Travel Tuesdays: Sedona

It's hard to take a bad picture in Sedona, Arizona's red rocks country. The rocks are so colorful that even the grayest most overcast of days (of which we have few) can't fully dim the vibrant reds, oranges, and whites.

Sedona is also one of Arizona's big touristy towns. Us locals try to time our trips just right so we can enjoy this remarkable area without having to deal with all the traffic and congestion in the town proper through its one through street. The restaurants book up weeks in advance, sometimes months for the busy season. The trails are busy with cars parked all along roadways near certain easily accessible trailheads when the primary parking is full. There are often lines to take photos of particular vistas and features that, apparently, influencers have showcased on social media. That being said, it is a gorgeous place to visit, with so many fascinating geological and historical areas easy to get to and not requiring expert level hikes.

Sedona is also well-known for some alternative faith and healing opportunities, and mysticism about vortexes abounds. There are witchy and New Age shops alongside your typical tourist tchotchke fare. And, of course, there is a healthy art scene in Sedona. With so much color and awesome landscapes, it's hard to be uninspired here.

I took this particular picture as part of a swing-by of the town. My cousin had a conference in Flagstaff and had a couple of days to see some of Arizona's breathtaking sights. So we picked her up from Phoenix and enjoyed an early dinner at a delicious Mexican restaurant with this view just casually sitting there from the parking lot. We were heading into sunset, and the clouds wanted to be a little dramatic. That's part of the wonder of Sedona and this whole state: sometimes Mother Nature decides to elevate a spectacular view into something you know is special and will never happen quite the same way again. And you're just in a parking lot, heading in to dinner.