Thank you to our readers for choosing Sedona as our destination, hiking as our activity, and Southern Rock as our road trip play list. This combination made for the perfect weekend get away! Below is our itinerary, ratings and photos (just click on them to enlarge). Follow in our paw prints and you'll enjoy an adventure you won't soon forget!
1. Soldier Pass Trail
After picking up our Red Rock Pass at the South Gateway Visitor Center, we headed straight to our first hike. We wanted to get our hike in early in the day before it got too hot. Even though there are tons of different trails in the Coconino National Forest, we decided to do Soldier Pass based on a recommendation from our friends Amanda and Brent.
It's a well-traveled dirt trail with amazing vistas of red rock and canyons. You'll encounter hikers, cyclists and dogs frequently - and possibly a jeep tour near the trail head!
Make sure you check out Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole which is just a few steps away from the trail. It's amazing, but hold on tight to the leash - it's a little scary at the edge and you don't want to fall in!
Thanks Brent and Amanda, we really enjoyed it!
Lola: 4 out of 5 monkey arms becuz it was pritty, but a littel long
Tilly: 4.5 out of 5 dog treats because it was good exercise, but there wasn't much shade
2. Swap Meet
3. Three Dog Bakery
Next we headed to Three Dog Bakery in Uptown Sedona. It was awesome to go in the store and pick out the gourmet treats we wanted! We each got two treats to save for later.
Lola: 4 out of 5 monkey arms becuz sweets aren't my favrite thing - bakon is!
Tilly: 10 out of 5 dog treats because...DUH!!! TREATS!!!
4. Wild West Wine Co
By this time, we were kind of tired and our mom was thirsty. So, we decided to hang out at the Wild West Wine Co in Tlaquepaque. Dogs are allowed inside, so we gladly chilled on the floor while our mom got to do a wine tasting. She got to try 5 different wines and keep the etched wine glass as a souvenir. The store only sells wines from Arizona vineyards - who knew there were so many vineyards in Arizona?
5. El Portal
We got to check in at El Portal a little early because our mom had an hour long in-room massage scheduled. We only got in the way a couple times because we liked to stretch out under the massage table and put our chins on the masseuse's feet. We don't think she minded too much. Our mom said we like to be speed bumps! Personally, we think we should have been the ones to get the massage!
We stayed in the Adobe room. It was beautiful with a nice comfy bed, private patio and even a fireplace (but we didn't use it). After my mom's massage, we finally got to have our treats! They were delicious!
Lola: 5 out 5 monkey arms becuz the room rokked and the treats were yummi
Tilly: 4.9 out 5 dog treats because the bed was comfy and the tile was cool (it had dog prints in them - check the posted El Portal link), but it should have been me to get the massage!
6. The Smoking Gun Pizza
We headed to a swap meet after our hike to see if we could find any treasures. Our mom found a white milk glass rooster bowl for $5. She likes roosters. Dogs were allowed.
Lola: 4 out of 5 monkey arms becuz I liked getting petted by the peepl
Tilly: 0 out of 5 dog treats because my mom wouldn't buy me anythingLola: 4 out of 5 monkey arms becuz I liked getting petted by the peepl
3. Three Dog Bakery
Next we headed to Three Dog Bakery in Uptown Sedona. It was awesome to go in the store and pick out the gourmet treats we wanted! We each got two treats to save for later.
Lola: 4 out of 5 monkey arms becuz sweets aren't my favrite thing - bakon is!
Tilly: 10 out of 5 dog treats because...DUH!!! TREATS!!!
4. Wild West Wine Co
By this time, we were kind of tired and our mom was thirsty. So, we decided to hang out at the Wild West Wine Co in Tlaquepaque. Dogs are allowed inside, so we gladly chilled on the floor while our mom got to do a wine tasting. She got to try 5 different wines and keep the etched wine glass as a souvenir. The store only sells wines from Arizona vineyards - who knew there were so many vineyards in Arizona?
The Grenache was so good that she decided to buy a bottle (she got 10% off since she did the wine tasting). I think the wine might have gone to her head because she also bought 2 necklaces from a vendor!
We really liked the two women working, Cory and Brenda (pictured right)! They told our mom all about the wines and gave us lots of attention, too! We also had a nice time chatting with two other tourists doing a tasting from New York, Carol and Mary.
Lola: 5 out of 5 monkey arms becuz it was so kool to hang out inside and we finally got to relax
Tilly: 5 out of 5 dog treats because the view of the Plaza de la Fuente was outstanding and the staff was so nice and knowledgeable
Tilly: 5 out of 5 dog treats because the view of the Plaza de la Fuente was outstanding and the staff was so nice and knowledgeable
5. El Portal
We got to check in at El Portal a little early because our mom had an hour long in-room massage scheduled. We only got in the way a couple times because we liked to stretch out under the massage table and put our chins on the masseuse's feet. We don't think she minded too much. Our mom said we like to be speed bumps! Personally, we think we should have been the ones to get the massage!
We stayed in the Adobe room. It was beautiful with a nice comfy bed, private patio and even a fireplace (but we didn't use it). After my mom's massage, we finally got to have our treats! They were delicious!
Lola: 5 out 5 monkey arms becuz the room rokked and the treats were yummi
Tilly: 4.9 out 5 dog treats because the bed was comfy and the tile was cool (it had dog prints in them - check the posted El Portal link), but it should have been me to get the massage!
6. The Smoking Gun Pizza
After we ate dinner and had our treats, our mom got hungry. She didn't feel like loading us up in the car, so she ordered Oak Creek Brewery and Grill's famous Smoking Gun Pizza. It was just a short walk across the plaza in Tlaquepaque to pick it up. Topped with smoked gouda and smoked provolone with caramelized onions, roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts and basil pesto, it sounds pretty tasty, huh? Well, turns out it was cold and not very good. Plus, they charged her for a soda that she didn't order. She ate a couple slices and tossed the rest. Lame, we would have eaten it!
Lola: 0 out of 5 monkey arms becuz if my mom doesn't like it, I don't like it
Tilly: -5 out of 5 dog treats because she didn't like and wouldn't even let me try it...what a waste
Lola: 0 out of 5 monkey arms becuz if my mom doesn't like it, I don't like it
Tilly: -5 out of 5 dog treats because she didn't like and wouldn't even let me try it...what a waste
7. Evening at El Portal
Lola: 2 out of 5 monkey arms becuz i hate practising my spelling
Tilly: 8 out of 5 dog treats because I like that Lola had to practice her spelling and the campfire was perfect given the slightly chilly spring air
Even though it was a little past 10pm, we were bushed! We were all snoring before our heads even hit the pillow! Wow, what a long but super pawsome day!
8. Rise and Shine
I don't know what our mom was thinking! She thought just because we were on vacation that we would let her sleep in - ha! We were up at 6am and ready to go potty!!! She begrudgingly got up and took us to the garden potty area and we did our business. She got us back though by taking forever to get ready. I mean really, who takes super long showers on vacation?! We don't! Sheesh, we had got places to go and people to see! She didn't care though, she took her time, and even decided to eat breakfast in the Great Room at El Portal. We were allowed to sit with her at the table while she ate the lemon buttermilk pancakes. Good thing she ordered a side of bacon and shared some with us!
Lola: 10 out of 5 monkey arms beccz...DUH!!! BAkON!!!
Tilly: 5 out of 5 dog treats because our mom is a smart woman and shared her bacon with us
9. Animal Communication with Sharon
Sedona is known for being a very sprirtual and mystical place. This was probably the neatest thing we did during our trip. We met with Sharon at Mystical Bizaar and we got to tell her everything! For once, a human can understand us and can communicate with our mom on our behalf!
Some things our mom learned about Tilly is that Tilly is the matriarch of the household. Sadly, she once had a lonely life and she didn't know what her purpose for being alive was. That all changed when she met our mom at the AAWL animal shelter, she knew immediately that she was meant to be her animal companion! Tilly has a very wise soul and some strong opinions about our mom. Namely, that her mom should ask Tilly for advice more often! Our mom asked Sharon to ask Tilly why she still panics whenever she hears a gunshot (we live by a school and sometimes they have track meets). It turns out that Tilly was killed by a gunshot in a past life. Sharon explained that we all have issues that carry from one life to the next and this lifetime is an opportunity to work on them. In spite of this one issue, Tilly is a very happy and confident dog!
Lola, on the other hand, is still struggling. For the first part of her life, while living on the streets, she seriously considered giving up on life. But even though she still harbors some self-worth issues, she is learning to trust others and is starting to enjoy life since joining our family. The great news is that with Tilly's guidance and our mom's affection, Lola's will to live grows stronger each day. Lola also enjoys the communal act of eating dinner with Tilly and snuggling up with her mom at night. She also really likes it when our mom does "school" with her which is learning how to do tricks. Lola's ultimate dream would be to perform tricks on one of those funny animal shows. That would be her crowning moment, showing the world that she has transformed into the fun and confident dog she knows she can be.
Our mom had a reading done just for her with Janine, but we were in the room and got to hear everything! One highlight is that our mom is supposed to meet a special someone in the next 2 years. He'll work in Finance (as an Accountant, for example) at a big company. He's the same age as our mom and his birthday is in late April/early May, or he might be a Capricorn. Soooo, if this sounds like you, email us, we're taking applications on her behalf! (She's going to kill us for writing that!)
Lola: 4.75 out of 5 monkey arms becuz I still hav problems expressing myself and had a hard time beeing put on the spot
Tilly: 10 out of 5 dog treats because finally a human understands what I've been saying all along!
10. West Fork Trail
The West Fork is Sedona's most popular hiking trail and now we know why! It's a an easy, sandy trail that heads into Oak Creek Canyon. It's shady and winds along the creek. To one side there are soaring sheer red cliffs stretching up to the sky. On the other side, there's nice lush forest with cool breezes flowing through the trees.
Our mom wore her Vibram Five Fingers and lots of people stopped to ask her about them. They are great for hiking and they are made to get wet so they were perfect for this trail.
Tilly couldn't get enough of playing in the water, so we didn't actually hike in more than a couple of miles. But that's okay - next time we'll plan to go farther!
If you decide to go, make sure you bring $10 cash for parking because the Red Rock Day Pass isn't enough. We think you should definitely do this hike because then you can be like Lewis and Clark, like us!
Lola: 5 out of 5 monkey arms becuz it was kool, shady, and leeshurly
Tilly: 9 out of 5 dog treats because playing in the water was the best!
Summary
We loved our time in Sedona! The weather, scenery, activities, and mostly the people were barktastic. There's so much to do that we ran out of time! Next time we're definitely going on a Jeep tour with Summit!
Feel free to mail us at TillyandLola@gmail.com if you have any questions about our Sedona adventure, we'd love to share more detials with you.
Until our next adventure - happy tails, happy trails!
Tilly and Lola
