I had a great vacation in Sedona this weekend. Close to one of the best vacations I’ve ever had. In fact, it’s helped me realize that one of my areas of expertise that I’ve never shared on my blog is all the great local places to visit that people might not know about. That girl and I hit some of the oldie but goodie spots up there, found a few new ones, and have a few things you might want to avoid. So, here we go with what I hope will be the first of several posts over the next year about all the best places to visit throughout AZ.
Sedona is know for its spectacular views, outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking, local art, and New Age research.
We’ve stayed at several of the hotels in Sedona and enjoyed most of them. We stayed at the Adobe Grand Villas for one night, and found them to be well worth their higher price. They have spectacular rooms, comfortable beds, jetted tubs, a kitchenette (which includes a sink, microwave, break-maker, and mini-fridge but no stove) and an amazing location. The Radisson Poco Diablo Resort is a more moderately priced resort. The rooms are nice and there is golf, tennis, a pool and hot tube, and other activities right at the resort. This weekend was our best find yet - staying at the King’s Ransom hotel. They were very reasonably priced (almost as cheap as you can find a decent room in Sedona) and had all the amenities (including pool, hot tub, jetted tub in the room, free breakfast.) Their room was very comfortable, with a private balcony and soft pillows. Their restaurant is rated as one of the best local Mexican restaurnts, although we weren’t able to sample it because it is only open for dinner, which didn’t fit our schedule. They only thing we really would have liked was a mini-fridge, but we survived without.
The only place to stay I don’t recommend is the Day’s Inn. They are just about the cheapest place in town, and you still don’t get what you pay for. Hard beds, small rooms, and less than stellar service add up to an experience that just isn’t worth the few bucks you save. Pay an extra 10% to stay at King’s Ransom.
Fine dining in Sedona takes some planning ahead. Red Planet is a great burger grill/diner on the main drag just south of town with good food and a unique atmosphere. Olde Sedona is a restaurant/bar. They serve good beer from the local brewery and have the best sweet potato frys in the state. Most of Sedona closes their doors early in the evening, so if you’re looking for food between 8PM and 10PM, Olde Sedona is your best bet. After 10PM, you pretty much have to head to Denny’s in Cottonwood (a 30 minute drive) to fill your tummy. The restaurant at the airport has ok food and spectacular views, but you will pay a slight premium on food that is forgettable.
The Oak Creek Brewery has good pizza and great beer. Just make sure you arrive before 8PM. They close promptly at 8:30, which seems disappointingly early for a brewery. Desert is at the Black Cow ice creme shop downtown. There is usually a line out the door, but it moves quick and the ice creme is a treat worth waiting for. Its not quite as fancy as Cold Stone, but it holds its own in flavor.
Most of the tourists shop downtown, and there’s plenty of shops there. I find the small New Age shops scattered around town much more interesting. The Twice As Nice thrift store is our favorite spot to shop. They always have an interesting assortment of clothes, art, and even furniture.
I won’t try to list the outdoor activities available in Sedona - there are many other sources far better than me already out there on that topic. The one piece of advice I will give you is that you should avoid Slide Rock. The rocks are dangerous, especially in the summer when the park gets crowded, and the water gets very slimy and nasty from hundreds of people wallowing around in it every day. Find your own spot near the camp grounds up-river. You’ll have cleaner water, less crowds, and its free in most spots.