Two weeks ago, my family and I took another road trip with our (now) 9 month old! Last time we took a long trip, Jack was about 4 months old. I wasn’t sure how he was going to be this time now that he is older, but he did so well! He slept majority of the time and as long as he was fed and changed, he was pretty content. At the end of this post, I will include what we brought for Jack and items that made the trip a lot easier š
My dad’s wife, Catherine, turned 60 and her daughters planned a surprise birthday trip for her in Sante Fe. This was the main reason of our whole trip and since we decided to drive anyways (still not too comfortable flying with everything going on/taking Jack/etc.), we decided to stop at a few other spots on our drive! My brother’s family drove in from Denver, so they finally were able to meet Jack and we were able to finally meet our new niece, Lily! It was such a special and memorable trip.
SANTE FE
With Sante Fe being our first stop, I wanted to share where we stayed and the restaurants/sites we visited in the area. It was my first time visiting and if you have ever thought about going, GO! It is such a fun city with so much to do.
We stayed at the Loretto Inn & Spa and it was honestly one of my favorite hotels I have ever stayed at. Not only is it gorgeous, but the staff could not have been more accommodating and the Luminaria restaurant inside is amazing. The rooms were beautiful and there are tons of shops inside, leading to the Loretto Chapel next door. If we ever go back to Sante Fe, I will 100% be staying here again. Below are pictures from one of their suites + lobby area.
The food in Sante Fe is amazing and every restaurant we went to was a 10/10 – John and I went to Cake’s Corner Cafe for coffee every morning (right across from our hotel). There are tons of cafes and restaurants walking distance as well. My two favorites I have listed below and I recommend booking a reservation ahead of time for both-
Palomas – Mexican-inspired kitchen + bar
Ten Thousand Waves – Izanami restaurant (upscale Japanese)- Ten thousand waves has food, lodging + a spa area. We were unable to visit the spa but I have heard amazing things! We ate at Izanami and the food was truly the best Japanese I have ever had. I am still dreaming of their Salmon coconut curry!
As far as shopping, Canyon Road and The Plaza are walking distance, along with other shops, art galleries + street vendors. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis and Loretto Chapel were also within minutes of our hotel.
SEDONA
Sedona was our second stop, and although we didn’t spend nearly as much time as I would’ve liked, we were still able to see and do quite a bit. Most of the restaurants were already booked or full by the time I called to make a reservation, so I recommend doing so weeks in advance.
We stayed at the Arabella Hotel Sedona – It was a nice hotel within walking distance of the trail we hiked, but I would probably rate it a 7/10 or so as far as the hotel itself and location. We only stayed in Sedona one night so it was just fine but if you plan on staying in the area any longer than that, I would recommend staying closer to the shopping and restaurants. As far as shopping, the Tlaquepaque shopping village was recommended and there are tons of shops across from there as well.
Below are the restaurants we visited during our stay – loved them all!
Creekside Coffee + Bakery – spacious coffee shop + a large outdoor patio – their lavender vanilla latte was a 10/10
Wildflower Bread Co. – came here for lunch after a morning hike. Reminded me of a Panera Bread, but in my opinion, even better! Casual but SO good + views of the Red Rocks
The Hudson – American restaurant with amazing views of the Red Rocks
El Rincon – Mexican restaurant – small inside with an outdoor patio – great margaritas made in house
Other popular restaurants in the area:
Elote Cafe
Mariposa
Sedona Beer Company
Indian Garden Cafe
As far as hiking, we chose a shorter 2 mile hike since Jack was with us and we were a little limited on time. We hiked the Margs Draw Trail and I would recommend it, with or without a baby! Would be a nice and short morning hike and could always do some of the longer ones in the afternoon. Below I have listed more hikes so many of you recommended!
Devil’s Bridge
Cathedral Rock
Airport Mesa Trail
Sedona View Trail
Bell Rock Hike
The last few days of our trip were spent in Phoenix, Arizona visiting John’s grandparents. It was so special to be able to spend time with them and see aunts, uncles and cousins. We’re so grateful for this time we had to share with so many family members at each stopping point. There truly is nothing better than the time spent with the ones you love most, and this trip will definitely be one to remember.
4 generations š
For tips + products to bring while traveling with a baby, visit my Traveling with a Baby blog post. We brought majority of the same items on this trip and would recommend bringing the few items listed below as well. Press the arrow on either side to view more items.
