What to do in Sedona Arizona in Only 1 Day
So you only have one full day in Sedona, Arizona. Maybe you are doing a multiple stop trip to the Southwest and Sedona is one of those stops. Where should you go, what should you see in the limited amount of time? This is the post for you!
I will go through all the places you should stop in Sedona to get the most out of your time here!
First thing you need to know is that Sedona closes early! Many places are only open until 7 or 8pm, this means you need to get an early start! I’ll give some recommendations of what there is to do, and then I give a downloadable sample Itinerary at the end!
Get Up Early and go for a Hike
Start the day off right by going on a beautiful hike! Sedona is home to many hiking trails and you really can’t go wrong with any of them since you’ll be surrounded by beautiful red rock!
Search through the AllTrails App to find the hike that you want to go on. This app gives you all the details including the level of difficulty, length, reviews and photos.
Here are some of the hikes I recommend:
- Soldier Pass Trail
- Length: 4 miles round trip
- Level: I would say moderate (it starts off easy then gets harder at the end with a big climb to the cave)
- This hike takes you by some very popular destinations in Sedona including a sink hole called Devil’s Kitchen, Seven Sacred Pools, and a beautiful cave at the end! Because there is so much to see I highly recommend this hike to get the most out of it!
- For more information come back next week to see my in depth post about the Sedona Hikes I went on!
- Fay Canyon Trail
- Length: 2 miles round trip
- Level: Easy
- This hike is pretty short and once you reach the “end of the trail” if you climb up some rocks you get the most amazing view of the canyon! There is supposed to be an arch if you go off trail a little but I was unsuccessful at finding it (lost service and trail markings were not the best).
- My post next week will talk about this hike and how to find the arch (now that I have researched better)
- Devil’s Bridge
- Length: 4.2 miles out & back (according to AllTrails)
- Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails)
- This is the one you see everyone post pictures of. Devil’s bridge is a beautiful arch that you can cross, and get some amazing photos. Because it is so popular people have said they waited an hour or more to get a picture. (I avoided this hike for this reason)
- Cathedral Rock
- Length: 1.2 miles out & back (according to AllTrails)
- Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails)
- Another very popular hike that boasts beautiful views at the end! Great place to watch the sunrise or sunset. People say it is quite an intense climb where you have to use your hands to climb up to the top.
Not Much a Hiker? Get a tour of Sedona
Pink Jeep tours are very popular in Sedona and they have many options to choose from! If you want to do some off roading and get some amazing views without hiking this is a great option! If you just want to see the highlights and learn about Sedona their “Sedona 360” tour will be best for you!
Prices range from $36-$170 per adult depending on the tour. Most tours are 2 hours in length and masks are required!
Coffee/Breakfast
Coffee:
- Creekside Coffee and Bakery
- Great coffee with a view, what more can you ask for?
- Their coffee is really good and their homemade blueberry muffin was delicious!
- They are not fast, but take in the views while you wait!
Breakfast:
- Coffee Pot Restaurant
- Great mom & pop style breakfast!
- Expect a wait this place is always packed!
- McDonalds
- McDonald’s seriously?! Well the only reason I recommend this because it is the only one in the world that does not have golden arches. The food is exactly the same.
- These McDonald arches are turquoise because the city of Sedona said the golden arches would clash with the red rocks back in 1993.
Take a Scenic Drive
Do your own tour of Sedona! Take a drive down the Red Rock Scenic Byway where there are many places you can stop to take in the views!
Popular Destinations:
- Chapel of the Holy Cross
- Cost: Free to park, $1 to go inside
- This an iconic Sedona chapel was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Parking is limited to 45 spots and is less busy in the morning.
- Bell Rock
- Cost: $5
- There is a great stop off point to park and take in views of bell rock and the surrounding area. Many flat rocks in this area to sit and enjoy the views and there are some trailheads too if you want to take a walk.
- Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout
- Cost: $3
- Look out point on the way to the Sedona Airport. There is a large parking lot to accommodate many cars, and the views are amazing!
- There is also an Airport Mesa Trail to hike and see these views if you prefer hiking
- Slide Rock
- Cost: $20 per car
- Great swimming spot for families! This is home to natural water slides! The rocks are smooth and there is a lot of slipper algae that makes this possible. The water is ice cold because it comes from the snow in the mountains, but this a perfect spot to hit in the spring or summer! When there is a lot of water, there are spots to cliff jump too!
- You could easily spend the whole afternoon here, many people bring their own coolers and have picnics out here.
- Cathedral Rock
- Perhaps one of the most iconic rocks in Sedona. The best way to see it by hiking, but if you don’t want to hike view it by going to Red Rock Crossing. There is also a swimming spot in the area for the family
Lunch with Views
Many restaurants have beautiful views but my absolute favorites were:
- The Hudson
- Great views and GREAT food!
- I got the Seared Ahi Sandwich which was delicous and my husband had the Reuben and said it was the best one he ever had!
- Their drinks are great too!
- We were lucky to get a table out on the back patio, but make a reservation to ensure you get the best views!
- The Vault
- Same owners as The Hudson so their food and drinks are great! They do have different options to eat and we had an appetizer of the Nachos which were delicious and a big portion!
- We made reservations for the patio and got the best view in the house!
Shopping/Walking Around
There are two great spots for walking around and looking at shops in Sedona:
- Tlaquepaque Shops
- Hours: 10am-6pm
- This shopping area is absolutely beautiful! Great picture worthy place with artsy shops, restaurants, wineries and a brewery.
- Uptown Sedona
- Most places: 10am-7pm
- Very busy and touristy but still great place to walk around. There are many local shops with art and southwestern products, restaurants, ice cream shops, etc.
Wine Tasting
Sedona is a part of the Verde Valley Wine Trail , so it is a great place to have a few tastings or enjoy a nice glass of wine! Here is a list of the wineries in Sedona city limits:
- The Art of Wine
- This was my absolute favorite winery!
- They have many wines to choose from, Flight options include Reds, Whites, Sweet Wines, and Mead.
- I did the Sweet Flight and my husband did the Mead Flight and they were all delicious!
- Great service and pours.
- Vino Zona
- All their wines are from wineries in Arizona! I love that this spot stays local.
- This is located inside the Tlaquepaque Shops and inside is so pretty, it felt like I was inside someone’s home in Italy!
- Great service! Tastings are $15 and include your glass or you can try free samples with the purchase of a bottle.
- Winery 1912
- We didn’t visit this one but it looks like they have great views and great reviews!
- Wild West Wine Co.
- We didn’t visit this one either but it does not have great reviews.
Sunset
Sunset is beautiful in Sedona because the red rock becomes an even more vibrant red! My suggestion is to find a viewpoint of the red rocks and watch the colors become more vibrant! Here are some great places to see this:
- Bell Rock
- Airport Mesa
- The Hudson or The Vault (restaurant)
- Any restaurant or hotel with a view
Dinner
Make dinner reservations for as late as you can so that you can maximize your time. I highly recommend a reservation because not many restaurants are open late, therefore the ones that are get busy and many not be able to seat you before closing.
For some fine dining I recommend:
- Elote
- 350 Jordan Road, Sedona, AZ 86336
- Mariposa
- 700 AZ-89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
Want a Sample Itinerary?
This is what I would do if I only had one day in Sedona!
