Sedona Arizona is absolute magic, and I’ve written up our full Sedona itinerary from our most recent trip!
I would recommend spending at least three full days in Sedona so you have time to do all the hiking, activities, and relaxing that you want, but you could definitely spend closer to a week there, especially if you are really into hiking.
This Sedona itinerary is for four full days, and you can also check out my other Sedona guides that cover restaurants, top things to do, and the best hiking here:
Top Things to See in Sedona
Best Sedona Restaurants with a View
Best Hikes in Sedona
Pink Jeep Tour, Sedona
Hiking and outdoor adventuring are Sedona’s biggest draws, and one of the best ways to experience the city. Sedona made the list of the best places to visit in the USA in June for good reason. The weather in June is perfect for hiking and being outdoors, especially as the sun sets!
Be sure to pack appropriately—you’ll want hiking boots (sneakers with crapy grip are not going to cut it on the steep red rocks) and plenty of sunscreen and UV-protectant tops to help shield you from the strong Arizona desert sun.
And bring more water than you think you need when heading out for these hikes!
My mom got really dehydrated and dizzy on Cathedral Rock because she ran out of water—after that, she always carries a Camelbak water pack with her.
My personal favorite items for hiking are linked below:
Where to stay in Sedona:
Sedona hotels can be expensive. If it’s a special occasion or you’re just loaded (can we be friends and I’ll go with you?), Enchantment, L’auberge, and Amara are beautiful options.
Check out the Hyatt and Hilton for more reasonably priced Sedona hotels.
If you’re looking for pet-friendly hotels, try Sedona Rouge or The Orchards Inn Sedona.
Getting to Sedona:
To get to Sedona, you can fly into Phoenix airport and get a rental car from there.
Sedona is a two-hour drive from Phoenix, and you’ll definitely want to have a car while you’re in Sedona to easily get around, as there isn’t really public transportation or a lot of Ubers.
Hot tip: When you land at Phoenix go to Little Miss BBQ. It’s only the best BBQ I’ve ever had.
They have two locations so check their hours because they’re not open every day.
Expect a line (I’ve waited up to two hours before!), but know that it’ll be worth it. Get the ribs for sure!!
Sedona Itinerary
Sedona Itinerary: Day 1
Start with an Easy to Moderate Hike
Kick your Sedona adventures off by getting into those beautiful red rocks!
Start with an easy to moderate hike—you can check out my list of the best hikes in Sedona.
I’d recommend Fay Canyon, Boynton Canyon, Red Rock Crossing, or the West Fork trail for Oak Creek Canyon for an easy hike.
For a moderate hike, try Soldier’s Pass.
Lunch at Etch
After your hike, grab a delicious lunch at Etch, the beautiful outdoor restaurant at L’auberge.
This will be on your way to your next destination—Slide Rock State Park!
Slide Rock State Park
Slide Rock State Park is a really fun spot to visit. It’s known for its natural water slides in the rocks!
The water is sooo cold and it’s more than a little refreshing after going on a hot hike. It’s a fun spot to relax, take a dip, and of course, slide down the natural rock slides.
Pro Tip: These rocks are incredibly slippery (that’s why you can slip and slide down them so easily!), which can definitely be dangerous when you’re trying to get in and out of the water.
Please don’t slip and crack your head open. I scootched into the water on my bum, and when I got out I had someone standing on a dry surface to help me get out.
You can also wear water shoes or tennis shoes that you don’t mind getting wet here to help you have a slightly better grip.
I also recommend wearing leggings that you don’t mind getting snagged if you’re going to go down the rock slides.
I went a couple of times in my swimsuit and my thighs/butt were a bit scratched up afterward.
Pink Jeep Tour
Pink Jeep Tours are a total must in Sedona! Their most popular tour that I cannot recommend highly enough is their Broken Arrow Tour.
My whole family went on this one and everyone agreed it was one of the highlights of our trip!
Our guide/driver was awesome and super knowledgeable, and it’s so exhilarating to ride in a cute pink jeep that goes over some steep and crazy red rock terrain.
The Broken Arrow Tour stops at some really epic viewpoints, including Submarine Rock and Chicken Point.
You can check their website for a list of all their tours, but Broken Arrow is their most popular for a reason—it’s awesome!
P.S. If you’re pregnant or just not up for a bumpy ride, Pink Jeep Tours also offers an option that doesn’t go off-road.
Dinner at Elote
Wrap up your first day with dinner at one of my favorite Sedona restaurants, Elote!
This place has some seriously delicious authentic Mexican food that’s really unique—no basic burritos here.
Their dishes are full of bold flavors and incredible sauces, and everyone from our party loved what they ordered.
Elote doesn’t take reservations, so try to arrive early or be prepared to sip a prickly pear margarita (SO good) at the bar while you wait, as this is a really popular spot.
Sedona Itinerary: Day 2
Hike at Cathedral Rock
Amp things up with a more moderate to difficult hike. Cathedral Rock is one of my favorite Sedona hikes, and I really recommend making sure you include it in your itinerary!
Don’t let the moderate to difficult label scare you—it’s definitely got some steep scrambles, but I saw people of all different fitness levels doing this hike.
Just take your time on the rocky inclines and pause for breaks to enjoy the view when you need to catch your breath.
The views at the top and the rock formations are 100% worth it!!
Once you make it to the top you can head over to the right for that iconic, Insta-worthy photograph.
Lunch with a View at The Hudson
After your Cathedral Rock hike, you’ll undoubtedly be hungry.
Grab lunch somewhere yummy with a view, like The Hudson.
For my full list of Best Sedona Restaurants with a view, check out this post.
Go on a Helicopter Ride
For an epic and splurge-worthy experience, go on a helicopter ride through the red rocks of Sedona!
I mean, just look at those photos! You’ll get some of the most unique red rock views that just can’t be beat.
Catch the Sunset at Airport Mesa
One of my favorite spots to watch the sunset in Sedona is Airport Mesa.
There’s an easily accessible parking lot, so you can pull right out and hop out of your car to take in the beautiful views.
This is one of Sedona’s vortexes, so you definitely don’t want to miss it.
Dinner at Mesa Grill
Since you’re already up at Airport Mesa, head just a few minutes down the road to Mesa Grill for dinner.
Grab a seat on their outdoor patio to watch private planes take off and land, and enjoy their outdoor fire pit.
Sedona Itinerary: Day 3
Spend One Day exploring the Grand Canyon or Antelope Canyon
Doing a bit of a choose your own adventure here for this part of your itinerary!
We chose to do a Grand Canyon day trip because my sister had never been.
It’s a little over a 2-hour drive from Sedona to the South Rim Visitor Center, where you can park your car.
Once there, you can take the Red Route bus loop that brings you around to some of the Grand Canyon’s most scenic viewpoints. My fav viewpoints are Hopi and Pima.
You can also visit the Havasupai Reservation, where close to 600 Native Americans live.
They welcome tourists to visit and learn about their land and Native American Culture.
Looking for a different day trip from Sedona besides the Grand Canyon? If you’re up for a long day, try Antelope Canyon!
It’s definitely a good idea to book a day tour for Antelope Canyon to sleep in the car and because you need a Navajo guide to enter and a tour will take care of this for you.
This one will pick you up from Sedona and take you to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Dinner at Hideaway House
After your day trip, you’ll be hungry and likely in the mood for some carbs.
Hideaway House serves Italian comfort food and pizzas in a cozy spot.
Sedona Itinerary: Day 4
Get a Massage at A Spa For You Sedona Day Spa
Time to relax a bit! Thea, the owner at A Spa For You, will take wonderful care of you.
Omied and I had a couple’s massage here and it was lovely.
She really makes an effort to chat with you before your treatment to truly understand you, your body, any previous injuries, and what you’d like to focus on.
Thea also takes the time to explain your treatment to you and why it beneficial.
I’ve truly never had such a thorough pre-treatment experience before! I loved that our session included a blend of styles, hot rocks, and essential oils.
The prices here are also very reasonable, especially for how custom the spa treatments are.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
After you’re all blissed out from your massage, head to Chapel of the Holy Cross.
This chapel is built directly into the red rocks, and also has beautiful views.
It’s definitely a cool sight to check out in Sedona, and you can easily drive to it and park just below the church.
Lunch at Coffee Pot Restaurant
Grab lunch (or brunch) at this popular Sedona diner.
Their menu is crazy large (as are their portions), and I’d highly recommend their corned beef hash.
So freaking good!!
Another Hike or Check Out Jerome
We have another choose your own adventure fork in the road here, folks.
You can either go on a different hike you haven’t been on yet (Devil’s Bridge or Bell Rock would be my two recs!) or check out the ghost town of Jerome. Jerome is a 40-minute drive from Sedona and used to be a booming mining town in the 1800s.
Check out my Jerome Ghost Town travel guide here.
You could also travel by the Verde Canyon Railroad to Jerome (the train will drop you a 12-minute drive from the center of town), whose tracks were originally first laid in this ghost town.
Once you’re in Jerome, you can check out the State Park and Museum all about Jerome’s mining history, do a ghost tour, go wine tasting, and stroll around the town.
If you’re looking for a third option for those who choose your own adventure day, the Verde Canyon Railroad also offers scenic tours and rides, and an open-air car looks like such a fun way to spend an afternoon!
Sunset Drinks and Dinner at Tii Gavo
Let’s end this Sedona itinerary on a high note!
Get drinks and dinner at the stunning Enchantment Resort’s restaurant, Tii Gavo.
This is my absolute favorite pick for a restaurant with amazing views!
Be sure to ask for a table out on their patio.
The red rocks that jut up in front of you are mesmerizing, and watching the colors change as the sun sets is just amazing.
Their food and prickly pear margs are great, and you’ll want to keep ordering rounds of drinks so you can just sit and stare at the majestic rocks towering above you.
Pro Tip: Enchantment’s other restaurant is called Che Ah Chi—it’s their fancier restaurant but I think the food and views are not any more spectacular than Tii Gavo’s, so you might as well enjoy lower prices at Tii Gavo!
Hope these travel tips and an in-depth Sedona itinerary were helpful for you!
Leave a comment or shoot me an email if you have questions, and tag me (@wtfab) in any pics/stories on Insta if you end up using any part of this Sedona itinerary—I’d love to see!
Heading to Sedona? Check out all my Sedona travel guides:
The Ultimate Sedona Vortex Guide
11 Gorgeous Sedona Bed and Breakfast Picks
FAQs
Sedona is known for its unique and spectacular red rock formations and views. Given its amazing scenery, hiking and outdoor adventures are popular activities in Sedona.
The best time fo year to visit Sedona is in the spring or fall, when temperatures are more moderate and not scorching hot like in the summer.
The Grand Canyon is 117 miles from Sedona, and takes a little over 2 hours to drive to.
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
