The Travel Agents Guide to Sedona
Table of Contents
- Intro
- Weather
- Itinerary
- Price Breakdown
- Outro
Intro
Last year I got a chance to travel to Sedona, Arizona. For those not familiar with the area, Sedona is well known for its hiking & red rock formations that surround the area. For me, it was the furthest out west I have ever been. Along with incredibly tall rock formations, the area welcomes visitors with a wide array of different ecosystems. You can either spend time in the mountains where one could find towering Golden Aspens, to deserts with far-reaching cacti. For some, Sedona offers the unique experience of Energy Vortexes. Energy Vortexes are a phenomenon that many report feeling a sensation of wholeness, and calm.
Weather
If you have ever had a conversation about Arizona, I am sure that the phrase “it’s a dry heat” has come up. While true, visitors to Sedona should know that the climate can change depending on where you travel. If you stay in Sedona, then you’ll see warm weather. If you decide to take a trip to the nearby town of Flagstaff or visit the Grand Canyon, you will experience much colder temperatures. To put it in perspective we stayed in Flagstaff where the average temp was 30–40 in October, while in Sedona the temp was around 60–70 degrees. If you decide to visit the Grand Canyon while on your trip, the outer rim might be around 30 degrees while deep down in the canyon it could be 100 degrees.
Itinerary
Day 0
Sedona is only 54 min south of Flagstaff while the Grand Canyon is 1 hrs and 30 min north of Flagstaff. It’s also worth noting that it is cheaper to stay in Flagstaff than Sedona. While there is an airport in Flagstaff & Sedona you are better off flying into Phoenix International Airport. Phoenix airport is a major airport. There are more connecting flights, making the flights cheaper. Regardless if you stay in Flagstaff or Sedona, I recommend that you spend your first night exploring the city you stay in.
Day 1
I recommend you spend the first full day exploring Sedona and the red rocks. Located 6.7 miles from the city center is the Chapel of the Holy Cross. You may find it odd that we are recommending a church as your first stop in an area known for its wilderness. However, the Chapel of the Holy Cross is not just any church. The Chapel offers a panoramic view of the surrounding red rocks. Built to look as if the chapel was built into the red rocks themselves, visitors can go on a short hike to the top of the chapel and soak up the incredible views. Free to visit, you can opt to donate to the church to help keep the building pristine and healthy.
Close to the Chapel of the Holy Cross is Cathedral Rock Trail. Rated as one of the best trails in the area, the trail is only 1.2 miles long. Yet, the trail is far from easy. At one point, we were on all fours to ascend one part of the hike. Those who persevere are rewarded with an incredible panoramic view of the red rocks. In total, the hike took us around 2–3 hours. That was due to the fact that we wanted to take pictures of the new sites every 10 minutes or so.
After such a great hike, you might be looking for a great place to eat. My recommendation is to check out the family-owned Tamaliza Cafe. Tamaliza specializes in tamales. For those unfamiliar, tamales are a sort of steamed burritos made with mesa. If you are a fan of Mexican cuisine, I recommend you check out this cafe for a genuine Mexican meal. Located right across from Sky Rock Inn, you might miss Tamaliza as it is tucked in off the main road leading to Sedona.
After such a great meal, you might be looking for a great place to shop. Hands down the best place to shop in Sedona is the outdoor shopping mall of Tlaquepaque. Popular due to all the local vendors, visitors can even buy handmade rugs crafted by the local Native American population. If you aren’t looking for rugs, maybe you’ll be looking to have some homemade chai at the aptly named “The Chai Spot”. Tlaquepaque is also a great place to get homemade candles at the Sedona Candle Gallery store.
Tlaquepaque has many great places for visitors to eat, but, it is recommended you make time to go to the extremely popular Elote Cafe. The restaurant usually requires reservations well in advance. I recommend booking even before you go on a trip to Sedona. Elote Cafe specializes in combining the cuisines of America’s Southwest and Mexican regions.
Day 2
Sedona has plenty of great tours. One of our favorites is the Pink Jeep Tours. Hop into a Jeep Wrangler and climb the red rocks of the area, all while a tour guide explains about the area. Not interested in a bumpy ride? That’s okay, the website gives visitors info on how bumpy a tour might be by rating the roughness of each tour.
After an adventurous ride through the red rocks, you might be hungry. One of the coolest things about Sedona is the ability to have great meals outside while taking in the gorgeous views of the red rocks. One of our favorite spots is The Hideaway House. A fantastic place for sandwiches, pizza, and all things Italian, The Hideaway House offers those spectacular views that everyone is looking for when coming to Sedona.
Of course, maybe you are interested in doing more hikes. Sedona is known as the Day-Hiking Capital of the World. You can either make a visit to The Hike House, located in Tlaquepaque, or do one of the popular trails around Sedona. If you opt for The Hike House, you’ll be able to hike with a guide. Even better, that guide will carry your stuff for you if you need it. Some popular trails that the Hike House can take you to are:
- Fay Canyon — 2.4-mile roundtrip, 192 feet gain
- Doe Mountain — Sunset Hike 1.8 mi round trip, 524 feet elevation gain, with flat top table mountain
- Sebola Pass, Soldiers Pass, Jordan, Brins Mesa make a 5.4-mile loop, 180 feet of gain, with a natural sinkhole
- Hangover Trail — 8.4 mi roundtrip, 824 feet elevation gain, very green trail
Here are some of the most popular trails in Sedona that the Hike House does not do tours to:
- Devil’s Bridge Trail — 3.9 miles roundtrip with a 521-foot elevation gain. Popular due to the famous natural formed bridge at the end of the trail. Can take a 4x4 closer to the bridge for a shorter hike.
- Airport Mesa Trail — 3.2-mile loop with a 416-foot elevation gain. Located near the Sedona Airport, the trail offers panoramic views of Sedona and the red rocks.
- Slide Rock Park — not a trail per se, but a park. Slide rock boasts a long, naturally formed water slide. Visitors to the park can go down the slide to escape the hot weather. $20 entrance fee per vehicle.
Day 3
Day 3 is best spent exploring the surrounding area of Sedona and doing a day trip. Here are some options:
- Jerome — an old mining town located on top of a mountain, Jerome transports you back to the past. Visitors can explore the old mines, the great shops, and all the “haunted” locations within the small city. If you go to Jerome, you’ve got to have breakfast in The Mine Cafe.
- Flagstaff — located less than an hour away from Sedona, Flagstaff is close to the San Francisco Peaks. The peaks are the highest point in Sedona. The mountain range gives Flagstaff a cooler climate but the former volcano has created a completely different ecosystem to that of Sedona. We recommend checking out the Arizona Snow Bowl for great snowboarding and skiing. Not into winter sports? The Snowbowl has an incredible gondola that offers views of the area from the sky for just $20 per person. If you go during the fall time, you might want to pack a picnic to eat while among the stunning Golden Aspens. Haven’t gotten enough hiking? Check out Lockett Meadow via the Inner Basin Trail. The trails boast spectacular views of the San Francisco Peaks all while deep in a Golden Aspen Forest. Note: It is recommended you drive to the trail in a 4x4 as the roads can be rough. They are closed in the winter.
- The Grand Canyon — The legendary canyon is located about 2.5 hrs from Sedona. If you decide to go to the Canyon, note that the trails to the Colorado River take 12–24 hours to do and it is extremely dangerous to do without adequate preparation and lots of water. However, the trails along the outer rim are much easier and paved. Note: Due to Covid, all shuttles from the town of Tusayan are closed. You must enter the Grand Canyon by personal car. As well as the shuttles to the Visitor Center, the Eastside (Desert View) is also closed due to the Navajo Nation not allowing entrance. You can still enter the South Rim Grand Canyon Visitor Center through the town of Tusayan. The trails along the South Rim are open and visitors can use the Scenic Hermit Road and Kaibab shuttles to get to various parts of the trails as well as return to the Visitor Center. Shuttle pick-ups can be found throughout the trailhead. The best views of the South Rim trail are Mather Point, Yavapai Point, The Abyss, and Pima Point. The entrance fee for the park is $30 per car.
Price Breakdown
Chapel of the Holy Cross: Free
Cathedral Rock Trail: Free
Tamaliza Cafe for two: $40
Pink Jeep Tours: Vary ($45-$239)
Hike House Guided Hike: $125 — $250 per person
Arizona Snowbowl Skilift/Gondola: $20 per person
Grand Canyon National Park Entrance Fee: $30 per car
Outro
Sedona is a magical place for nature lovers. Incredible star gazing, beautiful rock formations, and jaw-dropping hikes. The Day Hike Capital of the world is worth your time. There is a reason this small town of 12,000 sees 3,000,000 visitors each year.
— Check out our article on hiking tips we wish we knew as beginners: https://bit.ly/2ZfAZJS
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