Weekends are never long enough, especially when you have plans to travel someplace wonderful—someplace like Sedona, maybe?—seeking relaxation and fun. Our souls need these respites, and although a week or longer would serve them much better, the beauty of the Sedona landscape, the serenity of Oak Creek that winds its way through town, and the comfortable luxury of our Sedona weekend rentals will go a long way in making Monday much better. This guide to the ultimate getaway in the Sedona area may not be long enough to suit you but will encourage you to live your best life and start planning a return visit at a time when you can stay longer!
Let’s Make This a Long Weekend, Shall We?
Although you could cram a lot of excitement into just two days, a three-day weekend will give you a better idea of just how wonderful Sedona is as it fortifies you for the next round of unrelenting five-day work weeks. And if you can manage it, arriving in our red rock town on Friday evening, not needing to leave until Monday afternoon will give you even more time to fall in love with one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations, giving you adventures you will dream about, memories you will never forget, and perhaps a better understanding of the metaphysical world. Sedona is known for its red rocks, of course, but it is also known for its vortexes and it spiritual beliefs that can help make everyday life more bearable.
Friday Evening Adventures
There are multiple ways to travel to Sedona as you may have already discovered. Most of our guests will fly into the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, rent a car, and drive the two hours+ that it takes to get here from there. Some will fly into the Sedona airport, rent their car, and drive for the few minutes it takes to get to their final destination of Sedona.Org. The third option of a road trip from your home to ours more than likely would take too much time, cutting into your weekend, but if you are from Arizona, it is a great idea. In any case, most of your Friday is going to be spent in travel, leaving you with barely enough time to check in, unpack, and maybe grab a bite to eat before you find yourself ready to drop off into the best sleep of your life. So for this first night, we’re just going to list a couple of restaurants that you may want to stop in before heading “home” for the night.
Mesa Grill Sedona, 1185 Airport Road, Open Daily 7:30 AM to 9 PM
This first suggestion is an especially great one if you flew into the Sedona Airport, as it is located right within view of the runway, offering fantastic views of planes taking off and landing as you enjoy an American meal of high quality. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it is one of our favorite casual restaurants and if you just landed (or even if you drove into town) you can leave your luggage in your rental car and find yourself seated and fed in no time at all! Their menu changes with the seasons, incorporating locally sourced ingredients that are ripe and ready to be used during the season you have arrived on our doorstep.
Oak Creek Brewery & Grill, 336 AZ-179 Suite D201, Open Daily 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM
If you arrive in town especially late, Oak Creek Brewery & Grill will not be in your immediate future as they close rather early, but if you can fit this into your schedule on your first night, we can tell you that first sip of ice cold beer, beers that are brewed on site, will most likely be the best sip of your life. Located inside the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, you may want to take a quick peek, perhaps adding this shopping center into your weekend activities, but for tonight, it is the perfect spot to begin your Arizona adventures. Offering an international menu that includes German schnitzel sandwiches, English pub fish n’ chips, and an all-American Red Rock Rack of Ribs, there is sure to be a dish that will appeal to even the pickiest eaters in your traveling group.
Door Dash or Uber Eats
It’s been a long day of travel and you are simply too tired to spend any more time in public, so of course, Door Dash or Uber Eats is an option, allowing you to spend this first night in your comfy clothes, exploring the comforts of your Sedona.Org sanctuary, before turning in for the night, eager to greet the new day feeling refreshed and ready to explore all Sedona has to offer!
Saturday Morning Dawns Early, Just Not TOO Early
The adventures you are going to enjoy during this, your first full day in Sedona are sure to fill your heart with happiness, but unless you want to do every single thing we have listed here, there’s no need to wake up too early. You may be experiencing jet lag or you may have discovered that your body just doesn’t want to leave the most comfortable bed it has ever slept in. But whatever time you decide to wake and roll, the adventures listed below are ones that best represent the Sedona experience.
Breakfast at the Coffee Pot Restaurant, 2050 W State Route 89A
Resting in the shadows of Coffee Pot Rock, Coffee Pot Restaurant has been a Sedona tradition for 75 years and is one of those places that if you don’t enjoy at least one breakfast under its roof, people may question whether you have REALLY experienced authentic Sedona. Famous for offering more than 100 omelet selections, this restaurant has been frequented by locals, travelers, and more than a few celebrities.
Jeep Tours
When you don’t have a lot of time to explore all that Sedona has to offer, signing up for one of the colorful jeep tours may be the first thing on your list of things to do. Pink Jeep Tours, located at 204 N State Route 89A is the most well-known, taking tourists on a variety of tours that explore the magic of red rock country up close. Their iconic pink painted jeeps handle off road and on road equally smoothly and you can choose canyon, red rock, ancient ruin, and sunset tours for your first adventure in Sedona. Most tours last about two hours, but some can last as long as 11 and some are as short as one and a half hours; all are informational and entertaining.
Hiking Adventures on Your Own
Not everyone likes to join in groups and although the different jeep tour companies all also offer private tours that can drive up the price and you still have to share your adventure with the stranger that is your guide. Hiking to the different red rock formations is something your entire family will enjoy and as you explore Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Courthouse Butte, old Western movie fans may want to play the game of “Which movie did we see that in?” In the 40s and 50s, Sedona was popular with Hollywood filmmakers and many classic Westerns were filmed in the area. For more detailed information on starting and stopping points, length, and difficulty of the trails you will hike, Sedona offers a Sedona Hiking App you can upload to your phone, leading you on the path to adventure.
Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross, 780 Chapel Road
As you drove into town you may have noticed a structure built around a huge cross peering down from the red rocks and yes, that is a church you can visit, known as the Chapel of the Holy Cross. This active chapel offers Sunday Mass and other services, but respectful visitors are encouraged to step inside, cool off, and be amazed by the views of the Sedona countryside visible from the wall of windows that takes up the back of the chapel. Also known for offering one of the most powerful vortexes in the area, your first day may be a great day to experience the first metaphysical part of your journey.
Early Dinner (Late Lunch?) at Tamaliza, 1155 W State Route 89A, Closes at 4:30
Honestly, we don’t know whether to recommend Tamaliza for lunch or a really early dinner, but this classic Mexican restaurant offers an authentic taste of the Southwest and we just know it is as important for you to visit as it is to try the Coffee Pot in the morning! If you dine at this casual counter serve restaurant for lunch, you may just want to fix dinner at home on this night, exploring the luxurious kitchens we provide in all of our Sedona sanctuaries. This quiet spot, tucked away in a small stone structure just off 89A offers a classic menu of Mexican favorites, all handmade and created by the chef and owner who grew up in the heart of Mexico. Inexpensive, colorful, and so very delicious, we think Tamaliza offers the perfect introduction to our Southwestern city!
So Much More to Look Forward to on Sunday
There really is a lot to explore in Sunday, and so after a breakfast at Red Rock Café (Another local hot spot) located at 100 Verde Valley School Road #100, we are going to usher you off onto another full day of adventures.
Slide Rock State Park, Oak Creek Canyon
If your Arizona journey is a summer one, you might want to toss some swimsuits and towels in the back of your rental car, because Slide Rock State Park is famous for, well, its slide rock, an 80-foot-long natural waterslide. The water is always cold, making it the perfect activity when the temperatures are nudging the triple digits. If you aren’t here in the summer, the park is still a great place to hike, picnic, and explore the original apple orchard that was once this areas primary purpose.
Shop ‘Til You Drop
The town of Sedona is a shopper’s paradise, offering just about anything you could ever want, including quite a few metaphysical shops selling crystals, offering psychic readings, or the opportunity to explore all that makes this area also a spiritual paradise. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, located at 336 AX-179 is another iconic Sedona attraction, offering an artists’ colony of sorts, all enclosed by a thick stucco wall and framed by mature trees that help keep your car cooler in the warmer months. In addition to restaurants, souvenir shops, and art galleries, Tlaquepaque offers a year round Christmas store that you won’t want to miss and the mall is also where many holiday events take place throughout the year, so if you are visiting during the holidays, be sure to stop in and see what all is going on.
Road Trips to Excitement
There are many great things to do outside the city limits of Sedona, so if you can bear to leave for a few hours, you may want to drive to Camp Verde to explore Montezuma Castle National Monument (cliff ruins in which the Sinagua people lived in many hundreds of years ago. Or you could head to the small towns of Cottonwood for wine tastings, and Clarkdale for a ride on restored trains with the Verde Canyon Railroad. A journey to the snow in Flagstaff may be in your future during a winter journey, with the college town offering Snow Bowl Ski Resort, or any time of the year is a great time to visit Jerome, a mining town that almost completely disappeared and today is home to many galleries, shops, and delicious restaurants.
Farewell on Monday
If you can manage to put off your departure a few hours on Monday, you may want to wake up early and explore all the wonders of your Sedona.Org sanctuary, wonders that may include private pools, hot tubs, game rooms, and of course, all the comforts of home. We know that you haven’t had a lot of time to explore Sedona during your weekend of wow, but we hope that we have given you plenty of ideas of how to fill your time and plenty of encouragement to visit again when you can stay longer. Reserve your favorite of our Sedona weekend rentals today!
