Diamond Resorts The Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort

Diamond Resorts The Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort is in an amazing location in the Sedona region. The scenery here is priceless, and I am happy to be going back to the area.

Ready for some fun in the sun?

Then follow me to Sedona, Arizona. On this trip to Sedona. This place is a paradise for all kinds of tourists, from nature lovers to history buffs. Here, you can enjoy a variety of activities like hiking, biking, rock climbing, and more. But be sure to save some time for relaxation – Sedona is the perfect place to take a break and relax in the peace and beauty of the natural surroundings. Have a wonderful time in this amazing southwestern city! 

Video by Through My Lens

 My journey today, like most to this part of the country, starts with a flight. Actually, with the flight, there are typically two stops or at least one when traveling from the East Coast to the South West. Depending on the layovers, your travel could be 5 hours or nearly double that time.

When planning a trip to Sedona, it’s important to take into account the weather. The red rocks can be a beautiful sight no matter the weather, but the landscape can be drastically different during the summer months. Make reservations at restaurants and lodging ahead of time to avoid disappointment. Pack accordingly, and be sure to take plenty of water, sunscreen, hats, and snacks. In addition, Sedona is a great place for hiking, biking, and wine tasting. Be sure to schedule some time for yourself, so you can truly enjoy the beauty of this special place. Finally, don’t forget to plan your trip well in order for it to be a success. This will ensure that you don’t miss any of the beautiful scenery that Sedona has to offer.

This resort is one of many from Diamond Resorts available in the area, and I have shared my experience at many of these resorts in the last few weeks.

My room at the resort was a 1 bedroom, but they also have 2 bedroom villas and 2 bedroom lockouts if you prefer that option for your stay. The 1 bedroom was 800 sq ft in size, so generous for a 1 bedroom for certain. The 2-bedroom villas are 1270 sq ft or more in size.

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

Really liked this property. We stayed in a second-floor studio suite. It was spacious, and clean, and I really liked the balcony. Had no idea this was a timeshare until I read the negative reviews. The staff was wonderful when we checked in. Wish I remembered her name, but she was blonde and her badge said “night auditor” I think. I’d definitely stay again if I ever find myself back in the area.

Great resort for vacation even if you’re not a golfer. The rooms and apartments are very spacious, the full kitchen, laundry, terraces, and big bathrooms make you feel totally at home. The different pool areas with jacuzzis are spectacular. Landscaping all around the buildings is so beautiful. Plenty of parking spaces. Shops and restaurants are just a few minutes waking distances.

I really enjoyed this property and the amenities. We were able to have a kitchen to cook our own meals, and the use of the clean grills was amazing. The room itself needed some upkeep and it was a bit far out of town. But, for the price, I would recommend them and I would stay there again.

This resort is like a home away from home. All amenities included. Hot tub. Fitness room. Laundry room. Kitchenette for families. It’s at a convenient spot in Oak Creek Village and on the outskirts of downtown Sedona. Room service is available. The staff is very professional, fast to help with any problem, and super kind. I would definitely come back again in the near future.

Very nice room with a little kitchen and a couch and a very nice shower in a spacious room. The bed was comfy. Our one complaint was the lack of parking near our room. It was very cold and windy and we had to park in a lot across the road and haul our stuff over

Very nice accommodations, full kitchen including blender, cookware, utensils, dishes full-size fridge with ice maker in the freezer and apt sized stackable washer & dryer in unit! Huge bathtub (no jacuzzi jets though). Everything you would need for a comfortable extended stay. Great views and helpful, friendly staff. I WILL STAY THERE EVERY TIME I VISIT SEDONA.

Day Two Visiting Tlaquepaque

There is an interesting backstory for the first place I am visiting on my trip. Tlaquepaque village is an artist town that feels like a converted commune of sorts. Just the size and scale are much larger than that image would conjure up.

So back in the 1970s, just south of Highway 89 A at the bridge crossing over Oak Creek, there was a nursery that was home to a distinctive sycamore grove on several acres of land owned by Harry and Ruby Girard. Abe Miller, a successful Nevada businessman and real estate developer had a vision of building an arts village reflecting the charm and mood of Old Mexico. After two years of quiet persuasion, he acquired the property from the Girards with the assurance that the beloved sycamores would remain untouched and healthy.

And so they remain. And it was really cool what they did with the Sycamores. I mean, this is, you know, 50 years ago now that they built this place, and they built the buildings around the existing sycamores. There are sycamores resting on the tops of buildings coming through walls. So I would say if you’re going to visit Tlaquepaque village, you should jump on to the website and read more of the history because it really is fascinating.

It talks about where they got the design of the artisans that they use and is just so impressive about Tlaquepaque village. Visiting the site myself, I am struck by how it all flows together and the shops and businesses all support each other. On-site, there are many art galleries, shops, and even places to eat.

I chose El Rincon, a Mexican restaurant for my lunch and was happy I did. The menu items seemed a little pricy but the food quality was excellent so that made things sit well. Well, that and the margaritas were priced very reasonably. If I was not driving, I would have just kept up the margaritas and forgotten about the pricing.

After a few hours of looking in the shops, eating lunch, and more looking. I purchased a few things and inquired about getting them shipped home. That is always a next-level move when you are traveling and have flown somewhere.

Day Three Hiking

Now Sedona may be the hiking capital of the world. Talk about hiking heaven. It’s hiking everywhere. Everywhere you go there, hiking.

So all trails list 500 different hikes in the Sedona area. 500. I am not a huge hiker but I am still working off my COVID weight gain from being on lockdown way too long. I also just want to get healthy again. It has been a long time since my fighting weight was a real thing.

So, while not all in by any means, I am trying to push myself to be more active and hike and walk more. I am also playing more golf for exercise as well. I could not get a decent tee time as a walk-on to a foursome for today last minute, so I chose a hike instead.

All the hikes that I did are in the Red Rock Secret Wilderness of the Coconino National Forest. It’s amazing that this place is not a national park or national monument. It should be because it’s as beautiful as any of the national parks that I have been to.

There’s paved parking. Excellent signage. And restrooms about all the trailheads that we visited.

And so to park at any of the trailheads, you’re going to need either a Red Rock Pass or a National Interagency Pass, but a Red Rock Pass is pretty easy to get. It’s available, I think, at almost all the parking lot trailheads. There’s a vending machine there. It’s $5 a day, $15 a week, or $20 for an annual Red Rock Pass. And buy the pass, because they do patrol, and if you don’t have the pass, you’re going to get you’re going to be hit with a serious fine. I may come back to this area again this year since I am checking out many resorts in this part of the Southwest. So, I purchased the annual Red Rock Pass.

It’s best to hit all of these trails early in the morning. I don’t know what it’s like in the wintertime, but we were there in early May and it gets hot really quickly there in the desert. So get out as early as possible to beat the heat and beat the crowds. The same is true for really anything you are doing outdoors in the area.

And as always, when hiking in the desert, bring plenty of water. Just about any hike should include at least half a gallon of water.

If you want to enjoy some of the best hiking locations in the USA, then certainly travel booking through Tzort and enjoy one of the 500 trails in this area.