Flying has always been an adventure for me and I have been fortunate enough to fly in aircraft from a Piper Cub, Helicopters, up to a 777, and even a flight simulator before 9/11.  I flew around Mt. McKinley in a Piper Cub, crossing deep crevasses of Caribbean blue ice.  Although incredibly beautiful, I had just finished the book Alive!, so flying across this vast isolated icy area was a bit scary at times.

This was a completely different experience.  I had wondered how I would react going up above the earth in nothing more than a basket that really had no control of where it was going.  As we gently lifted off from the ground, I found myself in awe of the peacefulness and the quiet in the desert.  As we rose higher, I was so captivated by what I was seeing and the sense of floating, I forgot to think about my above question!  We had very little wind this day, so we weren’t able to fly very far, but it didn’t matter to me, I was floating, gently and quietly above the earth.  We reached an altitude of 6500 ft above sea level, which sounds very high, but it really is not.  We were able to see downtown Phoenix, the San Francisco peaks in Flagstaff (about 150 miles away) andLake Pleasant, north of Phoenix.

When you are floating so high, there is silence, which is so hard to find these days.  There was even a segment on the quietest places on the earth recently on Dateline, or 20/20.  I really enjoyed that piece and while in a balloon, you get to experience that quiet.  No sounds of traffic below, no jets, no cell phones ringing, no texting sounds, nothing.  Silence.  The occasional sound of the fire being lit in the balloon, and perhaps a few words exchanged between passengers, out pilot pointing out things or answering questions.  But over all a peace that I cannot explain.

Of course there is the thrill of looking at all these things in a hovering or slow motion, things that you quickly see while taking off from Sky Harbor and loose sight of so fast in a jet.

Being in a balloon gives one the opportunity to take in nature, enjoy the beauty of our planet, breathe, and enjoy silence.  If you are looking for a place that captures all of these things, then I highly recommend a balloon flight.  There are several balloon companies around Sedona, but I only recommend companies who are permitted by the US Forest Service.  These companies pay a fee to the USFS, which goes to help preserve the forest among other things.  Northern Light Balloon Expeditions and Red Rock Balloon Adventures are the three permitted companies allowed to fly in the Coconino National Forest.

Don’t miss our Sedona Adventures page on our website.  There is so much to do here and our Complimentary Concierge Service will help you make all your plans to get the very most out of your stay with us at Alma de Sedona.

I am looking forward to a flight over the Red Rocks!!

We have tourists from all over the world come to visit our famous Red Rocks here in Sedona.  What folks don’t understand is there is more to Sedona than just the Red Rocks and adventrue tours.  Sure, they’re beautiful, but what gets overlooked are the other amazing things to see and do in and around the Sedona area.

We have artists, history, petroglyphs, wineries, hikes, and interesting places to visit such as Jerome and the Grand Canyon just to name two.  There is something of interest for everyone in the Sedona area.

The majority of our visitors stay just two nights.  They check in the afternoon, visit a couple tourists’ sites and have the next day to try to capture what Northern Arizona has to offer.

If you really want to experience what is in the area, you may want to consider making  Sedona a destination spot and not a stop over.

I have many guests that do a day trip to the Grand Canyon. They drive on their own, or take a tour.  I highly recommend the tours for several reasons.  First, you don’t have to drive!  You can relax while someone else does the driving and shares wonderful information and history about Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, and a person who is knowledgeable about the geology of the area and the Grand Canyon.  This would be my second reason, the guide.  You come away with a feeling of learning something about the area you have chosen to visit.

For those who choose to drive on their own, I always advise heading straight up Rt 89 in Flagstaff as opposed to going the advertised Rt 180 that also takes you to the canyon.  On this drive, you will have an opportunity to stop at Sunset Crater and swing by Wupatki Ruins, with its very cool ‘blow hole’.  You will also have a chance to stop by the Navaho run historic Cameron Trading Post.  Wonderful food is served in the restaurant located at the back of the shop.  There is also a tour company that will take you on this amazing journey as well, so don’t feel like you have to do this on your own!

Another option getting to the canyon is via The Grand Canyon Railway.  There are many options for seating. I was fortunate enough to take the observation car on the way up and the parlor car on the way back.  Beautiful high desert scenery and if lucky you can see a critter or two.  The train doesn’t travel along the canyon, but you still go through some beautiful country.

When I have guests here for a length of stay, it is really cool because I get to send them out on mini adventures each day!  I have had folks for 6, 8, and 14 day stays.

Jerome is an old mining town about 35 minutes from Alma de Sedona.  I really like it because of the history and old run down buildings.  It was once a thriving copper mining town.  There is a museum, art galleries and plenty of yummy places to eat.

Tuzigoot is old pueblo ruins about 25 minutes from here.  There is also Montezuma’s Well and Montezuma’s Castle in the Camp Verde area.  While in that vicinity, you could visit Fort Verde and old civil war post.

Northern Arizona wineries have become very popular in the recent years, and there are 3 about 1/2 hour from the Inn.  There is also a tasting room in Cottonwood and Jerome.

Clarkdale is home to the Verde Canyon Rail Road.  This train takes you out of the Red Rock area.  You pass the old slag pile that is leftover from the mining days and head out into the desert.  This train offers quite a variety of theme rides through out the year.

Of course, don’t forget about hiking!  So many trails, so hard to choose.  Trails range from easy to extreme.

If you like art, there is plenty of that in Sedona.  A plethora of talented artists using mixed media, glass, sculpture, oils, watercolor, and on and on.  The first Friday of each month is known around here as, First Friday!  Go figure!  Many galleries participate in this event serving up wine and yummy tidbits.  There is free transportation to get you around the loop.  It’s a fun time and you get treated to some amazing art at the same time.

We have a weekly farmers market now that runs spring through fall.  A new venue for music called Studio Live that is always hosting interesting and unique music and entertainment.

Festivals??  Boy do we have festivals!  The Sedona International Film Festival is held every February.  It has expanded to 8 days.  A great way to see many films that you would normally not see on the Hollywood circuit.

There are just too many festivals to talk about in this blog, but keep an eye on our calendar of events on the website as I will be adding to this frequently.

Well, this is a start; I didn’t even get to talk about Flagstaff!  That’ll have to be another blog!  As you can see, you really need to stay more than 2 days in Sedona to be able to take in all the wonders.  It is a great location for a base of operations.

Hope to see you here at Alma de Sedona for a great adventure!