I remember my first visit to Sedona, Arizona like it was yesterday. It was in the middle of summer and I was living in Mesa, Arizona. I was hot and needed to get away! Some friends told my partner and me about Sedona and since it was only a couple of hours away we grabbed a few things and headed to the cooler high ground. We were blown away by the red rock formations and the crystal clear blue sky, but we weren’t quite sure what to do first. We called some friends for advice and they suggested that we hop on the Sedona Trolley to get the best introduction to Sedona. So that’s where we started. Now that I have been here for a while, here are my best recommendations for your first visit to Sedona.
Sedona Trolley
The Sedona Trolley offers two fully-narrated tours and when we found out we could take both of them for $22 we opted for both. I highly suggest taking both tours. First we took the Sedona Highlight Tour that covered mostly the south side of Sedona. This tour stops for about 20 minutes at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, an architectural delight built into the red rocks. We got a lot of great photos from that stop. The tour also takes you through the Gallery District and Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. The second tour, The Seven Canyons Scenic Tour, visits the West Sedona area and before you know it you are seeing some of the most beautiful scenery and stunning vistas of Boynton and Long Canyon. All along the way the guides offered great information on Sedona and many tips on how to get the most from your vacation time. By the time we were done we knew exactly where in Sedona we wanted to go and what activities we were going to do.
Visit the Airport Mesa
(235 Air Terminal Drive)
You definitely want to make the trip up to the airport Mesa for some of the best overall panoramic views in Sedona, and the sunset there is exceptional because of the way the lights and colors bounce off the red rocks.
Hike Bell Rock Pathway
This is an awesome medium level hike that provides great views of the red rocks and excellent photo opportunities. All along the pathway you will be treated to great scenery. You do not have to hike the whole path to get to outstanding red rock views. Just make sure to wear comfortable clothes and bring water. Once you are on this pathway you may want to hike farther than you thought.
ATV or Jeep tours into the red rocks
You have a lot of choices when it comes to tours into the red rocks. Our personal favorite was the ATV tour by Arizona Outdoor Adventures. We got to drive their ATV while they guided us through the wilderness west of Sedona. That was a kick! I had never driven an ATV before but after they gave me some quick training I was ready to go. If you do not want to do your own driving I would suggest any of these jeep tour companies: A Day in the West, Pink JeepTours, and Red Rock Jeep Tours. There are other Jeep Tour companies that I have not tried yet, don’t worry you won’t pick the wrong one, they are all good!
Visit the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
We also took a walk up to the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park located at 2650 Pueblo Drive in west Sedona. It is amazing there – a wonderfully peaceful place for prayer and meditation. The Amitabha Stupa is open every day from dawn until dusk and your visit is free of charge. This was one of my favorite places in Sedona. The beautiful scenery, energy and overall good feeling of the area keeps me going back.
I could go on and on about all the attractions and tours to take, but I believe this is a good start for your first visit to Sedona. Once you get here you will find your own favorites that encompass your interests.
L Peters is the web editor for http://www.Sedona-Arizona-Vacations.com and is a wellspring of information for Sedona, AZ visitors. Utilize the site for Events, Deals and Packages that are currently offered by Sedona businesses.
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