Arizona Road Trip

By: The Food Hunter

When you live in Phoenix and have out of town guests, you know at some point you are destined to make the obligatory trip to Sedona. Now don't take that the wrong way, I love Sedona and I love showing it off to visitors. Where else can you get beautiful photos like this?!?



This time around we decided to add a stop over in Jerome. For those that don't know both Jerome and Sedona are located in Northern Arizona. Sedona's main attraction (as you can see from the photos) is its array of red sandstone formations which are a popular backdrop for outdoor activities. Jerome, an old Arizona mining town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County, was once the fifth largest city in Arizona which has since become known as a ghost town.



Though you can reach both Jerome & Sedona through Interstate 17 I highly suggest you make your way to state route 89A through Prescott where you will meander up and then down Mingus mountain. You can expect a 2-2.5 hour drive time, depending on where you start from in Phoenix, filled with amazing views and winding roads.



Be sure to stop for a photo op!



Wine tasting and haunted ghost tours are two popular things to do in Jerome. Visitors can also explore the Jerome Mine Museum, The Grand Hotel and the infamous Liberty Theater, which opened in 1918 and is one of Arizona’s finest historic landmarks.



Though there are several restaurants in Jerome, though my suggestion would be to grab a snack and hold off on lunch until you get to Sedona. Once in Sedona a fun spot for lunch or dinner is SaltRock Kitchen at the Amara Resort.



On the menu is a selection of delicious appetizers like the duck confit tacos,



tangy gazpacho soup



and the most amazing roasted mini bell peppers served with chipotle aioli.



You can enjoy a juicy burger and rosemary fries



or a delicious egg salad sandwich with green peas and lemon aoili on a croissant.



And don't forget to save room for dessert! May I suggest the S'mondae: a bowl of vanilla ice cream mixed with Mexican chocolate syrup, marshmallow and graham cookie all topped with spiced coffee.



Not ready to head back to the heat of Phoenix, enjoy your time around Sedona browsing in the various gift shops, or strolling through the town.



When you are ready to head back to the Phoenix area hop on Interstate 17 and you will be back in the Valley in under two hours.