Grand Canyon Centennial Year

2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon National Park. One hundred years ago, this February, the Grand Canyon received National Park status, twenty-six years after being afforded federal protection. Today 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon each year. Sizeably speaking, the canyon is not the largest in the world but is proudly about 1 mile deep and 18 miles wide. It is understandably one of the seven wonders of the world and an item on many bucket lists. The Grand Canyon and Sedona are both iconic natural destinations, so it makes sense to visit both in one luxurious Arizona escape.

While the actual creation of the Grand Canyon took a lot longer, L’Auberge de Sedona is only a two-hour drive from the park and it is every bit worth the day trip. Download a podcast or two for the drive, or allow us to arrange transportation for you. You will be delighted with picturesque views as you drive through Oak Creek Canyon, Flagstaff, and finally to the Grand Canyon entrance.

A few of our Favorite Tips

• Take the time to truly experience the Grand Canyon. While its beauty can be viewed from the top just beyond the parking lot, the magnitude can only be experienced by spending time and a little energy. If hiking isn’t your idea of fun, there are tours that can be taken to give you a better understanding of the history and take you to superior vantage points for views and historical buildings. If you do enjoy a good hike, the team at The Hike House can point you in the right direction to experience the best spots.
• Hug a tree and ask an expert. There is so much history to learn and it doesn’t have to feel like school. See tip #1 and take a tour or do your research on the history of the land and people, but also the special species of animals and plants that only live in the giant hole we lovingly call the Grand Canyon. For example, there are 60 species of birds that are native to the canyon.
• Keep your wits about you. While so much work has been done in its 100-year history of being part of the National Parks, the Grand Canyon is still a vast area that can present some danger if you aren’t careful. Also, be sure to dress accordingly as the weather at the top (South Rim) is quite different than the weather at the bottom (Phantom Ranch) and is usually 20 degrees warmer at the bottom. In the summer, Phantom Ranch will exceed 100 degrees.
• Take and post photos, the Grand Canyon will create an amazing backdrop and could win you an awesome prize. Tag your photos with #FindYourPark and submit to the National Parks for a chance to win. Take our word for it and check out the other photos at #findyourpark and you will be lost in inspiring and stunning photography.

L’Auberge de Sedona Celebrates the Grand Canyon

Guest Room Package with Aeriel Tour

In celebration of this momentous year, L’Auberge de Sedona has created a Grand Canyon Centennial Celebration package in partnership with Westwind Air Services. Our signature Grand Canyon package has been pieced together with elements that will create lasting memories, without compromising luxury. As a guest of L’Auberge, you will relax in a gorgeously-appointed cottage and will have access to world-class cuisine and award-winning spa services…while being surrounded by nature on the banks of Oak Creek. You will also experience an unforgettable, aerial adventure to the Grand Canyon, followed by a professionally guided ground tour courtesy of renowned Pink Adventure Tours.

• 3-Night Stay
• Westwind Signature Grand Canyon Tour with Pink Adventure Tours
• 2-Healthy Hiker Backpacks
• 2-Packed Picnic Lunches
• $300 Cress Dinner Credit
• $300 L’Apothecary Spa Credit
• Chef’s Signature Welcome Amenity

Cocktails to Toast to 100 Years

Chef Franck Desplechin and the bartending team at Etch Kitchen & Bar were inspired by the beauty of the Grand Canyon and have created cocktails that will be available for the first few months of 2019.

• Grand Canyon Sunrise: Pomegranate Liquor, Vanilla Vodka, Chortuse, Pineapple Juice
• Red Rock Rye: Templeton Rye, Cocci Vermouth, Chocolate Bitters, Benedict Brandi

A Spa Recipe with a Nod to Geology

The creative minds at L’Apothecary spa have crafted a Grand Canyon recipe for guests to create either a soak or scrub. The Grand Canyon Centennial blend recipe was created in honor of the 2019 centennial celebration of the Grand Canyon. The variety of herbs for this custom blend have been chosen as they are native to the Grand Canyon, while the presentation is layered to represent the beauty of the canyon walls. As a guest of L’Apothecary Spa, you may blend these herbs of the Grand Canyon to create your own body scrub or bath soak. The first herb layer is chaparral, which is the leaves from the creosote bush, that grow along the Colorado River level of the Grand Canyon. The next layer showcases the woodland layer, where the juniper tree grows and its berries cover the forest floor. Lastly, desert marigolds grow in the ponderosa pine forest at the highest elevations of the canyon. Guests will grind these herbs in the mortar and pestle and add a base of mineral salt for a bath soak or turbinado sugar for a body scrub. This celebratory blend is available from January through the end of March as an affirmation to the wonder and magnitude of the Grand Canyon.

Whether it’s your first visit to the Grand Canyon or your third, there is always more to explore. Make this visit to Sedona a way to see two amazing natural wonders of Arizona.

*Grand Canyon Photography by Mike Koopsen