3-Day Phoenix to Sedona Road Trip

red rocks in Sedona Arizona

Sedona, Sedona, Sedona.

In June, I took a trip to Sedona, Arizona and let me tell you it did not disappoint. If you are looking for a location that has tons of history with beautiful landscape and amazing hiking trails, then I highly recommend Sedona.

When to visit

According to many locals, majority recommended visiting Sedona in the October timeframe. I was told the fall weather makes hiking the trails much easier and provides a more scenic view. However, I will say that even though I went in June, the weather wasn’t as scorching hot as I had expected it to be. But then again I live in Texas, so I am used to the heat haha.

I will add though that the Rafael Wildfire occurred during this trip. This fire was devastating to thousands of acres in the Coconino National Forest. So for safety reasons majority of the trails were closed. Nonetheless, I made the most of the trip and did tons of exploring.  

Pink Jeep Tour Flagstaff View

Flying

When traveling to Sedona, you have two options for airports. You can either fly into Phoenix International Airport or FlagStaff Airport. I recommend flying to Phoenix and driving the 2 hours to Sedona. It may seem like a long drive, but the scenery makes the trip well worth the drive.

Also, if you fly to Phoenix in the morning, take time to explore a few local spots!

Transportation

After landing in Phoenix, I picked up the rental car from the airport. For this trip, a rental car is a necessity. You will have a hard time getting around Sedona since Ubers and Lyfts are limited. My rental company of choice is Avis. I like Avis because you can avoid all the lines by handling the entire pickup process through your phone.

Bella vista room at the Sunset Chateau

Staying in Sedona

Sedona has numerous places to stay, with many located off the main road. All have different price ranges, so no matter your budget, I guarantee you will find the perfect stay for your trip. 

I stayed at a boutique bed-and-breakfast called the Sunset Chateau. This stay features a garden area, firepit, pool and easy access to hiking trails.

A Sunset Chateau offers different room types, each providing their own unique features. Their Bella Vista rooms include a kitchen, shower, jacuzzi tub, fireplace, balcony and front view of the Red Rocks.

Even though I loved this spot, I was not a fan of the parking lot. The back lot was pretty tight for parking. If you are staying here, then I suggest renting a smaller vehicle if you do not need a large SUV.

Eating in Sedona

Reservations are a must for eating at the popular spots! Seriously, majority of the restaurants do not allow walk-in seating. If you have some top pick spots on your list, I highly suggest making reservations as soon as possible. If not, you will eat at a lot of generic franchise food places.

Day ONE

  1. Arrive at Phoenix International Airport
  1. Head to the Desert Botanical Garden. The garden is broken down into multiple trails that offer a unique view of different desert plants. Each plant has a plaque that displays its genius and family name. The garden even offers a herb and butterfly garden as well! The garden requires that you purchase tickets ahead of time, so be sure to stop by the website beforehand. Tickets range from $9 to $30 per person.
  1. Drive 5 minutes to the Hole in the Rock trail in Papago Park. This is a short 10-minute hike that leads to a landscape view of Tempe. Unfortunately, it started to downpour, so I skipped this trail. However, you can see this park from the Desert Botanical Garden.
  1. For lunch, visit a cantina called Centrico, located downtown Phoenix. There are a few parking spots right outside the restaurant, so try to snag one. The restaurant is located inside of a historic hotel, so don’t get confused about the entrance. Try the tacos de asada and the San Carlos burrito. Everything that was ordered was fantastic! But as a heads up, the Queso Fundido was more just melted shredded cheese, so don’t make my mistake and assume it’s going to be a creamy Queso dip.
  1. The drive to Sedona is about 2 hours, so take time and explore downtown Phoenix before hitting the road. If you are traveling with someone, be sure they have the camera ready to capture all the beautiful scenery.
  1. Once in Sedona, grab dinner at the Hideaway House. I sat on the outside patio facing the Red Rocks. Try the wings and the lemonade if you go here! Give the peach cobbler a taste!
Collage view of Sedona Arizona

Day 2

  1. Hike Devil’s Bridge, which is a 4.2-mile hike out and back. The recommendation is to start this hike as early as possible because of the crowds. If you are comfortable hiking in the dark, start before 6am so you can watch the sunrise from the top.
  1. Swing by Theia’s for a morning coffee and blueberry fritter. This was cute local coffee shop with a lot of character. This spot was my favorite, so I visited every morning. We originally tried to go to Creekside Coffee, but found out that it had closed during the pandemic. We were glad that we stumbled across Theia’s though.
  1. If you stay at the Sunset Château, head back, grab breakfast, and unwind for a bit. If you’re a big fan of tea, check out the Chateau’s tea collection!
  1. Drive to the Red Rock State Park and hike the Eagle’s Nest Trail. This is a 1.54-mile hike with a slight incline and panoramic view of the Red Rocks. Within the Red Rock State Park, there are multiple trails, but the Eagle’s Nest Trail offers the most scenic view. This trail was highly recommended by the Rangers.
  1. Swing by White Light Crystal Shop and learn about different crystals! Sedona is filled with different Crystal shops, but we were drawn to this location. This is a local shop and before you purchase your crystals, the owner does a connection ceremony with you. It was a truly unique experience, so if you are into spiritual healing and guidance, then stop here.
  1. Grab some ice cream at Rocky RD Ice Cream CO! I don’t even need to explain this, ice cream is life, so just go here. You will love all their options and a major plus is that it’s locally owned!
  1. Walk the learning trail bridge. The trail starts near the Pink Jeep Tour building and spans along the main road. It is lined with plaques that tell the history of Sedona and how the town was founded. A bonus to this trail is the view of all the major rocks, such as Cathedral and Bell Rock. Be on the lookout for the rock that locals call Snoopy Rock… if you visit, let’s see if you can guess why! 🙂
  1. For dinner, head to Mesa Grill Sedona. This restaurant is cool because it is placed right next to the airport tarmac. Try to secure outdoor or window seating to gain a better view of the planes and helicopters. Regarding the menu, try the ribs or Blackened Salmon! These dishes were recommended and both were fantastic!
  1. After dinner, grab a drink from the Mesa Grill Bar and sit on the outside patio. The patio has outdoor lighting and patio chairs, so that you can unwind. Give the classic Aperol Spritz a try!
  1. Right before sunset, drive back to the overlook of the Mesa Airport entrance. Park in the lot across the street for just $5 and watch the sunset over the Coconino National Park. If you get there at the right time, you can snag a seat on the overlook.
  1. Do a Stargazing tour with Sedona Stargazing! The tour is $117 for adults and $76 for children. There are two different meetup times you can select. Most reviews suggest selecting the latest time-slot, so that you have the best view of the stars. Unfortunately, our tour was cancelled because of the fire smoke making the sky hazy, but this company was highly recommended by other travelers.
image collage of views in Sedona Arizona

Day THREE

  1. Hike Cathedral Rock Trailhead. Many recommend hiking this trail in either the morning or the evening. Majority of the trail is in the sun, so it’s best to avoid this hike during prime sun hours. Also this trail very steep, so be prepared to be climbing on all fours during some parts.
  1. Book a Pink Jeep Tour. If you have a chance to do the Pink Jeep Tour, then I highly recommend it. There are multiple tours that you can select from all ranging from $40 to $200 a person. We were originally scheduled for the Scenic Rim tour, but due to the fires we did the Canyon Cooler Tour. This tour took us toward the Flagstaff area and upwards of about 7,000 feet above sea level.We actually got lucky and ended up being the only ones on our tour, so we were able to have a more personalized experience. Phil who was our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable of the area. He even stopped by a local jewelry market were many natives were selling handmade jewelry. I suggest that if visiting Sedona, purchase jewelry from here instead of the brick-and-mortar shops.
  1. Explore downtown Sedona. This area is lined with tons of neat shopping stores and restaurants. I am a big foodie, so as soon as I saw the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, we stopped for a quick snack! Try their chocolate covered pretzels!
  1. Also swing by the Sedona Candle Gallery! This shop is well known for its custom globe like candles. Whether you decide to design your own and just want to window shop, this is must stop while exploring downtown.
  1. Before its time to leave Sedona stop to take a picture at the only blue arched McDonald’s in the world! However, if you want food, do nto go expecting a unique menu, it’s literally your standard menu. Missed opportunity McDonalds…
  1. On the way back to Phoenix, stop at the Sunset Point rest stop. The stop has a cliff over hang with a panoramic view of the mountains. This was recommended by our tour guide Phil as a must stop!
Image collage of hiking and the overall view of sedona

And there you have it! The perfect 3-day guide to Sedona! There is so much to do in Sedona, so comment below and offer more suggestions!

 

Other things to do in Sedona

Bell Rock Trail

Slide Rock State Park

Grasshopper Point

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Montezuma Castle National Monument