3 Days in Sedona, Arizona: A Red Rock Wonderland
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Sedona is one of my favorite places in the US. What once was a sleepy one stoplight town is now a very popular tourist destination. I started covering the trails in this region many years ago before all the modern influencers “discovered it” and began promoting the beauty. Conveniently, I lived in neighboring in Flagstaff for many years and enjoyed convenient access to the marvelous red rock scenery via the wonderful Oak Creek Canyon scenic drive. This 14 mile road connects both cities but is much more than simply a transportation route. It’s a beautiful adventure with a lot of scenic beauty and attractions along the way.
My guide will focus on what I believe are some of the top things for first time visitors to do in this area. Keep in mind that 3 days really is not enough time, so this guide will not be all inclusive. After exploring nearly every weekend for several years, I have the can’t miss sites down. While most tourists know about the jaw dropping walk along Devil’s Bridge (it was my first hike which made me fall in love with the area!), there are also a lot of hidden gems where you can bypass some of the tourist traffic.
In addition, Sedona is home to a pretty decent foodie scene for a small touristy town. There are several great outdoor shopping complexes and many places to enjoy the enchanting ancient red rocks without working up a sweat. My guide will include a mix of dining and entertainment options, scenic hiking trails, as well as some options for those who cannot hike.
As a side note, Flagstaff (and Northern Arizona in general) is a gorgeous destination and 100% worthy of a separate vacation. Therefore, I have not included anything about this mountain town in this guide. Please check out my Flagstaff weekend itinerary to find out about all the fun you can have hiking in the high altitude pine forests and exploring the local food scene. Note: Oak Creek Canyon drive ends in Flagstaff, so you do have the option to continue exploring in the mountains, but I highly recommend a separate trip!
Day 1: Check into a gorgeous quiet inn & explore the Red Rock Scenic Byway
Notes: Make a reservation for Cucina Rustica (the Italian restaurant I will be recommending) earlier in the day for around 7pm. The dress code is business casual.
3:00pm: Check into The Inn Above Oak Creek. This is a charming low-key property featuring great views of the creek. I passed it many times before deciding to book a room. While living in Flagstaff, I obviously never needed a hotel, but I did enjoy my stay here as a nice change of pace from the desert scenery in Tucson (where I later relocated).
While this city is home to a lot of really beautiful high end resorts (like the stunning Enchantment), this inn is a great budget friendly option. It’s really quiet and they even offer a few amenities like a free breakfast and balconies overlooking the creek. Be sure to request a room with a creek view!
4:00pm: Enjoy lunch before exploring for the day. Fortunately, this inn is located within walking distance to a few of my favorite restaurants including The Hudson, El Rincon, Secret Garden Cafe, and the Hideaway. It’s hard to even pick between these fabulous options. For your first day, I recommend either El Rincon or Secret Garden, both conveniently located inside the touristy Village of Thlaquepage. I love that you can walk over to the Village from this inn. Hideaway is a hidden gem located amidst the trees and I would rate them #1 for comfort food. You can’t go wrong with any of these choices.
5:00: Hike the gorgeous Little Horse trail. Since you will be probably not be up for a ton of hiking on your first day, I recommend going with a relatively short, but stunning hike along Little Horse. This trailhead is located just 10 minutes from the inn so a great first pick. It’s located along the beautiful Red Rock Scenic Byway, a 7 mile drive featuring gorgeous red rock scenery and easy access to hiking trails.
It’s a 3 mile RT hike with great views throughout. Most impressive is the stunning endpoint view of Chicken Point, one of the best in town. I would say this trail is easy/moderate in intensity depending on your current fitness level. For those who can’t hike, the famous Pink Jeep tours will take you to this point as well.
Alternative: If you do not feel like hiking, simply check out the shops and galleries in Tlaquepaque. There is lots to do and see here to keep you busy. Another option is to explore The Chapel of the Holy Cross, a historic Roman Catholic Church (est. in 1956) which was actually built in between the rock formations. This is a unique sight you will not come across anywhere else and this alone makes it intriguing enough to visit, views aside.
You can explore the stained glass inside, visit the gift shop, and light a candle in honor of a loved one. Even if you are not interested in touring the interior, I recommend driving up for the view. There is a fabulous view of the Cathedral rock formation (during your time here, you will learn each rock is named after the shape it resembles). Also, it is impossible not to notice the mega mansion which is owned by the founder of Lasik eye surgery.
On a side note, this is one of many vortex sites. I learned during my time here that vortexes are basically areas of enchanted spiritual energy. Several hikes fall into this category as well (Airport Mesa, Boynton Canyon, Bell Rock). You can sign up for a guided tour if you are interested. If you have a few extra days, all theses hikes I’ve listed are quite beautiful, especially Airport Mesa.
7:00pm: Enjoy an amazing Italian dinner at a wonderful Lisa Dahl restaurant. Lisa is an award-winning chef with numerous restaurants in the region. I really love Pisa Lisa, a casual pace to enjoy wood fired pies and gelato in a variety of flavors.
But my all time favorite is Cucina Rustica, a gorgeously designed Italian restaurant which actually also serves wonderful authentic dishes. I’ve tried many great dishes here including my favorite, Tortelloni con Funghi Tartufo. The ambiance is just so beautiful.
8:00pm: Explore the shops of Village of Oak Creek. Since you are already in the area, you can check out some of the galleries, a wine bar (Decanter Tasting Room), and the unique shops of this area.
9:00pm: Head back to the inn at unwind. Soak in the jetted tub, read a book by the fireplace (most rooms include a gas fireplace), or sit outside and stargaze. A guided stargazing tour (advance registration) would be pretty amazing. I’ve always wanted to sign up for a tour but they are pricey. Also, it depends on your schedule. Lots of companies offer tours in this area if you are interested.
Day 2: Exploring gorgeous Oak Creek Canyon
On the first morning of your trip, I would skip breakfast at the inn (or maybe just enjoy a light bite) because you are going to want to enjoy breakfast at Indian Gardens, a magnificent local cafe right on the drive which serves the best food anywhere.
7:00am: Get ready for a long day exploring this spectacular 14 mile gorge. Oak Creek Canyon is right up there with the Grand Canyon in terms of my bucket list worthy destinations in the Southwest. You can easily spend a half day taking in the scenery, hiking, and enjoying nature on this marvelous drive. The elevation starts near 4000 feet in Sedona and eventually makes its way up to around 7000 in Flagstaff! It’s a bit change in terms of both scenery and temperature. I never tired of seeing the red rocks transform into dense ponderosa pine forests.
Here’s how I recommend organizing your drive:
First off, drive down to Indian Gardens, located around Milepost 378. This is by far the best breakfast cafe/coffeeshop I’ve tried anywhere in this area. I dined here at least 50 times while living here. Everything is perfect – the fresh homemade bread, the relaxed patio dining area, the muffins, the creative breakfast entrees, and the enticing pastries. We really love the burritos and the Grains and Greens bowl. Their espresso and coffee are top notch too. You can also pick up some to-go items to enjoy after any hike.
Right next door is Garland’s, where you can stop for Native American jewelry, art, and Navajo rugs.
Next, I recommend a stop at the Oak Creek Vista scenic overlook for some magnificent overviews of the canyon. It’s one of the best viewpoints on the drive. Plus, you can also shop for some Native American goods while you are here. I found some pretty dreamcatchers which I gave to family members as Christmas gifts. I would also recommend hiking the fabulous Cookstove trail (one of my favorites in the area) but it’s a bit tough for first time visitors. For anyone more familiar with the area, go for it!
Tip: Just past Pine Flat campground (near MP 387) there is this wonderful natural spring station where you can fill up with fresh water. My neighbor in Kachina Village actually told us about this “local’s secret” and we continued to fill up big 5 gallon jugs during our time living here. It’s the freshest water I’ve ever tasted.
After getting breakfast out of the way, you will want to begin the slow journey back to Sedona, stopping at various scenic pull outs and just enjoying the scenery. As I mentioned earlier, you could drive into Flagstaff but I would book a separate vacation.
Next up is the Midgley Bridge overlook near MP 375. This is one of the more popular lookouts so expect crowds. From here, you can start a really easy trail called Wilson Canyon. It’s an easy gem and one of my favorite shadier hikes during the summer season.
From Midgley, continue on until you get to the West Fork, a very popular trail within the Coconino National Forest featuring 13 creek crossings. It’s just over 3 and a half miles but not too hard in terms of intensity. There are no rough uphill sections, but the creeks themselves are a bit tricky and challenging. The trailhead area is located around MP 385. It’s a steep $15 parking fee but worth it in my opinion. Great red rock views plus gently flowing creeks makes it easy to see why this one is #1 with tourists.
Another popular stop is Slide Rock State Park, where you can slide down “natural waterslides” arising naturally from the sandstone. I was never interested in going here after hearing of too many closures due to high levels of bacteria. A lot of tourists like it, so the choice is up to you.
Continue the slow drive back into Sedona, stopping whenever you feel like enjoying a viewpoint. If you bought something to go at Indian Gardens, you can enjoy a nice picnic. Check out the Coconino National Forest website for ideas. There is a nice picnicking area at Slide Rock but it’s usually filled pretty early on.
Head back to the inn an relax for a bit. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and the beautiful views from your creekside room.
6:00pm: Enjoy dinner at The Hudson, a wonderful new American option with a beautiful patio and an eclectic menu. I really love the food and ambiance here. Everything I have tried has been so delicious especially the savory Butternut Squash Ravioli. They offer the best apps to with choices like: corn chowder, dynamite shrimp, ahi poke tower, street corn bruschetta, and salted pretzel bread with a Guinness cheese dipping sauce.
The views are so great – I would say the best spot for al fresco dining in the city, easily.
7:00pm: Treat yourself to some truffles at Chocolatree. From here, make the quick drive over to Chocolatree, my favorite healthy eatery. They offer all sorts of wellness shots, juiced drinks, and healthy fare and also carry specialty goods in their on-site store. I love their healthy vegan burritos, but mostly I come here for the tantalizing display of truffles!
Day 3: You are probably thinking:“Why didn’t I book a longer trip?”
7:00am: Enjoy breakfast at the inn. It’s your typical continental – enough to give you some energy, but nothing spectacular.
8:00: Walk across the largest sandstone arch. Devil’s Bridge is the iconic hike to do in the area. I wouldn’t say it is the best, but it’s definitely the most touristy worthy. It’s a hassle to park and you have to begin from a connector trail which adds in 2 miles (The Chuckwagon) if you don’t have 4WD which you can read more about in my post. The hike is beautiful though and it’s a cool and scary experience to walk across the arch. Definitely have someone take your picture from the other end for a cool photo memento.
Alternative: Avoid the tourist crowds and opt for a scenic relaxing stroll along the Teacup/Sugarloaf Summit trail. This one is super close to the Uptown area and probably the most scenic overall in my opinion. It receives surprisingly little traffic despite being the best trail in town. It’s a lot easier in intensity but more scenic in my opinion. The views are just so breathtaking – take a look!
10:00am: Check out the shops of Uptown Sedona. There’s a lot to do in this touristy section of town. First off, the views here are fabulous. I recommend dining at Wildflower Bread. The views are out-of-this-world and they serve the best soups and salads (I love the broccoli cheese). And yes, their bread is awesome too. And, although I rarely recommend chains, The Starbucks offers one amazing patio facing the red rocks.
You will find galleries, boutique shops selling southwestern souvenirs, and a bunch of cafes and restaurants. I recommend treating yourself to prickly pear ice cream at the Black Cow: it’s the best. You can also find many other cacti based specialties in the various shops. you will find jams, syrups, teas – just about anything you can think. Also the shops sell all sorts of eccentric knick knacks and household decorations. It’s always a fun time browsing around and I never get bored.
For more seasoned Sedona visitors, I recommend the following hikes: Doe Mountain, the Cookstove, Brins Mesa, and Soldier’s Pass. My must-do hiking guide covers some of the most picturesque easy-mod trails.
For those who wish to stay in the area longer, there is so much more to do. This is just a sampling. Definitely take a look at my visitor guide for the full scoop. Enjoy your time in one of the most beautiful places in the country. I am sure you will want to be back to see more so hopefully this guide will come in handy. And do not pass out on the opportunity to explore Flagstaff which offers endless hiking options, a fabulous foodie scene, and a lively downtown district
And for anyone planning to stay a while (which I totally recommend because there are so many natural wonders throughout the state), you can check out my Arizona Travel Guide. After 5 years of living here, I have basically explored it all. From interesting museums and a national park in Tucson, to old Western towns like Tombstone, to iconic Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, to scenic boat rides, and historic Main Streets, there is a bit of something for everyone.
