Renee and Anthony at the Sedona Stupa
Montezuma Well
Here, you can see Sonoran mud turtles and limestone cliff dwellings built by the Sinagua Indians around the 14th century.
Inside the museum
Renee and Anthony at the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona.
Among red rock in all directions, you take a short trek up winding trails brings you to the 36 foot Amitabha Stupa and then, you’ll also discover a smaller Tara Stupa for prayer, meditation, healing, and the experience of peace in a sacred place. We love that the Amitabha Stupa is open every day from dawn until dusk and there’s no charge to experience it. Below are some shots of the grounds and the surrounding natural beauty.
Anthony at the Amitabha Stupa.
From nearly every point in Sedona, you are greeted with the vivacious and ever so energizing red rocks.
There’s the infamous pink jeep tours of course, which we’ve done quite a few times over the years. If you’ve never done it, then it’s a must do, but if you’ve done it once, I’d suggest another tour or perhaps a private tour if your budget allows.
Want to see Sedona from above? Then check out one of the helicopter offerings. We went with Sedona Air Tours several years ago and I have to admit: the views are spectacular.
Also, to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross, you head up Highway 180 roughly 3 or so miles to Chapel Road and follow Chapel Road to your left until you reach the spot – you can’t miss it.
Aside from all things nature and spiritual, there are tons of great shopping – think art, crystals and jewelry for my favorite picks. There are even large displays of crystals in coffee bars around town.
If you want rarer finds and a wider selection, then check out Crystal Gratitude at Creekside Plaza. Here you can also sign up for Reiki sessions, massage treatments and more. They also have a great display of crystal bowls which you can play as well – with permission of course. They offer sound healing sessions and sound baths. They also have Peace Place Gifts along Jordan Road in Sedona as well.
As for food, we didn’t dine out once this trip, largely because of several house party invitations and our busy schedule. A gem from past trips includes our five star experience at Che Ah Chi at the Enchantment Resort, which is set on 70 acres in Sedona Arizona’s Boynton Canyon. Check out our review from several years back. My favorite spot is Dahl & Deluca, where romance meets old world Italian cuisine. We wanted to stop in and say hello to Lisa Dahl (chef and co-owner) who we’ve met a few times over the years and have always felt a great connection.
We also love René Restaurant on 336 Hwy 179 in the upscale Tlaquepaque shopping plaza, which is surrounded by a Mexican courtyard and bubbling fountains. The food and wine pairing is out of this world in this Southwestern Swiss/French blend, open for both lunch and dinner. Read my previous write-up which includes tons of yummy photos.
We DID get to quite a few coffee bars this trip however because we needed a spot with strong wifi to work on a presentation and who doesn’t love coffee, especially in the winter? A few great picks are Theia’s, Synergy (small, but funky with velvet couches and chocolate), Kota’s Coffee House, Creekside Coffee and Bakery which overlooks some of Sedona’s most exciting rock formations, Oak Creek Espresso, Elote Cafe and the Chai Spot. The latter is super funky and located at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village — they also have one in Manhattan. We also sampled some delicious Indian fare from the fojols.com food truck. (below)
Fojols.com Food Truck
We were there to speak at the Ascension Equinox Retreat which was held at Unity Sedona. Bringing together speakers and experiences from both the worlds of science and spirituality, it was an interesting experience for us. We focused on the multidimensionality of who we are as energy beings and how knowing more about non-local awareness and consciousness can bring more joy, peace and serenity into our lives.
Above and below, Renee and Anthony speaking at Ascension Equinox Retreat.
Below, Suzanne Ross, the host and producer of the conference with Jimmy Church, radio show host.
Suzanne Ross and Jimmy Church
Maureen St. Germaine, teacher and author
Alan Steinfeld, author and host of New Realities
Nick Hawk
Speaker Dinner
Speaker Dinner
Above: panel discussion
Outside of Unity, there are countless statues across cultures and belief systems as well as a patio sitting area to relax in between sessions.
Outside Unity Sedona
Renee & Anthony at Unity Sedona
Tanjila, Renee, Peter and Anthony at Unity Sedona.
Event after party, partially under the stars and partially by the fire
We also led a smaller gathering on Friday night at the Sedona Quantum Consciousness Center, organized by our friend Tanjila Islam who is the founder of a new online platform called Soul Search. Soul Search curates those who offer their skills and services around all things consciousness and spiruality, from therapists and masseuses to wellness and Reiki practitioners, channelers, biofield healers and beyond. We have a listing on her platform which you can find here — it’s a great way to let others know about what you’re doing and to connect with others in similar industries.
Let’s not forget that dawn and dusk are magical times in Sedona — the sun is always illuminating the rocks, enhancing their colors so much so that you get glimpses of them in shadows, reflections and even the sky itself. We saw a double rainbow when we were there that we didn’t manage to capture well on my older iPhone but let’s just say it was magical enough for us to pull over and sit with it for a half an hour.
We also did a small event separate from the conference at
Getting There
We have driven to Sedona from the west coast believe it or not (roughly 13-15 hours which you can split up over 2-3 days if you have time) or you can simply grab a shuttle out of LA or SFO. Alaska Air has direct flights from SFO to Phoenix and although we’re relatively new to them, it’s a great way to go. The flight is only around an hour and a half and then you can pick up a rental car at the airport (via shuttle bus) and go exploring from there. And, the views are spectacular. Check out their latest routes. #FlyAlaskaAir
We are looking forward to returning when we have more time to take in some hikes and trails — it’s always such a magical place to be in nature among the powerful vortexes, red rock, canyons and cactus.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
