Arizona is one of the few states that doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time. If that isn’t enough to make you want to visit our neighbor to the west, then let me entice you with details from my latest kid friendly trip.
A mere five hours west on I-40, lies the town of Flagstaff, Arizona.
Chalk full of retro motels, old-fashioned diners, and a laid-back out-doorsy kind of vibe, it’s a great place to stay. Flagstaff is a college town, so there are breweries, shops, quirky restaurants and good coffee shops. When I think of Arizona, I imagine cacti and lots of rock, but this mountain town lies at 7,000 feet and has more ponderosa pine than prickly pear.
My mom and I have always wanted to check out Sedona. She enjoys hiking. So our first full day in Arizona, we drove the beautifully stunning 45 mile drive from Flagstaff to check out the red rock landscape of Sedona. There are several places along the way to pull over and buy the kids an ice-cream, look at the Native American jewelry, hike, or play in Oak Creek.
Prior to our rather spontaneous road trip, I’d researched top hiking destinations in Sedona. The four mile hike to Devil’s Bridge was highly rated.
I showed my daughters the pictures online and got their buy in. This is an effective manipulation tactic should you want to use it: remind them that the hike was their idea. As though you had nothing to do with it other than show them some pretty pictures. You’re welcome.
This hike is best done in cooler weather, and there is definitely a bit of climbing towards the end like a flight of stairs, but my six- and nine-year-old accomplished it quite easily. Convincing them to walk out onto Devil’s Bridge, however, took a bit of coaxing. This trail is heavily trafficked, but once at the top, people form a line to go out onto the bridge one at a time for the requisite picture taking. Plenty of people linger on the other side to take in the views and are happy to snap a dozen photos of you as proof that you are courageous and also you are willing to take your children onto the edge of a cliff in order to get a postcard worthy snapshot of them. 
Finding hotel accommodations in Sedona was kind of tricky for a last minute trip (and, also incredibly pricey). So we drove back to Flagstaff every night. I didn’t mind because Oak Creek Canyon stole my heart the first day. The tall trees, the water, the picturesque little bed and breakfasts. I wanted to stay forever. There are quite a few camping spots to choose from right next to the creek on a first come first serve basis.
The next morning we chose a popular hike in Oak Creek Canyon called West Fork. The parking lot fills up quickly, so either go early or prepare to park along the narrow two lane highway. The ruins to an old lodge are fun for the kids to explore and quite picturesque.
The kids enjoyed playing in Oak Creek as well. West Fork boasts a total of 13 creek crossings which my daughters loved. This was their favorite hike.
In fact, bring water shoes. Just be emotionally prepared not to finish this out and back hike if your kids enjoy playing in water. The creek isn’t deep, but it’s cold and feels good on a hot day. This one is more about the journey than the destination.
Sedona has some great vegetarian and vegan fare as well as Mexican and a food court on the main street with pizza and other kid-friendly options. If your children only eat one food group, then take them to the Black Cow Cafe and buy them a malted vanilla ice-cream in a made-from-scratch waffle cone. It has all the calories you’d ever need in a day so they won’t starve. Or you can reward yourself for all that hiking you’ve done!
We barely tapped into all this area had to offer before we had to come home. I can’t wait to go back to Arizona and explore.
