Yesterday’s repost of Ben Stein’s very pertinent comments on the holidays went a little long so I’ll try to make it up to you by keeping this post short.

I was reading a magazine a few weeks ago and in the travel section was a 2 page spread about Sedona, Arizona. Now that in itself is not unusual. Sedona is a beautiful place deep in Red Rock country and a major vacation destination. What caught my eye was the list of “must do” items while in Sedona.

I was thrilled to see that I have hit them all. (Except the Vortex tours). That must be a sign of a good vacation or maybe a well planned one. I’ve actually been to Sedona twice, once on my own and once with my sister. There was some overlap on the two vacations because some things were too good  not to do a 2nd time.

For example, we took the drive to Williams to catch the train to the Grand Canyon. The first time my impression was beyond words. It was dizzying to step off the tour bus and see that majesty spread out before me. The second time was no less breathtaking but it was sweetened by being able to see my sister’s response to this amazing wonder.

The article recommended the Out of Africa Safari which I did on my first trip.

My sister and I skipped that on the 2nd trip to visit Montezuma’s Castle instead. I place those ruins high on the must see list. I enjoyed Out of Africa but if time is an issue, I’d have to vote for Montezuma’s Castle.

Before we went to the “castle” we stopped at Montezuma’s Well. That isn’t as spectacular as the “castle” but it was still interesting and I climbed down the 100 steps the the base of the well.

Slide Rock State park was another spot on the list. I remember exploring that on my first trip and we made a short stop on our 2nd trip as well.

The renowned shopping area in Sedona is Tlaquepaque. Our exposure was limited to the trolley tour through the area. I did the same thing on my first trip but if you are someone who likes to shop, this is not to be missed.

Last but not least is the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

This was a stop on the trolley tour so it became a stop on our tour as well. I took the trolley tour both times I was in Sedona. It is well worth it. The guides are fun and knowledgeable and it gets you familiar with Sedona. We had plenty of time at the Chapel. Clearly it was a major stop and a must see attraction. From the courtyard you can see such iconic landmarks as Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte and Madonna and Child, all beautiful red rock.

Oh Sedona, those were 2 great vacations!