Sedona, Arizona

As we drove from Jerome to Sedona, I used my dog-friendly guidebook to find some possible places for us to stay. The roads were windy and the cell phone connection was bad, so when I phoned the Quail Ridge Resort and they said they would take us, I quickly reserved a room. We lucked out! Not only was the place dog-friendly, but the lady at the front desk fell in love with Segui as he energetically ran around the office and jumped up again and again to peer over the front desk at her and beg for treats. She laughed every time he jumped up and then said that because we had such a great dog, Segui could stay for free (no pet cleaning fee!) and we could stay in one of their private chalets for the same price. "You guys are nice too," she said, "but it's your dog that's earned you the free upgrade!" Note to self: If telling people we're on a honeymoon doesn't win us some favor, bring out the pup.


Our little "resort" provided us with two nights of a cute cabin, quiet surroundings, and great views of nearby red rock hillsides. I also got to take a hot tub two nights in a row, looking up at the starry night sky and watching bats dive for bugs in the nearby swimming pool. During the day, Andrew, Segui and I visited the famous Sedona Chapel that was built amidst the red rocks, hiked through the Boynton Canyon area to experience one of Sedona's four main "vortexes," and went for a hike (and for Segui, also a swim) in the Oak Creek area.