The Complete Sedona Travel Guide

Explore Red Rock Country in this secluded retreat, surrounded by red sandstone formations. Designated as an International Dark Sky Community, Sedona offers some of the best stargazing in the world, with clear, unpolluted skies. Sedona consistently draws visitors in with its allure of wellness, art, and outdoor recreation.

Things To Do

Hiking

Devil's Bridge: Moderate, 3.9 mi, most popular - come early, 521' EG

Airport Loop Trail: Moderate, 3.3 mi, 429' EG

Bear Mountain: Hard, 4.9 mi, not crowded, great views of the canyon, 2024' EG

Cathedral Rock: Hard vortex hike into the red rocks, go at sunset, 1.2 mi, 741' EG

Broken Arrow: Moderate, 2.9 mi, 4WD vehicles, 396' EG

Birthing Cave: Moderate, 1.9 mi, 242' EG

Fay Canyon: Moderate, 2.3 mi, 193' EG into heart of the red rocks

Skywalker: Easy, 3.5 mi, 452' EG

Soldier Pass/Seven Sacred Pools: 4.5 mi, shuttle parking during certain times, pools are only 1-mile in

Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village

A Spanish-style village located between Downtown and West Sedona, featuring shopping, art galleries, local boutiques, and restaurants. Wander through the maze of buildings and be sure to visit the Spirit and Spice shop.

ATV Tour

Sedona CanAm offers the best deal for a self-guided off-road tour. You'll be given a GPS guidance to follow, where you can drive through rugged trails, canyons, and desert backroads.

Jeep Tour

Hop onto an off-road Jeep tour to navigate rocky terrains and climb to overlooks like Schnebly Hill or Broken Arrow as guides share the region’s history, geology, and legends. Pink Jeep or Sedona Jeep Tours offers options ranging from mild to extreme.

Mountain Biking

Sedona offers a couple of places to rent bikes for mountain biking: Bike and Bean or Thunder Mountain Bikes. Keep in mind, e-bikes are not allowed on any trails.

Beginner: Bell Rock, Long Canyon to Deadman's Flat

Intermediate: Aerie to Cockscomb Loop, Mescal, Chuckwagon, Templeton

Advanced-Expert: Slim Shady, Hiline, Hangover

Chapel of the Holy Cross

This 250' church is worth the visit to see how it's built into the red rock cliff. Take a look inside for panoramic views of the area.

Crescent Moon Ranch

Photo by Jim Brennan

Cool off at Crescent Moon Ranch along Oak Creek, where you can picnic and swim. Follow the walkway to find a swimming spot by the river, as you keep walking you'll come to a calm area with Cathedral Rock reflecting in the water, which also makes a perfect spot for dogs to swim.

Slide Rock State Park

This swimming hole on a 43-acre apple farm forms a natural water park where smooth sandstone formations create slides and pools.

Amitabha Stupa & Vortex Centers

Amitabha Stupa is a peaceful site featuring a stupa (Buddhist shrine) surrounded by trails and vortex energy centers for meditation. Other vortex sides include Airport Mesa, Boynton Canyon, or Cathedral Rock.

Verde Valley Wine Trail

Sedona is nearby several boutique wineries you can explore on a self-guided tour. Take a short drive to sample local wines, one of the most recommended being Page Springs Cellars, featuring beautiful surroundings and a peaceful setting overlooking the river.

A short drive from Sedona, Cottonwood is part of the Verde Valley Wine Trail. It's downtown is a great spot to visit for shops, eateries, and live music on the weekends.

Don’t miss the Water to Wine Tour, where you can kayak down the Verde River before relaxing with a glass of locally crafted wine.

Hot Air Balloon & Helicopter Tour

Experience the beauty of Sedona from above with either a hot air balloon or heli tour. The hot air balloon tour lasts 4 hours with 1.5 hours of flight time and involves an early wake-up call anywhere between 4-6 AM depending on the time of year.

The heli tour has a few options ranging from the quick 15-min panorama tour to the 55-min adventure tour.

Grand Canyon

Located 2.5 hours from Sedona, visit the layered cliffs of the Grand Canyon with the Colorado River flowing below. You can either take a tour or drive yourself from Sedona. Hike along the rim or descend into the canyon to viewpoints such as Mather Point and Ooh Aah Point.

Jerome

This historic mining town on Cleopatra Hill is now an arts community. Discover its haunted history at the Jerome Grand Hotel. Once an asylum, you can now dine at their restaurant, with views overlooking the entire canyon.

Where To Eat

Mariposa: Chef Lisa Dahl, upscale Latin flavors with gorgeous views of the red rocks, reservations recommended weeks in advance. Dress code enforced as it is a common place for celebratory dinners.

Elote: Upscale Mexican cuisine, reservations recommended weeks in advance.

Dahl & Di Luca: Chef Lisa Dahl, fine-dining with a menu featuring Italian fare & homemade pastas. Dress code is enforced.

Cress on Oak Creek: Fine dining spot set along the creek, offering a romantic atmosphere.

Cucina Rustica: Chef Lisa Dahl, a dimly-lit Tuscan-inspired ambiance with a courtyard, this restaurant specializes in rustic Italian cuisine.

Mole: Authentic Mexican flavors with dishes like mole enchiladas, offering an extensive Tequila menu and views of red rocks.

Pisa Lisa: Chef Lisa Dahl, gourmet wood-fired pizza, along with gelato and tiramisu.

Sedona Beer Co: Quant brewery with great food known for its small-batch craft beers and delicious food. Great option to relax after a day of hiking and exploring.

Sedona Organic Taco Co: Farm-to-truck tacos offering organic, locally sourced tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and bowls. They also cater to vegetarians and vegans.

Hilltop Deli: Hearty, made-to-order sandwiches, pick-up lunch to take with you on-the-go or for a picnic.

Local Juicery: Organic juice bar and café serving cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and açai bowls.

Layla’s Bakery: Whole grain bakery with coffee & pastries. Their croissants are especially popular.