Sedona, Arizona Vacation Guide

Sedona vacation rentals are set in one of the most visually stunning areas of the country. Gifted with rose colored sandstone, the area has come to be called "red rocks" due to the stunning visual spectacle the rocks provide when touched by the setting sun. Located at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon (a beautiful 16-mile gorge), Sedona is named after Sedona Miller Schnebly, wife of the town's first postmaster. Sedona's earliest inhabitants were the Anasazi, a people the Navajo referred to as "the ancient ones." Ruins and petroglyphs indicate the Anasazi fished, hunted, and farmed the surrounding area. Today, a vacation in Sedona is a trip to a natural wonderland where active endeavors are the favorite pastimes. A day in Sedona can include hiking, mountain biking, swimming, horseback riding, kayaking, fishing, or hopping in a jeep for some off-road fun.

Before heading out to the Great Outdoors, there are a couple of can't-miss Sedona sights to see. The first is the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a Catholic chapel designed in 1956 by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. The chapel is one of the most photographed spots around Sedona because the church appears to shoot out of two spectacular rock formations. Shopping enthusiasts will want to head to Tlaquepaque, a series of courtyards, shops, galleries, and restaurants. Named for a famous crafts village outside of Guadalajara, Mexico, Tlaquepaque is a great place to pick up a trinket with Southwestern flair.

Hiking and mountain biking enthusiasts flock to Sedona for the many trail heads that begin in town and head out into the surrounding Coconino National Forest. One of the most popular trails is the Bell Rock Pathway, which twists and turns on a five-mile journey to Bell Rock. The Cathedral Rock Trail is a three-quarter-mile trail that leads hikers by majestic cairns (piles of rocks) on the way to Cathedral Rock. More fabulous hikes await visitors at Red Rock State Park. The park has 5 miles of trails that lead past excellent views of the red rock and Oak Creek. All of these trails are open to mountain bikers. Knowledgeable guides are available for horseback riding excursions through the area.

Still more active fun can be found in Slide Rock State Park, a 43-acre apple orchard nestled along the Oak Creek Canyon. The park used to be the Pendley Homestead, but was acquired by the state in 1985 and converted into a state park. The area gets its name for the Slide Rock, an area of slippery creek bottom near the former homestead. The park has an excellent swimming hole and people with small children can let the little ones wade in the shallows. The trails that crisscross the park are on the easy side, none being longer than a half-mile in length. One of the most popular is the Clifftop Nature Trail, a one-quarter mile long hike that takes hikers to an overlook with excellent views of the Slide Rock swimming area.

Sedona can serve as a jumping off point to other northern Arizona attractions. Stay in rental cabins in Sedona or Sedona house rentals to explore northern Arizona. To learn about the local history, visit the Sedona Heritage Museum. Housed in a historic home, the museum has a collection of memorabilia relating to the many films that have been filmed in the Sedona area. Take some time to pamper yourself in one of the many day spas that populate the area or journey to the Grand Canyon, which is about 120 miles north of Sedona. Sedona has something for everyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of northern Arizona.