Hey friends!

Sorry to have been MIA for a few months. Let me just say, wedding planning is a bear! Between work, wedding, and working on some exciting things for Roamwell behind the scenes, it’s been a BUSY but exciting couple of months! With all that’s been happening, it’s been hard to find time to blog, much less relax at all.

This is why, a few weeks ago, over the Fourth of July, Austin and I escaped to Sedona, Arizona. Both of us were feeling stressed and burnt out and in desperate need of a getaway. Austin was supposed to have work in Arizona, which is originally why we chose Sedona since it would be a close drive from where he would be, but when his work trip got pushed back we decided to go for it anyway. I had been to Sedona once before with my parents when I was about 17. It was such a fun trip and I just remember not wanting to leave. (Maybe this was the first hint that I would end up moving west…) When we were considering where to go for our mini-vacation, I immediately brought up Sedona since I had been anxious to go back ever since my first visit! Once I showed Austin a few photos of the area and talked about how relaxing a place it is, he was sold and we booked our trip.

We were driving from Denver to Sedona and back, which is only about 11 hours but to break up the trip we decided to stop in Moab, UT on the way down. Since we have visited Arches and Canyonlands national parks (and thus Moab) before, we didn’t stick around long in the morning. We hit the road early, planning to stop instead in Monument Valley, right on the Arizona/Utah line. Something interesting that I never knew until visiting is that Monument Valley is actually on Navajo land. To see the famous rock formations and drive around the famous movie scene valley, you have to pay a Navajo Tribal Park fee. When you enter, there’s a visitor center with tons of information about the Navajo people, their history, and current life. At a few of the pullouts along the loop, you can buy Native-made jewelry and freshly made fry bread. I was already interested in stopping to see Monument Valley, but I’m even more glad we made the stop since we ended up supporting the Navajo people and learning a bit more about their history and current issues they face today. Plus I’m always down for some fresh fry bread with honey. Heading on from there, we made our way to Sedona.

Having some fry bread in the only shaded area we could find.

Sedona is an ideal relaxing getaway because of its natural beauty and isolation. It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and the town is fairly tiny so there really aren’t a ton of things to do. Additionally, the heat in the summer is so intense because of the altitude and desert climate, that it forces you to slow down and retreat to cool off. As per usual, we looked first at Airbnbs rather than hotels just because that’s our preference. Austin sent me this listing and I was immediately obsessed. It was pricier than what we typically go for, but since we were driving instead of flying, and it was just a short trip (only a few nights), we decided to splurge and treat our stressed out selves. Y’all, IT WAS SO WORTH IT.

Staying at this place was like having our own little resort all to ourselves. The room was clean and beautiful, we had our own adorable gas fireplace and balcony with stunning views, and the bed was like sleeping on a cloud. There were no TVs or radios, which was a nice reminder to unplug, take a break from the horrifying news cycle, and truly just relax. We escaped the afternoon heat by taking a dip in the shaded, saltwater pool on the property, and in the evening sat out on the little patio in zero-gravity chairs looking at the stars. The hosts went above and beyond, putting a tasty rose wine along with lots of snacks and breakfast items in our mini fridge. Aside from the pool and hot tub, they are also in the process of putting in a steam room, dry sauna, and infrared sauna which I didn’t even know was a thing! We definitely plan on going back, especially to try out all the new additions. Oh yeah, and this was an historic, adobe brick building, lived in by a 1940s movie star. So. In case I haven’t convinced you to book it, go check out the link for yourselves.

Aside from lounging and reading by the pool at our glorious, stress-free airbnb, we explored what little there is to explore around Sedona. But really, this is a story about how Austin and I accidentally on purpose got really into healing crystals. It started as a joke, wanting to learn about the so-called “Vortex” that is Sedona and learn what crystals were best for what ailment or issue. It ended with us buying an embarrassing amount of crystals of our own. I guess we’re into New Age now? But what made us believers was not just that I started having cramps and bought some moonstone and had no more cramps the rest of the trip (and not since might I add), but that the “vortex” is supposed to be just a place that amplifies whatever energy or intentions you bring to it, which we both solidly believe happened for us. We came with the intent to relax, hard. We wanted to take a break from all the responsibilities swirling around in our heads every day, and just enjoy nature, each other, and having no set plans or schedule and WE DID. Normally, we both struggle with clearing our heads and compartmentalizing our stress when it starts to get overwhelming. The week before we left for this trip we were both laying in bed one night, wide awake, minds racing, and decided to take a walk at 1 AM to clear our heads and talk out what each of us was worrying about just so we could fall asleep for a few hours. So for us to both feel the BLISS we experienced in Sedona, able to take naps, indulge in a new book by the pool for hours while losing track of the time, and have no plans each day except to eat at the same breakfast place every morning, meant a lot.

We wandered the main street, stopping in little shops and eating prickly pear ice cream. We explored the Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping village, taking breaks in the little shaded plazas and by bubbling fountains, and of course eating breakfast at the Pump House Station cafe. We went to the little ghost town of Jerome to watch fireworks in the distance with our friends who happened to be there the same weekend, planning THEIR wedding that will be there this October. We drove up to the Sedona Airport Overlook for views of the whole town and all the surrounding red rock formations. And on our last morning, we woke up with the intention of hiking Cathedral Rock, but once we arrived and saw it was literally straight up and down, we decided to do the Baldwin Loop trail instead. This trail was partially shaded (although I still got a sunburn) and goes along Oak Creek, providing a very relaxing background track for our hike.

Cathedral Rock from the Baldwin Loop trail

One of many fountains in the Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping village.

If you are feeling more adventurous during your visit, you can join one of the ubiquitous Pink Jeep Tours around Sedona, or even take a day trip up to the Grand Canyon which is only a short drive away. But we came to chill, and chill we did. So the next time you’re looking for a relaxing place to get away from everything, go to Sedona, buy some crystals, and bring some sunscreen. It will not disappoint.

We came back from our trip feeling refreshed, relaxed, and re-focused. My mind is much clearer now, so I can focus on finishing up wedding planning and work on this page. You’ll be noticing some changes here in the next few months. Roamwell is evolving into something more than just a blog and I can’t wait to share with you all what the next step is. Keep an eye out for another post soon about what’s next for me and Roamwell! And in the meantime, buy some crystals and remember to take time to relax!

Cheers,

Sami

PS- Here is the link to the Airbnb we stayed in again! Iona and Huib were incredibly hospitable hosts, going above and beyond in every way! They also offer their own services like a wine tasting, Reiki, and Myofascial Release therapy so the Airbnb is truly like staying at your own spa/ relaxation retreat. If you plan to visit Sedona any time soon, this place is so worth it!

We were ALMOST as blissed out as these two guys meditating.