My Lasting Love Affair with Sedona

Sedona is unlike any place you’ve ever been. The soaring red sandstone, perfect blue skies, and outdoor, healthy vibe draw you in inspires the moment you arrive. Panoramic vistas are everywhere – stunning, magnificent, even breathtaking at every turn – each more beautiful than the next. That was my second reaction when I visited Sedona for the first time in the mid 80s. My first reaction? Reminding myself to breathe and to blink…. I was captivated the moment I set eyes on Arizona. It was love at first sight and has lasted a life time.

My Mom introduced me to Arizona when she and my sister up and moved west after living their entire lives in New England. As my Mom said, it was an innate, insistent calling that caused her to go west to Arizona, and, it must be hereditary because one of my sisters and one of my brothers went along with her. I was mad as hell when they up and left the Ocean State – the idea of swamp Yankees surviving in cowboy territory unnerved me to no end. …. until, well until, I went to visit….and oh my!

My mom, the original Tomgirl! (below, with my niece, Brandi)

From exploring the mining caves and the Mining Camp restaurant with my sister and family, to horseback riding at the Grand Canyon, to late nights at the cowboy clubs, it was a virtual haven for a tomgirl. Not to mention the spiritual bent… all those hours of meditation within and around the vortex area under a star filled night sky will make you… well… ponder.

My sister, Donna, and I

Twenty years later, I created yet another reason to head back to Sedona every year: The Red Rock Rendezvous in Sedona, one of Tomgirl Tours’ feature adventure tours. This trip (clearly!) holds special meaning for me, and I love watching our guests as they experience the spectacular and pristine red rock country in the high desert of Sedona, Ariz… exploring the spectacular Grand Canyon on a day trip hike below the rim, experiencing a rugged Pink Jeep tour through Broken Arrow and Ancient Ruins, and marveling at the view during a sunrise hot air balloon ride high above the pines and soaring red sandstone. It’s the desert adventure trip of a lifetime, and sharing it with Tomgirl travelers is one of the greatest pleasures of my lifetime!

Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: January 5, 2010

With so many fabulous resources, it is tough sometimes to figure out Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week. (luckily, however, there are 52 weeks in the year!). Here are our favorite people, companies and media this week… what are yours?

In the News

We are all about the outdoors, adventure, health and travel… so we’re pretty smitten with Outside magazine. A magazine packed with ideas and reviews of outdoor activities, insight on the best gear, and general health tips. A must-read for fresh-air-loving Tomgirls!

For travel industry insiders, Packaged Travel Insider is a B2B bible. No surprise, with editor Matt Poe keeping the pulse of the industry. An early believer in Tomgirl Tours, Poe and Packaged Travel Insider will long be among our favorites.

People and Places

While in Arizona, Pink Jeep tours are one of our favorite excursions… so much so that they are an integral part of Tomgirl’s Red Rock Rendezvous tours. While we already adore the concept that blends rugged dessert exploration with our own signature color (pink!), we’re now loving their new addition: the Pink Java Café, serving pink donuts!

We met Santa Fe Traveler’s Billie Frank via social networking last year. Like Tomgirl, Santa Fe Traveler has a unique and upscale niche in the travel world: a boutique personal concierge service to create the perfect Santa Fe experience for travelers. While we reside on opposite ends of the country and have never met, we have become Twitter friends (twends?) and highly recommend this expert for those traveling to Santa Fe.

From Tomgirl Tours

Our next tour up is a perennial favorite for travelers: Tomgirl’s White Mountains Adventure… this all-inclusive trip to New Hampshire is a 2-day extravaganza of adventure (zip lining and indoor sky-diving!), balanced by relaxation and fun at a gorgeous local hotel. You can see more here on this blog, from our last White Mountains Adventure, if you missed it. There are still a few openings on this tour (March 14 and 15), so call today to join us!