Sedona, Arizona is an ideal spot for tourists; annually, approximately 3 million tourists visit the city of about 10,000 inhabitants. It is located in Northern Arizona and possesses rock formations, canyons, and breathtaking scenery. It is perfect for nature lovers who enjoy hiking trails, towering red rocks, and taking drives to enjoy its natural beauty. Besides being a gorgeous vacation spot, Sedona is regarded by many as a spiritual hub and wellness mecca, with numerous vortexes believed to contain large concentrations of spiritual energy.
Sedona has caught your eye, and you’re thinking about which aspects appeal to you–the scenery, the outdoor activities, the restaurants and resorts, or the spiritual experiences it offers. Whichever one it is, you want to experience it first hand and see what makes it so special.
Thinking about vacationing in Sedona? Look into a vacation rental management company to find the perfect place for you to stay. This guide will tell you how to plan for it and what you should do while there.
Planning Your Trip to Sedona
You’ve got your heart set on visiting Sedona, but you may not have the luxury of packing a bag and booking a ticket on a whim. You need to plan your trip by choosing the best options that will make your trip to Sedona an unforgettable experience, which takes time.
How will you get to Sedona? How long will you stay in Sedona? What will you do while you’re in Sedona? These are a few things you need to consider before setting out for Sedona’s towering red rock formations.
Here is a step-by-step guide you can follow in preparation for your trip to the scenic city:
- Decide when you’d like to travel: Would you like to visit Sedona during peak tourist season, or would you prefer to go during less busy periods? If it’s the former, spring and fall are the best times for you, when there are myriad events and the city is abuzz with activity. If it’s the latter, you’d prefer to visit during summer or winter.
The weather in Sedona is temperate due to its higher elevation. Hence, it’s neither too hot nor too cold. If you consider the weather when planning your trip, it will affect when you travel. Spring weather is ideal because it’s pleasantly warm. In the summer, it gets hot, with temperatures averaging 93°F. Monsoon season begins, bringing with it heavy rainfall. In the fall, the temperature drops, turning cool. During winter, it’s cold, dropping to an average low of 36°F. If you can’t stand cold or hot weather, you’ll want to make the trip to Sedona in the spring or fall, when the weather is moderate.
- Figure out your budget: Sedona is on the pricey side, so you must be prepared financially for your trip. Think about the cost of travel, accommodation, food, transportation, and leisure activities. Look up the necessary information online, speak with a travel agent, or talk to a friend or family member who’s been to Sedona to get an idea of the cost. You wouldn’t want to get there and find out that you are under budget, making you unable to check off all your planned activities.
Visit TripAdvisor, Kayak, or Expedia to find budget-friendly accommodation.
- Plan your activities: there are many activities to choose from in Sedona. Take a spiritual tour to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and connect with the world around you. Take a trip to the spa, sample the local restaurant fare, hike the trails and rock formations, or check out the shops downtown. Outline your activities to maximize your experience.
- Book your flight and accommodation: book your flight to and from Sedona and your accommodation ahead of time. Taking care of these things is important. It wouldn’t be ideal for you to have a room booked in Sedona but no seat on a flight. Nor would it be ideal for you to have a flight booked but nowhere to stay upon arriving in Sedona.
Sedona is popular among tourists. Plan to go there in the spring or fall (peak tourist season), and you might not be lucky enough to find accommodation after your arrival. You might have better luck finding a place to stay in the summer and winter months when there’s less tourist activity, but why take the risk? Better to play it safe by booking ahead.
- Get to Sedona: if you’re flying into Arizona, you might land in either Flagstaff or Phoenix. You can get a shuttle from the airport or rent a car to get to Sedona. The recently launched Sedona Shuttle is an eco-friendly public transportation service that transports people to trails.
Alternatively, you can drive in, especially if you live in nearby cities, or enjoy road trips.
Once in Sedona, you can begin exploring the city and enjoying various activities.
5 Things to Do in Sedona
Given its status as a tourist hotspot, it’s no surprise that Sedona boasts a wide variety of activities. Here are five things you can do in Sedona:
- Go on a hike: explore Sedona’s famous red rock formations by going on a hike through their trails. Go for a hike through the trails of Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, or Doe Mountain for a spectacular view.
- Visit the vortexes: the vortexes of Sedona are as familiar as its rock formations and are one of its primary attractions. The vortexes are believed to be vast wells of spiritual energy, and people come from far and wide to take in their energy. Take a trip to one of the vortexes of Sedona to meditate or perform yoga.
- Shop: go shopping for arts and crafts items as souvenirs for your trip. Visit Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, a charming shopping center modeled after a traditional Mexican village, for handmade items, including paintings, glass sculptures, and jewelry. It’s a great place to shop for mementos of your trip.
Other shops to check out during your trip are Bella Fine Goods for fine art, home furnishings, and fine jewelry, and Appaloosa Trading Co for leather bags, boots, and Native American jewelry.
- Take a scenic drive: rent a car and go for a drive, touring the canyons and taking in the gorgeous scenery. You can also sign up for a Jeep tour, with the bonus of a tour guide to show you the best spots.
- Visit the Grand Canyon: technically, the Grand Canyon isn’t in Sedona. It’s about two hours away. Why not visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World while in Sedona? You can rent a car, or go as part of a tour group.
Plan a Trip to Sedona
Sedona is a popular tourist destination due to its mass appeal. It’s a spiritual center, a nature lover’s paradise, a hiker’s dream, and an artistic hub. Plan your trip to Sedona, from the timing of your arrival, maybe even black car service, and partake in the city’s wonders.
