Sedona is renowned for its magic, and your first visit to our rocky landscape is destined to be magical as well as you hike along trails that lead you to mystical spots of wonder, dine at local restaurants that feature an authentic Southwest flavor, and shop for crystals, art, and all manner again experience a first time in Sedona. You want to make this visit perfect, but if you don’t know all the secret spots, the hidden wonders, or even the best loved attractions, will your experience be less powerful? Fortunately, that is a question you will never have an answer to because we at Sedona.Org have created this ultimate first-time Sedona visitor guide, bringing the magic directly to you and ensuring that you won’t miss a single wonderful opportunity to see all that our town has to offer.
The Red, Red Rocks of Sedona
When you think of Sedona, it is the red rocks that automatically come to mind, and there are many iconic formations that you can visit by car, by tour, or by hike which should be included on your Sedona itinerary.
Cathedral Rock
You will soon learn that the formations we mention are named for the shapes they seem to represent and Cathedral Rock, offering a cathedral like shape with peaks pointing heavenward is our first example. The 1.2-mile Cathedral Rock Trail is a popular but often considered challenging one, featuring a gain in elevation of nearly 800 feet. This site is also considered to be where one of the main and most powerful vortexes is located, so you can cross two things off your list with a visit to one place.
Devil’s Bridge
Devil’s Bridge is the largest sandstone arch in Sedona, offering an example of the mystical with the tale of its construction. The story goes that the devil built the bridge in exchange for the soul of the first person who crossed it but was tricked when that person sent his dog across instead. Whether that story is true or not, the views from the top of Devil’s Bridge might make you understand why someone would agree to sell their soul in able to access them. The climb to the top where the best views are is 400 feet in height, so not everyone can attempt it, but the views from the bottom of the arch are wonderful as well.
Bell Rock
Resembling a massive bell nestled into the landscape, Bell Rock’s iconic shape greets travelers as they drive into Sedona, offering them their first peek at the wonders that await. The trail that leads to Bell Rock, for those who want up close and personal views, Bell Rock Pathway, is a moderate one, stretching out for 3.6 miles. This formation is also the site of another powerful vortex, one that is described as having an upflow or masculine energy that helps visitors feel vital and creative.
Sedona Awaits
The best way to get a feel of the place you are visiting can be with a tour of the most popular areas, offering a glimpse and the chance to determine if you want to return later on your own and explore in more depth. The tours below are the ones that we recommend to all first time visitors.
Pink Jeep Tours, 204 N State Route 89A
As you drive into town, the first thing you will notice are the red rock formations, of course, and the second will be a variety of colored jeeps traveling the streets as well as bouncing through the countryside, taking visitors to the best spots in the area. These jeeps are from jeep tour companies with the most iconic being Pink Jeep Tours, the first and still most popular company in town. Offering a selection of sightseeing tours through the Sedona landscape and to historic ruins that give off a magic of their own, you can’t consider that you have visited Sedona without a ride in one of their pink jeeps.
Elevated Sedona Wine Tours, 3150 W State Route 89A #1
Arizona wines are rapidly becoming known as the best wines in the country and Elevated Wine Tours gives travelers the opportunity to sip the best of the best, without having to worry about who is going to be the designated driver. Offering five different tours, the Divine, the Sublime, the Elevated, the Wicked, and the Ultimate Vine Wine Tours, Elevated takes guests on a wine intensive tour of vineyards, breweries, and even tasting rooms (if that’s your pleasure) providing an elegant adventure that you should be able to remember as long as you don’t sample too much!
Shopping Adventures
We may have developed a shopping problem living here in Sedona and when you visit, you will understand why. Surrounded by shops that sell everything from art to crystals to gifts to food, your retail adventures in Sedona are destined to be unlike any you have ever experienced before. We’ve listed a few of our favorite spots below, but there are so many wonderful shops we can’t list them all and if you see something that interests you be sure to drop in, even if it didn’t make our list.
Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, 336 AZ-179
The walls that surround Tlaquepaque and the mature trees that dot its landscape give the appearance that this is a place that has been around for hundreds of years, but its secret is this. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village was the brainchild of a local developer who also happen to be an avid arts collector and was constructed in the 1970s! Its age, however, doesn’t matter and as you stroll along cobbled walks, dipping in and out of shops selling a huge variety of everything, you will wish that you could call Sedona your home and Tlaquepaque your shopping mall. Art galleries, Christmas stores, even souvenir tee shirt shops are filled with items you never knew you needed until you held them in your hot little hands and if you are hungry, there are restaurants. If you are thirsty, there are bars. And if you just want a little snacky snack, discover how sweet life is at the shop named How Sweet it Is, selling chocolates, fudge, candies, smoothies, and ice cream.
Mystical Bazaar, 3058 W State Route 89A in Sedona
Mystical Bazaar is a charming spot, standing on a corner its colorful stuccoed exterior inviting drivers to stop, pull in, and explore all it has to offer. And when you step inside, shelves filled with crystals, essential oils, and jewelry beckon, reminding you that you definitely aren’t in Kansas anymore. Also offering energy healing, aura photography, and psychic readings your every metaphysical need will be met and if you happen to fall as deeply in love with the items on their shelves (as we expect you will) their online store will keep you from having to make weekly return trips. Although we would certainly welcome you if you did!
Mi Amore Sedona, 100 Brewer Road in Sedona
Located in the historic Hart Store building (constructed in 1926) Mi Amore Sedona is a gift store that deserves a more in-depth exploration. This isn’t the traditional cheesy souvenir shop that is often all you can find in other vacation destinations, and if you are looking for a gift for a specific person, this is the shop we recommend you visit. Featuring home décor, bath and body lotions and potions, jewelry, garden wares; the list of what you can buy in this wonderful shop that is simply loaded with charm is longer than the amount of space we have to talk about it here.
Road Trips
Although there is a lot to see right here in Sedona, the surrounding towns offer adventures that will enhance your Arizona vacation experience and a short road trip through all our fantastic countryside scenery is always going to be a good idea, even during your first visit.
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Montezuma Castle Road in Camp Verde
The history of the Sinagua People is a fascinating one as they lived, worked and played here for about 300 years, before migrating away from almost as if by magic. The cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle National Monument were where they lived and visitors can stroll along tree lined paths, staring up at the monuments to human ingenuity while wondering how they managed to live in such harsh environs. There is a nominal fee to enter the area and a visitor’s center that tells the story of the area but nothing compares to actually seeing the dwellings for yourself. You won’t get close, for their protection and yours, the views will be strictly from the sidewalks located at the base of the cliffs, but it is no less impactful at a distance.
Verde Canyon Railroad, 300 N Broadway in Clarkdale
The Verde Canyon Railroad got its start as a railway that carried supplies, workers, and their families to the mining towns in the region. The mines have long since shut down and many towns were on their way to becoming ghost towns, but tourism became the new business and the railroad decided to capitalize on it, offering rides through the Verde Valley that never fail to stun. Offering wine trips, chocolate trips, and special holiday events, there is never a bad time trip the rails fantastic during your Sedona getaway. December visitors with children MUST experience their Magical Christmas Journey.
Jerome, Arizona
Speaking of mining, the town of Jerome was once a thriving mining town that nearly disappeared, coming as close to becoming a ghost town as humanly possible, if not for the interception of artists that visited and thought, this town would make a good artist’s colony. Today, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity, offering galleries filled with talented pieces, shops filled with well curated gifts, and restaurants that add flavor to your adventures. Jerome Grand Hotel is reputed to be one of the most haunted hotels in the nation, and its bar offers a quiet place to sip and savor the Jerome State Historic Park. A luxurious mansion owned by mine owner James S. Douglas is now a fascinating museum that tells the stories of the mines, the town, and the people who once lived here.
Epicurean Adventures in Sedona
The best vacation memories are often the ones that remind of us all the good food we enjoyed and the restaurants listed below evoke a true taste of the magic that is Sedona.
Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits, 241 N State Route 89A in Sedona
From its early days as a saloon and pool hall to its current incarnation as a local hot spot the Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits has always offered an authentic taste of the Southwest. Its all-American menu is filled with modern day renditions of the classic dishes you love and their talent with wild game dishes will make you want to take up hunting as a hobby.
Coffee Pot Restaurant, 2050 W State Route 89A in Sedona
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you won’t walk away hungry from the Coffee Pot Restaurant, offering over 100 omelet selections on its breakfast menu. Sitting in the shadows of Coffee Pot Rock, its casual vibe makes every guest feel at home.
Tortas de Fuego, 6657 AZ-179 C7 in Sedona
You may have heard that the Mexican food in Arizona is something special and Tortas de Fuego is our way of saying you heard right! Offering authentic Mexican food that explodes with flavor, they also offer two other equally delicious locations, one in nearby Cottonwood and one in the Village of Oak Creek. Don’t ask us what our favorite dishes are at Tortas because we honestly love them all, and there simply isn’t enough time to list them all.
Perfect for First Time Visitors
You’ve already made the best decision for first time visitors, that of choosing Sedona.Org for your vacation retreat and following our Sedona visitor guide. Offering comfort, luxury, and a plethora of windows that frame and capture the beauty of the Sedona landscape to perfection, every moment spent at home with us will be ones that you never forget. Reserve your favorite sanctuary today!
