We Need a Break!
We desperately needed a Break from RV Life! We had the perfect storm of cabin fever, bad weather, and youtube-overwhelm. Additionally we were revisiting the remorse of our RV Buying Mistakes after going on the RV Radio Show USA and admitting to the world that we were complete idiots. Finally our 3 week stay in Arizona, 30 minutes away from Sedona, (a location on John’s bucket list) was about to come to an end and we hadn’t explored the area yet.
So we took a break and went to Sedona and took a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad in Verde Valley. But unlike other travel vlogs, we wanted to share tips and tricks for traveling in Sedona AZ and Verde Valley!
And if we haven’t already met: Hi! We’re the RV Odd Couple. We sold our house & most all possessions to hit the road and live in an RV full-time with our toddler and dog. For your convenience, there may be affiliate relationships in this post. This means if you purchase and use our links, it will not cost you a penny more, but we will earn a small commission. These help us offset the costs of the blog and creating the video.
Sedona AZ: Tips, Tricks, & one Warning
If you are in the area, make sure you check out Sedona! We’ve included a link to the Sedona Visitor Center here.
We would recommend you have your camera ready. It is so beautiful, you will want to take pictures of everything to remember it! Even on the drive up, we found ourselves taking shots of the view!
We would also recommend that you bring comfortable shoes. It is so much fun to walk and visit the shops. We did have to pay for parking, but it was affordable and we paid with an app.
But be warned! You will want to buy rocks! The shops are full of precious stones and crystals. It was so tempting! But living in an RV, weight is a major issue! It is not wise to purchase have rocks and add that weight to the RV. So next time, I’ll make sure I can carry rocks, because I want to buy them all! 🙂
Verde Canyon Railroad- A must see!
John researched activities in the area and said, “We can go on a helicopter, go on a Jeep tour, or ride a train.” And being the “play it safe” type that I am, I said, “So we’re going on a train?” I’m sure he would have preferred to go on a helicopter, so I appreciate his asking!
But having never been on a train before I can tell you it was a delightful experience! We splurged on “first-class” tickets, and for only $30 more, it was very worth it. The seats were nice and spacious and they had appetizers. This was a 4 hour excursion. Comfort matters. So our first trip is to go 1st class!
Again, you will want to have your camera ready. But if you miss a shot don’t worry. The ride goes in one direction and then back the same way, so you have a 2nd opportunity to get the perfect shot. And despite going through the same area twice, there is so much beauty in Verde Valley, that the scenery, wildlife, and vegetation will keep your head on a constant swivel! Everywhere you look, its gorgeous!
If you want to check it out, you can find out more information on the Verde Canyon Railroad here! The staff was incredible. We highly recommend checking them out. Full disclosure, this is NOT a paid endorsement. We just want to share the experience. It is well worth it!
At the very end of the excursion, the attendant said something quite profound. She said, “We hope you had a great time. And if you didn’t, It’s your own fault!” Her wise words hit home! This trip was exactly what we needed!
Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort: an Encore Resort
One of the reasons we were able to stay here is thanks to our Thousand Trails Membership and the “Trails Collection” Add-On. We stayed in Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort for 3 weeks. We only paid $111 for our stay due to a $5/day fee for 50AMP. Which considering that it snowed while we where there, we would gladly pay twice that to stay warm! This RV Resort was located at 6400 E Thousand Trails Rd, Cottonwood, AZ 86326.
We were surrounded by beauty. We had Red Rocks to the north, Mingus Mountains to the west, the Hackberry Mountains to the south. The location was both remote, but also close to shopping.
If you are interested in a membership, Contact Jim and Brandy Reneau by phone on 770-622-4188 or email them at brandy_reneau@equitylifestyle.com and mention RVOdd Couple – they will get you the best price available. And for a used membership Check out Kimberly & Chad at 1-800-272-0401 or email them at kimberly@membershipoutlet.com! Please tell them that RV Odd Couple sent you.
If you are a full-time RVer, a Thousand Trails membership with the “Trails Collection” add-on is a great idea!
Why are we sharing about Sedona Arizona & Verde Valley Railroad?
When we decided to take this huge leap of faith and RV full-time with our family, so many people offered us help. We are sharing about this trip and other RVing essentials to help others considering the full-time rving lifestyle.
If you are in the area, make sure you visit these destinations. We hope they bring you the same joy that they have brought us!
We’d like to pay it forward. We’ve created a download of our “Top 10 RV Must Haves.” This download has links to ease purchase. You’ll Join our “Odd Squad” and be the first to know about our new adventures, products, and RV living hacks!
Thanks for Joining our Odd Squad,
John, Mercedes, Sage & Skippy