Sedona Arizona - Hotels, Tours, & Things to Do

When it comes to answering "Where to stay in Sedona?", the good news is that there's no bad news. The fact is that Sedona offers spectacular views from almost anywhere you go, so you don't have to book a room with a balcony and a view. And the three major areas of town—Uptown Sedona, West Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek (VOC)—are within 5 – 7 miles of each other, so location is a minor factor as long as you have your own transportation. You'll find that you'll use a car daily to venture beyond the souvenir shops and dining in Uptown Sedona, for example, to explore the entire Sedona area. Now, if the fact that the possibilities are virtually endless proves to be overwhelming rather than encouraging, let's narrow down the choices based on your particular vacation style and criteria. One of the simplest decisions to make is budget. Look for the budget-friendliest lodging in West Sedona or the Village of Oak Creek versus Uptown Sedona. Also, the least expensive times to visit Sedona are the late summer and winter off-season, when normally premium-priced hotels often offer greater availability at a bargain price. Also, many hotels offer discounts for stays on Sunday through Thursday nights, year-round. Next, consider whether you're a hotel person or would like an alternative. If you like hotels—including everything from pocket-friendly motels to the most luxurious resorts—you'll narrow your options by about 30%. There are about 50 hotels, motels and resorts in Sedona, each with specific amenities and benefits, across a range of rates and locations. Our Sedona hotel guide offers a quick look at each hotel's price range and displays them on a map, or you can use our Sedona hotel finder to sort by location and real-time rates for your particular vacation dates. Visitors interested in an alternative to the traditional hotel experience will find a lovely array of over 30 bed & breakfasts in Sedona, each with its unique character and offerings, but all committed to providing guest service tailored to the individual. Similarly, the availability of quaint creekside cabins make for a memorable and individualized vacation experience, though less intimate than a bed & breakfast, and are particularly apt for a longer stay. Timeshare rentals offer a perfect combination of hotel-style amenities and the elbow-room of a cabin, and you can stay in a vacation-ownership resort even if you're not a timeshare owner. If you're interested in a restorative and healing metaphysical retreat, book a multi-night stay at a spa resort or with a spiritual retreat provider. Finally, you may want to consider a vacation rental home if your vacation will be lengthy or your party is large. A final element to determining where to stay is who's included in your party. Children? Pets? Your new bride or groom? If your Sedona vacation planning needs a little more focused direction, check out our "Best For…" section for specific tips on family-friendly, pet-friendly, LGBT-friendly and the most romantic places to stay in Sedona.

There are veritably hundreds of things to do in Sedona. There are enough activities to satisfy a life-long stay, so the only trouble with planning a vacation to Sedona is how to manage to do the "very best things" in a short amount of time. If you have only one day in Sedona, make the most of the day by arriving in Sedona as early as possible (allow for driving time from Phoenix or where ever your trip begins.) You can take a self-guided driving tour, a hop-on-hop-off trolley tour, do a short day hike or an ever-popular Jeep tour. Spend time meandering about Tlaquepaque, Uptown Sedona, and the various art galleries, eateries and shopping centers therein. Drive up Oak Creek Canyon and back, stopping at West Fork or Slide Rock for a lovely, verdant hike as long or as short as you like. End the day watching the sun go down from Airport Mesa. A two- to three-night stay is the ideal length of stay for the majority of Sedona visitors. Use the extra time to heal and focus inward, or get out and explore outward. Book a day of restorative spa treatments at one of Sedona's acclaimed day or resort spas to quiet the noise of your everyday life. Or pile into the car for more driving than hiking. Head for West Sedona for additional shops and dining and a bit beyond toward Page Springs/Cornville to sample the terroir of Arizona wine country; venture down Highway 179 to poke around the Village of Oak Creek's shops and restaurants; or even take a day trip through cute-as-a-button Cottonwood to the funky former ghost town of Jerome. Sedona is so laid back, almost nothing (except guided tours and the sunrise and set) happens on a particular timetable, so relax and go with the flow of Sedona's palpable energy. If you can't see it all in 2 - 3 days—and we assure you, there's always more to do—come back year after year like many visitors, and do something different on your next visit.