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TravelTips24 : North America : United States of America : Southwest : Arizona : Northern Arizona : Sedona

Sedona

Sedona is a town in Arizona, United States of America, 120 miles north of Phoenix. Known for its beauty and serene setting amidst the beautiful Red Rocks, the town is famous for its vibrant arts community with nearly 100 art galleries and events including the Sedona International Film Festival, Sedona Arts Festival and the Sedona Jazz Festival. It offers excellent outdoor adventures, including mountain biking, hiking and off-roading. Sedona is surprisingly sprawling, with Oak Creek to the south, West Sedona and Uptown Sedona each providing great views, hikes, dining and arts.

Travel to Sedona & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Sedona

The small Sedona Airport (FAA: SEZ, IATA: SDZ) is too small for scheduled jet traffic, but is popular for general aviation destination. The nearest major airport is in Phoenix.

By car

Sedona is located approximately 90 minutes north of Phoenix, Arizona. From Phoenix, take I-17 north to the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon exit, where you turn west onto SR 179. The Village of Oak Creek is seven miles down this road, and Sedona is another seven.

From Flagstaff, Sedona is also reachable from I-17, but by far the most spectacular route is down Oak Creek Canyon via Hwy 89A. Drive carefully, as the switchbacks and falling red rocks can give quite a white-knuckle ride, but the view is well worth it.

Hwy-179 is designated as an All America Road by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Hwy-179 is currently undergoing road improvements. Visitors may experience minor traffic delays.

Tours & Getting around Sedona

Sedona is a great walking town, but a bike or car is necessary to access trail heads and most destinations. The free RoadRunner transit rotates from Uptown to the Hillside Plaza to Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.

By guided tour

A number of companies provide guided tours (by bus, trolley or Jeep) of Sedona that include transportation from the surrounding areas. Some companies will provide bus travel from nearby towns while others begin in Sedona. Some will provide just a brief tour with small stops, while others may take you on a hike, and arrange all your meals.

  • Hydros Adventures Tours, 928-310-8141. [1] Offers one day and overnight hiking, rafting, backpacking, and adventure tours to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, and Southern Utah. Pickups in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon area.
  • CenterFocus Experiences, +1-928-301-3211. [2] An outdoor adventure company based in the Sedona area. They pride themselves on their ability to customize hiking, rock climbing, and canyoneering tours individually for you.
  • Silver Spur Tours, 928.226.7212 or 800-600-4006, [3] Guided tours to Grand Canyon, Indian Ruins, Arizona wine country, Red Rocks. Custom Mercedes built Sprinter Vans for comfort, extra large windows for great viewing. Shuttles to Phoenix Sky Harbor, Flagstaff, Williams. Snacks and drinks included. Luxury and Style Always Standard.

Sedona attractions and sightseeing

Sedona is home to a bustling downtown and vibrant arts community, but the real attraction is the surreal, red rock landscape, visible from anywhere in town.

  • Chapel of the Holy Cross, 780 Chapel Rd, ☎ (928) 282-4069. This unique chapel built into the rock offers great views. edit
  • Oakcreek Country Club, 690 Bell Rock Blvd Sedona, AZ, ☎ 888-703-9489.  edit
  • Desert Canyon Scenic Loop.  edit
  • Red Rocks and Sycamore Canyon Scenic Loop.  edit
  • Pink Jeep Tours, 204 N Highway 89A, ☎ 928-282-5000, [4]. A fun way to see the red rocks if you're not in to hiking or biking. edit
  • Sedona Trolley Tours, ☎ 928-282-4211, [5]. The best first thing to do in Sedona is to take the Sedona Trolley. They have two routes. One is the City Highlights Tour and the other is Scenic Canyon Tour.$10.  edit
  • Silver Spur Tours 928-226-7212 or 800-600-4006, [6]. All mercedes built Sprinter vans for comfort and luxury. Fantastic viewing through our extra large windows. Luxury and Style always standard.

Sedona city tours

  • Canyons, creeks, mountains, forests, spiritual vortexes, hikes and mountain biking trails surround the area. To hike one needs a Red Rock Pass from the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center. For a challenge, try Cathedral Rock. It's steep, but the view is unparalleled. For a more laid back stroll, park near the end of Verde Valley School Road, and walk the rest of the way to Oak Creek Crossing. Other notable hikes and walks include Broken Arrow, Bell Rock, Soldier's Pass, Devil's Bridge.
  • Sedona is famous as the home of five New Age vortices, areas where the Earth's magnetism is said to have special properties. Vortexes are located at Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Schnebly Hill. You can take a vortex tour from one of many local guides, or hike to the sites yourself. Look for cairns marking the vortex sites.
  • Jeep rentals for serious off-road driving is popular. If you have four wheel drive, Schnebley Hill Road at sunset provides excellent views.
  • Cliff Castle Casino, 555 Middle Verde Rd, Camp Verde, ☎ (928) 567-7900; (800) 381- 7568.  edit
  • Sedona’s New Day Spa, 1449 W Hwy 89A Ste 1, ☎ (928) 282-7502.  edit
  • A Spa for You Sedona Day Spa & Massage, 28 Kayenta Court, Sedona Arizona, ☎ (928) 282-3895(thea@aspaforyou.com), [7]. 7:00 – 9:00 daily. A Spa for You offers personally blended signature massage, body treatments and Japanese facial massage to re-kindle, nurture and balance your natural healing rhythms.  edit
  • Sedona’s Racquet Club & Spa, 100 Racquet Rd, ☎ (928) 282-4197.  edit
  • Sedona Golf Resort, 35 Ridge Trail Drive, ☎ 877-733-9885.  edit
  • Just north of Sedona on 89A is Slide Rock State Park, which offers swimming and a slide rock.

Sedona souvenirs & shopping

Sedona specializes in local Native American arts and crafts, international galleries and New Age shops (aura readings, healing crystals, vortex information) in addition to the usual tourist shopping. A few stores sell shirts dyed in genuine Sedona red rock.

  • Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, 336 Highway 179, [8]. Full of restaurants and artsy shops. If you must take a break from enjoying the outdoors, this is the place to do it. edit
  • Hozho Plaza, 311 N. Hwy 89A. contains international and local art galleries. edit
  • Main Street Sedona, Uptown Sedona, AZ 86339, ☎ (928) 204-2548.  edit

Eat & drink

When it comes to dining, Sedona has an exceptional choice of style, atmosphere, decor and flavor developed for tourists from around the world. Many of the restaurants in Sedona are rated among the best restaurants in Arizona, and several have earned national acclaim.

  • The Yavapai Restaurant, 525 Boynton Canyon Rd, ☎ 928-282-2900, [9]. The elegant restaurant at the luxury Enchantment Resort. Sit on the balcony, or by a window and you'll watch the light shift on the canyon wall as the sun sets. edit
  • Ti Gavo Lounge, 525 Boynton Canyon Rd, ☎ 928-282-2900, [10]. Also at the Enchantment Resort, it offers an equally spectacular view, at a more affordable price. edit
  • Reds at the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa, 2250 West Hwy 89A, ☎ 928-203-4599, [11]. Offers a contemporary intimate setting, with great gourmet American favorites (including brick oven Mac and Cheese). edit
  • Picazzo Pizza, 1855 W Hwy 89A, ☎ 928-282-4140, [12]. Very good food, Pizza choices are too numerous to mention.  edit
  • Javelina Leap Winery, 1565 Page Springs Rd., Cornville, ☎ (928) 649-2681, [13]. Excellent local wines in a small, intimate tasting room. edit
  • Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery, 1555 N. Page Springs Rd, Cornville, ☎ (928) 649-029.  edit
  • Page Springs Vineyard & Cellars, 1500 N. Page Springs Rd, Cornville, ☎ (928) 639-3004.  edit
  • Szechuan Restaurant & Martini Bar, 1350 W Hwy 89A #21, ☎ (928) 282-9288.  edit
  • Ken’s Creekside Restaurant, 251Hwy 179 Creekside Plaza, ☎ (928) 282-1705.  edit
  • Javelina Cantina, ☎ 928.203.9514(fax: 928.282.2636), [14]. Large portions of average American-Mexican food with an excellent view from the balcony. edit
  • Coffee Pot Restaurant, 2050 South west Drive, ☎ (928) 282-6626. A local institution that has been featured on the Travel Channel, Food Network, etc. With a view of Coffee Pot Rock, this historic family-friendly place offers 101 omelets and southwestern favorites. Open for breakfast and lunch only. Includes a small curio shop. edit
  • D'Lish Very Vegetarian, 3190 W Highway 89A # 300, ☎ (928) 203-9393, [15]. Creative vegetarian food served deli-style.  edit

Sedona cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

  • Comfort Inn, 725 SR 179, ☎ 928-282-3132, [16]. checkin: 3:00pm; checkout: 11:00am.  edit
  • Sky Ranch Lodge, 1105 Airport Rd(Left at the Y from 179 to 89A South, then left at Airport Rd and up a mile), ☎ 928.282.6400, [17]. checkin: 3pm; checkout: 11am. Scenic views from Airport Mesa, pet friendly.75-189.  edit
  • Enchantment Resort, 525 Boynton Canyon Rd, ☎ 928-282-2900, [18]. Pricey, but very nice. edit
  • Las Posadas of Sedona, 26 Avenida De Piedras, ☎ 928.284.5288(fax: 928-284-4178), [19].  edit
  • Penrose Inn Bed and Breakfast, 250 Red Butte Dr., ☎ 928-284-3030, [20]. Arguably one of the best. The service, amenities, and delicious, hot breakfasts are miles above average. Their view of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte is unmatched. edit
  • Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa, 2250 West Hwy 89A, ☎ 928-203-4111, [21].  edit
  • Alma de Sedona Inn, 50 Hozoni Dr, ☎ (928) 282-2737, [23]. checkin: 3-6pm; checkout: 11am.  edit
  • Apple Orchard Inn, 656 Jordan Rd, ☎ (928) 282-5328.  edit
  • Adobe Grande Villas, 35 Hozoni Dr., ☎ (928) 203-7616.  edit
  • Junipine Resort, 8351 N Hwy 89A, ☎ (928) 282-3375.  edit
  • Sedona Super 8 Motel, 2545 W Hwy 89A, ☎ (928) 282-1533.  edit
  • Star Motel, 295 Jordan Road, ☎ (928) 282-3641.  edit
  • La Vista Motel, 500 N Hwy 89A, ☎ (928) 282-7301, [24].  edit

Camping

  • Rancho Sedona RV Park, 135 Bear Wallow Lane, Sedona, Arizona 86336, (toll free: +1-800-970-7280), [25]. Easy access to downtown Sedona. Full hookups with 50 amp service. edit

Get out

This page was last edited at 23:58, on 25 September 2008 by David. Based on work by Doug Kwong, David Malpas, John Anton, Jani Patokallio and Morgan Jaffe, Wikitravel user(s) Mikekaser, Cacahuate, SedonaSpa and Tcw1138, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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