A Perfect Day in Sedona

This post is sponsored by the makers of 5-Hour ENERGY® shots for the Power Up Your Summer! sweepstakes.

I visit Sedona at least once or twice a year for photography work or to get away. Sedona is a spot Benjamin and I love since we got married there! It’s such a gorgeous spot and I always remember the first time I visited Sedona. I drove up for a small acting gig and when I saw the red rocks from afar, I was immediately captivated by a view I had never seen elsewhere. Since then, Sedona has always amazed me with its beauty no matter how many times I go, to escape the city, or bring friends who have never been.

I am excited to take you through our perfect day in Sedona to encourage you to enter to win 1 of 5 adventure trips from by 5-hour ENERGY® shots to your choice of Sedona, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or Orlando for 5 days. You can enter up to 50 times!

We drove up to Sedona which is 2 hours north of Phoenix.

We knew we had a long day ahead and it started quite early so we each had a shot of 5-hour™ TEA which is my favorite and I always have one in my bag and one in my desk drawer! It really is not only energizing but delicious. I gave one to our driver Michael before we hit the road for our jeep tour and he said, “It does taste like peach!” (I gave him the Peach Tea flavor).

I have been on five jeep tours in Sedona. There are so many different routes – bumpy up to the top for a spectacular view or a smooth road for equally gorgeous views, it just depends what you prefer.

We wanted epic views and decided to head to the top so it was quite adventurous. I joked it was like a rodeo, I just relaxed my body and it made it easier as we made our way up the red rocks.

I’ve photographed Sedona many times for Phoenix magazine (the cover I shot years ago was at Enchantment Resort). Another year Benjamin and I hiked a vortex and he was my model about the best hiking spots. I’ve hiked to the top of Airport Vortex in heeled booties just to get an epic yoga shot at the top. Sedona is such a fun spot for unique images.

The temps that morning was 70 and the high was 83. With the breeze it was just wonderful, 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix!

These views, right? So worth the bump terrain, which is also quite fun. Thank you Michael of Safari Jeep Tours who went above and beyond. I have always been happy with my experience with the company.

After the two and a half hour Jeep tour, we worked up an appetite and headed to one of my favorite restaurants, Mariposa. I photographed the famous and talented Sedona-based chef, Lisa Dahl years ago. I photographed her when this restaurant just opened and had hoped to return to eat, and returned years later to enjoy it.

Benjamin mentioned seeing it from the road and wanting to eat there – when I told him that was where I planned on taking him he was so thrilled. Also to mention, Mariposa has epic Sedona views from the patio and inside, it’s a must-go for the views and the food! Look at this –

True story – we thought we’d need a nap after the Jeep Tour. We looked at each other and realized we weren’t tired at all!

One of my other favorite spots is where Benjamin and I got married – L’auberge de Sedona. They have cabins right along the creek and the grounds are gorgeous.

I had a second 5-hour™ TEA shot for a little pick me up. You can always drink half a bottle to start, which is what I did, just space it a few hours apart. Each shot is packed with vitamins, nutrients and about as much caffeine as a cup of the leading premium coffee. It contains zero sugar and four calories.

We walked around L’Auberge a few minutes before dinner to revisit where we got married on the lawn on December 3. We are coming up on 8 years I cannot believe it, it has gone by so quickly!

Crazy story – as the hostess sat us at Cress at Oak Creek at L’Auberge, the hostess asked what we were visiting for and I told her I was working with 5-hour ENERGY ® shots and she said, “I have one in my purse right now!” and then I raved about the 5-hour™ TEA shots and she said, “I have the Lemonade Tea flavor!” Is that a testimony that it’s an energy shot that works or what?

Dinner was amazing – Cress serves French-style 3 and 4-course meals. I had duck rolls as an appetizer and lamb for my main, of course, two of my favorite meats. The food was beautifully presented, I would have taken a photo of it but it was dark by the time we started to eat but trust me when I say it was romantic, and incredibly delicious.

Now make sure you enter to win 1 of 5 adventure trips sponsored by the makers of 5-hour ENERGY® shots to your choice of Sedona, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or Orlando for a 5 day, four night trip. How’s that for a great summer? If you win, I sure hope I convinced you to pick Sedona.

How to enter: Purchase any 5-hour ENERGY^® shot or 5-hour™ TEA shot between 3/25/19 and 7/15/19, Highlight, circle, or underline the purchase on your receipt and take a photo of it text the code “5HEWIN” to 467467. You will receive a reply with a link to fill out the sweepstakes entry form and upload your receipt. You can also upload it to www.5hewin.com. Winner will be selected by a random drawing on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. See more details here, there is also a mail-in option.

MESSAGE & DATA RATES MAY APPLY.

NO PURCHASEOR PAYMENTNECESSARYTO ENTER OR WIN.Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. / D.C., age18+. Void outside the 50 U.S./D.C. and where prohibited. Sweepstakesstarts at 12:00:01 AM EDT on 3/25/19; ends at 11:59:59 PM EDT on7/15/19.To enter without purchase, mail a postcard including your full name, complete address, email address and phone number to: The 5-hour ENERGY® Sweepstakes, 625 Panorama Trail, Suite 2100, Rochester, NY 14625. Total maximum ARV of all prizes: $39,500. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. For full Official Rules, visit www.5hewin.com. Sponsor:Living Essentials, LLC, 38955 Hills Tech Drive Farmington Hills, MI 48331.

I hope you can win a trip to Sedona to experience an adventure of your own!