I just got back from an incredible trip to Sedona, and I couldn’t wait to share all the details with you. Sedona has been somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for a while. Back in 2020 I actually had a trip itinerary planned, but of course, that was put on hold due to the pandemic. Fast forward to 2024, I was excited to be able to take a trip and see what Sedona was all about!
🪩 This post is part of a new travel blog series, Glam Girls Guide. More on that + the 3 Day Itinerary at the end of this post! 🪩
Spoiler Alert: It’s gorgeous. Even though I had a quick trip, I was able to do some cool things – enough to create this Glam Girls Guide Itinerary for you. It’s definitely a place I would definitely go back.
I traveled to Sedona with Alex for his event with Your Best Life, a personal development travel and mastermind group where Alex is their audio production guru.
We stayed at the fabulous L’Auberge Resort, where the YBL event was hosted. It is a beautiful resort on Oak Creek. I liked it because you get the best of both worlds; you can explore the red rocks and also be next to the creek (where it’s cooler and more lush).
While I would recommend this resort, if you’re looking for red rock views, this resort is situated in the valley area next to the creek, so you won’t get the tremendous red rock views, but you do get the luxurious creek views. If you enjoy more trees and the sounds of water, you’ll love this.
The top luxury resorts in Sedona are L’Auberge, Amara, Enchantment, and Ambiente (which is brand new). And there are many premium hotels in the area all with pretty views.
Amara & L’Auberge are next door to each other and are walking distance to Uptown Sedona.
Enchantment is about a 20 minute drive from the main areas, and it may be perfect depending on what kind of an adventure in Sedona you’re looking for.
The newest resort to Sedona is Ambiente. It is kind of in an unusual location; it’s right off the highway and down in a valley. It is gorgeous though!! For me, as far as design & architecture, I think it’s the coolest. It’s very desert meets modern. Each accomodation is it’s own villa, or an “atrium” as they call it.
Lots of great choices for hotels!
Our first dining experience was at Cress on the Creek, located at the resort. Dining next to the creek was beautiful, although be prepared for a few mosquitos. I would definitely recommend bug spray & some peppermint oil (bugs don’t like peppermint oil!); if you have those you’ll be fine.
I was happy that the restaurant had vegetarian options. For dinner they have a luxe tasting menu; 6 or 10 courses (regular & vegetarian), and they have an a la carte menu. The a la carte menu for dinner was limited for vegetarians, so if that’s your vibe, you’d want to indulge, and be prepared for, a tasting menu. We each had the vegetarian risotto, and while absolutely delicious, we were both still hungry and there wasn’t anything on the menu for vegetarians other than the tasting menu (which wasn’t what we wanted after just arriving to the hotel & traveling all day). Lunch on the other hand was more casual, even though it was the same ambiance next to the creek – it was more casual, quick, and larger portions. Alex and I both had a delish vegetarian burger and it hit the spot.
Overall, The ambiance at Cress was serene, and the food was delicious – it was a perfect introduction to Sedona’s culinary scene.
For breakfast the next morning, Alex and I went to Local Juicery. If you’re into healthy smoothies and superfoods, this is the place. Again, definitely recommend. I had a matcha latte (I recommend it with honey instead of maple fyi), and an acai bowl.
We DID do other things than eat, but food is always at the top of my priority list… sooo I have no more comments. 😜 And speaking of that, a fantastic place for lunch was Picazzo’s. I was so impressed that there was a HEALTHY Italian spot. I had the kale pesto bowl and LOVED it. Also, their martinis were fabulous, and I talked to some local ladies while I was there and they told me that the bar at Picazzo’s makes the best cocktails in town.
One of the highlights of the trip was meeting up with two of my girlfriends who live in Arizona. My friend Megan and I went for an off-roading Pink Jeep Tour. If you ever find yourself in Sedona, this is a must-do!
We booked the quick 1.5 hour “rugged terrain” tour. The tour took us through some rugged terrain, and the views of the red rocks were absolutely stunning. I liked it because it was my kind of outdoors adventure – shaded, in an open air vehicle, scenic, great photo opportunities. I am sure a longer tour would be amazing, but for my first time trying it out, I didn’t want to be stuck on a jeep for 4+ hours. This tour was perfect! It was thrilling and the perfect way to explore the natural beauty of Sedona.
After our pink jeep tour, we strolled around Uptown Sedona. This is the area where you arrive for the tour, and it’s really a perfect location because you can walk around afterwards to shops and casual restaurants.
We stumbled upon a cute boutique called Rolling Rack and it was very glam cowgirl aesthetic. Worth stopping into as you’re strolling Uptown Sedona.
Next we headed to the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. This area is the epitome of charm – it felt like a little European village with its cobblestone pathways, beautiful trees, and quaint shops.
We stumbled upon the cutest chai place called The Chai Spot. It was such a great spot, that I went back the next day with my friend, Dia. We sat on the balcony, sipping our chai and soaking in the peaceful atmosphere. It was one of those perfect moments that makes you appreciate the simple pleasures in life.
A cute thing we did while in Sedona was going to Mystical Bazaar and shopped for crystals and had an Aura reading. Really fun and a very Sedona-esque. It’s a must-do while in Sedona.
Note the pretty amethyst ring that I found at Mystical Bazaar. 💜
We also had a fantastic dinner & martinis at René, a French Mediterranean restaurant in the Tlaquepaque village. The food was great and I was happy they had an epic vegetarian dish, Mushroom Strudel with foraged ‘shrooms in a flaky crust (YUM), that was fancy AF and surprising for Sedona and the location in general. I wasn’t expecting a French-Mediterranean boutique restaurant in Sedona, and especially not one that had vegetarian & vegan options.
Sedona is a place that truly feeds the soul. It’s stunning and has beautiful weather! Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, or a spiritual awakening, you’ll find it here.
💎 PS – my beautiful friend Dia (above) creates beautiful private spiritual ceremonies for women & offers retreats in Sedona. She is the woman to go to for a special, Sedona spiritual experience customized just for you. You will love her!
Another really great restaurant we went to with YBL, was Chocolatree, an organic vegetarian restaurant. I had this restaurant on my must-eat-at list from back in 2020, and it was definitely worth going to. I had the Mushroom Fantasy entree and their Ginger Lemonade.. fantastic. And yes, they have delish organic chocolates here. You won’t want to leave without trying some.
If you’ve been thinking about going, let this be your sign to book that trip! Have any of you been to Sedona? What were your favorite spots?
🩷 Glam Girls Guide to Sedona BELOW! 🩷
Here is your GGG 3 Day Sedona Itinerary :
Luxe Resorts: L’auberge, Enchantment, Amara, Ambiente
Sedona Day 1:
All of the pre-evening restaurants and activities below are close by to each other on the same highway
💜 Breakfast at Wildflower
💜 Pink Jeep Tour in the morning
💜 Lunch outside on patio at Don Diego (have a prickly pear margarita and they have some nice veg options here)
💜 Stroll Uptown Sedona and check out boutiques
💜 The Vault for cocktail & appetizer on the patio (great views of red rocks, its casual vibes, and their espresso martini is delish!)
💜 Back to hotel to refreshen up / change after outdoor activities
💜 Private Cacao Ceremony with Dia Maria (She also does women’s retreats that are amazing) 💎
💜 Dinner & mocktails at Chocolatree
Sedona Day 2:
All of the restaurants and activities below are close by to each other on the same highway
💜 Breakfast at Local Juicery
💜 Stop into SWHM boutique next door (very cute)
💜 Glass blowing workshop at The Melting Point
💜 Lunch at Picazzo’s
💜 Aura readings and shop for crystals at Mystical Bazaar
💜 Dinner at Thai Kitchen
💜 After dinner cocktail and/or dessert at Mariposa (great views!)
Sedona Day 3:
💜 Early breakfast at resort
💜 Spirit of The Heavens, grab a day pass and explore for the morning
💜 Back to hotel to refreshen up / change after outdoor activities
💜 Lunch at Cress on Oak Creek
💜 Spa experience at L’apothecary
💜 Dinner at René at the Tlaquepaque Shops & stroll the art gallery
LMK if you have any other must-do Sedona tips.
Hope ya enjoyed this Sedona breakdown & itinerary. Until next time, stay high vibe babes.
Xo,
Ashley
🪩 This is a brand new blog series: Glam Girls Guide. I started this series on Instagram last year and now bringing it officially to the blog. Glam Girls Guide is a boujee, chic travel guide to cities all over the 🌏. If I’ve visited somewhere and loved it AND I know I can offer a really great city/country guide, it will make the GGG list. I don’t know about you, but I find it challenging to find tips / itineraries / the best spots in a new area that are actually GOOD. We all have different tastes and that’s fab, but I rarely feel like there’s a travel blog out there that “gets me” and what I am looking for when I travel. For example, I don’t want to backpack anywhere, I don’t want much of anything that’s grungy / hipster, I don’t want to know where all the cheapest places are or where every single hole-in-the-wall food places are located. I don’t want to do any activities that I will be blistering out in the sun. I want to know where air conditioning is. I need to know the convenience level, or not, of a new place. I want to know about the healthy food scene, and if the location caters to vegetarians & vegans. I want to know where the instagrammable places are, and in a blog, I don’t want grandma’s mumu guide on how to dress in a new city (which is basically the fashion choices on a lot of blogs). I want chic recommendations along with insider scoops that would please the combination of Carrie Bradshaw, Patricia Altschul, RuPaul & Queen Elizabeth. 🤣 You feel me? If you get this, you’ll like this series. If not, you’ll fucking hate everything I have to say. And that’s fine too. 😉
PS – check out my recent travel breakdown of visiting Disney’s Epcot, adult style. 😉
