Spring in Sedona

There were two pools and three hot tubs in the complex. We found a great hot tub up the hill surrounded by foliage where we loved to sit and watch the stars come up in that black Arizona sky.

We walked the neighborhood each day soaking up the scenery, the fragrance and the calming atmosphere of the Arizona desert. Very secure, very beautiful.

Staying at the Ridge gave us privileges at the spa/sports club up the road, where we enjoyed playing tennis several times during our trip.

We arrived at the Ridge before check in time but the staff found us a room that was ready. We were given a room that the patio opened up onto the road. Even though I felt like I was being a pest, I went to the office and asked if there was another room with a better view and they gave us the one described above. No problems. Now granted the upper story units have a MUCH better view, we were happy with ours.

Remember, the Village of Oak is a piece from downtown Sedona but we enjoyed being out away from all the hustle and bustle of crowds. You definitely need a car.

There were two pools and three hot tubs in the complex. We found a great hot tub up the hill surrounded by foliage where we loved to sit and watch the stars come up in that black Arizona sky.

We walked the neighborhood each day soaking up the scenery, the fragrance and the calming atmosphere of the Arizona desert. Very secure, very beautiful.

Staying at the Ridge gave us privileges at the spa/sports club up the road, where we enjoyed playing tennis several times during our trip.

We arrived at the Ridge before check in time, but the staff found us a room that was ready. We were given a room that the patio opened up onto the road. Even though I felt like I was being a pest, I went to the office and asked if there was another room with a better view and they gave us the one described above. No problems. Now granted the upper story units have a MUCH better view, we were happy with ours.

Remember, the Village of Oak is a piece from downtown Sedona but we enjoyed being out away from all the hustle and bustle of crowds. You definitely need a car.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Good

Great place, friendly people and really good Mexican food!

This is not your typical chain pizza place. Puttanesca was fabulous with olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts and French feta cheese topped with fresh basil. So many choices, so little time. The salads were large enough to share and very good. Choose from Greek, Asian, Fresh Pear Gorgonzola, Caesar and more!

There are numerous hiking trails around Sedona. We hiked a short, easy trail around Bell Rock. We saw two of the biggest jack rabbits I have ever seen. We were a bit disappointed that the cactus weren't in full bloom, but enjoyed the ever changing views around each corner nevertheless.

We took a day and drove up to the Grand Canyon. The crowds there weren't bad at all. The weather up there was great. Warm but not scorching.

We drove back through Flagstaff. Took a short hike up a trail in town that started in a park. Beautiful but still scarred by recent fires. It was warm even in Flagstaff.

We weren't able to take the ski lift up Snow Bowl because there was still snow up there so we just drove up and took part of a trail up there. The weather was so nice. We had to pull our sweatshirts out of our packs. Beautiful scenery, quiet, serene. The smell of pines and the sound of the aspens. Mmmmm..... Only saw one other family hiking so we basically had the trail to ourselves.

One day we drove down to Pine/Strawberry. Two small towns in the White Mountains. We took the Pine trail just outside Pine. A wonderful, moderate hike through the pine forests. Again, scarred by recent fires. But still beautiful.

From what we learned, Arizona is in the middle of a 50-year drought which was evident in the areas we hiked. Even though it was dry, that couldn't detract from the beauty of the areas.