We ended up in Sedona on a fluke because a timeshare came available and my husband had driven through the red rock the year previous on a business trip and thought it would be worth exploring. Describing Sedona has become somewhat of a passion... when we read about the fact that it's an area of natural vortices and full of new wave practitioners, we wondered whether we'd be put off by "weirdness". Neither of us have ever bought into the concept of serenity induced by outside factors, but there really is something about Sedona! The air is clear and clean, and the surroundings, with the red rock, clear streams and combination of desert and forest vegetation, are stunning. Within a day of arriving, we actually felt calmer and happier -- even our teenage sons noticed a difference! The pace of the area is slow and the people incredibly willing to be helpful or just chat with visitors. Everyone who lives there has a story to share of why they love the place.
Quick Tips:
Our neatest experience was an evening musical program at Sedona Springs (timeshare) by a native flute player named Jesse Kalu. By the end of his hour-long presentation, including stirring music and lots of stories of his life, my husband and I were both crying! We left the evening feeling absolutely refreshed and content. That was only the beginning of the feeling we carried during our whole visit. We spent a day at the Grand Canyon, a day in Jerome exploring the old silver mining town, a day in Flagstaff including time at the observatory, saw the Chapel of the Holy Cross built right into the red rock, and explored the native sites at Montezuma's Castle. Despite the busy schedule, we always felt relaxed and welcomed by the staff and locals everywhere.
Best Way To Get Around:
Besides all the wonderful natural and historical sites, there's great shopping in the area. The stores in Sedona feature native weaving, pottery and jewelry (silver, turquoise, amber, and natural stones are highlights). There's also a thriving local artisan community at Tlaque Paque with more expensive items, several art galleries, sculptors and more. The restaurants range from unique for their decor (the Red Planer Diner that looks like a Martian space ship -- or maybe something out of
The Jetsons) to unique for their food (we had FANTASTIC buffalo steaks and burgers at The Cowboy Club). The Mexican food at Javelina Cantina was outstanding and the Italian at Pietro's eaten outside with a view of the sunset over the red rock was incredible.
You really need a car in Sedona, because you're going to want to visit Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon and Jerome while you're there, but horseback is probably the most wonderful way to explore the area around Oak Creek.