My family and I live in the Midwest, where winter always lasts longer than it should.

After the new year, we wanted to plan a trip. Something special and beyond anything we’ve done before. Something that we knew we would remember for a lifetime. After some research, we came across Sedona ATV. They rent Polaris RZRs, GENERALS and Slingshots. As a family that grew up with Polaris vehicles, we knew this was something we had to try.

Sedona is known for its beautiful red rock backdrop and unique terrain surrounding the small tourist town. The red-colored scenery stands out in any aerial view. For that alone, Sedona is a tourist destination. Exploring the red rock terrain in an off-road vehicle only adds to the incredible experience.

My mom, dad, 78 -year-old grandfather and I flew into the Phoenix airport to begin our spontaneous 3-day weekend in Sedona (only after we were stuck on the terminal at MSP Airport due to a snow and ice storm). Once we landed in Arizona, we rented a car and headed on our way north to our hotel, Arroyo Pinion Hotel (located just down the street from Sedona ATV). After settling in, we explored downtown Sedona and walked through the various shops, enjoyed cactus fries at the Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits and checked out the amazing vista at the Sedona Scenic Lookout. We couldn’t believe the site we saw from the car, building our excitement for the next day's scenery behind the wheel of a Polaris RZR.

We woke up early to make the most of our full-day offroading. We packed our lunches and arrived at Sedona ATV by 8:30 am. Upon arrival at the Outfitter, we were provided with personal recommendations for trails and scenery that aligned with our expectations.

My grandpa was very eager and persistent about driving his own vehicle. Since he wasn’t able to get himself to the backcountry on foot, he wanted to take himself there on wheels. My family rented two RS1’s (1 seat Polaris RZR) and one R ZR XP 1000 (2 seat Polaris R ZR). My dad and grandpa each took their own vehicle, while my mom and I shared the two-seater.

We headed to the east side to start off our day and climbed incredible red rock terrain. We enjoyed breathtaking views that cannot be fully appreciated in a photo. My mom was over the moon, “This was just amazing! The scenery is so beautiful; it almost looks like a fake backdrop!”

“Wow. All I can say is wow. This world is such an incredible place and I am so glad I could come to explore with you guys. What an experience!” my grandpa said while gazing out at the scenery.

We could not believe the terrain these trails brought us through and how well the machines handled. We were able to reach places we wouldn’t have been able to on foot. Rock climbing on wheels was such an adrenaline rush, but with the power and comfort of these vehicles, it was such a breeze.

For the second half of our adventure, we went to the west side for a more wide-open, rugged backcountry experience. We rode through at a quicker pace. We pulled over at a rest stop, where we ate our packed lunch with an amazing view. After our day of exploring off-road, we went back, cleaned up and ate dinner at the Mesa Grill Sedona located at the top of Airport Road.

As we drove back to the airport the next day and soaked up our last day of sunshine, we couldn’t help but laugh and share photos from our Sedona ATV experience. We were so thrilled to be able to take my 78-year-old grandpa on an ATV adventure to one of the most incredible places he’s been.

He still talks about that trip whenever he gets the chance. We’re ready to explore more places where the pavement ends.