Like a desert Big Sur, with energy vortexes
Sedona: 48-Hour Escape from Phoenix
Red rock canyons, energy vortexes, and the most beautiful small town in Arizona, two hours from Phoenix.
Sedona: Red rock canyons, energy vortexes, and the most beautiful small town in Arizona, two hours from Phoenix.
At a glance
Sedona, Arizona is a 2 hr drive from Phoenix, best visited March-May or September-November. Like a desert Big Sur, with energy vortexes. Top things to do: Cathedral Rock Trail, Slide Rock State Park, Uptown Sedona. Where to eat: Elote Cafe, Mariposa, The Hudson. Stay at Enchantment Resort or L'Auberge de Sedona.
42
of 100
Escape score
Worth a stop on the way
A good day and a half, with an evening to spare.
- Drive
- 2 hr from Phoenix
- Best window
- March-May or September-November
- Typical stay
- ~$360/night
Escape score: what there is to do and eat (40%), typical weekend lodging cost (30%), drive time (25%), rounding (5%). Computed from our own guide data, never from paid placement.
Why here
Sedona sits at 4,300 feet in the red rock country of central Arizona, surrounded by 1.8 million acres of national forest. The town of 10,000 is famous for its vortexes, four sites where the earth's energy is said to swirl, and the trails that access them are the most popular in the state. Whether you believe in vortexes or not, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Courthouse Butte are among the most photographed geologic formations in the West. Jimmy Carter declared the area one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Sedona is the red rock capital of Arizona, and the geology is the whole story. The town sits in a basin of Moenkopi sandstone, 270 million years old, eroded into the buttes and spires that ring the town, and the contrast with the pine forest above is why it looks the way it does. The vortex story, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Boynton Canyon, came later, popularized in the 1980s by a medium named Page Bryant, and it gave Sedona its New Age identity. The trails, whether or not you buy the energy, are genuinely some of the most scenic in the country, and Oak Creek, which runs through the canyon below town, is the water in a desert landscape.
A weekend in Sedona is a red-rock hiking weekend. Do Cathedral Rock at sunrise, Slide Rock for a swim, the Airport Mesa loop at sunset, and browse the Tlaquepaque arts village and the Chapel of the Holy Cross between. Come March through May or September through November, summer is over 100 degrees. Two nights is the minimum, the light changes by the hour and you want a sunset and a sunrise.
The plan
48 hours in Sedona
Same town, two different weekends. Pick the arrival that matches your Friday.
Friday, on arrival
Check inEnchantment Resort
From ~$450/night
70 acres in Boynton Canyon, surrounded by red rock. 75 casitas, a spa built into the rock, and vortex hikes out the back door. The grandest stay in Se...
Leave Phoenix after work: the 2 hr drive lands you here in the evening.
Friday night
Dinner, then the main streetElote Cafe
Mexican farm-to-table. The elote (roasted corn), the cochinita pibil, and the mole are the orders. Reserve 1+ month ahead, it's the most-requested tab...
Eat first and walk it off after. Most small-town kitchens stop seating by 9.
Saturday morning
First stopCathedral Rock Trail
Free. The most photographed rock formation in Arizona. 1.2 miles round trip, 700 ft gain, mostly climbing. Trailhead parking is tight, arrive before 8...
Saturday midday
LunchMariposa
Latin-inspired fine dining with a 180-degree view of the red rocks. The grilled lamb and the empanadas are the moves. Brunch on the patio is the best...
Saturday afternoon
Second stopSlide Rock State Park
$30 entry. A natural water slide in Oak Creek, 80 feet of smooth rock with cold creek water. Swim June-September. Park early, it fills by 10am.
Saturday night
DinnerThe Hudson
American eatery on Oak Creek. The elk chop and the seasonal salads are the orders. Creek-side patio, reserve for sunset.
Sunday morning
Last stop, then homeUptown Sedona
Free to browse. The historic core, art galleries, and the Tlaquepaque Arts Village, a Mexican-style crafts village built in the 1970s. The Chapel of t...
2 hr back to Phoenix still leaves you the afternoon.
Timings are a suggestion, not a schedule. Shift the whole plan by how late you leave.
The Basecamp
Where to stay in Sedona
Enchantment Resort
70 acres in Boynton Canyon, surrounded by red rock. 75 casitas, a spa built into the rock, and vortex hikes out the back door. The grandest stay in Sedona.
L'Auberge de Sedona
On Oak Creek. 79 rooms, a great restaurant (Cress), and a creek-side spa. Walking distance to uptown. The most romantic stay in town.
Amara Resort & Spa
A creekside resort on Oak Creek with a pool and spa, walkable to uptown. The mid-range luxury stay with the best sunset views.
What to do
Cathedral Rock Trail
Free. The most photographed rock formation in Arizona. 1.2 miles round trip, 700 ft gain, mostly climbing. Trailhead parking is tight, arrive before 8am. Best at sunset.
Learn more ↗Slide Rock State Park
$30 entry. A natural water slide in Oak Creek, 80 feet of smooth rock with cold creek water. Swim June-September. Park early, it fills by 10am.
Learn more ↗
Uptown Sedona
Free to browse. The historic core, art galleries, and the Tlaquepaque Arts Village, a Mexican-style crafts village built in the 1970s. The Chapel of the Holy Cross, built into the rock, is a must-see.
Learn more ↗Pack for Sedona
Trail & waterfall kit
Curated for waterfalls, trails, and summit days in Sedona.
Lightweight hiking daypack
Room for layers, snacks, and the camera, without weighing you down.
See price on Amazon →Insulated water bottle
Cold water past the last switchback, hot coffee at the overlook.
See price on Amazon →Waterproof hiking boots
Grippy and dry through creek crossings and muddy gorge trails.
See price on Amazon →Rechargeable headlamp
For early trailheads and that one hike that ran long.
See price on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, book2escape earns from qualifying purchases.
Where to eat
Elote Cafe
Mexican farm-to-table. The elote (roasted corn), the cochinita pibil, and the mole are the orders. Reserve 1+ month ahead, it's the most-requested table in town.
Mariposa
Latin-inspired fine dining with a 180-degree view of the red rocks. The grilled lamb and the empanadas are the moves. Brunch on the patio is the best in Sedona.
The Hudson
American eatery on Oak Creek. The elk chop and the seasonal salads are the orders. Creek-side patio, reserve for sunset.
Most reviewed on Yelp
The most-reviewed restaurants in Sedona. A solid indicator of where locals actually eat.
Hideaway House
Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
The Hudson
Cocktail Bars, Burgers, New American
Creekside Sedona
New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Bars
Review counts and ratings are curated from Yelp and may change over time.
Go even deeper
Side trips near Sedona
Once you've settled into Sedona, these nearby towns are close enough to fold into the same weekend without moving your basecamp.
25 min from Sedona
Cottonwood
25 minutes southwest on AZ-89A through the canyon, the Verde Valley wine-tasting town, with a walkable Old Town and cheaper stays than Sedona.
20 min from Sedona
Cornville
20 minutes southwest, the winery row along Oak Creek, with Page Springs Cellars and a handful of tasting rooms in a leafy creek setting.
Getting there
Drive logistics
From Phoenix, take I-17 North to Exit 298, then AZ-179 North. ~120 miles, about 2 hours. I-17 climbs 3,000 feet, Sedona is 15 degrees cooler than Phoenix. The switchbacks on AZ-89A from Flagstaff are stunning but slow in winter.
Drive time
2 hr
Best time
March-May or September-November
Questions & Answers
Sedona weekend FAQ
Sedona is about 120 miles north of Phoenix, roughly 2 hours via I-17 North and AZ-179 North.
Four sites (Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Boynton Canyon) where the earth's energy is said to swirl. Whether or not you believe it, the hikes are the most popular in Arizona.
Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) for mild weather. Summer can exceed 100 degrees, winter can snow. Slide Rock is best June-September.
Yes. At 2 hours, Sedona is the best red-rock weekend from Phoenix, with trailheads in town, a walkable uptown, and Oak Creek, ideal for a 2-night hiking and art weekend.
October through April for hiking weather, with the clearest red-rock light. Spring brings wildflowers. Summer is hot but mornings are fine on the shaded creek trails.
The Dispatch
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