2016 should be a year for you to find time and space to rejuvenate and rekindle your spirit and we found the ideal place for you to do so, especially in the winter: Sedona and Phoenix, Arizona, for a spa escape! See more in our Winter 2016 issue, Jet Setter. Spend your first few days at the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock, in Sedona. Enjoy dinner on the patio of ShadowRock at Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. Experience wine pairings with each course, cleansing your palette with prickly pear sorbet in between.

The next morning, take a Pink Jeep Tour – (The Broken Arrow tour is approx. 2 hours). Scenic, off-road and high adventure fun in spectacular red rock country! The Sedona Jeep Tours have thrilled visitors for more than 50 years. Your Broken Arrow Tour begins at Pink Jeep Plaza in uptown Sedona. Climb aboard a custom-made, open air Pink Jeep Wrangler tour vehicles. Your tour guide is a trained 4×4 and driving specialist, meaning that you’re in safe hands on this off-road adventure. Your tour guide is also a certified interpretive guide, so expect great stories about the landscape and history of Sedona with a great sense of humor. 

Explore Uptown Sedona, packed with galleries, gift shops, cafes and restaurants. Compact and easily walked, Uptown serves as the central hub of Sedona. An eclectic assortment of retail businesses are tucked into every nook and cranny and it’s hard to proceed more than a few steps before some eye-catching jewelry or sculpture, or just-right T-shirt pulls you in off the sidewalk.

Take a scenic driving tour of Oak Creek Canyon with stops at key attractions and lunch at Indian Gardens Café & Market. Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive is about a 14-mile drive along Route 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona. It has been recognized as one of the Top 5 Most Scenic Drives in America by Rand McNally. Oak Creek Canyon is a breathtaking stretch of beauty on a winding road that climbs 4,500 feet from Sedona to the top of the Mogollon Rim. This guided tour will also offer stops at Tlaquepaque, Slide Rock, Airport Mesa, and Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Along the way, enjoy lunch at Indian Gardens Café & Market. Garland’s Indian Gardens Cafe & Market is an historic establishment in lower Oak Creek Canyon, just four miles north of Sedona, Arizona.  Built in 1947 to meet the needs of a growing community in the canyon, Indian Gardens has served many purposes – general store, gas station, bar, ice cream parlor, antique store, sandwich shop, to name a few – but it has always been a welcome gathering place for residents and a restful, refueling stop for visitors.

After a day full of adventure, return to the Hilton and enjoy a spa treatment at eforea spa. As part of the resort’s on-site Sedona Athletic Club which offers 25,000 square feet of fitness, wellness and spa amenities, eforea: spa at Hilton delivers a full-service spa experience for resort guests and club members alike. Offering an entirely new menu of massage, body and facial services, treatments focus on indigenous ingredients and techniques that truly reflect the region of Sedona and the greater Southwest.

The following day, try Sunrise Yoga on The Greens. Join eforea spa for an awakening yoga experience on the greens of Sedona Golf Resort, located just steps from Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock.

Once your energies are aligned go out to Cottonwood and have lunch at Crema Café. Crema Cafe and Courtyard is in Historic Old Town Cottonwood. Fresh, simple and local breakfast and lunch. Exceptional espresso and coffee. Small-batch artisan gelato and sorbet made on-site. Craft brews on tap and local wines by the glass. Independently-owned, their fresh breads are baked daily at Orion Bread Co. one block away.

Head to Phoenix and check in at the Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. The Arizona Biltmore has been an Arizona landmark since opening in 1929, when it was crowned the “Jewel of the Desert.”  The legendary Grand Dame remains one of the most recognized resorts in the world for its distinctive, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architectural style, luxurious facilities, and storied history as a playground of the rich and famous. Nestled on 39 acres at the foot of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, the legendary resort offers a 22,000-square-foot spa with an extensive menu of natural healing treatments and restorative therapies, a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, eight swimming pools, two 18-hole golf courses and six restaurants and lounges, including signature Wright’s at the Biltmore serving classic favorites reinvented for today’s tastes, the stylish Wright Bar with patio fire pits and views of majestic Squaw Peak, popular Frank & Albert’s preparing Arizona comfort food, The Café casual bistro, and the poolside Cabana Club with a swim-up bar.

Have dinner at Frank & Albert’s Restaurant at the Arizona Biltmore.  Buzzing with a familiar yet vibrant energy, Frank & Albert’s sets the culinary stage with its refreshing twist on American Comfort Food accented with Sonoran influences. Named for the resort’s architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and Albert Chase McArthur, it features innovative variations on popular dishes, from Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites to Meatloaf with Chipotle Ketchup Glaze. Enhancing the dining experience are hand-crafted cocktails, dramatic contemporary decor with an exhibition kitchen and verdant garden views.

Treat yourself to a sunrise Hot Air Balloon, aerial tour of the Sonoran Desert – Plus a catered breakfast from Hot Air Expeditions. The Sonoran Desert is a unique and beautiful place when soaring from a bird’s eye view of the Phoenix landscape level, but the view from above is astounding in its expansiveness and grandeur. Hot air ballooning is a wonderfully tranquil experience for visitors of all ages. Sunrise and sunset flights provide magnificent vistas of desert terrain and towering mountain ranges. The view from the balloon’s handcrafted wicker basket is virtually unobstructed – a photographer’s dream!

Enjoy Spa Biltmore. The award-winning Spa Biltmore is a calming destination that will invigorate your spirit and awaken your senses. Bring balance to mind, body, and spirit through authentic modern and traditional spa therapies and beauty treatments. The Spa is a tranquil haven where experienced spa and beauty therapists relax and rejuvenate you with specialty massages, facials, stone therapies, scrubs and much more. Spa Biltmore features a sauna, steam room and whirlpool to offer an unforgettably indulgent experience. Head into town and have dinner at The Henry for a special treat. Try the short ribs with creamy potatoes, paired with a delightful wine flight. Head back to Texas, relaxed and rejuvenated.