Where to stay

Book accommodations along the main street stretching from Sedona to Uptown Sedona and beyond to be able to walk between numerous unique restaurants, galleries, and shops. Menus here include Southwestern and Mexican dishes, as well as vegetarian and vegan options. Just south, the Tlaquepaque neighborhood is a good place to stay for galleries showing and selling Southwestern art, fine handmade jewelry, locally made craft items, and souvenirs. West Sedona also has good restaurants including Asian specialties. Stay here to shop on Sundays during the winter at the Sonoma Community Farmers Market. The market sets up on Fridays in Tlaquepaque during the summer.

East of the mountains surrounding Sedona, find accommodations in the small neighborhood of Munds Park to explore the Coconino National Forest, and hike or ride horses around Mormon Lake. Although this is Arizona's largest lake, it often becomes a shallow marsh or even a dry lakebed during drought seasons. The Village of Oak Creek is a great place to stay to enjoy golf on two courses with excellent fairways and views of towering red rocks. Book a hotel in West Sedona for one of the region's favorite hikes, the Airport Mesa Loop Trail, with spectacular views of the valley and surrounding red rocks. A hotel in Uptown Sedona offers a fine location to use as a base for a day of skiing in Flagstaff, less than an hour's drive north.

Sedona is believed by many to have natural vortexes. These swirling centers of energy from the earth provide spiritual, mental, and physical healing. Visit the four sites that have been identified as having particularly strong energy. From a hotel in West Sedona, take the short hike to the Airport Mesa vor-tex site, enjoying great views on the way. Drive into the hills to the north for the vortex in Boynton Canyon, where a trail through the box canyon passes native plants and wildlife. Stay in Sedona or Oak Creek to be near Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock. Walk close to these large rock structures and you're bound to feel inspired, with or without the power of vortex energy. Be sure to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross, an architectural delight built high atop nearby red rocks.