An Enticing Journey into Arizona’s Most Tranquil Places

I recently returned from a trip to Arizona. Most tourists won’t dare visit the state during the summer months, but it is my favorite time of year to visit Arizona. Even with daily average temperatures sweltering near 109 degrees, I barely broke a sweat during my recent trip. We have all been told that Arizona is a dry heat, so as long as you have sunscreen, a hat, and some water you will fair just fine on a typical Arizona summer day. The best part of visiting Arizona in the summer is that it is monsoon season, which means that usually around midday dark clouds will appear overhead seemingly out of nowhere followed by sudden rain. The rain tends to pass quickly, and everything seems to dry even quicker as the sun returns almost instantaneously, creating beautiful rainbows across the already jaw-dropping landscape.

I spent my first day visiting the Grand Canyon where I found multitudes of inspiration as each cliff-side view offered beautiful sights into the soul of Mother Nature. That evening, I spent the night in Sedona watching the sunset at the gorgeous Kimpton Amara Resort and Spa. The resort is stunning and offers views and a pool that overlook the alluring and surreal Sedona landscape, which consists of dreamlike rock formations and canyons; this makes the Kimpton Amara Resort feel like a paradise.

I had dinner at the SaltRock Southwest Kitchen, a casual and bright restaurant located inside the resort. This restaurant provides an authentic taste of Sedona, which is a combination of California cuisine with traditional Southwest flare and local Verde Valley ingredients. Imaginative dishes like seafood aguachile, grilled baby octopus, and trust-us-it’s-amazing aerated beer cheese are just some of the enticing items you will find on their menu.

At the Kimpton Amara Resort and Spa, you can spend your time swimming in the infinity pool, playing corn hole, or walking to nearby shops and boutiques. Kimpton’s mountain bikes are free for all guests, and the resort offers complimentary transportation within a one-mile radius in case you would like to venture a little further out. Soothing spa treatments at Kimpton’s award-winning on-property Amara Spa offer a variety of treatment options catering to your every need.

In the morning, I decided to head upward into the Black Hills of Yavapai County. Nestled approximately 5,000 feet above sea level is a hauntingly beautiful little town called Jerome. I had read previously about Jerome and its touristy and ghostly attractions, but I was surprised by just how much the town has grown. In my travels through these smaller towns in Arizona, I have noticed a growing number of younger people, most appearing to be artists, moving into these once abandoned places, and Jerome was no exception. As a result, small boutiques, trendy coffee bistros, and art galleries have proliferated downtown Jerome, which overlooks a breathtaking view of the Black Hills Mountains. The emergence of the younger demographic in Jerome seems to have pumped new life into the town, making it even more of a joy to visit.

On my last day, I decided to drive towards Bisbee, a small town near the U.S.-Mexico border. Bisbee is another old, defunct mining town, similar to Jerome, but it has far more charm in its own right. The drive offered breathtaking views even while I was briefly stuck in a sand storm. Once in Bisbee, I spent my night at one of the most unique lodging spots I have ever seen. It was a tiny place called The Shady Dell, which offers a very unusual lodging experience. You can choose to spend the night in a beautifully restored 1950’s travel trailer or in a 1947 Chris Craft yacht. From the textiles, bedding, glasses, dishes, record player, and old tube television set, everything inside these magnificent trailers is authentic. You make your morning coffee using a percolator, and the best part is there is no wi-fi—after all, it’s the 1950s here.

Spending a night at the Shady Dell was truly a memorable experience. In the evening, you can enjoy watching a black-and-white movie classic outside at the resort’s drive-in or grab a bite to eat in the diner also located on the property. Also, each trailer is equipped with a generous amount of old albums. I fell asleep that night listening to the hypnotic sounds of vinyl scratching and rotating while projecting the haunting music of Martin Denny and other artists from the 1950s.

It is the smaller towns like Jerome and Bisbee that make Arizona unique and a joy to visit. My recent journey to Arizona was more like a time-travel adventure back into America’s yesteryear, and it left me longing for more.

You can see more of the Shady Dell on my Facebook Live video below and scroll down to see more