched to the Vista Trail, and headed to the top.
An older gentleman hiker walked up to me and handed both Inna and me a heart-shaped stone. He climbed to the top of the tallest hoodoo and played his flute. He hikes to this place every day, offering prayers for peace.
Here is my Strava report of this short hike:
Since it was still early, we decided to attempt another hike. Inna researched and thought that Little Horse Trail to Chicken Point might be scenic and not too tricky. In about 25 minutes, we drove over and were able to park our car in the Little Horse parking lot.
The Little Horse hike was much longer and more scenic than the previous hike (Boynton Canyon).
It was mostly empty, though we did encounter occasional hikers and a couple of mountain bikers.
The surrounding views were spectacular, and only a few steeper sections required careful walking.
The Chicken Point was one of the highlights of the hike, as there were beautiful views of surrounding hoodoos and other natural formations.
Here are my complete Strava statistics of the hike:
We had a fantastic time. It may be our favorite hike in Sedona.
After the hike, we returned to Sedona for lunch. We decided to try a new restaurant - Sedona Hideaway House. As we were both hungry, we ordered a couple of sandwiches: a Turkey with Cranberry and a Sedona Club (House roasted chicken breast, avocado, pancetta, lettuce, tomato, and roasted garlic aioli on a sliced homemade grilled ciabatta).
We enjoyed the sandwiches (especially the Turkey sandwich) and the spectacular scenery, though we were cold sitting outside.
After lunch, we stopped by for hot Earl Grey tea at Creekside Coffee; I also ordered a fresh, locally made Danish cheese, which was delicious.
We returned back to our Hilton Sedona to rest. Inna was very sore, so she thought about getting a massage. Luckily, a spot was open at 6:00 p.m., and she had an hour-long massage.
She also made dinner reservations in our nearby Cucina Rustica at 7:30 p.m. We walked over for dinner and decided to eat somewhat lighter, as we were still recovering from the heavy sandwiches eaten at Hideaway.
Inna ordered the burrata appetizer, and I enjoyed the organic garnet ham biscuit with creme fraiche. For the main entrees, I selected the Primavera Al Pesto (Garganelli pasta in a pesto cream sauce, with asparagus, zucchini, & peas finished with pine nuts).
Inna decided to try a new dish and selected Tortelloni Con Funghi Tartufo (Three cheese-filled tortelloni sautéed with Portobello & button mushrooms finished in a delicate truffle cream sauce). She really loved the tortelloni.
We decided to skip desserts as we were very full. Inna really wanted to have another Budino, but I was too full.
After we returned to our Hilton Sedona, we decided to see the outside fires, around which people set, roasting marshmallows and making S'mores. Although it was chilly outside, we enjoyed the cool evening air.
I don't recall ever making S'mores at a campfire, but Inna and I decided to try it out. I poked one marshmallow on a thin metal rod and held it over the hot gas flame. I lit the marshmallow on fire and then tried to retard the flame, eventually putting it out. I placed the warm, melted marshmallow on a graham cracker with a small bar of Hershey's chocolate.
The Hershey's chocolate bar immediately melted when it touched the warm marshmallow, and I had a delicious S'mores sandwich. It tasted delicious! Inna helped to soften the other marshmallow; she was much better at it than me, and her marshmallow never caught fire.
After I finished eating S'mores, Inna and I re-entered our Hilton Sedona hotel and decided to play the large, oversized Scrabble board hanging on the wall. Our scores were very close until Inna came up with the word "taxi," which scored her 30 points.
At this point, the cafe hosting our Scrabble was starting to close up, so we returned to our hotel room.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Time to pack and fly back to San Jose!
Our Southwest Airlines Flight #402 was scheduled to depart from Phoenix at 2:35 p.m. but was delayed to 2:50 p.m. We left Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport at 2:50 p.m. and landed in San Jose at 4:00 p.m. PST.
We returned home via UberX in about 30 minutes. Although the flight was relatively short, we were still tired.
Sedona Trip Highlights
Best Hike: Little Horse Trail to Chicken Spot
Best Restaurant: Cucina Rustica
Best Coffee Shop: Creekside Coffee
