The Café at MiM (Musical Instrument Museum) ~ Phoenix, Arizona – If you desire a lunch that is a little out of the ordinary, and would like a really cool place to explore afterwords, then we would highly recommend Café at MiM.
Stations feature global cuisine, local and regional dishes, hand-tossed pizzas, grilled specialties, freshly made soups and salads, and delicious desserts. The casual self-serve environment provides a unique museum dining experience, boasting dishes alive with flavor and nutrition.
The video above highlights our Latin American Seafood Cakes. YUM!
Here’s a link to the our feature on the Musical Instrument Museum when we visited them shortly after their fairly recent grand opening.
To further add to the enjoyment of this wonderful lunch, we were also accompanied by Susie Timm, the “Head Cheese” over at Girl Meats Fork.
Stop by her website, and tell her that The Roaming Boomers® sent you.
Boynton Pass Loop Scenic Drive ~ Sedona, Arizona – This scenic drive is a loop that will take you past spectacular views of Boynton Canyon and Dry Creek just northwest of the town of Sedona, Arizona.
The road is mostly paved, but towards the middle section of the loop you will leave pavement for a dirt road that can be bumpy in places.
Assuming you are not reading this during the middle of a summer monsoon, a regular passenger vehicle should be able to easily traverse this loop.
This loop is likely to be easily accomplished in only a few hours.
If you want to extend the enjoyment, check this map for a list of highlighted hiking trails that you could also visit. Furthermore, a simple picnic basket and a bottle of wine might be nice in a quiet tucked-away nook or cranny.
Red Rock Country Ranger Station ~ Coconino National Forest – Sedona, Arizona – If you plan to spend anytime outdoors in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona, which you simply must do, then it is nearly imperative that you stop and visit the Red Rock Country Ranger Station just outside of Sedona, Arizona.
When exploring the beautiful red rock country of Sedona, it is very likely that you will need a Red Rock Pass in your vehicle.
A Red Rock Pass (or America The Beautiful Interagency Pass, Golden Age or Golden Access) is required when recreating on National Forest land in Red Rock Country, a high-impact recreation area. The pass must be displayed in the windshield of the vehicle. Vehicles parked on the National Forest in the red rock area that do not display a valid pass in the windshield are subject to receiving a citation. A pass is not required for incidental stopping to take a photograph or to enjoy a scenic vista (approximately 15 minutes or less).
The Red Rock Pass is $5/daily, $15/weekly, or $20/annually.
Besides being a convenient place to buy your Red Rock Pass as you enter Sedona, you will find the ranger station a treasure trove of information regarding:
Hiking Trails
Scenic Drives
Horseback Riding
Wilderness Areas
Camping
Fishing
Picnicking Spots
Cabin Rentals
Maps & Brochures
Ancient Cultural Sites
This bustling ranger station is brand new and a wonderful place to get all your questions answered about “all things outdoors” in Sedona’s world-famous red rock country.
Occasionally, I’m asked, “Dave, why are you hardly ever in the pictures and/or videos?”
There answer is real simple: There’s only two of us when we travel and I’m the guy behind the cameras. We tried the “quickly run around in front of the camera deal” and frankly it looked sort of dorky.
Therefore, until we can make sense of having another person travel with us to help with the tech stuff, I’ll be behind the camera and let my beautiful wife be our spokesperson.
In the “for what it’s worth department”, I am also the guy behind our online travel magazine, our Twitter account, and our Facebook page.
I snapped this photograph from our iMac this morning just to provide definitive proof.
The Lodge at Sedona ~ Sedona, Arizona – It’s been only in the last few years that I would ever consider staying in a bed & breakfast. In my mind, I just didn’t want to sit in someone’s living room, watching television with them at night, and having breakfast with them in the morning.
I know. I know. That isn’t really the deal with a bed & breakfast, but you know what I mean.
I want my privacy.
A few years back, on a trip to the Olympic National Forest area, there weren’t many lodging choices available. Therefore, we decided to risk one night in a bed & breakfast.
Well, let me just say that my perceptions were horribly wrong. We had all the privacy in the world, and in the morning we had the pleasure of sharing breakfast with travelers from all over the world.
It was a marvelous experience, and now the bed & breakfast experience is a sought out staple in our travel planning.
Just like any other travel lodging, you must be careful and discriminating, but what wonderful experiences we have enjoyed.
One such marvelous bed & breakfast experience was our recent stay at the award-winning Lodge at Sedona.
The Lodge at Sedona was originally the home and office to one of Sedona’s first doctors, his wife, and their twelve children. In later years, the home was sold and became a church/parsonage and in 1993 this beautiful property became one of Sedona’s finest Bed & Breakfast Inns and welcomed their very first guests.
In 2001, experienced Bed & Breakfast owners, Ron and Shelley Wachal, purchased the Lodge at Sedona and have transformed it into the beautiful property it is today.
“We hope the revitalized personality of The Lodge evokes a unique luxury accommodation experience. Through its powerful Mission Style and Arts & Crafts motif decor, luxury in-suite amenities, gourmet food and beverages and memorable service by friendly and knowledgeable staff, we do our very best to ensure that your stay with us will be an “unforgettable experience.” ~ Owners – Ron & Shelley Wachal
Our Favorite Memories and Impressions
We really enjoyed the Mission Style/Arts & Crafts motif decor. Tasteful and comfortable.
Our Mission Grande luxury King guest suite featured a private entrance & parking, a massive Arizona Red Rock stone & slate fireplace w/ a stereo flat screen TV, a mission-style King bed, two leather Morris chairs (very comfy), a large and luxurious slate-floored private bathroom w/ twin sinks, a jetted tub & shower, and two secluded decks with Red Rock and mesa views. Spectacular!
The staff was very friendly and worked hard to assure our stay was memorable.
The cuisine at the lodge was divine! Delicious desserts each afternoon, scrumptious sunset Hors D’oeuvres each day, and a gourmet breakfast that was out of this world.
Wonderful conversations with guests from all over the world at breakfast each morning.
We greatly enjoyed our four nights at The Lodge at Sedona and are very confident in recommending this marvelous, award-winning lodge to you, your family, and friends.
Disclosure: Our wonderful memory was provided by the kind folks at The Lodge at Sedona and was part of our Perfect Pairings Gourmet Getaway media tour. Thank you very, very much!
The Roaming Boomers
