The Ultimate Guide To A Perfect Weekend in Sedona

Sedona: a busy tourist hotspot or an adventurers dream?

Sedona is a small town in Arizona, just two hours from Phoenix. The tapestry of red rock, the extensive miles of trail and restorative energy of the vortexes — makes Sedona such a unique place to visit. Sedona, once known for being a small town for retirees has because a bucket list destination.

At the start of this month, I finally had the chance to visit Sedona after having it on my travel list for years. As many of the locals reminded me, I’m not the only one with Sedona on my bucket list. 

Each place I’ve traveled to has given me something to remember. Keep reading to see what made Sedona stand out.

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When To Visit

The best time to visit Sedona depends on your budget, activities you want to do and your personal comfort with the different temperatures across the seasons. Visiting Sedona in the winter checked all three of those boxes for me. Dare I say it… winter is the best time to visit Sedona.

2-3 days in Sedona is the perfect amount of time to spend in Sedona. We decided to go as a four day weekend. We allotted 1.5 days for travel and two full days for activities.

For the best weather, most people tend to go during the Spring (March – May) or Fall (September – November). Since the weather is the best during these times of year, you can also expect to see more tourists and higher rates at hotels. 

Summer in Sedona is pretty hot! If you plan to go during this time, you have to pack extra water and plan your activities to avoid the warmer parts of the day.

Winter in Sedona

So this brings me to why visiting Sedona in the Winter is the best. Temperatures in February were comfortable with highs of 60 degrees fahrenheit and lows of around 30 degrees fahrenheit. I found this to be perfect for hiking. The trails weren’t as busy and the rates at the hotel was affordable.  

Traveling To And Within Sedona

Traveling to Sedona was a meticulously planned feat. Coming from NYC meant that there would be a time difference. While Sedona is only two hours ahead this time difference would end up costing us an entire day when traveling from Sedona to NYC.

We flew into Phoenix Sky Harbor International airport as it is the most popular for visitors. Pay close attention to the airport you are planning to fly into. There is an airport closer to Sedona, but may require connecting flights.

Ground Transportation

Transportation was adequately available to and within Sedona. 

• Shuttle – To get to Sedona from the airport, we used Groome Transportation. This was a pretty inexpensive option for getting to Sedona by shuttle bus. The bus leaves Phoenix Sky Harbor International airport several times a day at scheduled intervals. I highly recommend booking your reservation in advance to ensure availability. Groome Transportation allows two suitcases, each of which should weight 50 pounds or less. 
• Uber and Lyft – Uber was pretty accessible during our trip. We weren’t able to successfully book a ride with Lyft because of long delays or drivers not available in the area. We found Uber to have shorter wait times and the drivers were really pleasant! 

Getting around was severely impacted by traffic due to construction that was happening, and congestion on the main road. If you plan to visit during a busier time of year I would recommend walking or renting bikes. We traveled during a less busy time of year and there were still times when traffic was at a standstill for almost almost a half hour.

Where To Stay

Amara Resort and Spa was a perfect place to stay for our trip. They have the friendliest staff, a restaurant and spa on site and stunning views. We ended up spending a lot of time at the hotel because we really enjoyed the food at the Salt Rock Kitchen located on the main floor. 

Related: Amara Resort and Spa: A Review of Sedona’s Luxury Escape

What To Wear

I expected Sedona to be chilly, but what I did not expect was hail! It hailed, on and off, for a whole day during our visit. Thankfully with the items I packed below, I was well suited for all the weather that weekend.

• Fleece lined leggings
• 3 in 1 Jacket
• Sneakers for leisure
• Sneakers for hiking
• Sweatpants
• Thermal long sleeve
• Headbands
• Hiking bag
• Fingerless gloves

Food And Activities

Sedona has enough activities for every kind of tourist. There are spas and wineries if you are hoping to relax during your stay. For more adventure, you can hit the trails or enjoy a jeep tour on the rocks. And for the foodies, you can find amazing Southwest cuisine and indigenous inspired cocktails. 

• Book a Pink Jeep Tour: One of the best ways to see the Red Rock formations in Sedona is by going off-roading. We booked a Pink Jeep Tour of the Broken Arrow trail to get the full experience. Pink Jeep Tours are one of the most famous tour operators in Sedona. Brace yourself for a bumpy, yet thrilling ride.
• Shop at the local craft stores: Tlaquepaque is a local art and shopping village. Walk around and you can find art, food and culture in many forms and mediums.
• Visit the spa: I can’t get enough of this resort. Having the Amara Spa just feet away from my room was *chefs kiss*.
• Hike Cathedral Rock: If all I did during my trip was hike Cathedral Rock, I would surely be satisfied. The view from the top of the rock is absolutely stunning. At an elevation of about 5,000 ft this hike took us about 1.5 hours to complete.
• Explore a Sedona Vortex: Sedona is known for its vortexes. These vortexes are swirling centers of energy thought to be conducive to healing, exploration and mediation. We visited one of the best vortexes at Cathedral Rock.
• Indulge in food at local eateries: Sedona gets really busy, so I recommend making reservations in advance. Here are a few great places to visit – Hideaway House, Elote Cafe, Salt Rock Kitchen
• Book a wine tour

Every place that I’ve traveled to has given me something — a collection of memories I don’t want to forget. Safe to say, visiting Sedona was no different.  

I hope you find these tips helpful. Let me know in the comments if you are planning to visit Sedona! 

Live abundantly,

Bethany