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How to Spend One Amazing Day in Sedona, Arizona

Home » DESTINATIONS » North America » United States » Arizona » How to Spend One Amazing Day in Sedona, Arizona

Last Modified: June 25, 2024 //  by Anda //  14 Comments

Sedona is one of my favorite destinations in Arizona. It’s a great place for outdoor lovers and wine aficionados as well. Sedona’s beautiful hikes and wineries lure visitors from all over the United States. You can easily spend a week in this great town and barely scratch the surface of all there is to see and do there. But what if you only have one day in Sedona? Would that be enough to make your trip worthwhile?

One Day in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona

We visited Sedona many time over the years and every time we went we did it as a day trip from Phoenix. So what I can tell you is that you can squeeze in a lot of activities into a single day.

Table of Contents

  • HOW TO SPEND A PERFECT DAY IN SEDONA
    • • Stroll Through Sedona’s Main Street
    • • Hike One of Sedona’s Famous Trails
    • • Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross
    • • Go Shopping in the Tlaquepaque Village
    • • Cool Off at Slide Rock State Park
    • • Take a Jeep Tour
  • Where to Stay in Sedona
  • Best Time to Visit Sedona
  • More Than One Day in Sedona?
    • • Spectacular Indian Dwellings
    • • Jerome Ghost Town

HOW TO SPEND A PERFECT DAY IN SEDONA

Sedona is equal parts rugged terrain and equal parts resort. The town is famous for its its great views, fine dining, art galleries, and outdoor activities. So if you ever plan a road trip in the Southwest, make sure to include the this beautiful town into your itinerary. 

One day in Sedona
One day in Sedona

• Stroll Through Sedona’s Main Street

Sedona nestles in an abundance of scenic beauty, so you can start your day with a walk through town. The area around is a truly amazing  geological wonderland of red rock formations with mesmerizing shapes that range from pinnacles and spires to buttes and domes.

One day in Sedona
Walking on the Main Street in Sedona

Sedona’s Main Street twists like a snake through the Old Town area, lined with souvenir shops, art galleries, cafés and restaurants. This is a great place to go window shopping and popp in and out of interesting art galleris, even on a very cold day.

Things to do in Sedona - eating at a restaurant
Restaurant in Sedona

There are some good restaurants to choose from if you decide to stop for breakfast or for lunch.

Snacking at one of Sedona's restaurants
Snacking at one of Sedona’s restaurants

• Hike One of Sedona’s Famous Trails

Surrounded by almost 2 million acres of national forrest, Sedona is a paradise for outdoor activities. From hiking and biking, to horseback riding and rock climbing you can do a lot of physical activities here.

hiking to the Cathedral Rock in Sedona
The Red Rock Crossing

Within a couple of miles from the center of the town you have absolutely gorgeous hiking trails, with landscape and views that you won’t find anywhere else in the States. Some of these famous hikes include the Red Rock Crossing, Brins Mesa Trail, and Cathedral Rock Trail.

• Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross

If you were to visit only one site during your day in Sedona, it should be the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Located on a hilltop, this stunning church seems to be rising from directly the red cliffs.

One day in Sedona: the Chapel of the Holy Cross
The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona

The chapel itself in quite spectacular, featuring a beautiful glass window held together by a giant cross. The window overlooks the Verde Valley allowing a spectacular view of the area around.   

the Chapel of the Holy Cross in sedona
The Chapel of the Holy Cross

This is a nice place prayer and reflection where you can spend some quiet time admiring the surrounding beauty.

• Go Shopping in the Tlaquepaque Village

Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village is an outdoor shopping center designed in the style of a traditional Mexican village. This place has a charming, old-fashioned atmosphere, with cobblestone streets and mosaic fountains.

Fountain at the Tlaquepaque Village

Here you can find a variety of art galleries, shops filled with very unique items and fine restaurants. Although the village has a bit of a tourist atmosphere, I can’t help felling great here every time we visit it.

Visiting the Tlaquepaque Village
Tlaquepaque Village

• Cool Off at Slide Rock State Park

If you are visiting Sedona in summer, one of the best places to cool off from the heat is the Slide Rock State Park. Located about 7 miles north of Sedona, the park earned its name from the stretch of slippery creek bed that acts as a natural waterslide.

Sliderock
Slide Rock State Park (photo credit: Laszlo Galffy)

You can cruise down the creek on a tube or on your own butt and enjoy the crystal clear, cooling water.

The Slide Rock Park is beautiful at any time of year, even in winter. Of course, if it’s cold you won’t be able to soak in the water, but the park it’s still worthwhile. Its proximity to the town makes it easy to visit, even if you have only one day in Sedona.

The entrance fee is $20/vehicle, somewhat steep, but still worth the price on a hot day.

• Take a Jeep Tour

If this is your first time in Sedona and you don’t know your way around, there’s always the option to be guided through the landscape on four wheels.

Several Sedona companies offer jeep tour excursions into the backcountry where you can see some of the area’s most recognizable locations.

Jeep riding in one day in Sedona
Jeep rides in Sedona

The jeep rides have become very popular in Sedona, where an army of brightly colored jeeps rush visitors into the sandstone outback. The shortest tours last about 90 minutes, so it’s easy to squeeze into your one day itinerary.

Where to Stay in Sedona

Sedona is one of the most instagrammable places in the US, so no matter where you stay chances are you’ll have a great experience. But at the same time, Sedona a very expensive town so if you are planning to spend the night here, be prepared to spend top dollars on lodging. 

We’ve been in Sedona many times over the years and stayed at different hotels. The two that we liked the most were Arabella Hotel, and Bell Rock Inn. There are also plenty of Airbnbs in Sedona worth checking out.

Arabella Hotel

Arabella is one of Sedona’s high-end hotels that provides spacious rooms with balconies, park-like grounds, a swimming pool, a dog run area, and an on-site restaurant. The hotel serves a delightful breakfast. You can choose to eat in the dining room, or outside on the patio that faces the pool area.

Room at Arabella Hotel in Sedona
Room at Arabella Hotel in Sedona

But the most appealing feature for us was the 10 minute trail behind the hotel. The trail leads to a high plateau overseeing the gorgeous red-rock formations around Sedona. Guests can walk up and down the trail both during the day and at night, when the trail is nicely illuminated by lamps.

view of the hiking trail behind Hotel Arabella
Grounds of the Hotel Arabella and the hiking trail behind the hotel

The vista point is equipped with chairs, so at night you can sit comfortably and watch the stars shining up above.

Bell Rock Inn

Hotel Room in Sedona
Southwest Inn, Sedona

Bell Rock Inn is a very nice property located just a few miles outside Sedona. The hotel features rooms with sitting areas and kitchenettes, a swimming pool and a beautiful garden.

Bell Rock Inn Sedona
Bell Rock Inn, Sedona

Best Time to Visit Sedona

Sedona is a great place to visit at any time of year. Unlike other parts of Arizona which are mostly hot and dry, Sedona enjoys a varied climate and landscape.

visiting Sedona in late fall
Visiting Sedona in late fall

Fall is particularly beautiful in Sedona, when the leaves turn red and yellow. The temperature is at its best, so you can do almost anything at that time of year.

One day in Sedona

I also like visiting Sedona in winter, when there is snow on the mountains and sometimes even in the

If you visit Sedona during the hot summer months, you’ll notice the heat is not so unbearable as in other parts of Arizona. For this reason, many people visit Sedona as a day trip from Phoenix or Tucson, just to escape the heat.

READ NEXT: The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Devil’s Bridge Trail in Sedona

More Than One Day in Sedona?

If you have more than a day in Sedona, I would recommend visiting some of the many attractions in the area. Here are some ideas:

• Spectacular Indian Dwellings

Some of Sedona’s attractions include the famous Indian dwelling ruins. This area was once the home of the Sinagua Indian tribes. Therefore, traces of their culture can still be seen today.

Sedona’s close proximity to Oak Creek Canyon, Montezuma Castle National Monument, and Walnut Canyon, make it very easy to visit all of these ruins.

Indian ruins near Sedona
Montezuma Castle

The most spectacular are the cliff dwellings on the Walnut Canyon rim. This is a collection of incredibly well preserved single-story habitats of the Sinaloa Indians. The Walnut Canyon cliff dwellings are only 28 miles away from Sedona and can be visited as a day trip.

• Jerome Ghost Town

At about the same distance from Sedona as the Walnut Canyon cliff dwellings you’ll find another great attraction: the beautiful ghost town of Jerome. 

the ghost town of Jerome
The ghost town of Jerome

The town was the site of a small mine where the local Yavapai tribe mined copper for their jewelry. The town was named after Eugene Jerome, a New York lawyer who financed the United Verde Copper Company.

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Category: Arizona, DESTINATIONS, United StatesTag: Destination Guides, Sedona, USA Historic Towns

About Anda

Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna

    December 6, 2017 at 2:54 am

    Looks so beautiful! Always discover new incredible places in the US from your blog!

    Reply
  2. Tomas

    December 3, 2017 at 8:21 am

    As you write at the beginning I have never heard about Sedona, but I have seen pictures of the chapel 😉 The scenery and town look gorgeous.

    Reply
  3. Sally's Tips 4 Trips (aka Toddlers on Tour)

    December 3, 2017 at 2:54 am

    The rock slide looks like fun – though my ever so cautious side thinks “Oh, I might twist an ankle.”

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      December 3, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      I hear you, Sally. I’d be afraid to walk on those rocks too, but you don’t have to. You just put your butt down and slide down with the water.

      Reply
  4. Dorothy

    December 2, 2017 at 6:55 am

    I have never seen such a unique church, and the view looks spectacular. It’s also nice to find an upscale pet-friendly hotel.

    Reply
  5. Anisa

    December 2, 2017 at 1:08 am

    I lived in Phoenix for 6 years so I love Sedona. Seeing your photos brought back some good memories. It really is such a beautiful place.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      December 2, 2017 at 3:29 pm

      I didn’t know you lived in Phoenix, Anisa. Wow, moving to New York and not to London looks like two huge changes of scenery.

      Reply
  6. Vlad

    March 2, 2015 at 11:41 pm

    The minute I saw the first picture, I knew that I would absolutely love to visit Sedona. Your gorgeous photos put it in a very good light and I have added it to my wish list. 🙂

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      March 3, 2015 at 8:26 am

      I’m sure you’d enjoy Arizona all together, Vlad. It’s a spectacular state, so rich in Indian culture.

      Reply
  7. Esther

    March 1, 2015 at 1:27 am

    Wow, just look at that. Absolutely stunning. Sedona has been on my list for a while. Thank you for hosting linkup.

    Reply
  8. Mary {The World Is A Book}

    February 28, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    Beautiful! I absolutely love Sedona and it’s been far too long since we’ve visited. It’s such a wonderful place to relax. Although, next time we hope to do one of those pink jeep tours. I’ve never gone inside the Chapel of the Holy Cross and that looks lovley with a stunning view.

    Reply
  9. Suze the Luxury Columnist

    February 28, 2015 at 12:45 pm

    The slide park looks like so much fun!

    Reply
  10. Lyn @thetravellinglindfields

    February 28, 2015 at 4:00 am

    We went to Sedona quite a few years ago. I don’t remember the chapel – I think we missed it – now we’re going to have to go back. It was a lovely place though – I do remember that.

    Reply
  11. Laszlo

    February 27, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    Sedona and its surroundings are also famous for the vortexes of red rock considered portals or sources of cosmic energy, visited by thousands of earth worshippers.

    Reply

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