Honeymoon Review: Sedona, Arizona

My husband Aaron and I were married in Tucson, Arizona (go Wildcats!), in May 2005. With a limited budget and little vacation time, we did not want to deal with the hassle of flying to a faraway destination for our honeymoon. Instead, we spent our honeymoon in nearby Sedona. Our first few days together as newlyweds were very special. I am sharing our experience with you to help you plan a honeymoon that is every bit as memorable as ours.

On our wedding night, we stayed at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort in Tucson, which has been ranked among the Top 10 Romantic Inns by American Historic Inns and among the Top 30 Favorite Inns of the U.S. by Travel and Leisure magazine. It has also received multiple honorable distinctions by ZAGAT and others. For our stay, we chose a "Historic Room" just off the courtyard. With hand-painted furniture and an antique-style bathroom, the room was cozy and charming. The queen-size bed was also very comfortable. I think the room had a television, but we did not use it; it was our wedding night, after all! The next morning, we ate a delicious hot breakfast at the resort and then walked around the picturesque grounds before leaving Tucson for our honeymoon in Sedona. I highly recommend Hacienda del Sol and anticipate staying there again during future anniversary trips to Tucson.

On our way to Sedona in an SUV plastered with "Just Married" decorations, we received many congratulatory honks. In Sedona, we stayed several nights in a one-bedroom condo at the Hyatt Piñon Pointe. The front desk staff was warm and welcoming. When we entered our condo, the first word to come out of our mouths was "wow." The door opened into a spacious, modern kitchen, dining area, and sitting area complete with a stone gas fireplace. The tasteful décor had a decidedly Southwestern flair. Just off the sitting area, the furnished balcony enabled incredible views of Sedona's stunning red rocks. The rocks in Sedona are as red as the most vibrant sunrise or sunset you've ever seen, and how they stand out against the blue sky is simply breathtaking. We were also impressed with the kitchen, which was fully equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, oven/stove, coffee maker, dishes, and silverware. The bedroom contained a very comfortable king bed and connected to a bathroom featuring marble countertops, a luxurious walk-in shower large enough for two, and a jetted spa tub.

The Hyatt in Sedona also offered quite a bit to do on-site. While we did not use the outdoor pool during our honeymoon, the area looked very well-maintained and tranquil. We did, however, take advantage of the pool table at the clubhouse. We also controlled our honeymoon spending by buying groceries and cooking our own meals together in our condo's kitchen. Eating out on the balcony was a treat. And while we never encountered housekeeping staff, our dishes were always clean and our room immaculate.

Other activities that kept us busy during our Sedona honeymoon were perusing the shops and galleries next door to the Hyatt, walking up and down Main St., taking a Jeep tour, and checking out Oak Creek Canyon. We fell in love with some of the pieces at Visions Fine Art Gallery in The Shops at Hyatt Piñon Pointe and hope we can afford such incredible work someday. Since the weather was nice, we also had a blast at Slide Rock, where people can slide down natural water chutes. We visited on a weekday, so it was less crowded than I imagine it gets on weekends.

During our honeymoon, we did eat out a couple of times on Main St.-lunch at a Mexican restaurant (Vista Cantina, I think?) and dinner at Cowboy Club, where I had my first cactus fries and sweet potato fries. Both restaurants were just "okay," but I did really enjoy the fries at Cowboy Club. If you go to the Cowboy Club, be aware that its tourist appeal means high prices, and be sure to arrive early, as we had to wait a long time to be seated.

My only regret about our honeymoon in Sedona is that we did not take enough pictures. I should have brought the XShot camera extender so that we could get both of us in pictures without having to constantly ask others to take our photo.

In short, Sedona is a beautiful honeymoon destination that offers just enough to do, but not too much, that newlyweds can focus completely on enjoying each other. Further, a couple can travel to Sedona on a budget without feeling like they are being too "cheap" or missing anything.