ENCHANTMENT AMONG THE RED ROCKS

by Terri Mandell

Twenty-five years ago, the other-worldly landscape of Sedona, Arizona was home to a few cabins, a handful of shops and an unassuming hotel or two. It was a sacred place to the ancient Native Americans who were the first to live among its towering red rock pinnacles and pristine waters, and throughout its history, the town's inhabitants have survived comfortably on mining, farming, and a bit of tourism.

The Sedona of today is almost unrecognizable, since tourists, vision seekers, artists and entrepreneurs discovered the area and transformed it into a slick, expensive resort town. Depending on your perspective, this is either an improvement or an environmental crime, but for vacationing families seeking first-class accommodations in the midst of wildly beautiful natural wonder, Sedona's Enchantment Resort is one of the most comfortable, beautiful and peaceful vacation spots in the American southwest.

The Enchantment is located in Boynton Canyon, a deep, mystical gorge about five miles out of town. Like many of the buildings in Sedona, the resort is built with great reverence for the surrounding landscape, as an enclave of low-slung adobe-colored structures blending unobtrusively with the majestic rock formations. The cottages echo the adobe and rough-hewn beam motif, with tile floors, wide verandas and mission style furniture. The visual effect is stunning.

But it's the Enchantment's unique program for children that makes it such a wise choice for families. It's called Camp Coyote, and it's part of a vacation package that can free parents up for some child-free adult time while entertaining and educating the kids. Guests are housed in elegantly appointed "casitas" (little houses) with patios, kitchens, and an outdoor grill, which is ideal for families who don't want to dine out all the time (there are two restaurants on site -- one for expensive formal dining, the other more casual). The service is flawless, the food is good, and the amenities are plentiful (two swimming pools, 12 tennis courts, golf, hiking, a gym and spa with massage and facials available, and a putt putt golf course for the kids).

Each morning the local paper, fresh orange juice and sipper bottles of Sedona spring water are delivered to your door. The property is quite large, but staffers are available to drive you and the kids around in golf carts between the different parts of the compound. This comes in remarkable handy when you're carrying swimming gear, toys, towels, and a couple of overtired children.

The "camp" is run by Michelle Price, a talented woman who has a graduate teaching certificate and degrees in theater and anthropology. The program she's designed for children 4-12 offers a stimulating mix of activities, with a foundation in native American culture and environmental awareness. A typical day might include crafts like mask or jewelry-making, swimming, nature hikes, and a croquet game. Lunch, breakfast and dinner are included, and the whole thing takes place in a beautifully designed private house on the property, filled with colorful art, toys, child-sized furniture, and bedrooms for quiet time and naps.

Kids of all ages are in camp together, though activity levels vary for different age groups. Children can be signed up for Camp Coyote on a daily basis, for either half or full day sessions, with evening sessions available on weekends. The cost is extra... $44 for a full day, which runs from 9 am - 3:30 pm -- but it's comparable to the cost of any day camp.

While the kids are away, the adults can play. Enchantment offers an eclectic entertainment program, mixing cultural enrichment with traditional adult diversions. Organized activities are somewhat unusual for most resorts -- day trips to visit Indian ruins, viewing artifact collections, listening to cowboy storytellers, stargazing, photography workshops, weaving and tequila tasting to name a few -- and although the cost is extra, it's worth it. Last summer, the Enchantment featured a concert by R. Carlos Nakai, a Grammy award-nominated Native American musician whose concert opened with a blessing ceremony and a Navajo hoop dance. You can't find activities like this at just any spa hotel.

Rates are high, with special summer packages for 2-bedroom casitas running around $375 per night on Sundays through Thursdays (3-night minimum). But a few days at the Enchantment is an extraordinary adventure, and your kids will come away with a new awareness of nature, art, Native Americans (our son made a "Kachina from Outer Space" in arts & crafts), and the spirit of family.

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