We plan a trip for our honeymoon in August to stay in Sedona for 1 week but want to drive to Phoenix and or Flagstaff. Can you suggest the best flight to take into what airport and then renting a car?  We will be flying out of a different location than where we fly in to, but do not know exactly where yet as we want to be flexible. We have a time share in Sedona for the week, but can you recommend a romantic place for a dinner or two?

Thank you,

Sandy and Bob

Photo credit: SMercury98 CC by 2.0

Hi, Sandy and Bob. Best wishes and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

If you’re coming from or through Los Angeles (LAX) you could look for a flight on Horizon Air (horizonair.com) into Flagstaff – just 40 beautiful minutes from Sedona. (Note to readers: Sadly, Horizon Air will no longer service the Flagstaff and Prescott, Arizona airports after August 22, 2010. However, US Airways Express continues to fly into Flagstaff from Phoenix.)

However, most people – and I recommend you do the same – fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), rent a car at the airport, and drive 90 minutes up to Sedona. You’ll see a bit of Phoenix when you fly in… you could even pop over to Old Town Scottsdale for lunch and a bit of walking through air-conditioned shops and galleries (although do be prepared for “seasonably warm temperatures!”) Drive on up to Sedona and anytime that week, you can take a beautiful 40-minute drive up 23 miles of Oak Creek Canyon toward Flagstaff for a great day trip.

[Another aside to readers: Sandy and Bob have their lodging squared away with their Sedona timeshare, but if you're looking for a romantic bed & breakfast or resort in Sedona for a once-in-a-lifetime trip like your honeymoon, I recommend El Portal Luxury Hacienda (elportalsedona.com) Sedona Cathedral Hideaway Bed & Breakfast (sedonacathedralhideaway.com), Canyon Villa Bed & Breakfast (canyonvilla.com), the Enchantment Resort & Mii Amo Spa (enchantmentresort.com), and L'Auberge Resort (lauberge.com)]

You two will find romantic dining at Savannah’s (savannahssteakhouse.com) and L’Auberge (lauberge.com). For an alternative take on romantic dining, swing by New Frontiers Natural Marketplace (1420 West Highway 89A – no website) and pick up some of their yummy prepared foods and a great bottle of wine (with a twist-off) and head up Oak Creek Canyon or Schnebly Hill Road for a romantic picnic for two overlooking some of Sedona’s best scenery. Also, don’t forget there’s great dining in Flagstaff, too! Try Tinderbox Kitchen (tinderboxkitchen.com) or Pasto (pastorestaurant.com), both located downtown.

Again, best wishes for your wedding and marriage. Take care,

– ChristinaToo

I can’t think of a better place to be for Valentine’s Day 2009 than Sedona, Arizona.  Take advantage of the fortuitous fall of the calendar – a three-day weekend (Thanks, Abe & George!) – and have a red-rock love fest with your sweetie.

Here are three great Sedona Valentine’s Day to-dos that’ll make your heart go pitter-patter:

1. Romantic Picnic

The Art of Wine - The Shops at Hyatt Pinon Pointe. Photo credit: www.artowine.com

First, hit the Shops at Hyatt Pinon Pointe in Uptown Sedona and stop in at The Art of Wine. Proprietors Scott and Laura Gisborne are deeply knowledgeable, friendly and offer wine-tasting seven days a week. Select from dozens of Arizona wines – a yummy Merlot, Cabernet or Syrah – locally-produced in the Verde Valley region, an area that the Wall Street Journal recently declared is nipping at Napa’s heels.

View from Merry Go Round Rock, just 4.5 miles up Schnebly Hill Road. Photo credit: AndrewEick on flickr.com

(Readers, it’s perfectly okay if you stop here and don’t actually make it to your picnic. An afternoon or evening of wine tasting at The Art of Wine is romantic fun enough!… But we’ll press on.)

Next, go next door to the Wildflower Bread Company and grab a baguette or a full lunch for two and head out (remember to cork your wine and grab some disposable glassware before you check out of both shops.)

Just south of the “Y,” near Tlaquepaque, turn north and drive up Schnebly Hill Road. A lovely twisting 4.5 mile drive up the road (about 17 minutes) you’ll see a turnout for Merry Go Round rock, a great place to spread out your picnic, toast to your love and sip that local wine.

2. Felice San Valentino at Joey Bistro

Say “I love you” by treating that special someone to a wonderful Valentine’s Day Dinner prepared by Los Abrigados Resort & Spa Executive Chef Danny Woodbridge. Joey Bistro specializes in Southern Italian Cuisine, and is a favorite Northern Arizona fine-dining destination for locals and perennial visitors.

Check out this year’s Felice San Valentino feast menu:

Salute
Champagne toast for Two
Shared appetizer of your selection of:
Heirloom Tomatoes and Marinated Mozzarella
Chilled Shellfish Cocktail
Antipasto Italiano

Intermezzo
Baby Greens Salad
Parmigiano Reggiano Bisque

Portata
Your selection of:
Fire Roasted Chicken
Classic Veal Piccata
Sea Bass Cartoccio
Filet Mignon and Lobster Cream Sauce

Finale
Raspberry Chambord Mousse Tower with Sparkling Shiraz Sorbet

Joey Bistro at the Los Abrigados Resort. Call for Reservations: 928-204-JOEY (5639) Photo credit: nancyjjohnston on flickr.com

For a modest price of $80 per couple, visit the extravagance and taste the culture of Italy in Los Abrigados Resort & Spa’s Joey Bistro. Experience “Felice San Valentino” firsthand, hear the words “I love you,” and dine on food “ta die for!”

3. Book a Romantic Bed & Breakfast

What could be better than staying at a bed & breakfast in Sedona that’s so private, they don’t even publish their address? I mean, come on! That’s serious stuff… Book a stay at the Sedona Cathedral Hideaway – a bed & breakfast with AMAZING views of Cathedral Rock, the most photographed red rock formation in Sedona.

Sedona Cathedral Hideaway is Sedona's most private bed & breakfast retreat. Call 866-973-3662 to reserve and learn its secret location!

Relax and regroup in the 2-person whirlpool tub or generous double shower room. This is a kind of place where you can sneak off; slip away and leave behind the stresses of life – a private, peaceful sanctuary. Whisk your sweetie away and indulge in some serious alone time. Get out and hike, or stay in bed all weekend – it’s your choice.