Sedona, Arizona, is beautiful. Just about any direction you look from just about anywhere in town there is something awesome to see. We spent a day wandering the numerous little shops and taking in the great views.
I’d been to Sedona before. My memory of the place was greatly influenced by the great Jeep ride my family experienced. My dad was driving with me in the passenger seat. My mom and brother were in the back. We took the rented Jeep out to the off-road paths the guide recommended. There were times that our wheels were inches away from the cliff edges. My mom was yelling at my dad to be careful and pay attention to the road. He was obviously being as careful as he could. He was also, rightly, enjoying the scenery. My brother was bawling in the back seat, scared out of his mind. I was enjoying the adventure of it and laughing hysterically at my brother’s fear. It was awesome.
Anyhow, so I had a great image of Sedona in my head. And folks rave about it. We weren’t so impressed. I mean, yes, the views are epic. It’s beautiful. But the shops are repetitive and touristy. The food is nothing special. And stuff is overpriced. Not a great mix.
We capped off our visit by driving out into the red rocks to see the Cathedral that was built into the rocks. It was pretty cool but much smaller than we’d thought.
Alas, I don’t think my wife or kids will have the same great memory of Sedona that I have.