Hi girls, I am so excited to finally be getting this blog to you about our trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Thank you so much for all the questions you sent in. I will try my best to answer them all for you. Over all, it was such an amazing trip! My family and I were so grateful for the quick last minute getaway with a few of our friends and their families. If you haven’t been to either Sedona or the Grand Canyon yet, I highly recommend that you add it to your list of destinations. 

 

S E D O N A

My husband and the kids and I spent three nights in Sedona at the Hotel Enchantment. We absolutely loved staying at this hotel…it is a Resort surrounded by really gorgeous mountains. Because of the Exterior layout and the rooms being so spread apart it felt very safe to be there during all that is happening right now.  Every staff member always had a mask on. The rooms were sanitized and the remotes were wrapped in plastic. We also left the do not disturb sign on our door all three nights so, no one else entered our room the entire stay.

The Hotel Enchantment had very recently opened up again just prior to our stay. There were definitely a few kinks that still needed to be worked out. They were a bit under staffed which is kind of to be expected. However, everyone that was there were extremely friendly and so helpful. So over all the hotel felt safe and they really were taking all sorts of precautions to ensure staff and guest safety.

 

We traveled there with a few other families so at dinner we were not able to all sit together to dine. We all stuck to our immediate families and the hotel actually enforced this. I would also recommend booking dinner rservations at the same time you book your stay. This will allow for an easier dining experience.

 

The hotel has one main pool and two smaller pools.  The main pool is stunning. They have shaded cabanas and plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas… But my favorite part is the view!

There were also a lot of beautiful hiking spots that you can access right from the hotel.  One day we took a 5 mile hike that led us to the most beautiful canyon.  Some of the hikers we passed said that they had just seen a bear so just always make sure to be on the look out for wildlife. We never saw the bear but from what they said they almost thought it was a dog so I’m assuming it was a small bear…LOL. Either way…safety first!

Also this resort has a Spa! I unfortunately did not get the chance to book a treatment but this was a very popular spot to get breakfast and lunch takeout. Also, just an FYI they don’t allow kids in the spa dining area, it is an adults only area.  

G R A N D   C A N Y O N

I have so many great childhood memories visiting the Grand Canyon with my family. We would take motorhome trips quite often.  The drive to the Grand Canyon from Sedona is only about two hours.

We were only here for 2 nights  and stayed with Under Canvas which is a safari inspired glamping experience that is actually available at several national parks. This place is so fun to stay at! It was a quick stay here but it worked great with our schedule since we wanted to catch the Grand Canyon at Sunset one day and then go back the next for hiking and other local sight seeing. If you are just going to be driving through the Canyon I would think just one night would be enough because there really isn’t much to do around there during the day if you aren’t exploring. 

The drive to Grand Canyon from the campground is only about 20 – 30 minutes. The tents are fully furnished with working sinks, toilet, shower and comfy bed linens etc.  Also, your private tent has a nice wood deck with two chairs so you can sit and look at the stars at night. And WOW, the stars are amazing. They definitely don’t look like this in the city.

There is a main area for dining which is outdoor seating. They do have an indoor dining area as well however it is closed due to Covid. But OMG, I have to tell you that the food there is soo good! I highly recommend getting their B.L.A.T. (bacon, avocado, tomato, lettuce, garlic aioli, sourdough, fries)! It was so good I got it two days in a row!

A couple things to keep in mind… Each tent does not have its own bonfire or barbecue area. You have to go to the front entrance which is a quick walk… And they have a few communal fire pits for roasting marshmallows.  The fire pits looked crowded when we were there so we ended up just stargazing in front of our tent. Outside of a pandemic this is no issue. But in case you plan to travel there in the near future it is just something to consider. 

 W H A T   T O   P A C K

I have to thank my friends Lucy and Diana for giving me a heads up on what to pack… They visited this site before we all met up in Sedona and then we went here afterwards.

 

1. Shoes that you don’t mind if they get dirty plus hiking shoes or sneakers

2. A Puffer Jacket – It is HOT during the day but drops to 40 at night (atleast it was in June)

3. Layers for sleeping

4. Flashlight just to be safe and prepared

5. Your own wine (They do have bottles for purchase and they are actually super good!)

6. Moisturizer – It is sooooooooooo dry there!

7. SPF chapstick!! 

8. Bug spray (although we didn’t end up using it there were barely any bugs at all but just in case). 

 

 W H A T   I   W O R E 

 

M Y   H I K I N G   A T T I R E

 

M Y   R E S O R T   A T T I R E

 

M Y   R O A D T R I P    A C C E S S O R I E S

 

Q & A’S

 

Q: Did traveling feel safe?

A:  Yes we felt safe the entire trip.  The only worry is having to stop to use the restroom, but once we got to the resort we felt very safe.  The rooms were sanitized, remote controls were covered in plastic. I recommend leaving the Do Not Disturb sign on your door so no one else enters your room.  You can always call for towels, shampoo, etc and they will leave it at your front door.  Also, the rooms at the resort were very spread out. Besides the lobby and dining area, everything is outdoors.

 

Q: Were we able to social distance?

A:  Yes.  We were always able to keep at least 6 feet apart from others.

 

Q: What do you suggest for snacks?

A: Trader Joes!  Have your kids help to pack their own snack bag for the car.  That way there are no surprises of unwanted snacks.  You can also pre-make lunches. The least amount of stopping in public places or restaurants the better for a road trip during Covid.  Although we stopped at In-N-Out’s drive thru both ways.

 

Q: Any fun shops you can suggest?

A:  The Hopi House in the Grand Canyon (south rim)!

 

Q: What kind of items did you buy there for your home?

A:  I bought some woven plates and woven vases that were made by the local tribes.  Grand Canyon Tee shirts for my Dad.  He has special memories taking his dad their on a Father -Son trip.  Also, we loved coming here when I was little on motorhome trips.

 

Q: Kid friendly activities?

A:  Star Gazing at night,  make sure to download the star gazer app!!  That will help you identify the night sky.   Easy hikes on safe trails.

 

Q: What side of the RIM did you go to?

A:  We visited the South Rim.  I highly recommend catching the sunset!!  It was stunning!!

I hope you found this helpful!

This was such a fun vacation and easy if you are able to drive.

Just to see the stars alone is worth the drive!

 

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