Now that winter is officially here... Shoveling snow and scraping car windshields are simply a fact of winter life in many parts of the world. If you need a break from it, consider a visit to Arizona!

The Cactus League gets underway in February, signaling the beginning of a new season. There's a laid-back charm to baseball's spring training. Stadiums are small so the fans are practically on the field and without the stress of cross-country travel the players are more relaxed and it shows. There seems to be a smile shining underneath the brim of every baseball cap. This all happens under balmy Arizona desert skies.   Catch as many games as you can. If you're playing hooky from winter, why not do it in style? 

Add a Sedona stay to your spring training itinerary. Like baseball, Sedona reconnects us to a more innocent time. It reminds us how vast and beautiful the outdoors can be. Sedona's landscape wows us. Castles and columns of soaring red rocks extend in every direction. Mountains and mesas surround the town that's tucked away amid 1.8 million acres of national forest and buttressed by four wilderness areas and two state parks. Among these sandstone formations of vibrant hues and stream-carved canyons, we're all wide-eyed youngsters eager for a chance to play.   

Over 300 miles of hiking and biking trails ramble across the terrain. Instant access to wild country is a Sedona specialty. In Sedona you're never more than a five-minute drive to a trailhead.   What separates Sedona from other destinations is how it balances its wild side with an expansive infrastructure of comfort and luxury. Sedona offers accommodations for every taste. Sumptuous resorts nestle on the banks of Oak Creek or are tucked away in private canyons. Elegant hotels, romantic bed and breakfasts and retro motor courts are scattered throughout Sedona. After a long day of playing hard, you can sleep well on any budget.  

It's this kind of diversity that keeps visitors returning time and time again to Sedona. Unparalleled beauty combined with an array of creature comforts is the very definition of the Sedona experience. Chef-owned eateries along with boutique wineries have made Sedona a popular destination for foodies. Transformative treatments are available at Sedona's numerous spas. But that's only if you can take a break from shopping in the many galleries that showcase contemporary, representational and traditional artists who are known nationally and internationally.