Best Things To Do In Sedona — One Tent In California

Surrounded by stunning red rock and evergreen forests, Sedona is the ultimate American Southwest destination for adventure, relaxation or even a spiritual awakening. With year-round beauty from the outdoors to inside the art galleries, there’s plenty to explore! Here’s some of the best things to do in Sedona!

1. Hike Devil’s Bridge Trail

Devil’s Bridge Trail is a popular hiking route near Sedona that leads to a large sandstone arch that you can walk out across! This trail is a 4 mile (6.4km) out and back hike that is reasonably straight forward and rated moderate on AllTrails. The hike starts with one mile on a dirt road (Dry Creek Rd) that is only accessible by high-clearance 4wd vehicles. This is where you’ll reach the official trailhead on the right and begin the incline for the next mile to get to Devil’s Bridge.

As I mentioned, this trail is very popular and can easily get crowded so keep this in mind if you plan to do this trail. To avoid the crowds, we started the trail just before 5am and got to the bridge to watch the sunrise at around 5:30am in June.

Also nearby is Soldiers Pass Trail and the Seven Sacred Pools via Soldiers Pass if you’re up for doing a few hikes!

Dogs are allowed but may not be able to climb the last steep steps before getting to the arch.

Getting there:

Drive to the Dry Creek Trailhead Parking to start the hike or Mescal Trailhead Parking which takes you on a different route to Devil’s Bridge.

Another option is to use the Sedona Shuttle which is a free year-round shuttle that takes you to many popular trails around Sedona.

2. Visit Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village

Tlaquepaque is a beautiful outdoor market area that features art galleries, shops, and restaurants. The architecture was inspired by a traditional Mexican village and was built in Sedona in the 1970s. Spend your time walking around the shops, taking breaks by the fountains and enjoy being surrounded by the giant sycamore trees. It is equally picturesque in the day and in the evenings when the trees are lit up.

3. Hike Cathedral Rock Trail

Sedona is known for its stunning hiking trails, and Cathedral Rock is another popular one. This short 1.2 mile (2km) out and back route is rated hard on AllTrails. If you are afraid of heights, this is probably not the best trail to do (try seven sacred pools trail instead). It involves some rock scrambling and some more challenging parts, but the views are amazing!

This trail can also be accessed from the Baldwin and Templeton trails. If you want to do a longer hike, another option is Cathedral Rock to Red Rock Crossing which is 4.3 miles (7km).

Dogs are allowed on a leash but this trail would be too difficult for most dogs and we didn’t see any when we did this hike.

Getting there:

Drive to Back O’ Beyond Rd to find the trailhead or take the Sedona Shuttle Thursday-Sunday when the trailhead parking is closed.

4. Visit Montezuma Castle National Monument

Montezuma Castle is a well-preserved prehistoric cliff dwelling located just outside of Sedona. These living spaces were built by the Sinagua people between approximately AD 1100 and 1425. It was fascinating to see these dwellings built into the side of a cliff and is worth the trip when visiting Sedona!

Fees:

$10 per adult - this is a 7 day pass that allows access to Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments
Children 15 years or younger are free
Free with America the Beautiful Annual Passes

Getting there:

It takes about 35 minutes to drive to the national monument from Sedona (25mi).

5. Walk Main Street Sedona

The Main Street District, also known as Uptown Sedona is where the majority of shops and restaurants are located around (N State Rte 89A). This is a great place to walk around and visit at some point during your stay. There are lots of little shops around here selling artwork, clothing, souvenirs and crystal rocks. You can also stop by one of the wine bars or cafes that will most likely have stunning red rocks views as their backdrop!

How to visit Sedona, Arizona

By Plane -

There are no commercial flights to/from the Sedona airport, but you can visit the Mesa Grill restaurant for a meal with views of the private planes and helicopters that fly in and out of this airport.

Closest airports:

Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG) - It’s about a 45 minute drive to Sedona from this airport (25mi) and there is public transportation (Amtrak) between Flagstaff and Sedona if you don’t plan on renting a car.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX) - This is the best option for an international airport. It takes about 2 hours to drive to Sedona from this airport (120mi) and may have cheaper flight deals than Flagstaff.

By Car -

Unless you are visiting someone or booking a tour with transportation in Sedona, we recommend renting a car. We typically use Avis rental cars.

Nearby attractions within driving distance:

Grand Canyon National Park - 2 hours

Tucson - 3.5 hours

Las Vegas - 4.5 hours

Zion National Park - 5 hours

Best time to visit Sedona

Sedona is a great destination to visit any time of the year, with most outdoor activities and hiking trails being open year-round.

The high season for Sedona is March-May (spring)
The low season for Sedona is December-February (winter)

During the summer, the weather is relatively mild in Sedona and is a great time to visit Slide Rock State Park (a natural water slide that leads to a swimming hole) and Oak Creek Canyon.

During the winter, the red rocks surrounding Sedona looks beautiful with snow! So if you’re looking for a Southwest winter getaway with lots of holiday events and festivities, this would be a great option. There are more chances of bad weather days though, where the visibility of the mountains might not be as good.

Where to stay in Sedona

We recommend staying in town or close by so you can walk to most places and not worry about finding parking as much. We typically use Hotels.com when booking accommodation.

Another option when visiting Sedona is to camp nearby at Coconino National Forest.

Where to eat & drink in Sedona

There are so many options for food & drinks in Sedona! Here are some of our favourites:

The Chai Spot - This was a highlight for us on our latest Sedona trip. The chai is so good and the views from their laid-back outdoor seating completed the experience. We loved the Butter Chai! Snacks are available too but they mainly serve drinks.

Wildflower - Our go-to breakfast/lunch spot in Sedona, we’ve always enjoyed our food here and it’s located in a great location to start your day from or head to for a break from exploring Sedona.

Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen - A great option for groups or families as there are a lot of options on the menu.

Open for lunch & dinner.

Rene Restaurant & Wine Bar - Perfect for a dinner date, this picturesque restaurant located in Tlaquepaque shopping village serves delicious Mediterranean cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients. (I recommend making a reservation).

Open for lunch & dinner.

Itinerary for one day in Sedona

Start your day at Wildflower for some fresh bread or lemon ricotta pancakes to fuel your morning.
Next up, pick one of the many hiking trails around Sedona and drive to the trailhead or hop on the Sedona Shuttle for a free and easy alternative to parking.
Up early? We recommend Devils Bridge Trail. Woke up later? We recommend Cathedral Rock Trail.
Take a break for lunch at Picazzo’s or have some tea at the Chai Spot before heading over to Montezuma Castle National Monument.
Spend your afternoon wandering the shops in Uptown Sedona, relaxing at one of the many resort spas or adventuring on a tour of the Sedona red rocks.
Finish your evening with dinner at Rene Restaurant & Wine Bar at Tlaquepaque Shopping Village where you can walk around the shops, archways and fountains underneath the string lighting.

Have more time?

Take a pink jeep tour
Take a helicopter tour
Go horse riding
Relax at a spa or meditation class

Ways to save money in Sedona

Sedona is definitely not a cheap place to visit. If you’re on a tight budget, consider saving money on accommodation and doing camping trip in Coconino National Forest instead. It’s beautiful!

Also consider skipping a restaurant meal and getting some things from the nearby Whole Foods in town to make a picnic with instead. Stunning views included for free.

Another tip is to visit during the low season or on weekdays if you can. This significantly changes the prices of hotels, rental cars, and even tours.

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