Are you looking for things to do in and around Sedona? You’ve come to the right article.
Sedona is one of the best Arizona cities to visit, for a day trip or a weekend getaway. It’s less than an hour from Flagstaff, a little over 2 hours from the Grand Canyon, and just 30 minutes outside of Cottonwood, Jerome, and Camp Verde.
Not only does it have many incredible hikes, but it’s nearby many natural landmarks and charming small towns.
Ready to discover all of the natural beauty that Northern Arizona has to offer?
Here are 20 things to do in, and near Sedona that you won’t want to miss!
Table of Contents
Things to do near Sedona AZ
Go hiking in Sedona
Sedona is a dream destination for hiking, with beautiful red rocks, pine forests, and the Verde River running at the base of Oak Creek Canyon. I’ve hiked over a dozen trails, and Cathedral Rock and Devil’s Bridge were by far the most memorable.
Cathedral Rock is an adventurous 1.4 mile climb up a mountain, with spectacular panoramic views of the mountains at the top. Devil’s Bridge is one of the most popular Sedona hikes (4 miles roundtrip), to a large 54 ft tall sandstone arch.
If you’re looking for an easy hike, Bell Rock and Boynton Canyon Vista are some of the easiest hikes with the most rewarding views.
And if you’re looking to cool off, you can get your feet wet while crossing over a stream on the West Fork Trail at the base of Oak Creek Canyon.
Visit Amitabha Stupa Peace Park & Chapel of the Holy Cross
If it’s your first time in Sedona, the Amitabha Stupa Peace Park and Chapel of the Holy Cross are two must–see places, both of which are free to visit.
The Amitabha Stupa Peace Park is a serene little park sitting at the base of Thunder Mountain, with a consecrated Buddha shrine, medicine wheel, and prayer flags. It’s one of the most peaceful and quiet places to visit in town.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a gorgeous Catholic chapel built directly into the red rocks, with a large gift shop. You can tour the inside of the chapel, or hike the Chapel Trail, an easy family-friendly trail starting at the chapel, with lovely red rock views.
Go on a Jeep tour
Jeep tours are one of the most exciting activities Sedona has to offer. There’s adventurous offroading tours, scenic tours, and educational tours, where you can visit everything from energy vortexes to ancient cliff dwellings.
Check out our list of the best Sedona Jeep tours for a full list of options.
Slide down natural water slides at Slide Rock State Park
If you’re visiting Sedona with family, Slide Rock is the place to go. Sitting at the base of Oak Creek Canyon, this state park has an 80 foot long natural waterslide, picnic areas, and a nature trail that passes by a historic apple orchard.
It costs $20-$30 per vehicle to enter the park during spring and summer, so this is a good place to spend the majority of the day at.
Visit Sedona’s energy vortexes
Sedona’s known for having energy vortexes, which are sites thought to have increased levels of energy entering or exiting the earth. There’s no science proving these vortexes exist, but they definitely add to Sedona’s charm.
The four main vortex sites are located at Airport Mesa, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, and Boynton Canyon. You can visit these sites on your own, or go on a guided tour to learn all about their history.
Shop at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
Minutes from downtown, Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village is a wonderful shopping mall designed after a traditional Mexican village. It has a variety of small shops, restaurants, art galleries, and outdoor seating areas. With cobblestone paths, water fountains, and outdoor seating areas, it’s a lovely place to stroll around in the evening.
Ride the Verde Canyon railroad
Hop aboard the Verde Canyon railroad to see old mining sites, ancient cliff dwellings, and streams of the Verde River. This is a family-friendly 4 hour ride in a vintage train car, where you’ll be provided with lunch, appetizers, and champagne on board.
You can choose a morning or evening ride, and they depart from Cottonwood, which is just 30 minutes outside of Sedona.
Visit Montezuma Castle
Montezuma’s Castle is a fascinating national monument of a 20 room high-rise apartment built into the limestone cliffs by the Sinagua people. These cliff dwellings were built between 1100 and 1350 A.D., and thought to be used as a shelter during flooding and extreme weather conditions.
Entrance is $10/person for a 7 day pass, and it has a museum, and pathways shaded by sycamore trees you can walk along to view the cliff dwellings. It’s located right off of the highway in Camp Verde, so it’s the perfect place to visit if you’re visiting Sedona from Phoenix. The entrance fee to Montezuma’s Castle also covers entrance to the Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale (30 minutes away).
Visit Tuzigoot National Monument
If you’re visiting Jerome or Clarkdale, the Tuzigoot National Monument is well worth a visit. This is an ancient multi-story pueblo ruin built between 1125 and 1400 CE by the Sinagua people in the Verde Valley.
It has a small museum, and only takes around 30 minutes to visit. Entrance is $10/person to visit both Tuzigoot and Montezuma’s Castle for 7 days.
Visit Jerome’s Ghost Town And Historic Park
Jerome is a historic copper mining town, built on the side of a hill, just 40 minutes outside of Sedona. The Gold King Mine & Ghost Town is a great place to visit with young kids, that has an old mine, historic buildings, a junkyard with vintage cars, and a small petting zoo with goats. Entrance costs $12/person, and $7 per child (7-12).
If you’re not traveling with children, I recommend visiting Jerome’s Historic Park instead. This is a large museum built in an old mansion, with tons of exhibits on Jerome’s history and underground mines. Entrance is $7/person, and it’s just down the street from the quirky little shops in downtown Jerome.
Go on a wine tour in the Verde Valley
The Verde Valley is a top wine destination in Arizona, with several wineries in Cottonwood, Jerome, Clarkdale, and Cornville.
You can go on a wine tour from Sedona, or drive 30 minutes outside of town to visit the different wineries and tasting rooms. Some excellent wineries are the DA Ranch and Oak Creek Vineyards in Cornville.
Kayak down the Verde River
Looking for something to do on a hot day? Go kayaking down the Verde River, one of Arizona’s only free flowing rivers. The Verde River is peaceful, surrounded by greenery, and it has a series of rapids to make the trip more adventurous.
Spend the day in Flagstaff
If you’re planning on visiting the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff is a great place to stop along the way. Flagstaff is around 50 minutes from Sedona, and just over an hour from the Grand Canyon.
It has a charming downtown with a train station that runs along historic route 66. There’s route 66 motels and murals, little shops, historic buildings, and cafes, so it’s a fun place to stroll around and dine out.
Flagstaff also has family-friendly parks, and hiking trails where you can soak in the beauty of the Ponderosa pine trees that surround the city.
Check out our article on the best things to do in Flagstaff for more ideas on what to do in town.
Go stargazing at Lowell Observatory
Perched atop Mars hill in Flagstaff, the Lowell Observatory is one of the best places to go stargazing near Sedona. This astronomical observatory was responsible for discovering Pluto in 1930, and is now open to the public for science talks, tours, telescope viewings, and more.
At night, they have stargazing sessions where you can view stars, planets, and galaxies with their advanced telescopes. Admission costs $29 for adults, $17 for children, for full day access to the observatory.
Explore a natural lava tube in Flagstaff
Hidden in Flagstaff’s Ponderosa pine forests, the Lava River Cave is a fascinating mile-long lava tube open to the public for exploring. This lava tube was created between 650,000 and 700,000 years ago from a nearby volcanic eruption, and it’s just a half hour drive from downtown.
The lava tube is narrow, pitch black, cold, and has a steep descent into the cave. On the walls of the cave there’s silver glowing bacteria, and as you venture further into the cave, you’ll begin to see a more defined tube shape.
If you do the full hike, it will take around 45 minutes to an hour, since it extends out 0.75 miles. Just remember to bring a flashlight, jacket, and comfortable hiking shoes.
Also take your time on the way down, as the trail’s made of loose lava rocks, many of which move when you step on them.
Visit Arizona’s youngest volcano (Sunset Crater)
Sunset Crater is the youngest Arizona volcano within the San Francisco Volcanic field, just 30 minutes north of Flagstaff. It has a visitor center, and a variety of hiking trails to explore the volcanic features of the park.
You can hike the Lava Flow Trail to see old lava flows, jagged lava rocks, and nearby volcanoes at the base of Sunset Crater. Admission costs $25/vehicle for 7 days, and the pass is also valid at the Wupatki National Monument.
Visit the Wupatki National Monument
The Wupatki National monument is one of the largest preserved ancient pueblo sites, just 35 minutes north of Flagstaff. The Wupatki pueblo is a short half mile walk from the visitor center, where you can see a 104 room pueblo, ballcourt, and a natural blowhole.
There’s a museum at the visitor center, and many other large pueblo sites (Wukoki, Citadel, Nalakihu, Box Canyon, Lomaki) located off of the main road as well.
The Wupatki National Monument is connected to Sunset Crater on a 35 mile loop road, and you only need to pay one entrance fee to visit both ($25/vehicle, 7 day pass).
Hike the Walnut Canyon National Monument
Walnut Canyon is another spectacular ancient pueblo site, just 15 minutes east of Flagstaff. It has over 300 ancient cliff dwellings built into the canyon by Sinagua people around A.D. 1150.
You can descend down over 200 stairs into the canyon to see the ruins up close, or overlook them from the visitor center. Admission costs $25/vehicle for 7 days, or you can purchase an annual pass ($45/vehicle) to visit Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and Walnut Canyon for a year.
See the Meteor Crater National Monument
Meteor Crater is one of the most well preserved meteorite impact sites on earth, located around an hour and 15 minutes east of Sedona. The crater is 560 feet wide, 4,000 feet deep, and surrounded by long stretches of desert.
At the visitor center, you can watch a film on the history of the crater, see scientific exhibits, and different lookout points. Admission costs $29/adults, and $20/children (6-12).
Take a day trip to the Grand Canyon
Sedona is just over a 2 hour drive from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, where you can see one of the seven natural wonders of the world! The South Rim is the most popular entrance of the Grand Canyon, and has a visitor center, several viewpoints, and excellent hiking trails.
It’s perfect for a day trip, since you only need a few hours to see the popular viewpoints. On the way there, you can stop by Flagstaff for food, or to see the nearby national monuments (Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater, Wupatki).
Go on a road trip to Page AZ
Want to visit more natural wonders? Hit the road to visit the small town of Page, straddling the border between Arizona and Utah.
Page is around a 3 hour drive from Sedona, and is home to the famous Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and towering Glen Canyon Dam.
The geology surrounding Page is truly fascinating, and you only need a day to see all of the popular landmarks.
Map of things to do near Sedona
Related articles you may be interested in:
- Page One Day Itinerary
- Sedona One Day Itinerary
