Sedona, Arizona is a beautiful desert town that has a history as rich and interesting as the landscape. A vacation to this area will be one of the most memorable trips you have ever taken.
There is plenty for everyone to do here- from hiking to shopping, there’s something for just about everyone. The Sedona landscape is made up of red rock formations and forests with Oak Creek flowing through it all.
This article will cover 10 things you should not miss while visiting!
#1: Chapel of the Holy Cross
This is a beautiful Catholic church made out of red sandstone located on top of a hillside that offers great views from its windows. This stunning chapel was designed by sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude (a student of architect Frank Lloyd Wright) in the 1950s with an overlook stained-glass window held together by giant cross over Verde Valley below at its base.
It seats about 100 people and has regular Masses for Sunday morning services and weekday evening prayer groups
#2: Bell Rock
Bell Rock is a formation in Sedona that you can see from the highway that looks like a dome.
Bell Rock is one of the most famous places in Sedona. It is an Upflow area, which means that it is good for people who want to be peaceful and solve problems from a higher perspective.
The trails at Bell Rock are about two miles round-trip and will take around an hour with stops, which should give you plenty of time to catch a beautiful sunset or watch stars fill the sky as night falls.
There’s no better way to spend your day than hiking at this magnificent rock formation in Sedona!
#3: Cathedral Rock
Sedona’s signature rock formation is a must-see. You can’t miss it on the drive up to Sedona, and its beauty will capture you from any angle that you approach it.
Whether you take the scenic loop starting at Chapel of the Holy Cross or head straight for Cathedral Rock State Park (which has parking), this natural masterpiece is worth every step. Head out early in your stay because there are plenty of other places to explore before heading back down into town!
#4: Devil’s Bridge Trail
Devil’s Bridge Trail is a 3.9 mile hike that has beautiful wild flowers. The trail is rated as difficult due to the steep elevation changes and can be a bit dangerous, so use caution.
The path takes you from Horseshoe Bend Trailhead at Sentinel Peak Road on the west side of Highway 89A southward across Oak Creek four times before ending up north of Sedona’s Airport near Chapel Drive.
Hiking this trail will give you sweeping views all around that are hard to find anywhere else in town!
#5: Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon is a gorge carved into the edge of the Mogollon Rim created by the Oak Creek Fault.
When you think of Oak Creek Canyon, the first thing that comes to mind is its stunning red rocks.
Oak Creek starts at a few small springs in the high mountains and descends 1800 feet through steep cliffs and winding narrows until it emerges from a series of dramatic falls where it pours over an escarpment into Verde Valley below. The creek ends at Horseshoe Lake on the outskirts of Sedona.
The gorge averages one mile wide but can go up to two miles wide in some places with depths reaching 600 feet deep before narrowing again as it nears Horseshoe Lake. A great way to see this canyon is by kayak or boat tour which will give you an opportunity for viewing wildlife such
#6: Red Rock Scenic Byway
Take a scenic drive through the Red Rock Scenic Byway and see Sedona’s iconic red rock formations up close.
This is one of the most popular roadways in northern Arizona with plenty to explore, including panoramic views across valleys and mesas from your car window or hiking trails for more adventurous travelers.
The Cottonwood Pass Trail also offers 360-degree vistas if you want to go on foot. Numerous overlooks offer picturesque photo opportunities too.
Be sure not to miss Cathedral Rocks State Park which has some of the best scenery that can be found anywhere in America! You’ll need about an hour for this byway so take time out from shopping at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, browsing at one of the many art galleries, and visiting the Sedona Arts Museum.
#7: Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village
Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village is a romantic and enchanting Old World outdoor shopping experience with more than 100 fine artisans from around the world showcasing their handcrafted items including jewelry, home decor, painted furniture and much more.
This little slice of faux Mexico has been called one of America’s best kept secrets by both Travel + Leisure magazine and The New York Times.
It’s a must see for any visitor to the Sedona area. The town features over 160 shops and restaurants, including pottery galleries, jewelry stores, upscale boutiques with Western wear and handcrafted Mexican imports from Oaxaca state in southern Mexico.
Tlaqepaque, which means, “the best of everything,” is a place that looks and feels like Mexico since the 1970s. It’s a perfect place for shoppers looking to indulge themselves.
It’s also great if shopping isn’t your thing because the town offers tours, live music and demonstrations, cooking classes from renowned chefs at restaurants such as Casa de Reyes or JOCA Cocina Mexicana. There is always something going on!
#8: Uptown Sedona
If you’re coming to Sedona for the first time, Uptown is a great place to start. It has an eclectic collection of shops and galleries in buildings that have housed retail since the town’s inception.
The best way to explore it all on foot so that you can soak in the ambiance of this unique place.
Head down Highway 89A and turn left on State Route 179 (Country Club Dr). This will take you to the West Sedona sign, which is a favorite landmark for taking photos. You’ll see signs pointing out various landmarks along the way—you can make your own tour by following them.
There are also plenty of photo spots and scenic vistas in Uptown itself. The roundabout at Country Club Drive is one popular spot that offers views of mountain peaks across from each other: Schnebly Hill from Bell Rock Mountain; Cathedral Rock overlooking Tuzigoot National Monument; and Kelly Butte with its iconic red rocks just off Gibson Boulevard. Quaint shops line Uptown’s blocks, making it easy to see how Sedona’s center of commerce and culture got its name.
#9: Sedona Arts Center
The Sedona Arts Center is a nonprofit place for people to go and learn more about arts. The SAC provides opportunities for people to share their work with others and also teaches them about arts. With over 12,000 square feet of gallery space and the largest public sculpture garden in Sedona, it has become one of today’s most successful art institutions.
The Arts Center offers a diverse range of programs for all ages and levels from introductory to advanced: drawing classes (ages five & up), workshops on painting ceramics or photography, workshops with artists-in-residence, artist lectures (weekly) and more. There are also free community events like live music concerts, dance performances theater productions by professional touring companies. The center is open seven days a week year round so there is always something happening!
#10: Pink Jeep Tour
Since 1960, the Pink Jeep Tour is the most talked about off-road adventures in the Southwest. The Pink Jeep Tour company offers three tours in Sedona, and two of them are guided.
The Red Rock Canyon tour is a four hour excursion that starts at the base of the Grand Falls, which will be stunningly beautiful during your journey up to Oak Creek Vista. This tour includes views from Deer Valley Road, stopping for photo opportunities along Strawberry Fields Road, enjoying lunch with spectacular views among red rock formations before arriving back at our office
The second guided tour offered by this company leaves from Willow Springs Picnic Area near McDonald’s Restaurant on SR 179 and takes you northward through majestic canyons to some of Northern Arizona’s most popular sites such as Devil’s Bridge; Courthouse Butte; Cathedral Rock and more!
Final Words
Sedona is a city full of surprises and natural beauty. It’s not surprising that it attracts more than 3 million visitors annually, making tourism the largest economic engine in this area.
If you’re looking for a scenic destination with plenty of outdoor activities and opportunities to take in the beauty, Sedona is the perfect choice.
From hiking trails like the Devil’s Bridge Trail that offers awesome views of Cathedral Rock or Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area where visitors can spot deer on their way up to see panoramic vistas from high atop Mescal Mountain—Sedona has something for everyone.
We hope this guide will help you plan your trip to Sedona. If you’ve been before and have a favorite spot we missed, let us know in the comments below!
And if you haven’t yet visited, now is as good a time as any. With so many incredible things to do outside of our list, maybe try something new?